A 9-3 record usually means a team goes home early, but the Missouri Tigers might be the exception this year. The 19th-ranked Tigers defeated Arkansas 34-10 on Halloween night in Fayetteville to improve their season to 6-2. While a three-loss finish often disqualifies a team from the College Football Playoff, a new survey from SBN Reacts asks fans if Mizzou can still make the cut with that exact record. The answer depends on how they handle a brutal final stretch of games.
A Gauntlet of Ranked Teams
Per Rock M Nation, Missouri faces the second toughest remaining schedule in the entire country according to reports. The Tigers must host No. 10 Texas, travel to No. 2 Georgia, play at home against No. 8 Kentucky, and finish against Oklahoma. These four games alone decide if the season ends in a bowl game or a playoff berth. There is almost no room for error after losing to Mississippi State and Ole Miss earlier in the year.
Penalties Cost Big Gains
Even when the team plays well, self-inflicted wounds often hurt the final result. Caleb Goodie Sr. nullified a 16-yard gain by Jamal Roberts via a holding penalty during the recent victory against Arkansas. Offense momentum stalled as the squad finished with nine penalties totaling 80 yards. Head coach Eliah Drinkwitz admitted the struggle in his postgame comments. “Offensively, we were just continually stubbing our toes with penalties,” Drinkwitz said. “We’ve got to get that cleaned up. In the second half, we were much better.”
Despite the penalty issues, the offense found new ways to move the ball. Quarterback Austin Simmons and wide receiver DeMarion Fowlkes used jet sweeps and designed runs to keep the defense guessing. Muscling through for a six-yard gain on a jet sweep, the 5-foot-9 receiver Fowlkes executed just one cut before the play concluded. This unique play call helped the Tigers secure a 13-0 lead before halftime and eventually win the game. The coaching staff used these east-west plays to generate quick touches for their best players.
Running Backs Lead the Charge
Jamal Roberts carried the ball 23 times for 138 yards and one touchdown against Arkansas. This performance pushed his season total past 1,000 rushing yards, making him the 53rd player in program history to reach that mark. He currently leads the entire Power Four conference with 1,005 rushing yards through eight games.
The defense also stepped up when it mattered most on Saturday night. Junior linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez made nine total tackles and forced a fumble to help secure the victory. Safety Trajen Greco added eight tackles, an interception, and a pass deflection to stop Arkansas drives. Greco now has three interceptions on the year, which ties for second in the SEC. These individual efforts show why Mizzou has won five straight games in the Battle Line Rivalry.
The question remains whether the team can survive the final four games to reach nine wins. If they do, the College Football Playoff committee may have to look at the strength of their schedule rather than just the loss column. The fans will have their say in the weekly SBN Reacts survey about this exact possibility.
