Fans congratulate Mizzou running back Cody Schrader after he scored a touchdown in the first half of the Tigers' 34-12victory over South Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Columbia, Mo.
Christine Tannous, Post-
Dispatch
The mood on Saturday, Mizzou's homecoming day, was festive in Columbia, Mo. David Migas, center, smiles at friend Clifford Hawn, right, while Carly Clarkson paints his chest before MU's 34-12 football victory over South Carolina.
COLUMBIA, Mo. — As I watched the alumni rumble west across Interstate 70, past the map dots and McDonald’s, some tailgating on their way to tailgates, it made me think — the same drive as always was different.
For these Missouri football fans from Ƶ, Columbia wasn’t just a casual gameday getaway. Because this time — and in nearly a decade, for the first time — Mizzou matters.
The football Tigers entered Saturday ranked No. 20 in the nation. Hadn’t been this high since 2014. Sure, it was homecoming. There would be beer and parties and carefree frivolities. But this football game was an event. An anticipated, important event because Mizzou, can you believe it, actually is good again.
And with a stunning Mizzou offensive showing in the first half — almost as stunning as Mizzou’s defensive showing in the first half — the Tigers overwhelmed South Carolina 34-12 (on Sunday, Mizzou rose to No. 16 in the country).
Now, let’s nit-pick. Mizzou’s offense definitely dropped off in the second half, as the Tigers came out of the locker room up 24-3. But, look, Mizzou covered the spread (7½ points) and its opponent never was really in the game.
Mizzou is 7-1 and has its shot against No. 1.
We have a fortnight until the big night.
Mizzou at Georgia, Nov. 4.
Mizzou will be the underdog.
But Mizzou has shown this season that it has the offensive firepower — and defensive fire-smothering — to play with anyone. So, the Tigers will get the ultimate chance to prove that in their game.
Asked if we’ve seen Mizzou’s best yet, coach Eli Drinkwitz said, “No, not even kind of.”
But what I saw Saturday in Columbia was a statement — and the state is stirring. The fans poured into Memorial Stadium — the announced crowd of 62,621 made for Mizzou’s third-straight sellout. And you couldn’t even see the grass in the north end zone. Fans sardined beside each other. And the white “M” of rocks was more than half-covered by fans, too — asked to guess, an outsider wouldn’t have been able to identify the letter.
The whole day was a showcase to recruits and boosters — from all the homecoming festivities to the Tiger Walk to bells-and-whistles in the renovated parts of the stadium. It was a heck of a party and the host was Desiree Reed-Francois, the forward-thinking, never-settling athletics director.
And on Faurot Field, credit Drinkwitz, who won a seventh game for the first time in his four Missouri seasons. If anything, there was fear that if he didn’t win seven, he could lose his job. Looks like that debate is done. And even if the Tigers lose to Georgia (and even Tennessee and Florida), Mizzou should beat, at least, Arkansas. That would give Mizzou eight wins for the first time since 2018.
The time before that? The famed 2014 season. Gary Pinkel and Maty Mauk, Shane Ray and Russell Hansbrough. The boys finished 11-3, while going 7-1 in the Southeastern Conference. The highest they were ranked was 14th.
Mizzou probably won’t vault that high after the win over South Carolina. But Mizzou definitely would after a win at Georgia. Shoot, you’d have to think they’d crack the top 10 at that point.
“We’re just we’re trying to bring back success to Mizzou and ultimately ‘STP’,” quarterback Brady Cook said of the “something to prove” mentality of his Tigers. “We’ve said set it for months. We have something to prove and that’s going to stick with us.”
It’s fair to dream. It’s fair to let your mind jump back to the heyday of 2013-14 … and then “back to the future” into November of 2023. There is a lot of good stuff going on here in Columbia.
And while there’s anticipation about whether receiver Ryan Wingo of Ƶ U. High will choose Mizzou, the current Tigers offense already is dominating thanks to Ƶ dudes. Receiver Luther Burden III made an improbable catch for Mizzou’s first touchdown. It was a 42-yard haul as he out-leaped two defensive players, while eyeing the ball as it went from sunshine to shade. It was a catch that gets made on Sundays. And teammate Mookie Cooper had a team-high six catches for 57 yards.
Running back Cody Schrader dominated in the first half — 102 rushing yards — and finished the day with 159 and two touchdowns.
And the offense obviously revolved around the resplendent redhead Cook.
It wasn’t his best game — they all won’t be — but he spearheaded the incredible first-half explosion that took the gusto and gumption and other “gu” words out of the Gamecocks. For the day, the Chaminade kid finished 14 for 24 passing for 198 yards and a touchdown — and as a rusher, he finished with 64 yards and a 20-yard touchdown run. He didn’t throw an interception. He operated the game.
And he won, yet again, for his home state team. This time on homecoming day.
As the story goes, Cook the kid would ride with his family across I-70 for Mizzou games throughout his childhood.
He was 13 in 2014. He’s felt it before. And he’s creating the feeling again.
“Saturdays as a kid was something I’ll never forget,” Cook said. “I think this tops it, though. Being out there playing, this is definitely something I’ve thought about. And to be in the game and actually out there doing this, it’s incredible.”
“That’s one thing that we talked about, defensively, kind of the last couple weeks that we’ve done better: We’ve also played a lot more guys,”…
Fans congratulate Mizzou running back Cody Schrader after he scored a touchdown in the first half of the Tigers' 34-12victory over South Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Columbia, Mo.
The mood on Saturday, Mizzou's homecoming day, was festive in Columbia, Mo. David Migas, center, smiles at friend Clifford Hawn, right, while Carly Clarkson paints his chest before MU's 34-12 football victory over South Carolina.