It’s no secret that Missouri football hasn’t lived up to the program’s lofty expectations during the last two seasons.
Bowl games are regarded as a birthright for each incoming recruiting class (along with the occasional conference championship game appearance), so back-to-back bowl-free, losing seasons for the first time since 2002 doesn’t cut it.
Reversing the Tigers’ downward trend — 5-7 in 2015 followed by a coaching change and a 4-8 campaign last year — has become central to the legacy of this year’s senior class.
“We’re really just selling out,” said senior left tackle Tyler Howell, a Bonner Springs graduate.