Latest news with #MizzouFootball
Yahoo
10-07-2025
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Mizzou Football Loses Another Promising Defensive Recruit to SEC Opponent
Mizzou Football Loses Another Promising Defensive Recruit to SEC Opponent originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Missouri Tigers have lost their fourth potential recruit of the week, shortening their list of defensive options for the 2026 class, as three-star safety Jowell Combay has committed to Tennessee. Advertisement This also marks the second recruit this week to join the Vols instead of Mizzou after Javonte Smith committed to the SEC foe on Tuesday. Combay is the No. 608 player in the country according to On3 Industry Rankings, as well as No. 54 at safety and No. 66 in the state of Georgia. In the final stages leading up to his commitment, Combay was considering the Volunteers, Tigers, Wisconsin and South Carolina, while also holding offers from Oklahoma State, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Ole Miss and more. Combay is the teammate of three-star Missouri commit Tony Forney Jr., as both prospects attend Kell High School in Marietta, Georgia. The two of them took multiple visits together, including to Mizzou, but Combay ultimately elected not to follow his teammate. Advertisement Missouri Tigers mascot Truman stands with Medley-Imagn Images Alongside Forney, Combay helped Kell reach the second round of the Class 4A state playoffs in Georgia where they fell to eventual state semifinalist Creekside 42-35 on Nov. 22. With Combay now no longer an option for coach Eli Drinkwitz, it's difficult to guess who the Tigers will pivot towards as their next option. Three-star JUCO defensive end Demarcus Johnson took an official visit to Columbia, but he has yet to announce a decision or a commitment date. Johnson seems to be the last available option, along with four-star athlete Jacob Eberhart. Related: CFB Analyst Ranks Mizzou Among Schools Likely to Make 1st CFB Playoff This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Missouri Coach Eli Drinkwitz Named to Prestigious Preseason Watch List
Missouri Coach Eli Drinkwitz Named to Prestigious Preseason Watch List originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Mizzou football head coach Eli Drinkwitz was one of only 26 FBS coaches named to the 2025 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List, the organization behind the award revealed Monday. Advertisement Presented by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl Inc. every year, the award celebrates a head coach that leads his team to success on the gridiron, while also emphasizing "scholarship, leadership and integrity," per a press release announcing the watch list. Over the last two years, Missouri has finished the year ranked in the top-25 and collected a combined 21-5 overall record, including an 11-5 mark in SEC play, which is tied for the third best two-year stretch in program history. Entering his sixth season leading the Tigers' program, Drinkwitz has collected a 38-24 (.613) overall record, and he eclipsed Dan Devine's school record for wins in the first five seasons of a Mizzou head coaching tenure. Advertisement Drinkwitz has also led MU to a 27-7 (.794) record on Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium, giving him the best home win percentage (minimum four seasons) in the history of the program. Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz© Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images A Missouri head coach has never won the award, but Drinkwitz was a finalist for it during the 2023 season. The award ultimately went to Florida State's Mike Norvell, and last year it was given to Marcus Freeman from Notre Dame. The SEC had strong representation in the preseason watch list as six coaches from the conference made the cut, three of which Drinkwitz will coach off against this season. The award honors Bobby Dodd who coached at Georgia Tech from 1931-1966, serving as head coach for 21 years of that stretch. Over that stint, he compiled a 165-64-8 record. Advertisement Related: Mizzou Picks Up Commitment From Safety out of Georgia This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mizzou Football Misses Out on Two Highly Touted 2026 Recruits
Mizzou Football Misses Out on Two Highly Touted 2026 Recruits originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Missouri Tigers took a large blow to its 2026 recruiting class as two different defensive prospects chose different schools. Mizzou has struggled to bulk up their 2026 class, as its only secured to defensive recruits so far. Advertisement A priority target for Missouri chose a different hat first, as four-star safety Jayden McGregory has committed to Louisville. This is a significant loss for Mizzou, as they don't have many options to pivot toward. McGregory is ranked as the No. 400 player in the country, as well as the No. 24 athlete and No. 4 in his home state of Iowa. He's a Des Moines native and competed at Valley High School. After taking his official visit to Columbia on June 6, McGregory chose the Cardinals