COLUMBIA, Mo. — As the 2026 college football season prepares to kick off, Mizzou Athletics will recognize the 1960 Missouri football team as national champions, honoring one of the most accomplished teams in program history. The decision follows a unanimous resolution earlier this month by the United States Senate recognizing the accomplishments of the 1960 Tigers and their place in college football history.

Mizzou will formally honor the 1960 team as national champions during a halftime ceremony Sept. 19 when the Tigers play Troy in the Memorial Stadium 100th Anniversary Game.

Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt introduced the resolution on the Senate floor on Aug. 6, leading to its unanimous passage by the Senate. 

"We appreciate Sen. Schmitt and the U.S. Senate for recognizing the accomplishments of our 1960 football team and for bringing renewed attention to a remarkable group of Tigers,” Mizzou Director of Athletics Laird Veatch said. “The 1960 team has an important place in Mizzou history, and after reviewing the historical record, we believe it is appropriate to honor that team as national champions."

Mizzou's recognition is based on the Poling System, one of several historical national selectors recognized by the NCAA, naming Missouri its 1960 national champion. The decision also considers the unique circumstances of the 1960 season, including the subsequent Big Eight forfeiture of Kansas' on-field victory over the Tigers for use of an ineligible player, followed by Mizzou’s victory over Navy in the Orange Bowl.

Under legendary Mizzou coach Dan Devine, the 1960 Tigers won the Big Eight championship and climbed to No. 1 in the Associated Press poll headed into their regular-season finale. With Kansas’ forfeited victory, Mizzou has historically listed its final record as 11-0. The Tigers were ranked No. 5 in the final AP poll of the year — final polls were released before bowl games until 1968 — and then defeated Navy 21-14 in the Orange Bowl.

“Coach Dan Devine and Danny LaRose led the Mizzou Tigers to an undefeated season in 1960 — and now, the Senate has unanimously recognized them as the 1960 College Football National Champions,” Sen. Schmitt said. “For too long, fans and players who proudly represent their school in the Black and Gold have been deprived of this glory. More than six decades later, the Tigers are now taking their rightful place in history. Their championship was earned. Their record remains perfect. And Kansas still lost.”

The university's recognition of the 1960 team will be incorporated into Mizzou's celebration of the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium on Sept. 19, when the Tigers will wear special throwback uniforms honoring the program’s past. The 2026 season also marks the opening of the Memorial Stadium Centennial Project, a $250 million transformational renovation of the historic venue's North End Zone. 

"We have a unique opportunity this year to recognize the Tigers who built the history and tradition of Mizzou Football while keeping our eyes firmly on the future,” Veatch said. “As we celebrate 100 years of Memorial Stadium and open the Centennial Project, we want to properly honor the 1960 team and its legacy in Mizzou history. While we celebrate where we've been, our priority is where we’re going next — supporting the 2026 Tigers and striving to capture the next Mizzou national championship."

Fans can purchase a special Centennial Celebration Ticket Package for the Troy game that includes four tickets and one parking pass for $100 HERE. The game will kick off at 6 p.m. on SEC Network+.

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