Mizzou to Play Iowa in Music City Bowl

The Missouri Tigers bowl game designation and opponent was announced Sunday.

Oct 26, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) throws a pass during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images / Butch Dill-Imagn Images

Eli Drinkwitz might need to pack his air guitar.

The Missouri Tigers will head to Nashville to play Iowa in the Music City Bowl.

The game, played at Nissan Stadium, will be played on Dec. 30 at 2:30 p.m. Central Time. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

"It's an honor to be selected to participate in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl," Mizzou head coach said in a press release. "We're looking forward to the opportunity to play at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. It's a great market for our alumni and fanbase and I know we'll have an excited crowd.

Our team has worked extremely hard to achieve this goal, and we are looking forward to preparing and playing against a terrific Iowa squad. I'm just thankful I get to coach this special group of men for one more game this season."

Missouri finished the regular season 9-3. A win in a bowl game would mark the third time in program history with two-straight seasons with double-digit wins. Missouri finished the 2023 season at 11-2, capped off with a 14-3 win in the Cotton Bowl over Ohio State.

The Tigers will be without superstar wide receiver Luther Burden III in the game. Two days after Missouri's regular season ended, Burden announced his decision to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft and forgo Missouri's bowl game

Starting right tackle Armand Membou also announced his decision to declare for the NFL draft, and is expected to not play with the Tigers during the bowl game.

Following Missouri's win over Arkansas in Week 14, Drinkwitz hinted at Missouri planning to have most of its roster available in the bowl game. He beleives this is a reflection of the culture he and his coaching staff has created at Missouri.

"You'll see it too when very few, if any, of our seniors, opt out [of the bowl game]," Drinkwitz said. "There's something about playing for each other and playing for Missouri that's special to these guys."

Included in this is defensive end Johnny Walker Jr. He led the Tigers with 7.5 sacks in the regular season.

"I love this team," Walker said after the win over Arkansas. "I don't think opting out is an option for me. If you give me one more chance to play with my brothers, I'm gonna do it."

Missouri might have not met their postseason expectations surrounding them ahead of the season. However, the opportunity to continue its momentum with a 10-win season is not something Drinkwitz doesn't take lightly.

"I figure we'll finish the season ranked, which is a step in the right direction," Drinkwitz said after the Arkansas win. "We want to be a top-25 program that contends for championships and to be able to do that back-to-back season tells you that you're not a flash in the pan."

Read more Missouri Tigers news:

Where Mizzou Football Ranks in Polls After Week 15
Report: Mizzou to Host Highly Coveted Transfer Quarterback on Visit
Report: Mizzou WR to Enter Transfer Portal