The 2023 Missouri Tigers football team represented the University of Missouri in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by Eliah Drinkwitz in his fourth season as their head coach. The Missouri football team played its home games at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri. The Missouri Tigers football team drew an average home attendance of 60,169 in 2023, the 29th highest in college football. 2023 was also the final year of the Eastern Division, as Texas and Oklahoma would join the SEC in 2024.
Going into the season, Missouri was predicted to finish second to last in the SEC East by media covering SEC Football Media Days. Missouri began the season 3–0 after defeating No. 15 Kansas State on a Southeastern Conference record 61-yard field goal as time expired by Harrison Mevis. After two additional wins over Memphis and Vanderbilt and rising to No. 21 in the AP Poll, Missouri lost at home vs. No. 23 LSU to fall to 5–1. Back-to-back wins at No. 24 Kentucky and at home over South Carolina allowed Missouri to debut in the CFP Rankings at No. 12, leading up to a Week 10 showdown against No. 2 Georgia in Athens. Missouri played Georgia close, but ultimately lost 30–21 to fall to 7–2. A convincing win over No. 13 Tennessee at home the following week catapulted the Tigers into the No. 9 position in the College Football Playoff rankings. Missouri finished the regular season with 10 wins for the first time since 2014 after victories over Florida and Arkansas, and ranked No. 9 in all three ranking systems. The 2023 Tigers were led offensively by the St. Louis area trio of quarterback Brady Cook, running back Cody Schrader, and wide receiver Luther Burden III.
Missouri defeated No. 7 Ohio State 14–3 in the 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic, their first New Year's Six Bowl victory in program history. Brady Cook finished the season with 3,317 passing yards, Cody Schrader finished the season with 1,627 rushing yards (a single-season school record), and Luther Burden III finished the season with 1,212 receiving yards. This was only the second time in SEC history that a team had a 3,000 yard passer, a 1,500 yard rusher, and a 1,000 yard receiver (2015 Alabama being the other). The Tigers finished the season ranked No. 8 in both the AP poll and Coaches poll, their first top 10 finish since the 2013 season and third top 10 finish since the 2007 season.
Offseason
Team departures 2023 Missouri offseason departures Name Number Pos. Height/Weight Hometown Year Notes Devin Nicholson #11 LB 6'3''/ 203 Detroit, Michigan Senior Transferred to Kent State Trajan Jeffcoat #18 DE 6'3''/ 220 Columbia, South Carolina RS-Senior Transferred to Arkansas Elijah Young #4 RB 5'9''/ 175 Knoxville, Tennessee Junior Transferred to Western Kentucky Tauskie Dove #1 WR 6'2''/ 200 Denton, Texas RS-Senior Transferred to Memphis Jalani Williams #4 S 6'2''/ 170 St. Louis, Missouri Senior Transferred to Kent State Isaac Zatechka #63 OL 6'4''/ 290 Omaha, Nebraska RS-Sophomore Transferred to North Dakota State Dominic Lovett #7 WR 5'10''/ 175 Belleville, Illinois Junior Transferred to Georgia Tyler Macon #10 QB 6'0''/ 200 St. Louis, Missouri Sophomore Transferred to Alcorn State Jack Stonehouse #97 P 6'3''/ 175 West Hills, California Sophomore Transferred to Syracuse Zachary Lovett #31 LB 6'2''/ 210 Rockledge, Florida RS-Sophomore Transferred to Iowa State Hyrin White #50 OT 6'7''/ 292 DeSoto, Texas RS-Senior Transferred to SMU Travion Ford #16 DE 6'4''/ 232 St. Louis, Missouri RS-Sophomore Transferred to Toledo Davion Sistrunk #34 CB 6'2''/ 170 Melbourne, Florida Sophomore Entered Transfer Portal Les Hewitt – CB 6'3''/ 185 Palmetto, Florida Freshman Entered Transfer Portal Darius Jackson – S 6'1''/ 175 Red Oak, Texas RS-Sophomore Transferred to Texas State Daniel Robledo #97 DL 6'5''/ 280 Tucson, Arizona Junior Entered Transfer Portal Zach Hahn #41 WR 5'11''/ 182 St. Louis, Missouri RS-Sophomore Transferred to Lindenwood Luke Griffin #54 OL 6'5''/ 330 Chatsworth, Georgia RS-Senior Transferred to Purdue Taj Butts #17 RB 5'10''/ 203 St. Louis, Missouri RS-Sophomore Entered Transfer Portal Ian Mathews #91 DL 6'4''/ 290 Columbus, Georgia RS-Sophomore Entered Transfer Portal Marcus Scott II #24 DB 5'11''/ 185 Houston, Texas Sophomore Transferred to California Gavin McKay #87 TE 6'5''/ 225 Memphis, Tennessee RS-Sophomore Transferred to Mercer Arden Walker #55 DL 6'2''/ 251 Denver, Colorado RS-Sophomore Transferred to Colorado Isaiah McGuire #9 DL 6'4''/ 274 Tulsa, Oklahoma Senior Graduated/ Entered 2023 NFL Draft D.J. Coleman #7 DL 6'5''/ 263 Atlanta, Georgia Graduate Student Graduated/ Entered 2023 NFL Draft Martez Manuel #3 S 6’0''/ 213 Columbia, Missouri Senior Graduated/ Entered 2023 NFL Draft Barrett Banister #11 WR 6'0''/ 195 Fayetteville, Arkansas Graduate Student Graduated Jake Hoffman #49 LS 6'3''/ 230 Kearney, Missouri Senior Graduated Kibet Chepyator #45 TE 6'7''/ 248 Carol Stream, Illinois Graduate Student Graduated Sean Koetting #90 K 6'4''/ 229 Columbia, Missouri Graduate Student Graduated
Incoming transfers 2023 Missouri incoming transfers Name Number Pos. Height/Weight Hometown Year Notes Jake Garcia #6 QB 6'3''/ 195 Loganville, Georgia Sophomore Transferred from Miami (FL) Joe Moore #45 DE 6'2''/ 245 Florissant, Missouri Junior Transferred from Arizona State Dannis Jackson #11 WR 6'1''/ 187 Sumrall, Mississippi Junior Transferred from Ole Miss Riley Williams #97 P 6'3''/ 210 Victoria, Australia Junior Transferred from Towson Tre'Vez Johnson #4 S 5'11''/ 192 Jacksonville, Florida Junior Transferred from Florida Marcellus Johnson #50 OT 6'4''/ 270 Normal, Illinois Graduate Student Transferred from Eastern Michigan Austin Firestone – DL 6'5''/ 265 Niceville, Florida Freshman Transferred from Northwestern Theo Wease Jr. #1 WR 6'2''/ 202 Allen, Texas Senior Transferred from Oklahoma Marcus Clarke #29 CB 5'10''/ 175 Winter Park, Florida Senior Transferred from Miami (FL) Cam'Ron Johnson – OL 6'4''/ 305 Houston, Texas Junior Transferred from Houston
2023 recruiting class
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries vs South Dakota (FCS)
Uniform CombinationHelmet (Oval Tiger)JerseyPants
Statistics USD MIZZ First downs 14 22 Total yards 60–194 66–437 Rushes/yards 35–38 40–211 Passing yards 156 266 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–25–0 20–26–1 Time of possession 30:58 29:02 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Dakota Passing Aiden Bouman 15–25, 156 yards, 1 TD Rushing Travis Theis 7 carries, 26 yards Receiving Jack Martens 8 receptions, 88 yards Missouri Passing Brady Cook 17–21, 172 yards, 1 TD Rushing Cody Schrader 18 carries, 138 yards, 1 TD Receiving Luther Burden III 7 receptions, 96 yards, 1 TD
vs Middle Tennessee
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Statistics MTSUMIZZ First downs 16 21 Total yards 65–285 65–316 Rushes/yards 29–71 46–112 Passing yards 214 204 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–36–0 14–19–0 Time of possession 28:00 32:00 Team Category Player StatisticsMiddle Tennessee Passing Nicholas Vattiato 22–36, 214 yards, 2 TD Rushing Frank Peasant 13 carries, 35 yards Receiving Elijah Metcalf 5 receptions, 70 yardsMissouri Passing Brady Cook 14–19, 204 yards, 2 TD Rushing Cody Schrader 23 carries, 84 yards Receiving Luther Burden III 8 receptions, 117 yards
vs No. 15 Kansas State
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Statistics KSUMIZZ First downs 19 20 Total yards 74–408 64–430 Rushes/yards 35–138 28–74 Passing yards 270 356 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 25–39–1 23–36–0 Time of possession 34:00 26:00 Team Category Player StatisticsKansas State Passing Will Howard 25–39, 270 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT Rushing Treshaun Ward 10 carries, 54 yards Receiving Ben Sinnott 5 receptions, 78 yards, 2 TDMissouri Passing Brady Cook 23–35, 356 yards, 2 TD Rushing Cody Schrader 10 carries, 58 yards Receiving Luther Burden III 7 receptions, 114 yards, 2 TD
vs Memphis
