Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz pokes Notre Dame with 'anytime, anywhere,' worries about college football's health
Missouri's coach is excited for bowl season, unlike some across college football
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Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said his players are excited to take on ACC runner-up Virginia in the Dec. 27 Gator Bowl. As for decisions at other programs to decline bowl season, Drinkwitz is miffed.
"People say 'anytime, anywhere', I guess some people mean it and some people don't," Drinkwitz said Monday on Outkick with Dan Dakich. "For us, we've got an opportunity to go play in a bowl game. I'm fired up about the opportunity."
That was a clear barb sent in Notre Dame's direction after the Fighting Irish declined a bowl opportunity. Notre Dame was not the only team to decline a postseason chance, but the only one doing so without the headache of a coaching staff transition.
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said week that his team was willing to play "anytime, anywhere" and even tried to schedule a 13th game during conference championship weekend to give the selection committee another data point for inclusion. It didn't happen, but Lea's point was clear — his players are ready to go to war one more time this fall.
With the Big Ten and SEC reportedly "miles apart" on a further expansion playoff model, conference commissioners recently received an extended deadline to figure it out ahead of the 2026 season. CBS Sports reported that the Big Ten seeks multiple automatic qualifiers for its conference, while the SEC prefers more at-large spots. That would historically favor the SEC. The CFP's decision-making power is weighted in favor of the Big Ten and SEC, and both must agree on a format to move forward.
Notre Dame's decision to skip bowl season entirely might be the domino needed to commence further expansion — and that's even with the Fighting Irish being virtually guaranteed to make the 2026 playoff bracket and beyond with a back-door assurance. Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua said his university felt betrayed by the ACC during the conference's politicking for Miami's inclusion in recent weeks and the league had caused "permanent damage" to the relationship with the Fighting Irish.
