The 135th Season of Missouri Football Begins; The Buzz, Aug. 29, 2024

The Missouri Tigers open the season Thursday night, hosting the Murray State Racers.

Sep 9, 2023; Columbia, Missouri, USA; A general view of the Missouri Tigers field against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders prior to a game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The wait is finally over. The Missouri Tigers' 2024 season kicks off Thursday night.

The football season beautifully represents new beginnings. New opportunities. A fresh slate. Every single team controls their own destiny.

Missouri was one of the best stories in college football in 2023, winning the Cotton Bowl and finishing the season ranked No. 8 in the nation after being predicted to finish near the bottom of the SEC East. Thursday is the first chapter of their next story.

It might be the start of a new season for the program but it's also a continuation of the history built by the 134 Missouri teams that came before it. It marks the continuation of family tradition and the beginning of new memories.

Many kids in the stands Thursday night will be attending their very first game at Faurot Field. 50 years from now, they won't remember the final score or which FCS team Missouri played. But they'll remember the experience and the people around them.

They'll remember their first walk up the brutal hill from Truman's Landing parking lot. How confused they were when their parents covered their ears during the bridge of "Mr. Brightside." How rebellious they felt getting to stay up on a school night.

Their parents will remember how special it felt to pass on the love for the team to their children. Teaching them which three letters to chant. How for three hours, nothing else in the world mattered besides the poetry on the grass.

Some of their children will be MU students some 10, 15 odd years from now. Missouri football will already mean family before they step foot on campus.

It would be naive to say that student-athletes are the most pure role models for children. But if you're looking to show them a representative for what resiliency, teamwork and consistency can earn them, a college football team is one of your best options.

For current students, this likely uninteresting game will eventually blend into a flurry of memories from some of the best years of their life. Some freshmen looking for community might just find it in a sea of over 62,000 fans with a shared love for their university and the team.

No matter how unimportant this game may be for the fate of Missouri's 2024 team, every story must begin somewhere. Cherish the moment.

Today's Schedule

Football: vs. Murray State, 7 p.m., Watch, Listen, Live Stats

Soccer: at Miami (Florida), Coral Gabes, Florida - 6 p.m., Watch, Live Stats

Did you notice?

• Former Missouri running back Cody Schrader found a new home with the Los Angeles Rams after being waived by the San Francisco 49ers. The Rams claimed Schrader off of the waiver wire Wednesday, placing him on the team's 53-man roster.

• Another former Missouri rusher, Tyler Badie, was added to the Denver Broncos' practice squad after being released by the team Tuesday.

• Mizzou football posted a schedule for Thursday's preceedings:
3 p.m. - Tailgate lots open and student tailgate on the Southwest Village Lawn opens
4 p.m. - MU Health Care Kids Zone opens
4:30 p.m. - Tiger Walk begins near the the south east end of the stadium
5 p.m. - Premium gates open
5: 30 p.m. - General gates open
7 p.m. - Kickoff

More from MissouriOnSI:

Missouri Defense Remains Biggest Question Heading into Murray State Matchup

Missouri Unsure What to Expect from Revamped Murray State Team

2024 Missouri Tigers Guide to What's New in College Football

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