Missouri football wasn't alwasy competitive in the stacked SEC Conference. In fact, it really wasn't until the last couple years that they found themselves winning against top programs and competing in major bowl games.
Prior to the 2023 season, where they peaked at the No. 8 overall spot on the AP Top-25 rankings, the team hadn't appeared ranked since a one-week No. 22 spot, way back in 2019.
The culture change in Columbia was no-doubt brought from the sidelines. The hiring of head coach Eliah Drinkwitz truly shifted this program in the right direction, with two-straight ten-win seasons, a Cotton Bowl win versus Ohio State in 2023, and helping to become an overall threat within the SEC, the most loaded conference in the country.