ATLANTA, Ga.– The Missouri Tigers are less than 24 hours away from its big game against Auburn. The SEC Championship Game is Saturday afternoon. The team made it into Atlanta on Friday amid some winter weather in its path, the team actually arrived late.
That meant Missouri had to cancel its walk-through, leaving the field exclusively for Auburn on Friday. Missouri is trying to end a 44-year league championship drought that has now spanned three leagues from the Big 8 to the Big 12 and now the SEC. Mizzou’s presence in Atlanta comes as something of a surprise from the SEC newcomers, who have only been playing in the SEC for two years.
Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel is fond of using the word, ‘enormous,’ which is exactly what a win on Saturday would be for the program. He told FOX 4 he’s proud of the way that fans have acclimated themselves to the new conference.
“Our fans have embraced us and it’s great for the state of Missouri, it’s great for the University of Missouri and it’s great for our fans. Our fans get it, when they first came in the league they had to make adjustments too,” Pinkel told FOX 4. “This is the SEC, the SEC has the best fans. If you were at the A&M game, we got as good a fans as anyone in the country.”
Missouri fans have to thank Pinkel a great deal for the turnaround. He’s weathered a lot of negatives over the past 18 months, including a DWI and divorce off the field and a tough start on the field during the Tigers’ first year of SEC play that resulted in only two SEC wins against six losses. With this year’s success, Pinkel is trying to keep it all in perspective.
“One of my friends texts me all the time or my daughter (says) ‘Dad you better enjoy this!’ I have a tendency to persevere and drive myself in intensity, I love being in this situation.”
The man who weathered the first-year storm with him, Athletics Director Mike Alden, said given Pinkel’s character, he’s not at all surprised.
“He’s a tremendous guy, Gary and I have worked together for 13 years and the character of who he is, his passion, his focus, his energy, his discipline. The different things that he’s been able to apply personally and professionally towards what we’re trying to do,” Alden told FOX 4.
FOX 4 also had the opportunity to speak with the university’s newly introduced Chancellor, R. Bowen Loftin,who despite being fresh on campus, sees the respect the Tigers’ play has earned.
“This has been a great time, I think the coach made it very clear during his press conference that this builds respect for the program, for the institution, that’s hard to get any other way. I really do appreciate what he’s done here this last couple of years, it’s been phenomenal,” Chancellor Loftin told FOX 4.
All that remains to be seen now is the game on the field. Two teams of Tigers will square off in the Georgia Dome at 3 p.m. Kansas City time on Saturday. FOX 4 will have more live coverage from Atlanta during FOX 4 News at 9 and 10.
