Shurnas began his football career at the University of Missouri, playing on teams that won the Big Six Conference in 1941 and 1942.
[2] Missouri went undefeated in Big Six Conference play in 1941 and advanced to the Sugar Bowl, but lost the game to Fordham 2–0.
[3] The following year, Shurnas was named to an All-Big Six second-team by the Associated Press as Missouri finished with an 8–3–1 win-loss-tie record and won the conference again under head coach Don Faurot.
[4][5] Shurnas next enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II and did not play football until his discharge in 1946, when he returned to Missouri.
[7] Shurnas was a third-string right end, playing mainly on defense behind starter Dante Lavelli and John Yonakor.