Battle Line Rivalry

The Battle Line Rivalry is the name given to the Arkansas–Missouri football rivalry.[2] It is an American college football rivalry game between the Arkansas Razorbacks and Missouri Tigers.[3] The teams have met twelve times, between November 1906 and December 2020. They have faced off twice in bowl games, first in the 2003 Independence Bowl and second in the 2008 Cotton Bowl Classic. The rivalry was formally introduced in 2014, and the Battle Line trophy was first awarded in 2015.

Battle Line Rivalry
Arkansas Razorbacks
Missouri Tigers
First meetingNovember 10, 1906
Missouri, 11–0
Latest meetingDecember 5, 2020
Missouri, 50–48
TrophyBattle Line Trophy
Statistics
Meetings total12
All-time seriesMissouri leads, 9–3[1]
Largest victoryMissouri, 38–0 (2018)
Longest win streakMissouri, 5 (2016–present)
Current win streakMissouri, 5 (2016–present)
Locations of Arkansas and Missouri

History

Pre-SEC era

The first meeting between the Razorbacks and Tigers was in 1906. Missouri won 11–0 in Columbia, Missouri.[4] The two teams played each other in out of conference, regular season games in 1906, 1944, and 1963. They have met in bowl games twice.

SEC era

Missouri leads the series 5–1 since the schools began playing as SEC foes in 2014. The teams did not play in 2012 and 2013, the first two years Missouri was a member of the conference.

Starting in 2015, the winner of the game received a silver trophy outlining the states of Missouri and Arkansas with the words "Battle Line" on the border between the states.[5] In 2014, Missouri's victory gave them a spot in the SEC Championship. The series was played on Black Friday from 2014 to 2019, with the 2020 edition scheduled for the week after due to scheduling complications from the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]

The location of the games changes every year between Fayetteville, Arkansas in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and Columbia, Missouri on Faurot Field.

Missouri won the first meeting as SEC opponents 21–14 in Columbia. In the first game that the trophy was on the line, the Razorbacks won 28–3. The Tigers captured the trophy for the first time in 2016, overcoming a 24–7 halftime deficit to win 28–24 in Columbia. In 2017 the Tigers kept the trophy winning 48–45 on a last second 19-yard field goal by kicker Tucker McCann.

Prior to 2014, Arkansas played LSU in the Battle for the Golden Boot in its regular season finale every year since joining the SEC in 1992. LSU now plays Texas A&M in its regular season finale. Missouri faced the Aggies to close the 2012 and 2013 regular seasons in a continuation of the former Big 12 Conference series.

Arkansas will bring game back to War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock in alternating years when the Razorbacks are hosting the Tigers, from 2019 to 2024.[7][8] A year later, Missouri and the Kansas City Chiefs agreed to move the rivalry game in 2020 to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.[9][10] Due to concerns from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 game was moved back to Columbia, instead of Kansas City.[11]

Game results
Arkansas victoriesMissouri victories
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 November 10, 1906 Columbia, MO Missouri 11–0
2 September 23, 1944 St. Louis, MO Arkansas 7–6
3 September 28, 1963 Little Rock, AR Missouri 7–6
4 December 31, 2003 Shreveport, LA Arkansas 27–14
5 January 1, 2008 Dallas, TX #7 Missouri 38–7
6 November 28, 2014 Columbia, MO #17 Missouri 21–14
7 November 27, 2015 Fayetteville, AR Arkansas 28–3
8 November 25, 2016 Columbia, MO Missouri 28–24
9 November 24, 2017 Fayetteville, AR Missouri 48–45
10 November 23, 2018 Columbia, MO Missouri 38–0
11 November 29, 2019 Little Rock, AR Missouri 24–14
12 December 5, 2020 Columbia, MO Missouri 50–48
Series: Missouri leads 9–3[1]

