Eli Drinkwitz on Arkansas rivalry: ‘There’s a lot of people that don’t like me down in that state’
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Eli Drinkwitz and the Missouri Tigers took down the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Battle Line Rivalry on Saturday. It was the 12th all-time win for the Tigers over the Razorbacks in 16 matchups.
As a result, Drinkwitz says he has a lot of enemies down in Arkansas.
“I think there’s a lot of people that don’t like me down in that state, for whatever reason,” Drinkwitz said after the game. “Which is good. I mean, it builds the rivalry, which is good.”
This rivalry has been built up since Missouri joined the SEC in 2012. Since that point, the Tigers have won 9 of 11 matchups against the Razorbacks. Eli Drinkwitz has only lost the Razorbacks once as the head coach of the Tigers.
“I hope they all understand there’s a lot of mutual respect,” the coach said. “I respect the crud out of Arkansas, their program, and what they’ve built. I really respect the way that (Sam Pittman’s) team fought.”
Notably, Drinkwitz graduated from Arkansas Tech and got his coaching start at Alma High School in Alma, Arkansas. After a short stint at Appalachian State, Drinkwitz got the Mizzou job. Since taking over at Missouri, Drinkwitz has compiled a 37-24 record.
In this matchup, the Tigers won the time of possession and turnover battles. The Tigers racked up 361 total yards of offense and a late go-ahead TD from Brady Cook ended up being the difference.
After notching a win over their rival, the Tigers will end the season with a 9-3 record. The Razorbacks, meanwhile, secure bowl eligibility and finish the season 6-6.
Bryce Lazenby covers college football for Saturday Down South. A Nashville native, his previous stops include FanSided, Dimers, and The Leaf-Chronicle.