over Missouri and Minnesota. He also briefly considered the Kansas Jayhawks. Missouri Tigers head coach Eliah Drinkwitz watches the clockSteve Roberts-Imagn Images The Tigers swung and missed a second time Monday as three-star linebacker Braxton Lindsey committed to BYU. Lindsey chose the Cougars over Missouri, Arkansas, Miami and Oklahoma. Advertisement He's the No. 508 player in the country and No. 35 at his position. Lindsey is also the seventh-best player in the state of Arkansas and is from Rogers, Arkansas. Missouri made a late push for Lindsey after losing a priority linebacker target late last week in J.J. Bush, who committed to Arkansas. Missouri's 2026 class has come together a bit, but it seems to lack depth. Outside of three-star cornerback Javonte Smith, the list of names still considering joining Missouri's defense is shrinking fast. Related: Missouri Coach Eli Drinkwitz Named to Prestigious Preseason Watch List This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
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Mizzou Football's Top 25 Games Since 2000: No. 15-11
Mizzou Football's Top 25 Games Since 2000: No. 15-11 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. We're continuing with the third part of our five-part series highlighting the top 25 Missouri Tigers football games from the 21st century. Today, we'll explore numbers 15 through 11. Advertisement #15 - December 29, 2008: vs #22 Northwestern (San Antonio, Texas) Chase Daniel leads Mizou to 30-23 OT win in his final game with the Tigers Mizzou capped its 2008 season by facing off against No. 22 Northwestern in the Alamo Bowl. Led by senior quarterback Chase Daniel, the Tigers rallied from an early deficit, highlighted by Jeremy Maclin's monstrous 75-yard punt return for a touchdown. Daniel passed for 200+ yards despite three interceptions, and Jeff Wolfert's clutch 37-yard field goal tied the game late. In overtime, Daniel hit Maclin for the go-ahead score to make it 30-23. The Tigers' defense came up strong in OT, shutting down the Wildcats' final drive to seal Mizzou's second straight 10-win season. Missouri Tigers celebrate a win over the Northwestern Wildcats in the Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome. Missouri beat Northwestern Maloney-Imagn Images #14 - October 15, 2005: vs Iowa State Chase Daniel replaces injured Brad Smith, leads team to 27-24 OT win Advertisement The Tigers dominated Iowa State early as William Moore's 62‑yard interception return and Xzavie Jackson's fumble recovery for a touchdown put Mizzou up 14‑0 inside 90 seconds. Iowa State fought back to lead 24‑14 by the fourth quarter. After starting quarterback Brad Smith went down with an injury, freshman QB Chase Daniel rallied Missouri late, setting up Adam Crossett's overtime-winning 26‑yard field goal. Daniel's composure after relief duties, and the Tigers' opportunistic defense secured a gritty OT win on homecoming, topping the Cyclones 27-24. #13 - October 25, 2003: vs. Texas Tech QB Brad Smith rushes for 291 yards in 62-31 rout of Red Raiders In an incredible showing of athleticism, quarterback Brad Smith exploded for 291 rushing yards and five touchdowns on just 19 carries, plus a solid 128 passing yards. Running back Zack Abron added 139 yards and three short rushing scores, cementing the Tigers' bowl eligibility. Missouri piled up 469 rushing yards and forced early turnovers, leading to a commanding 34–10 halftime lead. Smith's explosive fourth quarter runs of 41 and 61 yards capped the blowout, and the Tigers topped the Red Raiders for a homecoming victory of 62-31. #12 - September 27, 2014: at #13 South Carolina Mizzou wins battle of Columbia with 21-20 upset Advertisement Trailing 20–7 deep into the fourth against the Gamecocks, the Tigers relied on senior Russell Hansbrough, who scored all three touchdowns, including two within the final seven minutes of the game. QB Maty Mauk delivered clutch throws late—a 41-yard strike to Bud Sasser and a 26-yard pass to Wesley Leftwich—to set up Hansbrough's game‑winning score. Missouri's defense forced South Carolina into a scoreless final drive, preserving the Tigers' razor‑thin lead of 21-20. Their massive comeback marked Mizzou's seventh straight road win and fueled their SEC East title defense. Missouri Tigers quarterback Maty Mauk (7) is brought down near the goal line late in the fourth quarter against the South Caroline Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Dedmon-Imagn Images #11 - November 3, 2018: at #13 Florida Mizzou downs #13 Gators in the Swamp The Tigers bolted to a 21-3 lead before the half and pulled away with two third-quarter TDs. Florida struggled early, benching QB Feleipe Franks midway through the third, but it was too little, too late as Missouri outgained the Gators 471-323. Drew Lock was on fire, completing 24/32 for 250 yards and three touchdowns, while Missouri's ground attack racked up 223 rushing yards. Under Barry Odom, the Tigers silenced the home crowd, executed in all three phases, and defiantly reminded everyone that they belonged in the SEC. Advertisement Related: Mizzou Football's Top 25 Games Since 2000: No. 20-16 Related: Mizzou Football's Top 25 Games Since 2000: No. 21-25 This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mizzou Football's Top 25 Games Since 2000: No. 20-16
