University of Missouri football closes out 2022 on Friday, Dec. 23 at 5:30 p.m. CT vs. Wake Forest in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. The game takes place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, and airs on ESPN and the Tiger Radio Network.
GASPARILLA WHAT?
Inspired by the Legend of Pirate Jose Gaspar, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla was founded in 1904 as an organization dedicated to enriching the vitality and imagination of Tampa and its surrounding community. Through special appearances, Krewe members (of the YMKG-established Inter-Krewe Council) participate in events to promote the Bay Area community. Krewe members—decked in pirate attire—regularly visit hospitals, assisted living centers, and schools, engaging the community in the spirit and fun of Gasparilla events.
THE SERIES
The two teams have never met on the gridiron before.
THE COACHES
ELIAH DRINKWITZ is in his third season as Mizzou’s head coach. He had led the Tigers to bowl appearances in each of his first three seasons, joining former head coach Warren Powers as the only two MU head coaches to achieve that feat. Additionally, only Powers won more games in his first two seasons at MU (1978-79, 15) than Drinkwitz (11). Prior to taking the Mizzou job, Drinkwitz was 12-1 as the head coach at Appalachian State in 2019. He had previous stops as the OC at NC State, Boise State and Arkansas State.
Dave Clawson is 58-53 in his ninth season at Wake Forest and 148-132 in 23 years as a collegiate head coach. He has led Wake to seven-straight bowl games and the Demon Deacons won the 2021 ACC Atlantic title. He owns the school record for bowl victories, has climbed to the third-most wins in school history, and has led Wake Forest to a five-year period (2017-21) of success with 38 wins in that span. He made previous head coaching stops at Bowling Green, Richmond and Fordham.
STREAKS, STORYLINES, SIDEBARS …
- Missouri finished the season at 6-6 and enters the bowl game on a two-game winning streak.
- Mizzou won four of its last six games and were the only team to play No. 1 Georgia to a one-score game (L, 26-22).
- Head Coach Eliah Drinkwitz has led the Tigers to a bowl in each of his first three seasons, only the second coach in school history to do so along with the late Warren Powers (1978-84).
- The Tigers last had three-straight bowl bids from 2009-11 – part of seven-straight postseason games between 2006-11.
- Mizzou finished the season No. 4 in the Southeastern Conference is total defense, giving up 337.1 yards per game. The Tigers were also fourth in rushing defense (127.2 mpg).
- Missouri and Wake Forest have never met on the football field. With the WFU matchup in Tampa, there are only five P5 teams Mizzou has never played in football – Florida State, NC State, Rutgers, Virginia Tech and Washington.
- Former Mizzou QB Blaine Gabbert is the backup quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- Mizzou announced a pair of contract extensions recently, adding two years to Head Coach Eliah Drinkwitz and three to Defensive Coordinator Blake Baker. Drinkwitz is locked up through the 2027 season while Baker is inked through 2025.
- WR Barrett Banister was named a semifinalist for the Wuerffel Trophy and K Harrison Mevis was a semifinalist for the Groza.
- CBs Kris Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. combined for 25 passes broken up and 13 passes defended, an average of over one PD per game. The tied for third in the SEC in passes defended
- Four of Mizzou’s five SEC losses were by seven points or less and a combined 18 points, excluding Tennessee.
- With 61,047 fans packing Faurot vs. Kentucky, it marked the first back-to-back games with an attendance of 60,000 since 2015 (South Carolina and Florida). Mizzou has averaged 56,147 fans per game at home, an increase of nearly 10,000 fans per game from the Tigers’ 2021 averages of 46,516 fans per game.
