The Mizzou Tiger football team is playing for more than a 180-pound trophy on Friday afternoon in Columbia against Arkansas: they’re also playing for bowl eligibility.
Eli Drinkwitz’s Tigers are 5-6 this year, with a 2-5 record in the SEC. If Mizzou beats the Razorbacks, they’ll finish the regular season 6-6 and will earn a bowl bid for the third straight year. If they lose, their season is likely over.
The game is known as the Battle Line Rivalry game, presented by Columbia-based Shelter Insurance. The Battle Line Trophy is huge: it’s more than four feet tall and weighs more than 180 pounds. Mizzou has won five of the last six in the series, which dates to 1906.
Friday’s game kicks off at 2:37 at Faurot Field, and will be broadcast nationally on CBS by Tom McCarthy and former Colorado coach Rick Neuheisel. It will also be broadcast live on the Central Bank Tiger Radio Network by Mike Kelly, Howard Richards and Chris Gervino. Pregame coverage on Zimmer Central Bank Tiger Network affiliates KCMQ (FM 96.7) and KTGR (FM 100.5) begins at 12:30.
It’s the second weekday home game this year for Mizzou. Their season opener was on September 1, a rare Thursday night game. The Tigers beat Louisiana Tech 52-24 that night.
