Missouri to play Wake Forest in the Gasparilla Bowl
For the second season in a row, Mizzou will have the chance to finish its season above .500 when it faces Wake Forest (7-5) in the Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 23 in Tampa Bay, Florida, according to college football insider Brett McMurphy of the Action Network. PowerMizzou.com has confirmed Tampa is Mizzou's destination. An official announcement should come soon.
Last season, the team entered the Armed Forces Bowl against Army 6-6 but lost that game 24-22 to fall to 6-7. The Tigers have not finished above .500 since 2018.
Neither Missouri nor Wake Forest has participated in the Gasparilla Bowl since it was created in 2008 and this will be the first-ever matchup between the schools.
Wake Forest will enter the matchup with the 16th-ranked scoring offense in the FBS at 36.8 points per game and the 29th-ranked offense at 447.1 yards per game. The Demon Deacons also come into this matchup having won six of its first seven games only to lose four of its last five.
Wake Forest is led by quarterback Sam Hartman, who finished second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in passing. He completed 247 of 392 passes (63%) for 3,421 yards, 35 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Hartman only played 11 games because he missed the season-opener due to a blood clot.
Wake Forest has four receivers with over 500 receiving yards led by A.T. Perry, who has 70 receptions for 980 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Defensively, defensive lineman Jasheen Davis leads the Demon Deacons' 95th-ranked defense with 33 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, seven sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Wake Forest ranks 93rd in scoring defense allowing 29.25 points per game.
The Tigers finished the 2022 regular season at 6-6, marking their fourth straight regular season going .500. After a 2-4 to start the season, Eli Drinkwitz led them to a 4-2 season after their week seven bye which included a win over Arkansas in the regular season finale to clinch bowl eligibility.
Mizzou enters the game with the 28th-ranked defense at 337.1 total yards per game.
Missouri is looking for its first bowl win since the 2014 Citrus Bowl.
The Tigers are expected to hold a press conference to discuss the bowl game Sunday afternoon.
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