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Statistics MEMMIZZ First downs 21 22 Total yards 76–399 61–542 Rushes/yards 29–83 36–201 Passing yards 316 341 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 31–47–2 18–25–0 Time of possession 32:40 27:20 Team Category Player StatisticsMemphis Passing Seth Henigan 31/47, 316 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Blake Watson 10 carries, 47 yards Receiving Roc Taylor 7 receptions, 143 yardsMissouri Passing Brady Cook 18/25, 341 yards, 2 TD Rushing Cody Schrader 14 carries, 123 yards, TD Receiving Luther Burden III 10 receptions, 177 yards
at Vanderbilt
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Statistics MIZZVAN First downs 28 15 Total yards 75–532 72–300 Rushing yards 34–137 20–41 Passing yards 395 259 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 33–41–0 20–31–1 Time of possession 35:58 24:02 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri Passing Brady Cook 33/41, 395 yards, 4 TD Rushing Nathaniel Peat 12 carries, 71 yards Receiving Luther Burden III 11 receptions, 140 yards, 2 TD Vanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 20/31, 259 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Jayden McGowan 3 carries, 24 yards Receiving Will Sheppard 5 receptions, 98 yards, TD
vs No. 23 LSU
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Statistics LSUMIZZ First downs 25 23 Total yards 66–533 68–527 Rushing yards 43–274 21–116 Passing yards 259 411 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–23–0 30–47–2 Time of possession 32:26 27:34 Team Category Player StatisticsLSU Passing Jayden Daniels 15/21, 259 yards, 3 TD Rushing Jayden Daniels 24 carries, 134 yards, TD Receiving Malik Nabers 6 receptions, 146 yards, TD Missouri Passing Brady Cook 30/47, 411 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Cody Schrader 13 carries, 114 yards, 3 TD Receiving Luther Burden III 11 receptions, 149 yards
at No. 24 Kentucky
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Statistics MIZZUK First downs 19 19 Total yards 68–324 58–299 Rushing yards 38–118 31–179 Passing yards 206 120 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–30–1 14–27–2 Time of possession 31:07 28:53 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri Passing Brady Cook 19–29, 175 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Cody Schrader 20 carries, 71 yards, 1 TD Receiving Theo Wease Jr. 6 receptions, 66 yards, 1 TDKentucky Passing Devin Leary 14–27, 120 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Ray Davis 20 carries, 128 yards Receiving Justice Dingle 2 receptions, 32 yards
vs South Carolina (rivalry)
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Statistics SCMIZZ First downs 2022 Total plays-yards 69–28665–418 Rushing attempts-yards 29–69 40–213 Passing attempts-yards 40–217 25–205 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–40–1 15–25–0 Time of possession 31:08 28:52 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 23–40, 217 yards, 1 INT Rushing Mario Anderson 12 carries, 68 yards Receiving Nyck Harbor 2 receptions, 50 yards Missouri Passing Brady Cook 15–25, 205 yards, 1 TD Rushing Cody Schrader 26 carries, 159 yards, 2 TD Receiving Luther Burden III 5 receptions, 97 yards, 1 TD
at No. 2 Georgia
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Statistics MIZZUGA First downs 21 21 Total yards 363 385 Rushing yards 151 131 Passing yards 212 254 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14–30–2 21–32–0 Time of possession 25:42 34:18 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri Passing Brady Cook 14–30, 212 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing Cody Schrader22 carries, 112 yards, 1 TD Receiving Theo Wease 5 receptions, 90 yardsGeorgia Passing Carson Beck 21–32, 254 yards, 2 TD Rushing Daijun Edwards 16 carries, 77 yards Receiving Ladd McConkey 7 receptions, 95 yards
vs No. 13 Tennessee
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Statistics TENNMIZZ First downs 15 26 Total yards 350 530 Rushing yards 83 255 Passing yards 267 275 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–34–1 18–24–1 Time of possession 20:04 39:56