The Tigers need to get it together. The season isn't quite over, but their playoff hopes are quickly diminishing if they can't piece together a very strong end to the 2025-26 campaign.
Mizzou fell for the second time in three weeks on Saturday evening, 17-10, in a defensive battle versus now-No. 9 Vanderbilt. The Commodores are a great team, and one of the hottest in the country, but this was a game the Tigers let get out of hand.
With the defeat, head coach Eliah Drinkwitz's club falls to 6-2, and 2-2 in the loaded SEC Conference. They also even their away record to 1-1.
They sit tied for the sixth best record in the conference, alongside Tennessee (No. 14) Oklahoma (No. 18), and Texas (No. 20).
This marks the eighth-consecutive week that the program has been ranked, going back to when they started at the No. 25 overall spot, following their week one victory versus Central Arkansas. The Tigers have reached as high as No. 14 this season, ahead of their loss versus No. 4 Alabama.
The team is idle this week, before heading back home to play the No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies on November 8th, for the biggest game of the season, potentially for both sides.
The Tigers fell to No. 20 in this week's official Coaches' Poll.
Meanwhile, Vanderbilt reaching No. 9 is their peak ranking, dating back just under 90 years.
This week, the SEC had ten programs featured in the top-25, including the Tigers, with LSU falling out of the ranking, after suffering their third loss in the last four weeks. LSU was the only unranked SEC team to receive votes towards a potential ranking.
With quarterback Beau Pribula out indefinitely, and the team on a bye this upcoming week, all Drinkwitz's squad can do is watch and hope for upsets, as thye get set for a date with No. 3 Texas A&M in two weeks's time.