Know Your Opponent: Missouri

With the Gators moving on after a heartbreaking loss, their challenge yet again is to defeat the Tigers. These Tigers, however, come from the University of Missouri in Columbia. The University of Missouri was established in 1839 and is the oldest public university west of the Mississippi. Today, the school enrolls almost 35,000 students (including about 27,000 undergrads). School colors are black and gold (yellow, in appearance).

Mizzou is the one SEC member Florida has defeated less than
twice. Florida's only win came in 2012 in the Swamp, when
the Gators took advantage of four James Franklin
interceptions and came back from a halftime deficit to
survive 14-7. Sam Greenwood

Football was first played at the University of Missouri in 1890. In 1907, Missouri became a charter member of the Big Eight Conference. They remained in the Big Eight until 1996, when that conference expanded and became the Big 12 Conference. In 2012, Missouri, along with Texas A&M, left the Big 12 to join the Southeastern Conference. During their membership in the Big Eight, Missouri won 12 conference championships (including one retroactively). Missouri’s first Big Eight title was in 1909; their last was in 1969. Missouri did not win a Big 12 title, nor have they won an SEC title. The Tigers play their home games at Faurot Field (pronounced “fah-roe”) at Memorial Stadium. Faurot Field officially seats over 67,000 fans, with the record attendance in excess of 75,000.

Missouri’s successes are fairly modest in comparison with most other SEC schools. Only five teams in Missouri history have won ten or more games in one season. In the polls, the 1960, 2007, and 2013 Missouri squads rank as their most successful. The 1960 squad completed their season 10-1, but were retroactively rewarded an 11-0 record and Big Eight title after it was discovered Kansas had committed violations; they finished #5 in the AP poll. The 2007 team finished as AP #4 and defeated Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl. Their 12-2 record was marred only by their two losses to Oklahoma. The 2013 edition of the Missouri Tigers surpassed expectations by winning the SEC East and finishing 12-2. The 2013 Tigers finished #5 in the AP poll after besting Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl.

The Florida Gators and Missouri Tigers have only played three times in their history. Thus, Florida has played Missouri less frequently than any other conference opponent other than Texas A&M (who have also face the Gators thrice). Their first meeting was in the 1966 Sugar Bowl, which was won by Missouri 20-18 despite a furious fourth quarter comeback attempt by the Steve Spurrier-led Gators. Their second meeting, and the Gators' only win to date, was a defensive struggle won by Florida, 14-7. The first game in Columbia, won by Missouri 36-17, was also the only lopsided game between the two teams.

Missouri's fight song is based off the British naval tune "It's a Long Way to Tipperary", popularized by the German war epic Das Boot.