The stage is set for one of the biggest games Faurot Field has seen in nearly half a century.
Missouri’s undefeated start has the fan base buzzing, but Alabama has history on its side. The question now: Can the Tigers rise to the moment and rewrite the story years in the making?
On Saturday, Oct. 11, No. 14 Missouri (5–0, 1–0 SEC) welcomes No. 8 Alabama (4–1, 2–0 SEC) to Columbia for an AP Top-15 showdown — the first of its kind at Memorial Stadium since 1979. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on ABC, with Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, and Katie George on the call.
For Mizzou, it’s a chance to keep momentum rolling after a bye week and a dominant 42–6 win over UMass. For Alabama, it’s another test in what’s been a steady rebound since a Week 2 loss, most recently capped by a 30–14 victory over Vanderbilt.
Head coach Eli Drinkwitz knows how big this opportunity is — not just for his team, but for the program’s trajectory.
“We know we have our hands full,” Drinkwitz said. “The reality is, to be the team that we want to be, these are games that you have to take advantage of. You have to take advantage of being able to play at home, in front of your crowd, being able to be in a routine that you're comfortable with and sustaining concentration and execution for four quarters.”
Missouri hasn’t hosted a Top-15 matchup since Sept. 29, 1979, when No. 4 Texas beat No. 5 Mizzou, 21–0.
And yes, the history books go back even farther for Mizzou’s last victory over Alabama: 1975, a 20–7 season-opening win in Birmingham.
That Tide team went on to finish 11–1 and win the SEC — proof that Mizzou’s capable of shaking up the hierarchy when the moment arrives.
This Saturday, they’ll get another shot.