It’s bowl season, and that means a lot of the SEC is involved! Well, either has been involved, or will be involved soon. The Missouri Tigers have been no stranger to bowl games over the years, whether it be in the SEC, the Big 12 or even back in the Big 8 days. They’ve partaken in a lot of great bowl games, but which one reigns supreme? Here is our list of their Top 5 games.

5. 1966 Sugar Bowl

Back in the day, Missouri took a trip to the Sugar Bowl and faced off with the Florida Gators. Who knew that one day down the road, this would be a yearly occurrence? Anywho, Mizzou, ranked sixth in the nation at the time, leapt out to a 20-0 lead after three quarters. But things got tight in the fourth quarter because of the play of UF’s quarterback. His name?

Steve Spurrier. Perhaps you heard of him. Spurrier nearly brought the Gators back from the dead, but ultimately, Florida fell to Mizzou, 20-18. It’s their only Sugar Bowl win in the bowl game’s history, and the last appearance they’ve made in it since. It was much better than the 2-0 loss they took to Fordham in 1942, we’ll say that much.

4. 2014 Cotton Bowl

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

2013 was an amazing year for the Missouri Tigers. In just their second season as a member of the SEC, the Tigers were in National Championship contention and represented the East in the SEC Championship. Despite the fact that they were mauled by the Auburn Tigers, Mizzou had a chance to end the year on a high note. They were pit in the Cotton Bowl against old rivals from the Big 12 - the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The Tigers and Cowboys had a dramatic encounter in JerryWorld, that was ultimately won by the Tigers, 41-31. Henry Josey and Andrew Wilson were the MVPs of the game, and Shane Ray had the dagger on a 73-yard fumble return TD.

3. 1961 Orange Bowl

Missouri’s first-ever bowl victory came in the 1961 Orange Bowl. The fifth-ranked Tigers took on the Navy Midshipmen on January 2, 1961. On that day, Ronnie Taylor helped lead the Tigers and Dan Devine to the historic win. It capped off a 10-0 season for the Tigers, and one that still remains one of their most successful seasons in history.

2. 2008 Cotton Bowl

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Two words... Tony. Temple.

The senior star running back for the Tigers ran for 281 yards at the Cotton Bowl, stealing the headlines away from the great Darren McFadden of the Arkansas Razorbacks. Mizzou throttled the Hogs 38-7 in one of the most impressive showings in recent memory. That, of course, capped off a memorable season for MIzzou, in which they held the No. 1 spot. Of course, they could have gone to a BCS bowl... but they opted for Kansas instead. Who Mizzou beat.

1. 2005 Independence Bowl

In one of the most incredible bowl games of the 2000s, Missouri downed soon-to-be SEC East rival South Carolina 38-31 in the 2005 Independence Bowl. The game is best remembered for the remarkable comeback that the Tigers mounted on the back of the deft Brad Smith. Smith helped Mizzou overcome a 21-0 first quarter deficit, capping it off himself with a go-ahead touchdown late in the 4th quarter. Smith had 282 yards passing and 150 yards rushing with four total TDs, three of them on the ground. It is, for sure, their best bowl game in history.