Jan. 4, 2006
Columbia, Mo. -
Research indicates that the University of Missouri football team's comeback win from a 21-point deficit in the Independence Bowl over South Carolina was indeed the greatest comeback win in Mizzou history.
An extensive listing of comeback wins did not previously exist, but new research shows that the previous best was 14 points, which has happened several times throughout the years.
Of note is the fact that the previous record for largest deficit overcome to win by Mizzou was 14 points, and that of the six previous occurrences, Head Coach Gary Pinkel held two of those comeback victories (2001 at Oklahoma State and 2001 at Kansas).
One other quick note, CB Marcus King's 99-yard INT return for a TD in the I-Bowl not only set MU and I-Bowl records, but it also now ranks as the longest INT return for a TD in NCAA Div. I-A bowl history, according to the 2005 NCAA Football Records Book...
GREATEST COMEBACK WINS IN MIZZOU FOOTBALL HISTORY
Deficit Season Opponent Biggest Deficit Final Score
21 2005 South Carolina% 21-0, 2nd Quarter W, 38-31
14 1966 at Illinois 14-0, 2nd Quarter W, 21-14
14 1976 at Ohio State 21-7, 3rd Quarter W, 22-21
14 1977 at Colorado 14-0, 2nd Quarter W, 24-14
14 1981 at Colorado 14-0, 2nd Quarter W, 30-14
14 2001 at Oklahoma State 14-0, 2nd Quarter W, 41-38 (3-OT)
14 2001 at Kansas 14-0, 2nd Quarter W, 38-34
13 1949 Nebraska 20-7, 4th Quarter W, 21-20
13 1951 Oklahoma A&M 13-0, 1st Quarter W, 27-26
13 1972 Oregon 13-0, 2nd Quarter W, 24-22
13 1975 at Illinois 20-7, 2nd Quarter W, 30-20
13 1979 San Diego State 13-0, 3rd Quarter W, 45-15
10 1969 Oklahoma 10-0, 2nd Quarter W, 44-10
10 1974 at Nebraska 10-0, 4th Quarter W, 21-10
10 1974 Colorado 10-0, 1st Quarter W, 30-24
10 1978 at Nebraska 17-7 (2nd) & 24-14 (3rd) W, 35-31
10 1983 Oklahoma State 10-0, 2nd Quarter W, 16-10
10 1985 at Iowa State 24-14, 3rd Quarter W, 28-27
10 1987 at Iowa State 17-7, 2nd Quarter W, 42-17
10 2003 Nebraska 24-14, 4th Quarter W, 41-24
10 2005 Iowa State 24-14, 4th Quarter W, 27-24 (OT)
%-2005 Independence Bowl
GREATEST COMEBACK TIES IN MIZZOU FOOTBALL HISTORY
Deficit Season Opponent Biggest Deficit Final Score
14 1944 at Oklahoma 21-7, 4th Quarter Tie, 21-21
14 1965 UCLA 14-0, 2nd Quarter Tie, 14-14
10 1966 Iowa State 10-0, 4th Quarter Tie, 10-10