College Football Preseason Rankings: Can No. 9 Missouri Benefit From Favorable Schedule?

Welcome to the first year of the 12 team College American Football Playoffs.

In preparation for the first four-round postseason in college football history, we’re counting down our predicted playoff field as the season approaches. The top five conference champions in the CFP selection committee’s rankings will advance to the playoffs, with seven at-large teams filling out the rest of the field. Who will lift the national championship trophy on January 20 in Atlanta?

Previous previews: #25-13, No. 12 Boise State, No. 11 Utah, No. 10 Florida State

Record year 2023: 11-2, 6-2 SEC

Last season in 100 words

The Tigers were one of the surprise teams of a season ago. A 61-yard field goal gave the Tigers a win over Kansas State in September, and Mizzou has lost only to LSU and Georgia. For the second straight season, Missouri was Georgia’s toughest SEC East win.

After losing to Georgia, Missouri defeated Tennessee and then sneaked past Florida on a big fourth-down conversion. The Tigers then defeated Ohio State 14-3 in the Cotton Bowl for the program’s first 11-win season since 2014 and the school’s first winning season since 2018.

Why Missouri Can Make the Playoffs

The Tigers return nine starters in an offense that was one of the most efficient in college football a season ago. Mizzou averaged 6.5 yards per play while QB Brady Cook had a breakout season. Cook threw for more than 3,300 yards and had 21 touchdowns against just five interceptions.

WR Luther Burden III is arguably the nation’s best wide receiver and will be all over the field for the Tigers again in 2024. Burden had 86 catches for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore.

The rushing attack will have to replace All-SEC RB Cody Schrader after the former Division II player rushed for 1,627 yards and 14 TDs. That’s no easy task and will likely be done by committee. Missouri added former Appalachian State RB Nate Noel and former Georgia State RB Marcus Carroll via the transfer portal. Each player has a 1,000-yard season, with Carroll having 1,350 yards last season.

Cook’s role in the run game should still be significant, too. He rushed for just 319 yards — sacks count toward a college QB’s rushing total — but had eight rushing TDs. Missouri hasn’t been afraid to call on a designed QB run at key moments in 2023.

The bigger question for the Tigers is defense after coordinator Blake Baker leaves for LSU. Former South Alabama DC Corey Batoon takes over a unit that allowed fewer than 21 points per game and had 39 sacks in 2023.

Finding replacements for draft pick Darius Robinson (8.5 sacks) and CBs Ennis Rakestraw and Kris Abrams-Draine will be paramount for the defense to match its performance of a season ago. Players like former Florida DL Chris McClellan, ex-Miami LB Corey Flagg and former Clemson CB Toriano Pride are expected to contribute immediately.

Key player

Burden gets the most attention from opposing defenses, but Wease’s ability as an outside receiver is nearly as important to Missouri’s offense and also allows Burden to be effective outside the slot.

After four seasons at Oklahoma, Wease had the best season of his career in 2023 with 49 catches for 682 yards and six touchdowns. After a brief flirtation with the NFL Draft, he decided to return for a sixth season in 2024.

Without Schrader to generate yards, Missouri can rely more on its passing game. And Wease will need to be a more consistent contributor. He had two or fewer catches in six of the Tigers’ 13 games last season.

Biggest game

Missouri’s schedule is a big reason the Tigers are playoff contenders. Mizzou has perhaps the easiest schedule of any team in the SEC and should take advantage of it.

The Tigers visit Alabama on Oct. 26 after hosting Auburn at home. But we’re going with a trip to Texas A&M earlier in the month as the biggest game because it could define Missouri’s season. With its first four games of the season at home against Murray State, Buffalo, Boston College and Vanderbilt, Missouri should be 4-0 heading into College Station.

A win there would give the Tigers a huge shot at moving to 7-0 heading into Tuscaloosa. Missouri could lose to the Crimson Tide as well as Oklahoma, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Arkansas and still have a serious shot at the playoffs with a second straight 10-2 season.