Notable games

1906 – First meeting

Missouri 11, Arkansas 0

See also: 1906 Arkansas Cardinals football team

The first meeting between Arkansas and Missouri took place on November 10, 1906 and finished 11 to 0 in favor of Missouri. The game was played in Columbia, Missouri. Missouri, under head coach W.J. Monilaw (in his first season as head coach at Missouri), entered the game 4–1. Arkansas, under head coach Frank Longman (in his first season as head coach at Arkansas), entered the game 1–3–1.[12]

1944 – Season opener

Arkansas 7, Missouri 6

See also: 1944 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

The meeting which was held on September 23, 1944, ended with a 7–6 Arkansas victory. The game was the season opener for both teams and it was a neutral site game played in St. Louis, Missouri. Arkansas was coached by Glen Rose (1st season) and would finish 5–5–1. Missouri was coached by Chauncey Simpson and would finish 3–5–2.[13]

2003 – Independence Bowl
1 2 3 4 Total
Razorbacks 3 18 3 3 27
Tigers 7 0 7 0 14

Arkansas 27, Missouri 14

See also: 2003 Independence Bowl, 2003 Arkansas Razorbacks football team, and 2003 Missouri Tigers football team

Arkansas and Missouri met in a bowl game for the first time on December 31, 2003 in the Independence Bowl played in Shreveport, Louisiana. Arkansas was coached by Houston Nutt (6th season) and Missouri was coached by Gary Pinkel (3rd season). Missouri ended the first quarter leading 7–3, but the Hogs scored 18 unanswered points and led 21–7 at half. Arkansas led 24–14 after three quarters and scored a field goal in the fourth quarter to win 27–14. Arkansas RB Cedric Cobbs was the game's offensive MVP (141 yds, 1 TD).[14]

2008 – Cotton Bowl
1 2 3 4 Total
Tigers 7 7 14 10 38
Razorbacks 0 0 7 0 7

Missouri 38, Arkansas 7

See also: 2008 Cotton Bowl Classic, 2008 Arkansas Razorbacks football team, and 2008 Missouri Tigers football team

The 2008 Cotton Bowl Classic saw Arkansas meet Missouri for the fifth time. Arkansas entered #25 and 8–4 under Reggie Herring and Missouri entered as co-Big 12 North champions; 11–2 and #7 under Gary Pinkel. Missouri RB Tony Temple found the end zone twice in the first half, from 22 and 4 yards out, and Missouri lead 14–0 at half. Temple scored again in the third quarter, from 4 yards out. Missouri took a 28–0 lead in the third quarter when William Moore returned an interception for 26 yards and a touchdown. Darren McFadden capped a 71-yard Hogs drive with a 3-yard TD run to make it 28–7. A Jeff Wolfert 32-yard field goal made it 31–7 Missouri with 10:25 in the 4th, and a 40-yard TD run from Tony Temple made it 38–7 Missouri. Tony Temple set the Cotton Bowl record with 281 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns.[15]

2014 – SEC Conference debut
1 2 3 4 Total
Razorbacks 7 7 0 0 14
Tigers 0 6 0 15 21

Missouri 21, Arkansas 14

See also: 2014 Arkansas Razorbacks football team and 2014 Missouri Tigers football team

In their first meeting since 2008, the Tigers were one conference victory away from clinching the SEC East. The Razorbacks were coming into Columbia off a 2-game run on which they shut out two ranked teams. This game marked the first conference meeting between the two schools. Arkansas running back Jonathan Williams scored the first points on a 23-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Brandon Allen almost 9 minutes into the game. Less than a minute into the second quarter, Missouri kicker Andrew Baggett made a 52-yard field goal, narrowing the Arkansas lead to 4. With 7 minutes left in the half, Brandon Allen threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Keon Hatcher, raising the lead to 14–3. To end the half, Baggett made his second 50 plus yard field goal of the game causing the halftime score to be 14–6 Arkansas. To start the fourth quarter after an uneventful third, Missouri QB Maty Mauk threw a 4-yard TD pass to WR Jimmie Hunt. With the successful two-point conversion, the game was tied at 14 with 12 minutes left. With 4 minutes left in the game, Missouri RB Marcus Murphy scored a 12-yard touchdown run. Arkansas failed to score, giving Missouri the victory 21–14.[16][17]

