You are hereUpdate: Tigers declare for Independence Bowl again
Update: Tigers declare for Independence Bowl again
COLUMBIA – In what Missouri associate athletic director Mark Alnutt declared was not a matter of the Big 12 Conference working against SEC-bound Missouri, the Tigers will return to the non-Big 12 tie-in Independence Bowl against North Carolina.
The game will be played Dec. 26 at 4 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN2.
“They didn’t work against us at all,” Alnutt said, mindful that the Big 12 bowl process leaves selection of teams up to the bowls without regards to on-field results. “The Big 12 was proactive in searching for bowl games that a team that was going to be left out – whether it be us or Iowa State – would be in position to go to.”
In fact, both Alnutt and Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said Mizzou "chose" the Independence Bowl over a dwindling list of options that included at one point the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco being discussed with Big 12 officials as a possible landing spot for Missouri.
“It started yesterday when Houston lost,” Alnutt said, removing the Cougars from BCS bowl consideration and starting a domino effect. “From noon, it was one direction. From 3:30 it was another direction.”
“There was a scenario that would put us in Ticket City but that didn’t happen,” Alnutt said. “There was a scenario that would put us in Birmingham (Compass Bowl) but that didn’t happen.
“The reality of Kraft? The Big 12 asked our opinion. It could have been an option.”
But when asked if Missouri ultimately chose the Independence Bowl and it’s 12-hour drive from Columbia to Shreveport, La., and it’s proximity to MU recruiting hubs in Texas, over the San Francisco-based bowl?
“You could say that,” Alnutt said.
For a while, Alnutt said, there seemed a scenario that could have put Missouri in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego.
Three Big 12 teams that Missouri defeated – Texas, Texas A&M and Iowa State – all found homes in Big 12 tie-in bowls. Texas will play in the Holiday, A&M in the Meineke Car Care and Iowa State in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Missouri’s opponent in the Independence Bowl will be North Carolina, the Tar Heels’ 7-5 record matching Mizzou’s regular season finish.
The two teams have meet twice before with Missouri winning 27-14 in Chapel Hill in 1973 and in Columbia 24-3 in 1976.
It will be Missouri’s third trip to the Shreveport, La., bowl game in nine seasons. The Tigers lost to Arkansas 27-14 in 2003 and defeated South Carolina there 38-31 in 2005.
In the 2005 game, Missouri won despite trailing 21-0 and 28-7, the biggest deficit overcome in a victory in school history.
Players who were at the bowl announcement at Mizzou Arena took the Independence Bowl bid in stride.
“You can have fun out in a hay field by yourself,” said junior receiver T.J. Moe. “You’re with all your best friends, with your coaches. You can be in Shreveport, you can be in San Diego, you can be in Florida. It doesn’t matter a whole lot where you are.”
Senior nose guard Dominique Hamilton was sure of one Tiger who was going to be overjoyed. Sophomore wide receiver L’Damian Washington is from Shreveport.
“He’s a one-man army,” Hamilton said. “He just comes at you, keeps firing. Awww! I’m from Shreveport!
“He’s the king of it. He runs it. That’s all he’s going to say.”
Hamilton called the bowl a business trip. And the Independence Bowl hopes it is good business.
Missouri began taking online ticket orders at 7 p.m. Sunday at http://www.mutigers.com. Tickets can also be ordered over the phone by calling 1-800-228-7297 or in person at the Mizzou Arena Ticket Office starting at 8 a.m. Monday.
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All I can say is that the 2005 Independence Bowl was terrific fun. Nice weather and a fantastic game. The opposing fans were friendly, polite, and gracious, even in defeat. What a refreshing change that was compared to big-12 road games!
Since the game never sells out, they give away tickets for free to the locals, providing extra entertainment opportunities at no extra charge. We were sitting next to a couple of Shreveport ladies, and folks, they redefined the word 'klass'. Take my advice, when they break out the hard liquor and cigarettes, don't say anything, just go with it.
Shreveport is certainly nothing special, but it is not as bad as everyone says. They have restaurants and casinos and so forth. So quit crying and go to the game already! GO TIGERS!!
Even if the Big12 was out to get Mizzou who cares, Pinkel voted for a crappy SEC rematch and placed OSU in 4th place...lower than any other Big12 coach. i say good riddance to Mizzou the Big12 is way better off without the likes of you.
Did you really expect anything different Mizzou fans? Truth is we actually ended up in a better situation for a bowl than some of the Big 12 bowls. People need to STOP thinking selection order has anyting to do with merit, it does not matter in the Big 12. Fortunately for us the SEC does not work like this and this is the last time we have to deal with it.
