NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Seated on a small makeshift stage in a partitioned segment of a Gaylord Opryland ballroom, Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz seemed to be of two minds regarding the game he’s about to coach.
His Tigers, at 9-3 overall, 5-3 against Southeastern Conference opponents and ranked 19th by the College Football Playoff selection committee, meet Iowa (8-4, 6-3 Big Ten) in the Music City Bowl at 1:30 p.m. Monday.
The buildup to the game is mostly ceremonial and intended to be celebratory. Drinkwitz and Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz received acoustic guitars emblazoned with their teams’ and the bowl’s branding.