2 Days

[ozark trout fisher]

Well, two days until college football starts with Vandy and Ole Miss starting things off. Which means time for my final predictions for Mizzou this season......

1. Mizzou vs. Murray State-Murray State has some good skill players on offense. But we should be able to run all over their defense. I don't expect a shutout, but I also don't expect it to be in serious doubt past the first quarter or so. I'm just sorry I'm missing it-but trout fishing can get in the way of such trivial things as football.

Win 41-17 1-0

2. Mizzou vs. Toledo-Toledo has a good team returning after winning 9 games last year. Their offense should be really good-but their defense is not the type that is built to stop a team with major conference talent. With that said, I think they give Mizzou a strong test and hang with us for all for quarters. But Mizzou pulls it out.

Win 35-31 2-0

3. Mizzou@ Indiana- Like every team I've mentioned so far, they have a really strong offense and no defense to speak of. But their defense really could be worse than any FBS team we play this year. They may hang on for a half, but I question their ability to make this a game by the fourth quarter, even at home.

Win 34-20 3 -0

4. Mizzou vs. Arkansas State-Arkansas State had a pretty strong season last year, so it's not like they're a cupcake. But they lost their coach and a lot of the talent that helped them win the Sun Belt last year. Aside from Murray State, I think this is the one non-conference game that Missouri will probably win in blowout fashion. But it is not a guarantee either.

Win 38-14 4-0

5. Mizzou @ Vanderbilt-Vanderbilt has pretty high expectations this year after two straight bowls. But they lost so many skill position players, especially QB Jordan Rodgers and RB Zac Stacy. Aside from Jordan Matthews I don't see where the playmakers are coming from. Their defense will keep them in a couple of SEC games but I think Vandy is headed for a significant step back. And that probably includes a home loss to Missouri.

Win 28-20 5-0 (1-0)

6. Mizzou @Georgia- Aaron Murray and Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall. All I have to say. The defense may not be great, but I don't see how Mizzou stops them from scoring half a hundred.

Loss 45-14 5-1 (1-1)

7. Mizzou vs. Florida- I don't think Florida's offense will be anything above average, but their defense will likely frustrate Mizzou again. We can keep it close at home and I think we do. In fact, with one or two breaks this could be the upset that sends this team to a really good season. But I'm not going to predict that at the moment. As a matter of fact, I'll go with a repeat of last season's game.

Loss 14-7 5-2 (1-2)

8. Mizzou vs. South Carolina-Mizzou is going to be worn out from a brutal couple of games and this one isn't any easier. I think we will be a little beaten down after a couple of tough losses, and it shows in this one.

Loss 34-10 5-3 (1-3)

9. Mizzou vs. Tennessee- Mizzou will need to bounce back here, but they should have a great opportunity to do that. Mizzou could be pretty worn out by this point, but Tennessee has an even tougher schedule and this is at home. This is a game Missouri absolutely has to win and I think they will to reach bowl eligibilty.

Win 28-17 6-3 (2-3)

10. Mizzou @Kentucky- Kentucky will likely be tougher this year, and they'll be circling this as their possible only SEC win of the year. But the talent differential is pretty much impossible to ignore.

Win 35-20 7-3 (3-3)

11. Mizzou@ Ole Miss- I don't believe the Ole Miss hype. This is a toss up game in my opinion, and the tiebreaker goes to the home team.

Loss 28-24 7-4 (3-4)

12. Mizzou vs. Texas A&M- Obviously the outcome here depends a lot on whether Johnny Manziel is eligible. But given what we know now, I think the assumption is that he will be playing. If that's the case, Texas A&M will put up a lot of points. Mizzou will answer but not enough to pull the upset on senior night. Loss 45-28

With the loss Mizzou ends up at 7-5, 3-5 in SEC play and is selected to a lower tier bowl. So that is my final prediction heading into the season. With that said, nothing between 5-7 and 8-4 would really surprise me.

[Quillback]

Can't argue with your predictions, but maybe they'll pull an upset along the way, and end up 8-4.