Independence Bowl positives:
1. Compared to the Pinstripe, Compass or Texas Bowl it is a better option.
2. North Carolina is a name opponent not from the Big East.
3. Its within driving distance. Cost is cheaper than New York.
4. Don't have to play a road game against Rutgers in the Pinstripe.
5. The weather will be warmer and it is where we want to recruit.
Mizzou fans should be excited about this game!! GO TIGERS!
Pinkel chose well with this bowl. Mizzou's Big 6, 8, & 12 legacy is done. This bowl game is about exposing Mizzou to the SEC landscape starting with a decent game (Almost a home game) against a good ACC football program & name, North Carolina.
This bowl also pays more than many of the lower tier Big 12 bowls like in SanFrancisco & NewYork. I think it pays both teams $1.1 million regardless of actually gate receipts. It is on ESPN on a decent date & time.
Pinkel & Mizzou AD's gave every indication they passed on the Big 12 bowls all Sunday afternoon once the Holiday Bowl chose Texas. They are smart to just do things now all geared toward the SEC and Mizzou's better future in football.
This bowl is better located for the Texas Mizzou Tiger players' families to drive to just as for Missouri players like Moe.Great choice.
Yeah, Pinkel & Mizzou being dumb like a Fox.
Let me try to give KU fans an idea of what MU football fans have been feeling. Last year KU basketball was a #1 seed in the NCAA tourney with first round games in nearby Tulsa. What if last year the people who set up the tourney decided that even though their record warranted a better seed & placement, KU would be a #8 seed, with a second round match-up with #1 seed Ohio St...in Newark, New Jersey? What if this happened for multiple years?
Nothing like going to a bowl game the day after Christmas on a Monday afternoon. What is Advocare?
The bowl game committees again showed that no one cares about MU by passing them over every year. They stuck this game on ESPN 2 because no will watch MU vs UNC.
This will be an opportunity for MU fans to show the SEC how great MU fans travel and should have 20-30 thousand MU fans show up. I bet MU has fewer than 5000.
PS. there is nothing to do in Shreveport.
The No Bowl your team is going to with no conf wins...Wiseguy!!
is it true that when all Redleggers take Viagra, they get taller? I've heard this from more than one source ...
and KevinKietzman wanted to know why MU left, lol! Hell MU would have been screwed the same if they hadn't left. Pretty simple there KK ... or are ya simply the dullard that sits in the corner?
mwrtfox, You are correct that the bowls passed over MU for three teams that MU beat on the field. I'm glad ISU got to go to a "Disappearing Big 12' linked bowl. But if you think the league did not influence their linked bowls about selection you are nuts. The SEC requires bowls to take division champions if available, and next in record if within one win of the choice. They exercise some control over the bowls. The Bowl process sucked all the way up and down the process, Virginia Tech over KSU and Baylor?????? Alabama over OSU?????? I guess the 'Disappearing Big 12' gets no national love. KSU, ISU, KU and WV will be condemned to the same Dec. screw job that MU has endured, if not worse. Good luck little ones.
Go ahead and apply your SEC criteria to the Big 12. No divisions so you can't use that one; it doesn't extend past the first three bowls anyway. Both Iowa State and Texas were within one game of MU regarding overall record so the bowls were well within their rights to take them ahead of the Tigers.
Are all Redleggers somewhat slow? MU would always be overlooked because the Big 12 conference HQ either would not do what was right or would actively seek to undermine MU. Other than the State of Texas and their Southern brothers in Oklahoma, the South could not afford for MU, which has the second largest population behind Texas (and its about 1/5 the size of Texas) to go to consecutive or frequent premiere Bowls. They could care less about a team in Kansas because there just isn't the population distribution to routinely challenge the Texas schools. Your not a deep thinker are ya? Oh well, the world needs ditch diggers too.
That will not happen in the SEC ... by the way, just like KU in 2007, MU beat ISU and Texas like red headed step children ... I'll be glad to be done with the corruption in the Big 12 offices and the Nancy whining by Redleg fans ...
Independence Bowl...lol. We beat the three teams picked ahead of us; ISU, A&M, and Texas. Had just as good or better conference and overall record than all three. But we expected this. Nothing different than any other year in the "Disappearing Big 12" Just more evidence we made the right decision. Go SEC, best football conference is the country. This will be the sixth consecutive yr. the SEC has won the Nat. Championship. Farewell Big 12, may Texas have mercy on your souls.
If we were getting screwed before announcing our departure from the Big 12-4+2, we knew for sure we'd get screwed this bowl season. I am finally warming to the idea of the SEC move, after seeing other Big 12-4+2 schools act like the chicks we dumped in junior high.
The Big 12 is out to get Missouri ?
What other theories haunt you ?
Actually, that's how a lot of people feel about Missouri.
Writing story on the fly during press conference and some stupid mistakes and typos were made. Have gone back to fix those now that there is time to do it. Apologies.