Missouri Tigers football

The Missouri Tigers football program represents the University of Missouri (often referred to as Mizzou) in college football and competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Missouri's football program dates back to 1890, and has appeared in 33 bowl games (including 10 major bowl appearances: four Orange Bowls, three Cotton Bowls, two Sugar Bowls, and one Fiesta Bowl). Missouri has won 15 conference titles and four division titles, and has two national-championship selections recognized by the NCAA. Entering the 2021 season, Missouri's all-time record is 701–585–52 ().

Since 2012, Missouri has been a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and competes in the Eastern Division, since joining the Tigers have a losing record at 38-44 in conference play. Home games are played at Faurot Field ("The Zou") in Columbia, Missouri.

The team was coached by Gary Pinkel (2001–2015), who has the highest winning percentage of any coach in Missouri football history (setting that mark with his 102nd win at the AT&T Cotton Bowl on January 3, 2014). Pinkel's record with Mizzou after his final game on November 27, 2015, is 118–73 ().

History

Conference affiliations

* Independent (1890–1892)
* Western Interstate University Football Association (1892–1897)
* Independent (1898–1906)
* Big Eight Conference (1907–1995)
** MVIAA 1907–1964, unofficially called Big Six 1928–1947, Big Seven 1947–1957 and Big Eight 1957–1963
* Big 12 Conference (1996–2011)
* Southeastern Conference (2012–present)

Championships

The Missouri Tigers have 15 conference championships and five conference division titles.

National championships

The Tigers were selected as national champions by NCAA-designated major selectors in 1960 and 2007.

Neither championship is claimed by the school, nor is either recognized by the NCAA. The Tigers have never finished a season ranked number one in either the AP Poll or Coaches' Poll.

† The 1960 record was officially recorded as 10–1, but was later changed to 11–0 due to Kansas' subsequent forfeit.

Conference championships

Missouri has won 15 conference championships, but has never outright won the Big 12 or the SEC championship.

† Co-champions

‡ The 1960 Big Eight title was retroactively awarded after a loss to Kansas was reversed due to Kansas' use of a player who was later ruled to be ineligible.

Division championships

The Tigers were previously members of the Big 12 North division between its inception in 1996 and the dissolution of conference divisions within the Big 12 in 2011. The Tigers joined the SEC as members of the SEC East starting in 2012. Missouri has won five division championships.

† Co-champion

Bowl games

Missouri has appeared in 33 bowl games, including 10 major bowl appearances: 4 Orange Bowls, 3 Cotton Bowls, 2 Sugar Bowls, and 1 Fiesta Bowl, with an all-time bowl record of 15–19. The team also accepted a bid to the 2020 Music City Bowl against Iowa, which was subsequently canceled due to an outbreak of COVID-19 on the Tigers.

Missouri's entire bowl history is shown in the table below.

Rivalries

Currently active

Arkansas

Missouri and Arkansas first met in 1906 in Columbia, Missouri, and played each other five times prior to Missouri joining the SEC in 2012, and then becoming Arkansas' permanent cross-division rival in 2014. The annual meeting was dubbed the Battle Line Rivalry. On November 23, 2015, a new rivalry trophy was unveiled for the annual game. Missouri leads the series 10-4 as of the conclusion of the 2022 season, which saw the Tigers win 29-27.

South Carolina

A new rivalry was started in 2012 when Missouri joined the SEC East. With both schools located in cities named Columbia ( Columbia, Missouri, and Columbia, South Carolina), the mayors of the cities commemorate the winner with the "Mayor's Cup" trophy for the annual game.

Historic

Kansas

Missouri leads the series with Kansas 57–54–9 through the 2021 season. With history dating back to Bleeding Kansas in the 1850s, the "Border War" rivalry was well-known as one of the longest-lasting and fiercest rivalries in college sports. The teams met annually, traditionally for the final game of the regular season, from 1891 through 2011 when Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC.

Illinois

The rivalry between Missouri and Illinois is modeled after the two schools' longstanding basketball rivalry, and it garners the most interest around St. Louis, with both schools having alumni and fans in the area. It has not been played annually, with 24 matchups occurring from 1896 to 2010, with Missouri leading the series 17–7. Between 2000 and 2010, the schools met in St. Louis six times, with Missouri winning each time. In 2026, the series will be renewed for a four-year period, to be played on campus sites.

