Why Missouri Claims the 1960 College Football National Championship

There has been a lot of discussion lately about the 1960 Missouri Tigers football team. They were perhaps the best team in Mizzou history. In fact, the finished the season undefeated and then won the Orange Bowl. At the time, they weren’t awarded anything. But as time went on, it became apparent that the Tigers have a pretty good claim to the title.

So that begs the question, can a college really consider themselves the national champion when they didn’t win the award from the AP or another entity. Just ask Alabama. Or UCF for that matter.

The Team

The Greatest Season in Mizzou History: Unpacking the Legend of the 1960 Tigers

Led by iconic third-year head coach Dan Devine, the 1960 Missouri Tigers put together a magical, high-stakes campaign at Memorial Stadium that stands as one of the wilder rides in college football lore.

By the Numbers

Missouri dominated its opposition on both sides of the ball, securing a sweep through the conference and finishing strong on the national stage:

• Final Record: 11–0 (7–0 Big Eight Conference)
• Championship: Big 8 Conference Champions
• Bowl Game: Defeated Navy in the Orange Bowl
• Final AP Ranking: No. 5
• Points Scored vs. Allowed: 295 to 93

The Leaders

While Devine’s system relied heavily on disciplined, team-first football, a few key playmakers drove the engine:

• Mel West: Led the team with 650 rushing yards and 650 total yards.
• Ron Taylor: Paced the passing attack with 302 passing yards.
• Danny LaRose: The Crystal City native led the receiving corps with 151 yards.
• Donnie Smith: Was a scoring machine, accounting for 78 total points.

The Border War Chaos

No retelling of the 1960 season is complete without talking about the fateful Border War rivalry game against Kansas.

Mizzou entered the matchup undefeated and sitting comfortably at No. 1 in the national rankings. But the visiting Jayhawks spoiled the party on the field, shocking the Tigers in Columbia with a 23–7 upset. It was a crushing blow that seemingly shattered Mizzou’s dream season.

Then came the plot twist.

On December 8, the Big Eight Conference officially ruled that Kansas had used an ineligible player, Bert Coan, during the game. The conference stripped the Jayhawks of their victory and awarded the win to Missouri. Just like that, Mizzou’s record flipped from 10–1 to a perfect 11–0, restoring their undefeated crown and sealing a storybook finish to a legendary year.

Coan later became a Missouri hero as well, playing with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Big Debate

The debate over the 1960 Missouri Tigers football team stems from a mix of retroactively adjusted records, how college football polls worked in that era, and recent political action.

• The Kansas Forfeit (11–0 Undefeated Record): Missouri finished their regular season 9–0 and reached No. 1 in the country before losing their season finale to rival Kansas, 23–7. However, the Big Eight Conference later ruled that Kansas used an ineligible player (Bert Coan) and forced the Jayhawks to forfeit. That officially gave Missouri an 11–0 record.
• Pre-Bowl AP & UPI Voting: In 1960, the major major media wire services—the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI)—voted on their national champions before bowl games were played. Minnesota was crowned the AP/UPI national champion, but then promptly lost 17–7 to Washington in the Rose Bowl.
• Bowl Game Victory: While No. 1 Minnesota lost its bowl game, No. 5 Missouri went on to defeat No. 4 Navy (led by Heisman winner Joe Bellino) 21–14 in the Orange Bowl.

Poling System Selector

Because there was no playoff, secondary selecting mathematical models and ratings often named different champions. The Poling System, an NCAA-recognized selector, retroactively awarded its 1960 national title to Missouri.

2026 U.S. Senate Resolution

In August 2026, U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) introduced a resolution in the Senate recognizing Dan Devine’s 1960 Mizzou team as having a legitimate claim to the national title. The symbolic resolution passed unanimously, bringing national attention back to Mizzou’s undefeated 1960 campaign.