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Missouri Tigers football
Mizzou Athletics wordmark.svg
First season 1890
Athletic director Vacant
Head coach Eliah Drinkwitz
4th season, 28–21 (.571)
Stadium Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium
(Capacity: 62,621)
Field Faurot Field
Field surface AstroTurf RootZone 3D3
Location Columbia, Missouri
Conference Southeastern Conference
Division Eastern
Past conferences WIUFA
(1892–1897)
Missouri Valley
(1907–1927)
Big Eight
(1928–1995)
Big 12
(1996–2011)
All-time record 727–599–52 (.546)
Bowl record 16–20 (.444)
Unclaimed nat'l titles 2 (1960, 2007)
Conference titles 15
(3 WIUFA, 12 Big Eight)
Division titles 5
Big 12 North:
2007, 2008, 2010
SEC East:
2013, 2014
Rivalries Oklahoma (rivalry)
Kansas (rivalry)
Arkansas (rivalry)
Nebraska (rivalry)
Illinois (rivalry)
Iowa State (rivalry)
Consensus All-Americans 14
Current uniform
Missouri Tigers Football Unif 23.png
Colors Black and Old Gold
         
Fight song Every True Son, Fight Tiger
Mascot Truman the Tiger
Marching band Marching Mizzou
Outfitter Nike
Website mutigers.com

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 36 bowl games (including 11 New Year's Six bowl appearances: four Orange Bowls, four Cotton Bowls, two Sugar Bowls, and one Fiesta Bowl). Missouri has won 15 conference titles and 5 division titles, and has two national-championship selections recognized by the NCAA. Entering the 2024 season, Missouri's all-time record is 727–599–52 (.547).

Since 2012, Missouri has been a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and competes in the Eastern Division. Home games are played at Faurot Field ("The Zou") in Columbia, Missouri, named for hall of fame coach Don Faurot.

Hall of famer Gary Pinkel, coach from 2001 to 2015, has the most wins in Missouri football history, setting that mark with his 102nd win in 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 (.618).

Since the 2020 football season, the team has been coached by Eliah Drinkwitz.

History

Conference affiliations

  • Independent (1890–1892)
  • Western Interstate University Football Association (1892–1897)
  • Independent (1898–1906)
  • Big Eight Conference (1907–1995)
    • Missouri Valley 1907–1927, unofficially called Big Six 1928–1947, Big Seven 1947–1957 and Big Eight 1957–1964
  • 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 university.

Season Coach Selectors Record Final AP Final Coaches
1960 Dan Devine Poling System 11–0† No. 5 No. 4
2007 Gary Pinkel Anderson & Hester 12–2 No. 4 No. 5

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

Conference championships

Missouri has won 15 conference championships.

Year Conference Coach Overall Record Conference Record
1893† WIUFA H.O. Robinson 4–3 2–1
1894† 4–3 2–1
1895† C.D. Bliss 7–1 2–1
1909 Big Eight William Roper 7–0–1 4–0–1
1913 Chester Brewer 7–1 4–0
1919 John F. Miller 5–1–2 4–0–1
1924 Gwinn Henry 7–2 5–1
1925 6–1–1 5–1
1927 7–2 5–1
1939 Don Faurot 8–2 5–0
1941 8–2 5–0
1942 8–3–1 4–0–1
1945 Chauncey Simpson 6–4 5–0
1960‡ Dan Devine 11–0 7–0
1969† 9–2 6–1

† 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.

Season Division Coach Opponent CG Result
2007† Big 12 North Gary Pinkel Oklahoma L 17–38
2008† Oklahoma L 21–62
2010† N/A lost tiebreaker to Nebraska
2013 SEC East Auburn L 42–59
2014 Alabama L 13–42

† Co-champion

Bowl games

Missouri has appeared in 36 bowl games, including 11 New Year's Six bowl appearances: 4 Orange Bowls, 4 Cotton Bowls, 2 Sugar Bowls, and 1 Fiesta Bowl, with an all-time bowl record of 16–20. The team also accepted a bid to the 2020 Music City Bowl against Iowa, which was subsequently canceled due to COVID-19.

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

Season Coach Bowl Opponent Result
1924 Gwinn Henry Los Angeles Christmas Festival USC L 7–20
1939 Don Faurot Orange Bowl Georgia Tech L 7–21
1941 Don Faurot Sugar Bowl Fordham L 0–2
1945 Chauncey Simpson Cotton Bowl Classic Texas L 27–40
1948 Don Faurot Gator Bowl Clemson L 23–24
1949 Don Faurot Gator Bowl Maryland L 7–20
1959 Dan Devine Orange Bowl Georgia L 0–14
1960 Orange Bowl Navy W 21–14
1962 Bluebonnet Bowl Georgia Tech W 14–10
1965 Sugar Bowl Florida W 20–18
1968 Gator Bowl Alabama W 35–10
1969 Orange Bowl Penn State L 3–10
1972 Al Onofrio Fiesta Bowl Arizona State L 35–49
1973 Sun Bowl Auburn W 34–17
1978 Warren Powers Liberty Bowl LSU W 20–15
1979 Hall of Fame Classic South Carolina W 24–14
1980 Liberty Bowl Purdue L 25–28
1981 Tangerine Bowl Southern Miss W 19–17
1983 Holiday Bowl BYU L 17–21
1997 Larry Smith Holiday Bowl Colorado State L 24–35
1998 Insight.com Bowl West Virginia W 34–31
2003 Gary Pinkel Independence Bowl Arkansas L 14–27
2005 Independence Bowl South Carolina W 38–31
2006 Sun Bowl Oregon State L 38–39
2007 Cotton Bowl Classic Arkansas W 38–7
2008 Alamo Bowl Northwestern W 30–23OT
2009 Texas Bowl Navy L 13–35
2010 Insight Bowl Iowa L 24–27
2011 Independence Bowl North Carolina W 41–24
2013 Cotton Bowl Classic Oklahoma State W 41–31
2014 Citrus Bowl Minnesota W 33–17
2017 Barry Odom Texas Bowl Texas L 16–33
2018 Liberty Bowl Oklahoma State L 33–38
2021 Eli Drinkwitz Armed Forces Bowl Army L 22–24
2022 Gasparilla Bowl Wake Forest L 17–27
2023 Cotton Bowl Classic Ohio State W 14–3

