Put on your bowling shoes
The Tigers sunk the Midshipmen when they last played in a bowl, with Mizzou winning the 1961 Orange Bowl 21-14. Photos from the 1961 Savitar.
Mizzou is going bowling for a record fifth-consecutive season, facing off against Navy in Houston on Dec. 31. The Tigers (8-4) play the Midshipmen (8-4 with a game against Army remaining) at 2:30 p.m. at Reliant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Houston Texans. The game — a rematch of the 1961 Orange Bowl, which the Tigers won 21-14 — will air nationally on ESPN.
This is the sixth bowl in seven seasons under coach Gary Pinkel, and the six appearances tie College Football Hall of Fame coach Dan Devine’s record for Mizzou bowl appearances. It follows a period in Tigers football history in which the team went to only two bowls over 19 seasons (1984-2002).
“We are very pleased to accept an invitation to the Texas Bowl,” Pinkel says. “Houston is an important recruiting area for our program, and we’ve got over 30 players on our roster from the state of Texas, so that is a huge positive for Mizzou.”
Tigers fans are invited to join the Mizzou Alumni Association on the official Texas Bowl Tour Dec. 30 - Jan. 1. Fans can even stay at the team hotel! Book your trip online or call 888-MIZZZOU-1 for details. If you need only tickets, be sure to get seats with other Mizzou fans online or by calling 800-CAT-PAWS. Details on the Mizzou Alumni Association’s pregame tailgate will be available later this week.
University President Elmer Ellis and his wife enjoyed the spectacle in Miami the last time the teams met in a bowl.
Orange Bowl Queen Pat Finn and the halftime entertainment, the elephant parade.
