Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

Junior defensive tackle Matt Hoch lived up to the billing of being a standout in everything he did for the University of Missouri football program. A native of Harlan, Iowa, Hoch achieved at a high level both in the classroom and on the field for Mizzou, proving that the term “student-athlete” isn’t just for show. 
 
Hoch carried a 3.96 grade point average in his major of secondary education and was named a Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team selection.  He also was a key cog in the trenches for a defensive line that was one of the most disruptive in all of college football in 2013. That proved to be a crucial development for the Tigers in posting one of the top team turnaround stories in 2013 season as Mizzou went 11-2 overall and won the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division title in just their second year in the SEC.
 
Hoch started all 14 games for Mizzou in 2013, and he came up big in some of MU’s biggest games that season. He posted a career-high 38 tackles heading into the 2014 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, including a career-best 3.0 quarterback sacks. Hoch, who is the younger brother of former Mizzou standout offensive lineman Dan Hoch, posted a career-best seven tackles in the Tigers’ upset win at seventh-ranked Georgia. He made five tackles in support of MU’s division-clinching win against Texas A&M.
 
Hoch had a big moment in the SEC Championship Game against Auburn, when he pounced on a loose ball near midfield to give the Tigers possession on Auburn’s opening series of the game. That led to a Tiger field goal and a quick 3-0 lead in the game.