It wasn't that long ago that the Missouri Tigers simply weren't good enough to compete with the Iowa Hawkeyes. In fact, Mizzou quit on a series with Iowa just a few years ago. The Tigers will be meeting the Hawkeyes in the Insight Bowl on Dec. 28.
It's not that long ago but it feels like it is. From 2005-2008, Mizzou and Iowa were scheduled to play each other. The Tigers had been in losing seasons in five of the last six years while Iowa had three top 10 finishes in the last three years.
Mizzou backed out of the deal in the first two years and Iowa voided the last four.
"When we first got here we adjusted our schedule a little bit because they are good," Pinkel said. "We were building our program, and it didn't make a lot of sense for me to play such a great football program. So that was working with (Missouri Athletics Director) Mike Alden, and I would say that was a good decision."
Well it's working out pretty well for Mizzou now.
If I'm an Iowa student, I'm coming up with some sort of clever cheer for this on Dec. 28.