HAPPY HOMECOMING, CELEBRATE WITH A BASKET OF FRESH FRIED GAMECOCK
♫ Just left Faurot Field, dressin’ up formal ♫
It’s Homecoming weekend, Mizzou Football. Can you just let us have a good uniform combo? Just this one time? As a treat?
Homecoming attire ⚫️#MIZ pic.twitter.com/FPmjNuwiPW
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) October 19, 2023
Finally, a damn Bock M. I was a little nervous when he walked out with the gold uniform, because the whole outfit can really get thrown for a loop if the lid isn’t right. Fortunately, the Block M is a forgiving design, and really makes the gold helmet pop. Outside of the all-blacks in week one, this is the best fit Mizzou has sported. Good timing!
In Case You Missed It…
- Chad Bailey is out for the match up against South Carolina, meaning Ty’Ron Hopper is going to need to step up. Ennis Rakestraw is questionable after missing the Kentucky game, and Cody Schrader continues to deal with a quad injury.
- South Carolina’s offensive line has been battered by injuries this season, and it’s only getting worse: Vershon Lee, the unit’s most experienced starter, was ruled doubtful for the Mizzou game by coach Shane Beamer after leaving the Florida game with a knee injury. The Gamecocks are also down three other rotation linemen with season-ending injuries and have a starting tackle and linebacker listed as ‘questionable.’
- Suck it, Baylor.
- South Carolina doesn’t have a long lineage of musicians coming through Columbia, but it is quite diverse. Big fan of Hootie & The Blowfish? All four members were Gamecocks. Like the Eagles of Death Metal? Jesse Hughes is an alum. Is Toro y Moi more your speed? Also a former attendee!
- Thank you, thank you, thank you to the Columbia Missourian for doing part of my job for me and collating weird facts about the two Columbias ahead of the Mayor’s Cup!
Rock M-ixology
It’s Homecoming, folks. Do you actually think I’m making drinks this weekend?
Go get some Trops and be happy. Snobs can kick a brick.
Mizzou exorcised the demon of Kentucky by winning at Kroger Field for the first time since 2013. On the topic of exorcisms… What’s your favorite scary movie?
Parker Gillam: Not a fan of scary movies, and yes it’s because I will jump through a roof if a good jump scare comes on screen. That being said, I thought “Strangers” was a really eery one that’s based entirely on a true story.
Aaron Dryden: Scary movies usually suck, but I love every movie in the Scream series. Even the later ones. There’s always a twist and I love how they keep a lot of the original stars reoccurring in later movies, even if it’s a small cameo.
Karen Steger (Madame Editor, etc.): I don’t watch many scary movies much anymore, given I live alone and it gets creepy, but like Aaron said, I am a sucker for the Scream series… all of em. Give me some laughter and witty repartee with my horror every time. In high school and college, I loved the cult classics like Urban Legends with The Noxema Girl, Rebecca Gayheart, and Jennifer Love Hewitt’s I Know What You Did Last Summer, Fun fact: IKWYDLS also has a great soundtrack, and features Kula Shaker’s version of HUSH, the current outro music on this season of Dive Cuts!
Quentin Corpuel: I’m in the same boat as Parker; my nerves during horror movies are about as steely as Jared Goff under pressure.
That being said, my favorite horror movie is “The Conjuring” only because of one tip I have for people who don’t like scary movies (including myself): watch it with a big group of friends. That way, you all can just goof around and make it funny. For example, in the scene where the mom starts floating in the chair during the exorcism, one of my friends played the intro to “Sicko Mode” at full volume. I don’t think I’ll ever experience a funnier extraction of the Devil in my lifetime.
Sammy Stava, Staff Writer: Fitting question since Halloween is just around the corner, I don’t have a lot of favorite scary movies, but I’ll go with Insidious. That’s a good one.
IT’S HOMECOMING! Do you have a favorite homecoming memory or tradition you’d like to share with the class?
Parker Gillam: Participating in a 24-hour night (usually turns into 48 hours) as a member of Greek Life is a memorable, enjoyable and grueling experience. I’ve also performed in a couple of Homecoming skits, which are always fun. (Editor’s note: WHAT?! We have a performer among us?!)
Aaron Dryden: Homecoming is always a little different for me. For every year since 2017, I usually do rideshare throughout the day. I make a lot of nice side cash and usually have a good story or two each year.
The best story that I have, is when a certain member of the 2017 Missouri Basketball Team had a bit too much to drink and threw up in the backseat of my car. They were extremely kind about it and venmo’d me later. Most, (not all) have been there before.
Karen Steger: In my college years, I too was a participant in Greek Life, and while it was time-consuming and exhausting this time of year, I actually liked the camaraderie of pomping and working on the banner (I was co-banner chair) with my sisters and our partner. We were all in it together and really got to know each other more.
Quentin Corpuel: I marched in the parade as a member of Mizzou Student Media last year (and plan to do it again on Saturday), and I can’t remember many other times when I felt as proud as I did. Coming from out of the state as a freshman, I had no idea how big the parade was heading into; thousands of jolly Columbians cheer you on for, like, two hours. It’s an awesome spectacle that I hope continues for as long as Mizzou is still standing.
