I made a breakdown last year that had us at 8-4/9-3 and of course the Tigers exceeded those expectations, so we'll see if they can exceed my expectations again.
Week 1: vs. South Dakota State
Missouri WIN 45-10 (I mean it's an FCS school c'mon)
Week 2: @ Toledo
Missouri WIN 41-20 (Missouri will play like Missouri, and Toledo will play like Toledo)
Week 3: vs. UCF
Missouri WIN 33-14 (They don't have a QB or O-Line)
Week 4: vs. Indiana (Family Weekend)
Missouri WIN 45-38 (A sleeper in the BIG 10, but not good enough to beat Mizzou)
Week 5: @ South Carolina
Missouri WIN 34-28 (Dylan Thompson struggled against us last year and their defense is kind of weak)
Week 6: BYE WEEK
Week 7: vs. Georgia (Gold Rush)
Missouri LOSS 38-28 (Very well rounded team, tough home loss)
Week 8: @ Florida
Missouri WIN 17-13 (Florida defense will be tough, but their offense will come up short)
Week 9: vs. Vanderbilt (Homecoming)
Missouri WIN 55-17 (Missouri will come out of the SEC gauntlet hungry for a blowout)
Week 10: vs. Kentucky
Missouri WIN 45-14 (Kentucky is still a bottom feeder)
Week 11: BYE WEEK
Week 12: @ Texas A&M
Missouri WIN 38-17 (A&M will suffer from a Manziel hangover)
Week 13: @ Tennessee
Missouri WIN 42-17 (Justin Worely will have to be a savage for them to be good)
Week 14: vs. Arkansas (Blackout/Senior Day)
Missouri WIN 49-21 (Brandon Allen sucks)
I believe that the Tigers can replicate the success that they had last year this season. Mizzou did lose a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, but Missouri returns 3/5 of the O-Line, and Maty Mauk on offense. On defense I look for Braylon Webb the highly experienced saftey from Gilmer, Texas to lead the secondary. The defensive line will be solid even after losing Kony Ealy and Michael Sam, because Shane Ray and Markus Golden have already proven that they can be great pass rushers in the SEC, while backing up Sam and Ealy. Aarion Penton and John Gibson III are poised for a breakout year at corner as well as Ian Simon at safety, and Darius White at reciever. Hansbrough, Murphy, and Steward will likely be able to run the ball just as effectively as Josey was last year. Kentrell Brothers(14 starts, 25 games played) will lead a young linebacker group featuring highly touted recruit Michael Scherer (14 games palyed) and newly named starter Donavin Newsom (10 games palyed) who beat out Darvin Ruise (38 games palyed) for the strongside position during spring ball. I can see the Tigers using a lot more 4-2-5 looks opposed to the standard 4-3 looks on defense, just as they did in the Cotton Bowl.
Worst case scenario Missouri finishes 7-5 with losses to Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Texas A&M, and Indiana. I just don't see loses to Texas A&M, and Indiana being very likely though, so 9-3 seems a little more likely to me. Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia are all beatable, so I wouldn't throw throw the idea of an undefeated season out the window, but that would be an unlikely scenario. I think Mizzou wins against the weaker two teams during that gauntlet part of the schedule again, beating Florida and South Carolina this time, and losing to Georgia to finish the regular season 11-1. Other than those five teams I don't really think there is another team that even has a shot a beating Mizzou that's on the schedule.
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