Missouri Tigers football

The Missouri Tigers football team represents the University of Missouri in the sport of American football. The Tigers compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and have been members of the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996. The university and its sports teams will join the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in July 2012. The team plays home games at Faurot Field, also known as "The Zou", in Columbia, Missouri.

As of 2011, the Tigers have competed in the most overtime college football games, totalling 14.

Conference affiliations
Source
 * 1890–1892: Independent
 * 1892–1897: Western Interstate University Football Association
 * 1898–1906: Independent
 * 1907–1963: Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association
 * 1964–1995: Big Eight Conference (formally changed name from MVIAA to Big 8 1964)
 * 1996–2011: Big 12 Conference
 * 2012–: Southeastern Conference

Championships
The Missouri Tigers have 15 conference championships and 3 conference division titles.

Divisional championships (3)
(*) Indicates a co-championship (Tie for first). (**) The 1960 championship was retroactively awarded, after a loss to Kansas was reversed due to Kansas' use of a player later ruled to be ineligible.

Bowl appearances (29)
The Tigers have a 13-16 Bowl Record. They have appeared in the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Cotton Bowl Classic, Gator Bowl, Sun Bowl, Tangerine Bowl (now known as the Capital One Bowl), Holiday Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Independence Bowl, Alamo Bowl, Insight Bowl, Texas Bowl, All-American Bowl and the Bluebonnet Bowl.

Year-by-year record since 1950
TOTAL 353-225-18 (.610 from 1950; incl. 8-5-0 through Dec. 26, 2011)

TOTAL 630-520-52 (.547 from 1890; incl. 8-5-0 through Dec. 26, 2011)

11960 team lost to Kansas but was later awarded win by default due to an ineligible Kansas player, (Bert Coan).

Award winners

 * Amos Alonzo Stagg Award - For Contributions to Football
 * Don Faurot - 1964


 * Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award
 * Warren Powers - 1978


 * Mosi Tatupu Award - Best Special Teams Player
 * Brock Olivo - 1997


 * John Mackey Award - Best Tight End
 * Chase Coffman - 2008

All-Americans

 * Ed Lindenmeyer, T 1925
 * Paul Christman, QB 1939
 * Darold Jenkins, C 1941
 * Bob Steuber, RB 1942
 * Harold Burnine, DE 1955
 * Danny LaRose, DE 1960
 * Ed Blaine, T 1961
 * Conrad Hitchler, DE 1962
 * Johnny Roland, DB 1965
 * Francis Peay, OT 1965


 * Russ Washington, OT 1967
 * Roger Wehrli, DB 1968
 * Edwards John RB 1971
 * Mike Carroll, OG 1969
 * Scott Anderson, C 1973
 * John Moseley, DB 1973
 * Henry Marshall, WR 1975
 * Morris Towns, OT 1976
 * Kellen Winslow, TE 1978
 * Bill Whitaker, DB 1980
 * Brad Edelman, C 1981


 * Jeff Gaylord, DT 1981
 * Conrad Goode, OT 1983
 * John Clay, OT 1986
 * Rob Riti, C 1999
 * Justin Smith, DE 2000
 * Martin Rucker, TE 2007
 * Jeremy Maclin, AP 2007 & 2008
 * Chase Coffman, TE 2008
 * Danario Alexander, WR 2009
 * Grant Ressel, K 2009
 * Michael Egnew, TE, 2010

Retired jerseys

 * Johnny Roland, #23
 * Roger Wehrli, #23
 * Brock Olivo, #27
 * Bob Steuber, #37
 * Darold Jenkins, #42
 * Paul Christman, #44
 * Kellen Winslow, #83

Present

 * Danario Alexander - wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams
 * Colin Brown - offensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills
 * Chase Coffman - tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals
 * Chase Daniel - quarterback for the New Orleans Saints
 * Blaine Gabbert - quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars
 * Andrew Gachkar - linebacker for the San Diego Chargers
 * Ziggy Hood - defensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers
 * Jeremy Maclin - wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles
 * William Moore - defensive back for the Atlanta Falcons
 * C.J. Mosley - defensive tackle for Jacksonville Jaguars
 * Kevin Rutland - defensive back for Jacksonville Jaguars
 * Aldon Smith - defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers
 * Brad Smith - Quarterback/Return Specialist/Wide Receiver for Buffalo Bills
 * Justin Smith - defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers
 * Sean Weatherspoon - Linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons
 * Martin Rucker - tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars

