Tigers Leave Frigid CoMo Temps for Sunshine State

While I’m convinced I’m bringing the colder temps with me to Florida (sorry fam, time to see if that heater works), when the Tigers play in the Gasparilla Bowl at 5:30pm in Tampa, it should be close to 70. In CoMo, however, some 1,100+ miles away, it is forecasted to be somewhere between -12 and 3. YIKES.

So basically this in Columbia.

And this in the Sunshine State

So I am SURE Drink and the team were thanking their lucky stars they got to leave what will actually be hell frozen over for some warmer temps. Probably accounts for Drink’s great mood during the recent presser on Tuesday. Ready to get out of there FAST, and to win a bowl game for MU for the first time in eight years.

According to Matt Stahl’s post for the Columbia Tribune, last year’s loss in the Armed Forces Bowl on the last play of the game (I was at Braggin Rights, TBH, and didn’t see the game), still weighs on Drinkwitz.

“It’ll probably stick with me forever, to be honest with you, to lose that one the way we did,” Drinkwitz said. “Especially to come back and have what we thought to be a game-winning drive and then not be able to stop a triple-option team in a two-minute situation hurt. I don’t know that it affected us at this season, I don’t think it did, but you’d like the momentum of the offseason to be about winning the bowl game.”

He also talked about the need to move forward and play this game with the team he has with him.

“This is about this team,” Drinkwitz said. “This group of guys who have chosen to move forward together in this game and this group of men and women in this organization to go down there and put our very best effort forward.”

The KC Star’s Blair Kerkhoff touched on the guys who will be there in his piece as well, while focusing his story mainly on the plight of Mizzou QB Brady Cook, who’s come a long way, and will be without All-SEC selection Dominic Lovett, who’s announced his intention to transfer (school TBD)

The other change: Missouri will be without Cook’s top target, wide receiver Dominic Lovett. The first team All-SEC selection is in the transfer portal and won’t play for the Tigers this week. Lovett finished the season with 56 receptions and averaged 15.1 yards per catch. But that means more playing opportunity for players like freshman Mekhi Miller. Perhaps freshman standout Luther Burden, the second leading receiver with 38 catches, is poised for his biggest game. Burden leads Missouri with five touchdown receptions. And veteran wide receiver Barrett Banister should be ready after not playing against Arkansas with an injury.

“We’ve got guys who can step up,” Cook said. Just as Cook did over the final few weeks of the season.

On to the Links. MIZ!

If you need me, I’ll just be reliving this win.

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Yesterday at Rock M

• BREAKING NEWS from Nate Edwards: Tennessee Offensive Lineman Commits to Mizzou
• Nate’s opponent preview reminded us that Mizzou is about to face another super tricky opponent for Eli Drinkwitz’s second bowl game as MU head coach. Should be fun!

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More Links:

Football

• Columbia Tribune: Can Mizzou football cover the Gasparilla Bowl spread? (Matt Stahl)
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Mizzou’s Eli Drinkwitz resumes play-caller role, will address staff changes after bowl (Dave Matter) | Mizzou football lands two commitments as signing period nears (Matter)
• PowerMizzou/Rivals: Commitment Breakdown: Brandon Solis is heading to Missouri (Sean Williams) | Commit Analysis: Jordon Harris (Williams)
• Columbia Missourian: Missouri lands commitment from Class of 2023 offensive tackle Solis (Kenny Van Doren) | When in Tampa: What MU players are looking forward to besides football (Van Doren)
• Some players out on the Wake Forest side for the game: Christian Turner | Jacorey Johns

Hoops

• St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Gordo ranks area hoops: SLU, Mizzou rebound with hard-fought victories (Dave Matter)
• PowerMizzou: Stats that stood out against UCF (Drew King)
• Columbia Tribune: What’s the word on Isiaih Mosley? It’s none of our business. (Chris Kwiecinski)
• Listen to Coach Gates on the NABC Guardians of the Game pod!

Other Mizzou Sports

• Thanks for the reminder, Dennis!

• The No. 10-ranked University of Missouri wrestling team welcomes No. 15 North Dakota State this evening at 6:30pm at Hearnes. More info from MUTigers.com (and read Matthew’s preview this morning)
• Shannon Signal?

Mizzou in the Pros

** Tune in for the weekly NBA performances/how former players are doing tomorrow, as I’m off Links for Friday. **

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