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 11-4 as of the conclusion of the 2023 season, which saw the Tigers dominate Arkansas 48-14 in Fayetteville.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma leads the series 67-24–5 through the 2022 season. From 1940 through 1974, the teams played for the Tiger-Sooner Peace Pipe trophy. The rivalry will be renewed in 2024, as the teams will be members of the same conference again.

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. Missouri leads the series 9-5 as of the conclusion of the 2023 season.

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. The series is set to renew in 2025.

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. 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 2022 season.

Nebraska

Nebraska leads the series 65–36–3 through the 2022 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
  • Burlsworth Trophy – Best Former Walk-On Player
Cody Schrader — 2023

Player accomplishments

All-Americans

Missouri has 38 first-team All-American selections as of 2017, 14 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
  • Cody Schrader, † RB 2023

† Consensus selection

Retired numbers

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

No. Name Position Career Ref.
23 Johnny Roland HB 1962, 1964–65
Roger Wehrli CB 1966–68
27 Brock Olivo RB 1994–97
37 Bob Steuber E/HB 1940–43
42 Darold Jenkins C 1939–41
44 Paul Christman QB 1938–40
83 Kellen Winslow TE 1975–78

Hall of Fame

Roger Wehrli
Roger Wehrli

College Football Hall of Fame

Missouri has 15 inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Player Position Induction
Bill Roper Coach 1951
Paul Christman QB 1956
Don Faurot Coach 1961
Bob Steuber HB 1971
Jim Phelan Coach 1973
Ed Travis T 1974
Darold Jenkins C 1976
Frank Broyles Coach 1983
Dan Devine Coach 1985
Johnny Roland HB 1998
Kellen Winslow TE 2002
Roger Wehrli CB 2003
Lloyd Carr QB 2011
Gary Pinkel Coach 2022
Jeremy Maclin WR 2023

Pro Football Hall of Fame

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

Player Position Induction
Kellen Winslow TE 1995
Roger Wehrli CB 2007

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. Now the Tigers nearly sell out Memorial Stadium every Homecoming, which is usually a home game in October.

Future opponents

Conference opponents

From 2012 to 2023, Missouri played in the East Division of the SEC and played each opponent in the division each year along with several teams from the West Division. The SEC will expand the conference to 16 teams and will eliminate its two divisions in 2024, causing a new scheduling format for the Tigers to play against the other members of the conference. On March 20, 2024, the SEC announced that they would continue with 8 conference games for the 2025 season, and that each team would play their same conference opponents from the 2024 schedule, only with the host locations switched.

2025 Conference Schedule

Opponent Site Result
Alabama
at Arkansas
at Auburn
Mississippi State
  • Faurot Field
  • Columbia, MO
at Oklahoma
  • Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK (rivalry)
South Carolina
  • Faurot Field
  • Columbia, MO (Mayor's Cup)
Texas A&M
  • Faurot Field
  • Columbia, MO
at Vanderbilt

Non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of October 27, 2022.

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035
Murray State
Aug 31
Kansas
Sep 6
Arkansas–Pine Bluff
Sep 5
Illinois State
Sep 4
San Diego State
Sep 2
Missouri State
Sep 1
Southeast Missouri
Aug 31
at Colorado
Aug 30
at Kansas
Sep 4
Missouri State
Sep 3
San Diego State
Sep 9
at BYU
Sep 8
Buffalo
Sep 7
at Miami (Ohio)
Sep 13
at Kansas
Sep 12
at San Diego State
Sep 11
Southeast Missouri
Sep 9
Illinois
Sep 15
Colorado
Sep 7
Kansas
Sep 6
North Texas
Sep 11
at San Diego State
Sep 10
at Illinois
Sep 16
Illinois
Sep 15
Boston College
Sep 14
Louisiana
Oct 4
at Illinois
Sep 26
Illinois
Sep 18
at Illinois
Sep 16
at Northern Illinois
Sep 29
at North Texas
Sep 14
North Texas
Sep 13
at Illinois
Sep 18
Illinois
Sep 17
at UMass
Oct 12
UMass
Oct 18
Troy
Nov 21
Florida Atlantic
Oct 2
Northern Illinois
Sep 30
Army
Oct 13
Florida Atlantic
Oct 12
at Florida Atlantic
Sept 20
Army
Oct 15
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