Mizzou Football's Top 25 Games Since 2000: No. 20-16 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. We're here for the second part of our five-part series highlighting the top Missouri Tigers football games of the 21st century. Today we'll dive into numbers 20 through 16. Advertisement The matchups all make the list for different reasons; some helped shape the program's modern identity while others broke records. But there's one thing that all the games have in common: a Tigers' victory. #20 - November 20, 2021: vs Florida OT Thriller ends in Mizzou victory to secure bowl game eligibility – Mizzou 24, Florida 23 The Tigers hosted unranked Florida with only two shots left at bowl game eligibility. Their last contest was an away game against No. 25 Arkansas, so this was Mizzou's best chance. The teams found themselves in OT at Faurot Field and following a Gators touchdown, the Tigers needed to score. Mizzou RB Tyler Badie found a seam and rushed into the endzone for a 13-yard run. Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz wasn't ready for another round of overtime; he elected to attempt a two-point conversion. Tigers' QB Connor Bazelak found Daniel Parker Jr. in the endzone to win it for Mizzou and secure bowl game eligibility. Florida defensive lineman Tedarrell Slaton (56) chases down Missouri running back Larry Rountree III (34)© Brad McClenny/The Gainesville Sun via Imagn Content Services, LLC #19 - September 13, 2008: vs Nevada Chase Daniel sets program passing record in blowout victory – No. 6 Mizzou 69, Nevada 17 Advertisement Missouri QB Chase Daniel outclassed Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick en route to a blowout victory during the Tigers' 2008 season. The victory pushed the Tigers to a 3-0 record, and it also helped Mizzou to a Top 5 ranking the following week. Daniel threw for 405 yards and set the program record for passing yards, passing his former teammate Brad Smith who sat at 8,799 career yards. Daniel went on to finish his career with 12,515 career passing yards and still holds the record for the Tigers. #18 - November 12, 2011: vs #21 Texas Gary Pinkel gets revenge on Longhorns in final Big 12 matchup – Mizzou 17, No. 21 Texas 5 In Mizzou's final season in the Big 12 before heading to the SEC, head coach Gary Pinkel finally defeated Texas after losing six consecutive matches against the Longhorns. Mizzou QB James Franklin scored his 11th rushing touchdown of the season to put Missouri ahead in the victory. The Tigers were unranked at the time and although the victory felt nice; Mizzou lost one of the conference's top rushers in Henry Josey. Shockingly, Josey tore his ACL, MCL and ruptured his patellar tendon all in the same knee at the same time. Crazy right? He wouldn't return in black-and-gold until the 2013 season where he went on to rush for 1,166 yards and 17 total touchdowns. Josey capped off his time as a Tiger with a three-touchdown performance in the Cotton Bowl against No. 13 Oklahoma State. #17 - December 5, 2020: vs Arkansas Tigers rally back to defeat Razorbacks on game-winning field goal – Mizzou 50, Arkansas 48 Advertisement Down by 14 in the fourth quarter, Mizzou pulled off its largest fourth-quarter comeback to defeat Arkansas on a game-winning Harrison Mevis 32-yard field goal. The Tigers scored all five of their touchdowns on the ground to go along with 273 rushing yards. Larrry Rountree III did the bulk of the work, rushing 27 times for 185 yards and three touchdowns. Tyler Badie was extremely productive as RB2, rushing six times for 79 yards and two touchdowns. The victory turned out to be the Tigers last of the season as back-to-back losses against Georgia and Mississippi State would wrap up the 2020 season. Tigers kicker Harrison Mevis (92) kicks the game winning field goal as Arkansas Razorbacks defensive back Jalen Catalon (1) defends as time expires in the fourth quarter at Faurot Field© Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images #16 - December 29, 2023: vs #7 Ohio State Eliah Drinkwitz secures first bowl win with Mizzou – No. 9 Mizzou 14, No. 7 Ohio State 3 The Tigers ended their successful 2023 season with a Cotton Bowl victory over Ohio State at AT&T Stadium. The game was slow; 16 punts, 17 points. But one thing worked for the Tigers: RB Cody Schrader. The All-American running back rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown to help Missouri secure the win. The Buckeyes held the lead during the entirety of the second and third quarter, but a two-touchdown fourth quarter gave the Tigers all they needed to walk out of Texas with a trophy. Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) pretends to take a photo of running back Cody Schrader (7) after he scored a touchdown© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK Related: Mizzou Football's Top 25 Games Since 2000: No. 21-25 This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