Iowa State

Missouri and Iowa State first met in 1896 and the regional rivalry was born. Before the 1959 match-up between the two schools, which took place in Ames, Iowa, field testing showed that the telephones the two schools used to communicate with their coaches in the coaches' box were wired so that either school could hear what was happening on the other sideline. The problem was fixed before the game, but neither of the two coaches knew that. Northwestern Bell Telephone Company of Ames then decided to have a trophy made to commemorate the incident, thus the Telephone Trophy was born.Telephone Trophy
"
" When Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC, the rivalry was essentially ended.
Missouri leads the series with Iowa State 61–34–9 through the 2021 season.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma leads the series 67–24–5 through the 2021 season. From 1940 through 1974, the teams played for the Tiger-Sooner Peace Pipe trophy.

Nebraska

Nebraska leads the series 65–36–3 through the 2021 season. From 1892 through 2010, the teams played for the Victory Bell trophy.

Award winners

* Amos Alonzo Stagg Award – For Contributions to Football
: Don Faurot – 1964
*Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award
:Warren Powers – 1978
* Mosi Tatupu Award – Best Special Teams Player
:Brock Olivo – 1997
* John Mackey Award – Best Tight End
: Chase Coffman – 2008

Player accomplishments

All-Americans

Missouri has 37 first-team All-American selections as of 2017, 13 of whom were consensus selections.

* Ed Lindenmeyer, T 1925
* Paul Christman, QB 1939
* Darold Jenkins,† C 1941
* Bob Steuber, RB 1942
* Harold Burnine, DE 1955
* Danny LaRose,† DE 1960
* Ed Blaine, T 1961
* Conrad Hitchler, DE 1962
* Johnny Roland,† DB 1965
* Francis Peay, OT 1965
* Russ Washington, OT 1967
* Roger Wehrli,† DB 1968
* Mike Carroll, OG 1969
* Scott Anderson, C 1973
* John Moseley, DB 1973
* Henry Marshall, WR 1975
* Morris Towns, OT 1976
* Kellen Winslow,† TE 1978
* Bill Whitaker, DB 1980
* Brad Edelman, C 1981
* Jeff Gaylord, DT 1981
* Conrad Goode, OT 1983
* John Clay,† OT 1986
* Devin West, TB 1998
* Rob Riti,† C 1999
* Justin Smith, DE 2000
* Martin Rucker,† TE 2007
* Jeremy Maclin,† AP 2007 & 2008
* Chase Coffman,† TE 2008
* Danario Alexander, WR 2009
* Grant Ressel, K 2009
* Michael Egnew,† TE 2010
* Michael Sam,† DE 2013
* Shane Ray,† DE 2014
* Marcus Murphy, ST 2014
* Kentrell Brothers, LB 2015
*Harrison Mevis, K 2021

† Consensus selection

Retired numbers

Missouri has retired six jersey numbers representing seven players as of 2017.

Hall of Fame

College Football Hall of Fame

Missouri has 13 inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Two Missouri players have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

Mascot

Truman the Tiger was introduced as the school's mascot against the Utah State Aggies in 1986, receiving his name from former president Harry S Truman. Truman has been named the "Nation's Best Mascot" three times since 1986, most recently in 2014.

Homecoming

:''See 1911 Kansas vs. Missouri football game''

The NCAA as well as ''Jeopardy!'' and ''Trivial Pursuit'' recognize the University of Missouri as the birthplace of Homecoming, an event which became a national tradition in college football. The history of the University of Missouri Homecoming can be traced back to the 1911 Kansas vs. Missouri football game, when the Missouri Tigers faced off against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first installment of the Border War rivalry series.

Future opponents

Intra-division opponents

Missouri plays the other six SEC East opponents once per season.

Non-division opponents

Missouri plays Arkansas as a permanent non-division opponent annually and rotates around the ''West'' division among the other six schools.

Non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of October 27, 2022.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Missouri Tigers Football

American football teams established in 1890
1890 establishments in Missouri