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Offense and defense won’t allow Missouri football to finish last in the SEC East this year

By Patrick McHugh

COLUMBIA, MO - NOVEMBER 25: Barry Odom head coach of the Missouri Tigers and his team celebrate with the Battle Line trophy after their 28-24 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks at Memorial Stadium on November 25, 2016 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, MO - NOVEMBER 25: Barry Odom head coach of the Missouri Tigers and his team celebrate with the Battle Line trophy after their 28-24 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks at Memorial Stadium on November 25, 2016 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /
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It seems, ever since Mizzou  joined the SEC, it’s been regularly picked as a basement dweller every season, despite winning the east two years in a row.

Once again, the media has picked the Tigers to finish last, but this is why they’ll be wrong, again.

Another year and another round of preseason media talking about how awful the Tigers will be this year. While it would be naïve to think the Tigers will win the east, by any means, it is just as naïve to assume they’ll finish last.

Obviously, the biggest problems for the Tigers this year will be their defense. With huge question marks on the secondary and linebackers, it will be the reason for the Tigers’ losses this year.

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While a weak defense is certainly cause for concern, we can’t ignore the fact that Mizzou led the SEC in yards per game (501) and was fourth in points per game (31.4) last year on offense. Not to mention, nearly all of the starters are returning this year.

It’s also funny that, with the fifth-easiest schedule, perhaps the best offense in the east is predicted to finish last. The non-conference opponents are a breeze to beat, considering Purdue is, by far, the toughest opponent.

The rest of the east is not scary, either. With South Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee rebuilding, their success is not certain. In reality, Georgia and Florida are the only two teams that seem like contenders to win the east. So why are Mizzou’s odds so low?

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With Drew Lock improving, a healthy and explosive receiving corps that features the likes of J’mon Moore and Johnathan Johnson, and the SEC’s leading freshman rusher in Damarea Crockett coming back it’s hard to see such a loaded offense finishing last in a very easy schedule.

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