Who said the Missouri Tigers are the underdogs of the league? Just ask Eli Drinkwitz, whose coaching excellence is quickly turning up the heat in Columbia. After a jaw-dropping win against South Carolina with a 29-20 margin, the Tigers now sit at a 4-0 record and are still undefeated in the season. Do you know what went wrong? Shane Beamer’s negative 9-yard rushing game turned the game into their worst nightmare, and the Tigers shone through it. But what’s turning up the heat is Drinkwitz’s team’s home game sellout streak, as fans are showing up at the stadium in big chunks, and the result? The following week’s game against UMass is already a sellout.

Look, night games get the craziest crowds, and they usually fill out all the seats quickly. But since 2021, the Missouri Tigers have only had three home SEC games at night, and it was a massive sellout whenever they did. This season, their game against South Carolina was an enormous sellout at Missouri Stadium, making it their 16th consecutive sellout. The streak doesn’t just stop there now. Now, Missouri writer Eli Hoff takes to X and makes a massive announcement that after an exceptional win, their home game against UMass, which is set to kick off at 6:30 pm, is already a sellout. And their home game against Alabama marks their 18th straight sellout streak.

So, a home game at Faurot Field at night is a massive hit for Missouri, especially against their conference rivals. Their game against UMass is the 5th game in a rare 6-game stretch at home. Best part? Last season was the same as this: the Tigers sold out the tickets for all seven of their home games, making it their first since 1979. What makes it interesting is that UMass is 0-3 in the league; despite going up against a weak team, fans are still showing up for the game, which shows their excitement.

This isn’t the first time Eli Drinkwitz’s team has filled their stadium in an SEC showdown. Back in 2023, their 33-31 victory against Florida, where QB Brady Cook pulled off a legendary 4th and 17 play to make a game-winning field goal, remains intact in the hearts of fans. Then, they were nearly upset against Georgia in a 22-26 loss, where they led most of the game but fell short in the 4th quarter, which shows their explosiveness. That’s precisely why home games are a massive sellout for Missouri.

With that win and home game streak, Eli Drinkwitz’s team is also topping up the charts as Missouri moved up again in both the USA Today Coaches Poll and the AP Poll. That’s right. The Tigers now sit at no. 19 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, and they were at no. 22 last week and even climbed to no. 20 in the AP Poll and were at no. 23 last week. Now, let’s know more about the game that brings them so much hype.

Eli Drinkwitz’s team’s game against the Gamecocks

Eli Drinkwitz’s team is not just selling out tickets but also making sure they make other teams fight hard for the win. And their 456-293 total offense with a 14th straight home win proves their dominance against South Carolina. And to make it happen, every player was in their best form, especially their RB room. As Jamal Roberts gave Missouri a lead, going for a 16-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, Beau Pribula made two points, putting Missouri in a 26-20 lead. And kicker Robert Meyer’s move? It sealed the deal for them, as his career-long 40-yard field goal made the Tigers the ultimate champions.

Now they were shining on both sides of the field. And they were relying heavily on the run game as they piled up 285 rushing yards, and the Tiger offense leaned heavily on the run game, piling up 285 rushing yards. First, Ahmad Hardy came in rushing for 138 yards and a touchdown, which makes it his fourth straight 100-yard game. Then, even Roberts and Pribula added 76 and 72 yards, which makes it the first time since 2011 that three Missouri players recorded 70 yards on the ground.

But let’s not sleep on that, as their defense was also showing up, holding South Carolina to -9 rushing yards on 22 attempts. They even sacked LaNorris Sellers five times and pressured him throughout the game. That’s precisely how Eli Drinkwitz’s team made sure they kept their momentum alive. Now their game against Alabama is a real test, and let’s wait and see how they perform against them after a bye week.