Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

Missouri graduate student defensive lineman Darius Robinson was named the Dan S. Petty Scholar-Athlete from Missouri participating in the 88th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
 
Robinson was named first-team All-Southeastern Conference by the Associated Press and the SEC coaches after battling through an up-and-down, injury-plagued season and helping to anchor a defensive unit that closed the regular season ranked sixth (125.0 yards per game) in the SEC against the run and fifth overall (347.2 yards per game) in total defense. Entering the postseason, he has 41 total tackles, 7.5 sacks and 12 tackles for losses, all of which lead all Mizzou defensive linemen, to go along with five quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.
 
The two-time SEC Player of the Week this season turned in a dominant stretch up front, logging a sack in seven straight games from Sept. 23 to Nov. 18. Against No. 2 Georgia, Robinson hiked his season total to a career-best 5.5 sacks. He registered a career night at No. 23 Kentucky, finishing with a personal-best 2.0 sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and six total tackles to earn SEC Defensive Player of the Week and Reese’s Senior Bowl Co-Defensive Player of the Week recognition.
 
The Canton High School product enters the final game of the 2023 season with 12.0 career sacks, which is tied for 25th all-time in school history.
 
Off the field, Robinson was named to the SEC Community Service Team and has been nominated for the American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team. He recently started the Darius Robinson Helping Hands Foundation, a non-profit focused on providing assistance in the local community from youth to seniors who have a need. Robinson has held a back-to-school drive in a partnership with Second Missionary Baptist Church in downtown Columbia. He served as a mentor at Cedar Ridge Elementary this fall and logged over 70 hours of community service, spending time volunteering with numerous organizations on campus and in the Columbia community.