2024 Missouri Tigers football team

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2024 Missouri Tigers football team — short, easy summary

Overview
- The Missouri Tigers represented the University of Missouri in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2024 college football season.
- Head coach: Eliah Drinkwitz (his 5th season).
- Home stadium: Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri.
- The SEC moved to a single-division format in 2024 and welcomed Texas and Oklahoma.
- Missouri finished the regular season 9-3 (5-3 in the SEC) and won the Music City Bowl, defeating Iowa 27-24.

Season notes
- Preseason: Missouri was ranked No. 11 in both the Coaches Poll and AP Poll. Luther Burden III was a preseason first-team All-SEC pick.
- Start to the year: The Tigers opened 4-0, including wins over Boston College and Vanderbilt.
- Midseason: A loss at Texas A&M (41-10) dropped Missouri in the rankings. Starting quarterback Brady Cook suffered a wrist injury in Week 9, and backup Drew Pyne played the majority of the remaining games.
- Finish: Missouri recovered to finish 9-3 in the regular season, then beat Iowa 27-24 in the Music City Bowl to cap the year with back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since 2013-2014.
- Home field: Missouri went undefeated at Faurot Field (7-0) and had seven home wins, setting a school record for home victories in a season.

Key players
- Offense: Brady Cook (QB) at the start of the season; Drew Pyne (QB) as the primary passer after Cook’s injury; Luther Burden III (WR) and Theo Wease Jr. (WR) were top targets; Nate Noel (RB) among the lead runners.
- Defense: Various contributors under new defensive coordinator Corey Batoon.

Coaching and roster changes
- Coaching changes: Blake Baker left to become LSU’s defensive coordinator; Corey Batoon was hired as Missouri’s defensive coordinator. Eli Drinkwitz extended his contract through the 2028 season.
- Incoming transfers included Marcus Carroll (RB), Cayden Green (OT), Toriano Pride (CB), and others.
- 2024 recruiting class featured notable players like Williams Nwaneri (DE) and Courtney Crutchfield (WR).

Schedule highlights (selected results)
- Wins: Murray State, Buffalo, Vanderbilt (2OT), UMass, Auburn, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Iowa (Music City Bowl)
- Losses: Texas A&M, Alabama, South Carolina
- Music City Bowl: Missouri 27, Iowa 24 (Music City Bowl champions)

Notable facts
- Missouri’s 2024 season featured one of the program’s strongest runs in years, including a bowl win and a dominant home record.
- The season marked the first year of the SEC’s divisionless format with Texas and Oklahoma in the league, affecting scheduling and conference dynamics.