Has anyone else noticed that the Missouri Tigers are the sixth-ranked team in the country and are a legitimate national contender? This week they play 24th-ranked Boston College and even I did a double-take when I saw the Tigers’ ranking. It’s not completely unheard of given that they finished last season ranked eleventh, but in just two seasons this team has gone from eight years of relative mediocrity to a legitimate favorite.
Missouri Tigers: The Unknown National Contender
The Hiring
In 2019, Missouri fired head coach Barry Odom at the end of the season after losing five straight and not having a 10-win season or a bowl win since 2014. During their search, they honed in on Appalachian State coach Eli Drinkwitz, clearly not a household name. In his only year as a head coach, Appalachian State went 12-1 and won the Sun Belt Conference Championship. Now the 36-year-old Drinkwitz was tasked with bringing the Tigers back to prominence, but success would not be immediate.
The Beginning
From 2020 to 2022, the Tigers went 17-19, somehow making two bowls games but losing both. The school would have been justified in moving on after three below-average seasons including back-to-back losing seasons, which some other teams could do to failing coaches soon. But they weren’t hasty and stuck with Drinkwitz which paid off as he put his stamp on the program through recruiting. According to 247sports, the Tigers didn’t have a top 50 recruiting class in 2020. They have every year since, peaking at twentieth in 2024.
The Turnaround
The 2023 season began with Missouri unranked. Starting with five straight wins, they cracked the top 25. They lost to 23rd-ranked LSU and top-ranked Georgia but blew the doors off of 14th-ranked Tennessee. After wins against Florida and Arkansas, they found themselves at 11 and two, then beat Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, and finished the season ranked eighth in the country. The standard had been set, so expectations for the 2024 season were high.
The Expectations
The Tigers returned 13 starters this year including quarterback Brady Cook who threw for 3,317 yards last year with 21 touchdowns and six interceptions for a 157.2 rating. Star wide-receiver Luther Burden III, who returns, was a big reason for that success with 88 catches for 1,212 yards, nine touchdowns, and was named second-team All-American. Cody Schrader left and so did his 1,627 yards and 14 touchdowns. But so far a running-back by committee has carried the load featuring two transfers in Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll plus three-star freshman recruit Kewan Lacy.
The Game
If the Tigers do have a concern in 2024, it’s a defense that must replace five starters they lost to the NFL, including sack leader and first-round pick Darius Robinson. 24th-ranked Boston College will put that unit to the test this weekend. The Eagles are two and zero and have already rushed for 569 yards, with one of those wins coming against tenth-ranked Florida State. But after this week, Missouri only faces two more ranked teams, number four Alabama and number 15 Oklahoma. With the college football playoff expanding to 12 teams this year, Missouri has a great shot to make it. If the offense plays to its capabilities and the defense gels, they have a legitimate chance to contend for a National Championship.
