Homecoming at the University of Missouri is done a little differently than at other schools. While a few other colleges, might object, MU invented homecoming according to the history books, or at least the idea that alumni from far and wide would be invited to come back to school for a weekend.

The pinnacle of the MU festivities is the football game, which follows the parade. Every October, on a (usually) crisp Saturday afternoon, Columbia comes alive in support of its beloved Tigers.

Even in seasons filled with defeat, Missouri fans almost always show up for the Homecoming game. Since 2012, Missouri has entered their Homecoming game with either a .500 or a losing record five times . In every game but the 2021 North Texas match, attendance was reported to be at least 52,000, which is more than 80% capacity at Faurot Field. The 2012 game against Kentucky was a reported sellout, and the 2022 game against Vanderbilt was reported to be a near sellout (97%).

“It makes you fall in love with this university and fan base all over again,” head coach Eli Drinkwitz said after Missouri’s Homecoming victory last season.

Homecoming football games have been filled with mostly victories for the Tigers. Since MU’s first Homecoming game in 1911—a 3-3 tie against Kansas — Missouri is 66-40-5 on homecoming. Some memorable wins include an upset of top-ranked Oklahoma in 2010, a couple of overtime victories and a plethora of smackdowns against former Big 8 Conference foes such as Colorado, Kansas and Kansas State.

Many electric moments at Faurot Field have happened on Homecoming, like when former wide receiver Gahn McGaffie took the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the upset of Oklahoma 13 years ago.

“That is the loudest I’ve ever heard the stadium,” then-junior wide receiver T.J. Moe said of the moment.

When the Tigers are winning, the fans show up in even greater numbers on Homecoming. Since 2012, Missouri has entered the Homecoming game with a winning record four times — (South Carolina 2013, Vanderbilt 2014, Florida 2015, Ole Miss 2019. In each of those four games, Faurot Field was reported to have been sold out. On Monday, it was announced the 2023 game had been sold out as well, marking the Tigers’ third consecutive home sellout of the season.

The Tigers are riding into Saturday hot. At 6-1, MU is sporting its best record heading into the homecoming game since 2013, when it entered its contest against South Carolina at a perfect 7-0.

“Everybody’s just so happy right now,” senior defensive lineman Darius Robinson said after Missouri’s 38-21 victory over Kentucky last Saturday.

Not only that, Missouri has won its last six Homecoming games dating back to 2017. The hope is the Tigers can keep the good times rolling in a game that’s historically been very kind to them.

Edited by Chase Gemes | cgemes@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Grace Knight | gknight@themaneater.com
Edited by Sophie Rentschler | srentschler@themaneater.com