With the College Football Playoff and its upcoming expansion, bowl games have started meaning less-and-less in recent years. However, they sometimes create great opportunities to renew rivalries or play regional matchups.
Kansas going 6-6 and reaching a bowl game for the first time since 2008 presented one of those awesome opportunities. Missouri and Kansas have had a heated rivalry for a long time but haven’t played each other on the field since the Tigers departed for the SEC in 2012.
Both Missouri and Kansas going 6-6 this season gave the Liberty Bowl a great opportunity to renew the rivalry and have the two teams face off on the field.
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One problem. Missouri didn’t want to play Kansas according to a report from Action Sports Brett McMurphy.
McMurphy — an established and respected college football reporter — claims Missouri’s objection Is keeping the game from happening despite Kansas’ desire to play its arch rival.
The Tigers went 6-6 (3-5 SEC) in Eliah Drinkwitz’ second season as head coach. Missouri was playing good football as the regular season came to an end, winning its final two games and three of its final five games.
Missouri’s reported unwillingness to play its rival and noted basketball school Kansas matches the courage Drinkwitz showed by kicking a field goal on fourth-and-inches in the red zone while trailing Tennessee 7-0 in the first quarter.
With the Missouri-Kansas meeting not happening, McMurphy projects Kansas to play Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl and Missouri to play East Carolina in the Gasparilla Bowl.
4 Responses
It not fair that the Vols must do what Ohio wants and who we must play. Thank you Jeanie Paradise-West
Real gutsy move there Eli. What the heck, you are afraid of Kansas??
Can Tennessee refuse to play Clemson? Would rather play any team other than Clemson in a bowl game. Going to be impossible to defend against Clemson.
Coach Eli Drinkwitz wjat ate you afraid of…for a 6-6 team you should be happy to play ANYBIDY…abowl game is a reward fof your team, it is not all about you…Coach D…do what is right for your team, not just you…