[ozark trout fisher]

Can't argue with your predictions, but maybe they'll pull an upset along the way, and end up 8-4.

I like the way you think! I have Florida circled as the potential upset. But as a realist I also think we need to watch out as far as getting upset. That game against Toledo really scares me. Imagine Pinkel losing to the program he helped build before he came to Mizzou. And if he does he might find himself a head coach in the MAC once more after the season.........But since we're obviously going 12-0 that's not going to happen:)

[joeD]

My prediction is James Franklin will keep his composure under mounting pressure to remove him as Mizzou's QB. Gary Pinkel will be steadfast in his support of Franklin's mediocrity. It is a stone cold lock that Franklin will not last the season as a starting QB, Injury will put him, and Mizzou fans, finally out their misery, and a new era will start. That of Missouri being a football nobody in a more competitive conference.

The good news is, you can still see elite teams playing at Faurot Field. They will be coming out of the visitors locker room.

[ozark trout fisher]

Once you're off the bandwagon you're off and you might as well just go ahead and cheer for Alabama.

Personally, I see plenty of reasons to look for a bounceback to 7-8 wins. Those range from a strong spring from Franklin (who is truly healthy for the first time in his career) to a defense that looks like it could be improved, even without Sheldon Richardson. I see a team with an all-conference contender at both running back and wide receiver, and an offensive line that should take leaps and bounds if it can stay reasonably healthy. And then there is that schedule-as kind of one as we will ever have in the SEC. Not so hopeless.

[Flysmallie]

Well I hope they beat Florida. I will be with a Gator alum that day and it sure would be fun to harass him about it.

[joeD]

Oooof! Ozark that was harsh dude. Just kidding. My wife bought an Alabama visor for me, when my daughter and her were visiting, still haven't worn it. Weird. Usually. I could care less. Just a hat.

[Jerry Rapp]

hell, Missouri could never win the Big 12 championship. Why they went to the SEC is beyond reason(other than $$). They get 2nd class Texas recruits, and can't even get the 90% of the top Missouri players. Until they get an Urban Meyers or Pete Carroll who can "cheat" with the best of them to get the best players, they will be also rans. By the way, I hope I am wrong. Carry on, and enjoy the semi pro league.

[ozark trout fisher]

hell, Missouri could never win the Big 12 championship. Why they went to the SEC is beyond reason(other than $$). They get 2nd class Texas recruits, and can't even get the 90% of the top Missouri players. Until they get an Urban Meyers or Pete Carroll who can "cheat" with the best of them to get the best players, they will be also rans. By the way, I hope I am wrong. Carry on, and enjoy the semi pro league.

Well same as I said before.............

But in real college football news, looks like Johnny Football skates. 1/2 game suspension against Rice. Fair to say that it could have been worse for him.

[stlfisher]

It is really easy to be pessimistic and predict "my team won't win" because well most don't! Way to take a risk:)

99% of teams in the country don't win conference championships. There are only 6 teams that do ( that matter). There are only a few teams that will challenge for a conference championship year in and year out. Most other teams have a shot every now and then. Expectations of a conference championship year in and year out are unrealistic for all but a select few programs

IF people don't understand why 4 teams left the Big 12 then you clearly have not been paying attention. Sure money was a big factor, but stability, and equality was as well. I don't blame Texas...they maximize their revenue and exposure within the conference bylaws. Smart for them...bad for everybody else. Terrible conference management by the former commissioner.

Conference championships? That is probably not going to happen in the SEC in the near future and I am ok with that. It may never happen. I would rather play and compete against the best any day than be intimidated by the competition in the SEC. What kind of message is that! But that is just me.

Maybe we should go the WAC so we can win every year and feel better about ourselves.

I think Missouri may surprise a few people, but no predictions from me. Last year was a mess so tough to take much away from it IMO. If we stay healthy...this year will be a much better gauge of what we need to do to compete.

Clowney is a beast...that guy scares me.