After finishing their first quarter with a 1-2 start, the Missouri Tigers prepare to head to Kentucky carrying a winless second quarter.
Without a doubt, I’m no longer certain that Mizzou is going to have as good a season as I once thought, but that’s the way it goes, sometimes.
If the Tigers can challenge some good teams, and at least win against some lesser opponents, then maybe that will be enough for Barry Odom to save his job. Otherwise, Missouri should be in search of a new head coach.
At this point, it’s easy to say that the Tigers will win two more games, if they’re lucky. Coming off their bye week should be a good predictor of whether Missouri will bring a new look to the field, or if they’ll remain flat and uninspired.
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If the Tigers return from their bye with some semblance of a game plan and play with a little more inspiration, then I could see them earning four more wins, for a total of five on the season.
Five wins won’t be good enough for a bowl appearance, but it will be a win better than 2016’s total, and might save Odom’s job for one more season.
However, the odds are stacked against the Tigers, and at this point, they haven’t shown us anything to believe that they can even win one game for the rest of the season.
If Missouri’s level of play doesn’t improve out of the bye week, then I can’t imagine any excuses to offer Odom, and his job could – should- be in jeopardy.
Should the Tigers play a different brand of football, then my revised prediction of wins would be over Connecticut, Idaho, Tennessee, and Arkansas.
However, if the Tigers remain as flat as a can of soda left open for three days, then the only game I could fathom the Tigers winning would be against either Connecticut or Idaho – maybe both.
Next: Bye week gives Missouri time to re-evaluate
This week, Missouri prepares to play at Kentucky, which hasn’t had the greatest start of its season, but has played tougher, and more organized football than the Tigers have. It’s gut-check time for Mizzou.