2015 – Battle Line Trophy debut
1 2 3 4 Total
Tigers 0 3 0 0 3
Razorbacks 7 14 7 0 28

Arkansas 28, Missouri 3

See also: 2015 Arkansas Razorbacks football team and 2015 Missouri Tigers football team

The Battle Line trophy was at stake for the first time on November 27, 2015. The teams played in Fayetteville for the first time, making Fayetteville the sixth location in seven meetings between the teams. Arkansas entered 6–5 under Bret Bielema and Missouri entered 5–6 under Gary Pinkel, who announced his resignation—effective at the end of the season—prior to the game. Arkansas opened the scoring with two seconds left in the first quarter on a 4-yard run by running back Alex Collins. Collins scored from 7 yards out in the second quarter to give the Hogs a 14–0 lead. Missouri converted a 63-yard drive into a 35-yard Andrew Baggett field goal, making it 14–3 Hogs. Collins scored a third time from 25 yards out in the late second quarter, with the score now at 21–3. The final score of the game came with 2:15 in the third quarter, as Kody Walker found the end zone from 9 yards out to make it 28–3. Missouri found themselves in a 4th-and-10 at the UA 33 with 2:35 in the 4th, but Missouri quarterback Drew Lock threw an interception (picked off by Josh Liddell) to seal the game. The Razorbacks defeated the Tigers 28–3, closing Pinkel's 15-year tenure at Mizzou.[16] [18]

See also

References
  1. "Winsipedia - Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Missouri Tigers football series history". Winsipedia.
  2. Brantley, Max (November 29, 2014). "About that Battle Line Rivalry: Why not a Bootheel trophy?".
  3. Matter, Dave. “Tigers, Hogs Still Building a Football Rivalry.” St. Louis Post Dispatch, 11 July 2017, p. B6.
  4. "Tigers, Razorbacks Renew Rivalry on Black Friday". University of Missouri. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  5. "Battle Line Rivalry Trophy Unveiled For Annual Missouri-Arkansas Games". arkansasrazorbacks.com. University of Arkansas. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  6. "Razorbacks to travel to Missouri Dec. 5, Bama game TBA". Arkansas Razorbacks. November 27, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  7. "Arkansas To Continue Playing In Little Rock". 5NewsOnline, KFSM. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  8. "Arkansas Razorbacks to play Missouri in Little Rock every other year, sources tell KATV". KATV. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  9. "Mizzou to face Arkansas at Arrowhead Stadium for annual 'Battle Line Rivalry' in 2020". Fox4KC. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  10. "Mizzou, Arkansas rivalry game moved to Arrowhead for 2020". KSHB. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  11. "Mizzou opens 2020 season vs. Alabama, will allow fans to attend games at Faurot Field". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  12. “Arkansas Claims Most Foul Play.” The Daily Arkansas Democrat, 11 Nov. 1906, p. 13.
  13. Stockton, J Roy. “Missouri Bows to Arkansas, 7-6; Porker Score on Blocked Punt.” St. Louis Post Dispatch, 24 Sept. 1944, p. 16A.
  14. Coats, Bill. “Hogs Ride High on MU.” St. Louis Post Dispatch, 1 Feb. 2004, p. D1.
  15. Watson, Graham. “Defense Also Is Razor Sharp in Victory.” St. Louis Post Dispatch, 2 Jan. 2008, pp. D1–D5.
  16. Matter, Dave. “Rivalry Renewed.” St. Louis Post Dispatch, 24 Nov. 2017, pp. B1–B5.
  17. Matter, Dave. “Baggett Is Mizzou's Unsung Hero.” St. Louis Post Dispatch, 29 Nov. 2014, p. B4.
  18. "Missouri vs. Arkansas - Game Summary - November 27, 2015 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
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