Missouri Tigers Logo PNG
The Missouri Tigers logo embodies strength, passion, and drive. The emblem demonstrates nobility and willingness to fight with dignity in the sports arena for supremacy. The mark signifies numerous victories.
The Missouri Tigers began in 1890, when the University of Missouri in Columbia formed its first football team. The nickname came from the Missouri Tigers, armed volunteers who defended Columbia from Confederate guerrilla raids in 1864. On October 31, 1890, Missouri lost its first game, 28-0, to the University of Kansas, sparking a rivalry later known as the Border War.
In 1907, Missouri joined the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the predecessor of the Big Six, Big Seven, and Big Eight. The Big Eight years shaped the program’s main rivalries, with Oklahoma becoming a major conference opponent. Coach Don Faurot led Missouri from 1935 to 1956 and introduced the Split-T formation, which was later adopted across college football. Memorial Stadium’s Faurot Field was named in his honor.
The 1960s brought one of Missouri’s strongest football periods under Dan Devine. In 1960, the Tigers finished the regular season 11-0 and several rating systems named them national champions. The team spent several seasons in the national top ten. It appeared in major bowl games, including the Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl. In baseball, Missouri won the College World Series in 1954 and reached the final in 1952, 1954, and 1958.
In 1996, Missouri became a founding member of the Big 12. Under Gary Pinkel, hired in 2001, the football program peaked again. In 2007, the Tigers reached No. 1 nationally for the first time but lost the Big 12 title game to Oklahoma, 38-17. Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC on July 1, 2012. After a difficult first season, it won the SEC East in 2013 and 2014, losing the title games to Auburn and Alabama. Pinkel retired in 2015 with 118 wins, the most in program history.
Meaning and History
The University of Missouri’s athletic field is currently under development. Over the past 40 years, its logo has changed several times. However, the tiger has always been part of the visual identity.
What are the Missouri Tigers?
An association of sports teams organized by MU students. Since 2021, the movement has been led by its first female director, Desiree Reed-Francois. The main mascot is the Truman tiger.
1980 – 1995
The team logo features the university’s original name and a real tiger looking out over the lettering.
The word Mizzou is an abbreviation of the state’s ancient name. The capital letters underscore the university’s importance to the community and the fame it has achieved through athletic victories.
The tiger on the logo relates to the sports teams’ name, which they officially adopted in 1890. The decision was made to honor those who fought for the state in the war between the North and the Confederacy. The county organized a militia to defend against enemy incursions. It was called the Fighting Tigers of Columbia. Hence the name Tigers.
The animal on the emblem looks very belligerent and is ready to scratch anyone who approaches. It demonstrates students’ strength and readiness to defend the university’s honor on the athletic field.
1995 – 1999
In 1994, the basketball team led the Big Eight, and the players got a new coach, prompting an update to the visual sign in ’95.
The new sports symbol became softer. They removed the aggressive image of a tiger, leaving only a print of its paw, on which the letter M is written – the first letter in the university’s name. The print resembles a friendly greeting, suits student meetings, and presents athletes to the world in a friendlier light.
1999 – 2014
In ’99, the teams returned to the tiger image, but in an artistic style. The predator’s muzzle in profile retained its aggressiveness and “loud growl,” but the lack of eye contact directly reduced the sense of direct threat to the viewer. The image was so successful that it had been used in logos for the past 20 years.
The massive letter M with clear outlines increased the university’s weight in the logo, signifying the Missouri Tigers’ affiliation with the institution.
2014 – 2016
In 2013, the Tigers ranked second nationally after participating in the SEC Championship. Their new visual sign showed the team’s growth, moving beyond “kids'” competition. The emblem lacks a hint of a university. The Tigers are known for their athletic accomplishments, not for the university. The logo shows some degree of independence from the university.
The tiger’s head looks out of the black oval window. The figure symbolizes harmony and perfection, pointing to mastery of their craft. The beast moves from the darkness into the light. From intramural games to a higher level, from obscurity to glory.
2016 – 2018
All later changes focused on the color scheme, keeping the tiger image in the oval constant. In 2016, the coat’s orange hue shifted toward gold to match the team’s primary colors.
2018 – today
The Missouri Tigers logo, created in 2018, is essentially the same as the previous version, with only a color change. It still depicts a forest animal (a tiger) in an attacking pose. The new logo has a rich yellow color that is more vibrant than the previous version. In general, the logo design remains traditional and recognizable to the team’s fans.
Font and Colors
The athletic teams’ emblem uses the university’s primary colors, black and gold, with a small amount of white.
- Black: strength, the sport’s long history, and a connection to the land.
- Gold: victories, medals, leadership, and elite.
- White: the athletes’ youth, the opportunity to build a career, and adherence to the rules.
The combination of colors speaks of nobility and confidence.
The font used in the Missouri Tigers logo is called “Mizzou” and was specially created for the University of Missouri. This font belongs to no particular family; it was designed as a unique identifier for the university.