Former
Warren Seitz
 * Victor Bailey — former wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs
 * Brandon Barnes - former linebacker for the Washington Redskins
 * Ed Blaine - former offensive guard for the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles
 * Dwayne Blakley — former tight end for the Atlanta Falcons
 * Paul Christman — former quarterback for the Chicago Cardinals
 * Gerry Ellis - former running back for the Green Bay Packers
 * Mike Fink - former defensive back for the New Orleans Saints
 * Tony Galbreath - former running back for the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, and New York Giants
 * Mel Gray - former wide receiver for the St. Louis Cardinals
 * Jim Harrison - former fullback for the Chicago Bears
 * Gary Lane - former quarterback for the Cleveland Browns
 * Leo Lewis - former wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings
 * Erik McMillan - former safety for the New York Jets
 * Joe Moore - former running back for the Chicago Bears
 * Damien Nash — former running back for the Denver Broncos
 * Brock Olivo — former running back & special teams player, Detroit Lions
 * Gus Otto — former linebacker for the Oakland Raiders
 * Tony Palmer — former offensive guard for the Green Bay Packers
 * Francis Peay - former offensive tackle of the New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, and the Kansas City Chiefs
 * Johnnie Poe — former cornerback for the New Orleans Saints
 * Tommy Reamon - former running back for the Kansas City Chiefs
 * Johnny Roland — former running back for the St. Louis Cardinals
 * Andy Russell — former linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers
 * George Seals - former lineman for the Chicago Bears
 * Mike Jones - former linebacker for the L.A./Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, and Pittsburgh Steelers
 * Brian Smith — former linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars
 * Gordon Smith — former tight end for the Minnesota Vikings
 * Jon Staggers - former wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers
 * Bruce Van Dyke - former offensive guard for the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Green Bay Packers.
 * Russ Washington - former offensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers
 * Roger Wehrli — former cornerback for the St. Louis Cardinals — Pro Football Hall of Famer
 * Kellen Winslow — former tight end for the San Diego Chargers — Pro Football Hall of Famer
 * James Wilder — former running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
 * Eric Wright - former cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers
 * Justin Gage - former wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans

College Football Hall of Fame
Missouri boasts 12 inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame:
 * Bill Roper, Coach (1951)
 * Paul Christman, Quarterback (1956)
 * Don Faurot, Coach (1961)
 * Bob Steuber, Halfback (1971)
 * Jim Phelan, Coach (1973)
 * Ed Travis, Offensive Tackle (1974)
 * Darold Jenkins, Center (1976)
 * Frank Broyles, Coach (1983)
 * Dan Devine, Coach (1985)
 * Johnny Roland, Halfback (1998)
 * Kellen Winslow, Tight End (2002)
 * Roger Wehrli, Cornerback (2003)

Pro Football Hall of Fame
Two Missouri players have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
 * Kellen Winslow, Tight End (1995)
 * Roger Wehrli, Cornerback (2007)

Nickname
The nickname "Tigers," given to Mizzou's athletic teams, traces its origin to the Civil War period. At that time, plundering guerilla bands habitually raided small towns, and Columbia people constantly feared an attack. Such organizations as temporary "home guards" and vigilance companies banded together to fight off any possible forays.

The town's preparedness discouraged any guerilla activity and the protecting organization began to disband in 1854. However, it was rumored that a guerilla band, led by the notorious Bill Anderson, intended to sack the town. Quickly organized was an armed guard of Columbia citizens, who built a blockhouse and fortified the old courthouse in the center of town. This company was called "The Missouri Tigers."

The marauders never came. The reputation of the intrepid "Tigers" presumably traveled abroad, and Anderson's gang detoured around Columbia.

Soon after Missouri's first football team was organized in 1890, the athletic committee adopted the nickname "Tiger" in official recognition of those Civil War defenders.

Mascot
Truman the Tiger was introduced as the school's mascot against the Utah State Aggies in 1986, receiving his name from former president Harry S Truman. Truman has been named the "Nation's Best Mascot" three times since 1986, most recently in 2004.

Homecoming

 * See 1911 Kansas vs. Missouri football game



The NCAA, as well as Jeopardy! and Trivial Pursuit, all recognize Missouri as the school that invented and hosted the first Homecoming in 1911, an event that has developed into a national ritual.