Missouri Claims 1960 National Title 66 Years Later

A Senate Resolution for the Tigers

Missouri is finally claiming a college football national championship from 66 years ago. U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt introduced a resolution to recognize the 1960 Missouri football team as national champions. The Senate passed it by unanimous consent last month.

The school plans to honor the remaining members of the 1960 team at halftime during their upcoming home game. This will be the first time they are recognized by the school as national champions. For the surviving players, it is a special moment. Halfback Carl Crawford said, "It's nice to be remembered again." He plans to bring 25 family members to the celebration.

The Case for the 1960 Team

The 1960 Tigers have a strong argument for the title. Their season included a historic 21-14 Orange Bowl victory over Navy, which was ranked number four at the time. President-elect John F. Kennedy even watched the game.

That team featured running backs Norris Stevenson and Mel West, who were the first two Black scholarship players in program history. The Tigers also reached the number one spot in the AP poll for the first time that November.

After the Orange Bowl win, legendary coach Dan Devine promised his players championship rings. Defensive end Don Wainwright recalled that they never actually received those rings. Wainwright called the current recognition bittersweet because so few players are still alive. He said, "I don't know if there's more than 10 of us left, really."

Other schools have claimed retroactive titles before, including Auburn and Oklahoma State. Missouri athletic director Laird Veatch admitted his focus is more on how the current team can win the next game.

What it means for the next game

Troy Trojans at Missouri Tigers (College Football, Sat, 19 Sep): Missouri Tigers win 97%, Troy Trojans win 3%; projected score Missouri Tigers 38, Troy Trojans 13. Our safest pick: Troy +36.5.