2023 was a great year for Mizzou Football. The year brought three trophies, the longest field goal in SEC history, and the program’s first bowl game win since 2014.That’s just to name a few of the special things that happened this year for Mizzou football

Mizzou started their season off by beating South Dakota 35-10, and in the following week the Tigers beat Middle Tennessee State 23-19. Their next game was at home against Kansas State, a known rival.  The Mizzou players and coaches had this game circled on their calendar all off-season after their embarrassing 40-12 loss the previous year.

The Tigers came to play, but it was a back and forth game with the score tied 27-27 in the fourth quarter, with Mizzou having the ball with 1:25 left in the game. Mizzou got all the way to the 44-yard line, making it a 61-yard field goal attempt, breaking the previous SEC record of 60 yards. Senior Harrison “Thicker Kicker” Mevis made the kick, winning the game for the Tigers. The sold out stadium stormed the field, as the Tigers moved their record to 3-0. 

Mizzou’s week four game versus Memphis in St.Louis meant a little more to the 16 Mizzou players who are from St.Louis, including the senior starters, quarterback Brady Cook, running back Cody Schrader, and sophomore star wide receiver Luther Burden III. 

These three players did not disappoint. Cook put up a statline of 18 completions and 25 incompletions, 341 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions. Schrader ran for 123 yards on 14 carries, and Burden III had 177 yards on 10 catches. Cook, Schrader, and Burden all led Mizzou to a 34-27 victory, giving the Tigers a 4-0 record. 

Mizzou opened up conference play ranked number 23 in the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 poll, going into conference play against Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt having a 2-3 record, but Mizzou continued their hot streak with a 38-21 win over the Commodores. Cook broke the SEC record of 326 consecutive passing attempts without an interception, a record that had been standing since 2006.

However, the Tigers’ hot streak ended in the week six in a game against LSU. Both Mizzou and LSU were ranked going into the game, Missouri at 21 and LSU at 23. Mizzou lost the game narrowly, still putting up 39 points and bringing Mizzou’s record to 5-1, but knocking them out of the AP top 25 rankings. 

The Tigers were able to stay hot going into the bye week, a week that is on their schedule that they have no games. The Tigers  won 2 SEC games going into the bye week, one on the road against Kentucky and then a home game versus South Carolina.The Tigers won both games giving them a 7-1 record heading into their biggest game of the season versus number two ranked Georgia on the road.

Missouri put up a good fight but ended up losing 30-21, making the Tigers record 7-2. The loss against the Bulldogs started a revenge tour for the Tigers, their record advancing to 10-2, winning the rest of their three regular season games including Tennessee 36-7, Florida 33-31, and Arkansas 48-14. The Tigers ended with a ranking of number 9, punching them a ticket to the Cotton Bowl where they played the number 7 ranked team in the country. Ohio State

On December 29, Mizzou played in the Cotton Bowl versus Ohio State in Dallas, TX. Both teams’ offense started off cold, with both teams punting on their first two drives. After a 20-yard run, followed by a 7 yard run from Ohio State Running Back TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State was within field goal range. The Buckeyes kicked and made the field goal, putting them ahead of the Tigers 3-0, scoring the first points of the game.. 

Both Ohio State and Missouri’s offense stalled up until halftime making it a low scoring game. Ohio State’s punter put Mizzou’s offense on their own 5 yard line, after Mizzou forced a 4th down punt. 

Missouri senior wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. had a 7 yard reception to convert on 3rd down, followed by a 10 yard rush from Schrader for a first down. The next play, Cook scrambled for 15 yards, followed by a completed a 50 yard pass to Freshman Wide Receiver Marquis Johnson. Mizzou’s offense capped off the drive with a 7 yard rushing touchdown by Cody Schrader  giving the Tigers the lead 7-3. 

On Missouri’s next offensive drive, Cook completed a 7 yard touchdown pass to Burden III, making the score 14-3 in the 4th quarter. That was enough for the Tigers to win the game, making their final record on the season 11-2, breaking the previous record in 2013 for the best football record in a single season. After the season Mizzou lost their Defensive Coordinator Blake Baker after Baker took the Defensive Coordinator job at LSU. Since then Mizzou has hired Corey Batoon, South Alabama Defensive Coordinator. And I think Mizzou can continue their success and make it to the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.