The Missouri Tigers are entering the toughest stretch of their season, which has already included three top-25 opponents, with two of them coming on the road. The last thing that Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz wants in his building is distraction. He quickly dismissed any rumors of his connection to the Florida State job opening after Mike Norvell was fired on Sunday.
“I’m not a candidate at Florida State,” Drinkwitz said in his presser on Tuesday. “Let’s clear that up.”
Every coaching carousel season, rumors flurry that Drinkwitz could be a candidate for a top job elsewhere. Last season it was Penn State and Florida. This season, it begins with the first major opening in college football.
Eli Drinkwitz Wants Distraction-Free Environment Ahead Of Texas
The Tigers begin a three-week gauntlet this week with the Texas Longhorns coming to Columbia, Missouri, and Drinkwitz wants his team to have a distraction-free environment.
Drinkwitz made an emphasis on focusing on Texas and not any of the other distractions that come with a high profile job opening up.
This same song and dance comes around at this point every season that a premier job opens in college football. Whether that is for Drinkwitz or another coach in a spot to make a jump to a major player in the Power 4.
Drinkwitz has been committed to Missouri since he stepped on campus to become the head coach in 2020, and turned a lackluster Missouri program into a regular in the top 25.
Missouri’s Final Stretch Provides Path To College Football Playoffs
The Tigers debut in the College Football Playoff rankings at No. 18, with three top-10 teams remaining on their schedule.
The next three weeks will determine where Missouri stands in contention for a potential playoff berth.
First up in No. 7 Texas, which is an old Big 12 rivalry renewed and a Texas team that has already suffered a pair of disappointing defeats this season. Following that, the Tigers head to face No. 3 Georgia before returning home to battle an upstart No. 6 Kentucky.
The Tigers will then wrap up their season with the Oklahoma Sooners in Columbia.
Missouri sitting at two losses already on the season, will have take care of business on their road. They might be able to suffer just one more loss with their tough schedule, but any more than that and they are certainly out of the playoffs.
With Drinkwitz shutting down all rumors of a potential move to Florida State, the Tigers can focus on the task at hand. Missouri will look to take this final month one game at a time and put themselves in the best position come Selection Sunday.
Mizzou Eli Drinkwitz Shuts Down Florida State Rumors