Mizzou Has A Legitimate Shot To Make The Playoffs!

Missouri came out of literally nowhere to go 11-2 and finish in top 10 last season. The Tigers capped the surprise season with a huge 14-3 win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. Entering 2024, Mizzou is riding high behind rising star Coach Eli Drinkwitz.

And why wouldn't they be excited? Star QB Brady Cook is back for more as is superstar WR Luther Burden. This combo lit up the SEC last fall. The Tigers also have talent on defense and a manageable schedule.

Will they make the 12 team playoffs this fall? Let's take a look at the key questions facing Mizzou…..

1) How good can this offense be?

Last year, the Tigers improved from 86th to Top 30. And I see no reason why they should not be that good again with Cook, Burden & a bunch of other talent at the skill positions. Keep an eye on TE Brett Norfleet who broke out late in his freshman season.

Mizzou does have to replace the SEC's leading rusher Cody Shrader but brought in two solid options from the Sun Belt to fill the void. This offense is gonna be pretty dang good.

2) Can new DC Corey Batoon replace Blake Baker?

LSU poached Baker in the offseason after Mizzou fielded one of the best defenses in the SEC. They brought in Batoon from South Alabama. While he did a solid job in Mobile, obviously this is a massive jump to the big leagues.

While there is a good bit of experience returning on defense, replacing 1st Round DL Darius Robinson and 3 NFL bound DBs ain't gonna be a picnic. The Tigers have fielded some stout defensive lines and it is going to be on pass rusher Johnny Walker Jr. & 5 star freshman William Nwaneri to fill the void. They also hit the transfer portal to add depth.

3) Can Mizzou take advantage of an extremely favorable schedule?

10 Wins is the key number here as it is hard to imagine an SEC team going 10-2 and being left out of the 12 team playoff. The Tigers should ease to a 4-0 start with home games against Murray St, Buffalo, Boston College & Vandy heading into their first bye.

October 5th at Texas A&M is the key game to see how real they are. Mizzou should be ready off the bye and if they win in College Station, the playoff talk is officially real. It feels like a toss up game but having an experienced QB in Cook gives them a good chance. I have them dropping a close one then bouncing back with wins at UMASS & vs. Auburn.

They will get smoked at Alabama for their 2nd loss heading into their other bye. Coming out of the bye, the Tigers host Oklahoma and should be ready. Winnable road games at Miss State & South Carolina follow before a home game vs. Arkansas to cap the season off. 

There is an excellent path to 10-2 here with road losses in College Station & Tuscaloosa. I am feeling 9-3 as they get tripped up in one of those final 4 games. I think the defense will regress some ultimately but Mizzou will have a dang good season.