The 1969 Missouri Tigers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Missouri in the Big Eight Conference (Big 8) during the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. The team compiled a 9–2 record (6–1 against Big 8 opponents), finished in a tie for the Big 8 championship, lost to Penn State in the 1970 Orange Bowl, was ranked No. 6 in the final AP Poll, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 365 to 191. Dan Devine was the head coach for the 12th of 13 seasons. The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri.
The team's statistical leaders included Joe Moore with 1,312 rushing yards, Terry McMillan with 1,963 passing yards and 2,157 yards of total offense, Mel Gray with 705 receiving yards, and Henry Brown with 71 points scored.
Schedule
| Date |
Opponent |
Rank |
Site |
TV |
Result |
Attendance |
Source |
| September 20 |
Air Force*
|
No. 11 |
|
|
W 19–17 |
|
|
| September 27 |
vs. Illinois*
|
No. 11 |
|
|
W 37–6 |
48,740 |
|
| October 4 |
at No. 13 Michigan*
|
No. 9 |
|
|
W 40–17 |
64,476 |
|
| October 11 |
No. 20 Nebraska
|
No. 7 |
- Memorial Stadium
- Columbia, MO (rivalry)
|
|
W 17–7 |
60,500 |
|
| October 18 |
Oklahoma State |
No. 6 |
- Memorial Stadium
- Columbia, MO
|
|
W 31–21 |
|
|
| October 25 |
at Colorado
|
No. 5 |
|
|
L 24–31 |
41,886 |
|
| November 1 |
No. 12 Kansas State
|
No. 14 |
- Memorial Stadium
- Columbia, MO
|
|
W 41–38 |
40,000 |
|
| November 8 |
No. 20 Oklahoma
|
No. 9 |
- Memorial Stadium
- Columbia, MO (rivalry)
|
ABC (regional) |
W 44–10 |
60,378 |
|
| November 15 |
at Iowa State
|
No. 8 |
|
|
W 40–13 |
53,811 |
|
| November 22 |
at Kansas
|
No. 7 |
|
ABC (regional) |
W 69–21 |
48,474 |
|
| January 1 |
vs. No. 2 Penn State*
|
No. 6 |
|
NBC |
L 3–10 |
77,282 |
|
- *Non-conference game
-
Homecoming
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
|
Game summaries
Michigan
| |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| • Missouri
|
0 |
24 |
0 |
16 |
40 |
| Michigan |
3 |
0 |
14 |
0 |
17 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
|
| 1 |
|
MICH |
Killian 40-yard field goal |
MICH 3-0 |
|
| 2 |
|
MU |
Brown 26-yard field goal |
Tied 3-3 |
|
| 2 |
|
MU |
McBride 2-yard run (Brown kick) |
MU 10-3 |
|
| 2 |
|
MU |
McBride 1-yard run (Brown kick) |
MU 17-3 |
|
| 2 |
|
MU |
|
MU 24-3 |
|
| 3 |
|
MICH |
Craw 1-yard run (Titas kick) |
MU 24-10 |
|
| 3 |
|
MICH |
Craw 1-yard run (Titas kick) |
MU 24-17 |
|
| 4 |
|
MU |
Brown 24-yard field goal |
MU 27-17 |
|
| 4 |
|
MU |
Kenemore 8-yard pass from Roper (kick failed) |
MU 33-17 |
|
| 4 |
8:09 |
MU |
Moore 62-yard run (Brown kick) |
MU 40-17 |
|
Kansas
| |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| • Missouri
|
21 |
7 |
28 |
13 |
69 |
| Kansas |
0 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
21 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
|
| 1 |
|
MU |
Gray 19-yard run (Brown kick) |
MU 7-0 |
|
| 1 |
|
MU |
Gray 63-yard pass from McMillian (Brown kick) |
MU 14-0 |
|
| 1 |
|
MU |
Staggers 4-yard pass from McMillian (Brown kick) |
MU 21-0 |
|
| 2 |
|
MU |
Gray 26-yard pass from McMillian (Brown kick) |
MU 28-0 |
|
| 2 |
|
KU |
Basler 1-yard run (Bell kick) |
MU 28-7 |
|
| 3 |
|
MU |
Staggers 6-yard pass from McMillian (Brown kick) |
MU 35-7 |
|
| 3 |
|
MU |
Moore 53-yard run (Brown kick) |
MU 42-7 |
|
| 3 |
|
MU |
McMillian 6-yard run (Brown kick) |
MU 49-7 |
|
| 3 |
|
KU |
Brown 38-yard pass from Basler (Bell kick) |
MU 49-14 |
|
| 3 |
|
MU |
McMillian 1-yard run (Brown kick) |
MU 56-14 |
|
| 4 |
|
KU |
Jessie 79-yard pass from Basler (Bell kick) |
MU 56-21 |
|
| 4 |
|
MU |
Staggers 18-yard run (Brown kick) |
MU 63-21 |
|
| 4 |
|
MU |
Farmer 1-yard run (kick failed) |
MU 69-21 |
|
Terry McMillian broke the Big Eight single-season touchdown pass record of 16 and the single-game school record of Paul Christman. The victory gave Missouri a share of the Big Eight title with Nebraska and a berth in the Orange Bowl.
Roster
| 1969 Missouri Tigers football team roster
|
| Players
|
Coaches
|
Offense
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
|
QB
|
18
|
Terry McMillan
|
Sr
|
|
WR
|
21
|
Mel Gray
|
Jr
|
|
HB
|
22
|
Jon Staggers
|
Sr
|
|
C
|
53
|
Bob Wilson
|
Jr
|
|
OT
|
71
|
Larron Jackson
|
Jr
|
|
Defense
|
Special teams
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
-
(C) Team captain
-
(S) Suspended
-
(I) Ineligible
-
 Injured
-
 Redshirt
|
Awards
- All-Big Eight: E Mel Gray, OT Larron Jackson, DT Mark Kuhlmann, S Dennis Poppe
- Missouri Sports Hall of Fame – inducted as a team on January 25, 2015.
