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Mizzou football ranks 23rd in NCAA power rankings

By Thomas Huitt-Johnson

COLUMBIA, MO - NOVEMBER 4: Barry Odom head coach of the Missouri Tigers directs his team against the Florida Gators in the second quarter at Memorial Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, MO - NOVEMBER 4: Barry Odom head coach of the Missouri Tigers directs his team against the Florida Gators in the second quarter at Memorial Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /
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This is the second preseason poll to have the Missouri Tigers at No. 23.

The NCAA released its top 25 preseason rankings last week, and the Missouri Tigers made the list.

Mizzou ranks 23rd, just ahead of No. 25 Boise State and No. 24 Northwestern.

"Drew Lock won’t be back, but Clemson transfer Kelly Bryant won’t have to do it all alone at quarterback. Larry Rountree III also rushed for 1,216 yards. The schedule also sets up what could be a 7-0 (or 8-0) start before traveling to Georgia on November 9."

The top two teams are not a surprise, of course.

247Sports also took a look into Missouri’s No. 23 ranking, among others, released by the NCAA. Once again, we hear of an early-season schedule that can justify an undefeated start before November.

"Have you peeked at Mizzou’s schedule this season? The Tigers have a golden opportunity at being a noise-maker in the SEC East if Clemson graduate transfer quarterback Kelly Bryant is an instant difference-maker on offense. Mizzou likely won’t play a nationally-ranked team until November and brings back the bulk of its power at the line of scrimmage."

SEC members Auburn, Texas A&M, Florida, LSU, Georgia and Alabama rank far ahead of the Tigers of the SEC East. In fact, the last four teams mentioned rank in the top 8.

Earlier this summer, Athlon Sports also ranked Missouri as No. 23 to start the season.

Athlon did a good job of breaking down more than just the schedule.

It appears Mizzou will be a top 25 team in most of the preseason rankings coming out over the next month. Sporting News does not believe so, however.

It also appears that in the SEC East, Missouri will be third to start out the year behind Florida and Georgia.

As for the conference as a whole, the Tigers look to be around seventh in the power rankings. But toward the middle of the season, they may be one of the only undefeated teams in the SEC.

Let’s just not skip too far ahead. It will be fun to watch the first two months as they happen.

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