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Missouri

Eli Drinkwitz addresses growing rivalry between Missouri, Arkansas

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh12/04/24griffin_mcveigh
Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman and Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz
© Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The series between Arkansas and Missouri goes back to 1906 but there are just 16 total showdowns between the two programs. To find when the annual battle began, it was in 2014 when the SEC made them cross-division rivals. Since then, it’s been a growing rivalry and maybe reached its peak on Saturday.

“It’s growing I’d say,” Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz said on the rivalry after Saturday’s win. “For them not thinking they were much of a rival, it sure is growing a lot… It was chippy out there tonight but I hope they understand there’s a lot of mutual respect. I respect the crud out of Arkansas as a program and what they’ve built. Coach (Sam) Pittman, I was sad he couldn’t be out there tonight because of his hip. I really respect the way his team fought.”

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Drinkwitz started the week off by ruffling some feathers in Fayetteville. During a press conference, Drinkwitz did not properly pronounce the name of Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green. Many thought he was taking a shot at Green, potentially attempting to get in his head.

But following the game, Drinkwitz revealed he was being genuine. No disrespect was meant toward Green or others inside the Arkansas program. Even so, it certainly provided some fuel — at least for the fans.

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“There was a better part of two hours of sports radio getting after me because I mispronounced the quarterback’s name which was, like I told Taylen Green, that was me being genuine,” Drinkwitz said. “Literally didn’t mean anything. He’s a heck of a player. He’s a great player, great quarterback. By no means was I being disrespectful to him. I think there’s a lot of people that don’t like me down in that state for whatever reason, which is good. It builds the rivalry which is good, we need this.”

Pittman was not able to coach from the sideline due to a hip injury. The Missouri game does mean a little extra to him, saying the Tigers are Arkansas’ biggest rival heading into the game. Fans might argue for LSU, Texas, or maybe even Texas A&M, but in Pittman’s eyes, it’s Mizzou.

Luckily, this game will continue for at least one more season. Arkansas will play host and while the schedule is not out yet, presumably the final week of the regular season once again. Missouri has three straight wins and the Battle Line Trophy is getting comfortable in Columbia.