Sammy Stava: Not in particular, just love the atmosphere and environment around Homecoming. It feels like a big game no matter Mizzou’s record or opponent. Most of the times it’s the biggest attendance of the year, and if the scheduling is on point with a team they should beat, it results in a win more often than not.
If you could choose two current Mizzou athletes to be this year’s Homecoming king and queen, who would they be and why?
Parker Gillam: Hayley Frank, because she has been the face of the WBB program for years and is a great representative of the university. For King, Brady Cook seems like a good fit, but for the fun of it, it’d be great to see Nick Honor walk across the field with a crown on his head.
Aaron Dryden: Usually seniors are the ones who are selected for homecoming king or queen, so I limited myself there.
My choice for homecoming queen would have to be Alex Honnold. She’s been a mainstay in the softball lineup and has produced at a high level. For Homecoming King, I chose Darius Robinson. He too has been a mainstay along the defensive line and made the decision to come back for an extra year, so I give him the nod.
Both homecoming king and queen have also been at Mizzou for their entire careers, so an added bonus!
Karen Steger: I’m going with Jocelyn Moore, the Queen of the Vault, and Keegan O’Toole, the King of the Mats, even though both are juniors. If it has to be seniors, then give me pitcher Laurin Krings and QB1 Brady Cook.
Quentin Corpuel: Totally agree with Parker. If we’re going with two athletes who are leaders that exemplify positive core values, it’s Cook and Frank.
Sammy Stava: I’ll shout out the non-revenue sports that deserve some love. Trevor Austin for Homecoming king who returns for his senior season despite the coaching change. We’ll go Jenna Laird for Homecoming queen as she’s a star-studded shortstop.
What’s been the most impressive thing to you about Mizzou’s 6-1 start this season?
Parker Gillam: The demeanor of this team. Nobody is satisfied at 6-1, and they are rarely fazed in game scenarios. This team is as battle-tested as any in the country, having gone through a handful of close affairs, and that will continue to pay dividends. The group truly has an “us against the world” mentality, and it is beautiful.
Aaron Dryden: This team is never too low and never too high. After their win against K-State, the message was the same. Even after their loss against LSU, they didn’t sulk. The steadiness of this group has been impressive.
Karen Steger: I agree with what both Quentin and Parker said, and it’s hard for me to really zero in on one thing. This team has fight and they don’t back down even when the situation looks a bit untenable. And the offense this year, led by Luther’s HIM-ness, and Brady Cook’s working arm, has been just tremendous to see.
Quentin Corpuel: The offense’s quantum leap might be a boring answer, but it’s been truly amazing how different the Tigers look with the ball than they did last season. It’s crazy what happens when your starting quarterback’s throwing shoulder is intact and has time to throw to receivers that are actually open.
Sammy Stava: The maturity, experience, and chemistry of this team. This group knows how to win and it seems like they’re all having fun doing it. Something to Prove was their motto heading into this season and they’re proving it, for sure.
The last time Mizzou was on its way to a special season, South Carolina came to town for Homecoming and… well, you know what happened. Will Mizzou avoid a letdown game this year?
Parker Gillam: I will say that I would not be surprised if SC walks into COMO and puts a fair amount of points on the board, surprising some of the homecoming crowd. The Gamecocks have nothing to lose, and Rattler has some great skill position talent that could do some major damage against the Mizzou defense. That being said, SC also has the literal worst pass defense in the country, meaning that the Tiger offense shouldn’t struggle either. It may be closer than expected in the first half, but Mizzou will pull away in the second thanks to some key turnovers from the defense.
Aaron Dryden: South Carolina’s defense is dogwater.
They rank 128th in yards allowed per game, 104th in points allowed per game, while they also allow 6.2 yards per play which is good for 110th in the country. In four of six games, South Carolina has given up 30+ points.
I respect the South Carolina offense, but they’re too one-dimensional to really scare me. Rattler will make a few nice throws and there may be a breakdown or two in the backend but, I think Missouri should be fine.
If you bet props, I highly recommend that you go find Luther’s O/U receiving yards and bet the over. He’s went over in 6 of 7 games this season.
Karen Steger: This team is tough and while they may allow some unnecessary penalties and points to the Gamecocks, they simply won’t allow the team from Columbia (L)East to come out with a victory on Homecoming. They seem to much prefer being the Homecoming spoilers like in Lexington to the Homecoming spoilees.
Quentin Corpuel: I sure hope so! The rocket ship that is Mizzou football has entered a stratosphere that’s been unexplored for a decade. I would really love if the trip didn’t come crashing down because of another porous homecoming performance against South Carolina. I think the Gamecocks are still talented, but I have a hard time foreseeing Mizzou scoring less than 28 points against a defense that’s made Florida, Mississippi State and Tennessee look like 2019 LSU thus far.
Sammy Stava: While the Gamecocks will almost certainly put some points on the board, their defense is worse than Vanderbilt’s. It is a team that will come in desperate for a win, so Mizzou will need to be aware of that.
But no, this Mizzou team avoids a letdown on Homecoming and with Ryan Wingo in attendance to go into a well-earned bye week with a 7-1 record.