Welcome to Four Down Territory.
So, I’ll give you three thoughts on Missouri football or college football in general. Then, the last thought will be whatever I want it to be.
1. There’s still a game to be played.
I wrote about this the other day, but the Cotton Bowl is almost forgotten about. With the transfer portal and Early Signing Day tomorrow it just feels like the game is almost not even happening.
For one, that’s a good thing.
Think about it Mizzou fans. The Tigers are in their first New Year’s Six Bowl and it’s not even the talk of the town so to speak.
That’s one of many indications that the team is trending in the right direction.
Anyway, I’ve had some people ask how much this game “counts” or not because of some of the Ohio State transfers and expected opt-outs.
To answer the question, you may ask what I mean by counts. Well, the Buckeyes (for those living under rocks or simply forgetting this game due to everything else going on) have two starters in quarterback Kyle McCord and wide receiver Julian Fleming not playing. Instead, those players have entered the transfer portal with the former committing to Syracuse and the latter trending toward committing to Penn State.
The team’s second-string back and second-leading rusher Chip Trayanum has also entered the portal.
On top of that, several Buckeyes have decisions to make, whether it be entering the portal or declaring for the draft.
When it comes to declaring for the draft, several high-level players could declare for the draft but all eyes are on Heisman finalist Marvin Harrison Jr.
The expectation is that he’s going to be a top 10 pick, and more likely a top-five pick. So, he probably shouldn't play but the chances of him playing seem more and more likely as teams have begun to prep for each other, but he can pull his name out of the hat any time.
Whether he does opt out or doesn’t, whether other star players opt-out or not this game counts.
For one, there’s no shortage of talent for Ohio State.
They have two five-star receivers waiting to play in Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss.
Tate has recorded 17 receptions for 260 yards and a touchdown in 12 games while Inniss has played in seven games and has one reception for 58 yards and a touchdown.
Overall, the Buckeyes had the No. 4 recruiting class in the country a year ago. So, they have talent. Is it the same as having their starters and key reserve players? Not exactly, but the expectation is most of the team's remaining key players will play.
An 11-2 season that’s capped off with an Ohio State win in the Cotton Bowl carries so much weight, even if it’s not a full-strength Buckeyes team.
Because let's face it. How many people are going to come back and say how many Buckeyes didn’t play? Not many. These teams still have to show up and play the game. If Ohio State wins this game then it would be able to say it won the game despite the players that didn’t play, but if that’s the case it goes both ways.
Next man up.
2. The 2024 schedule looks pretty favorable a year out.
The SEC revealed the conference schedules for all 16 teams in a two-hour TV special last week and the first thing I've got to say is they should cut that out.
They’ve got to stop doing these money grabs. It's cringy. I get it’s all about the money, and I’m sure some fans care so much that they’ll watch a two-hour special about schedules for the next season, but this
could've been a tweet. At most, this should’ve been no longer than a 30-minute thing.
Anyway, let’s get to Missouri's schedule.
Week 1, Aug. 31: vs. Murray State
Week 2, Sept. 7: vs. Buffalo
Week 3, Sept. 14: vs. Boston College
Week 4, Sept. 21: vs. Vanderbilt
Week 5, Sept. 28: OPEN
Week 6, Oct. 5: at Texas A&M
Week 7, Oct. 12: at UMass
Week 8, Oct. 19: vs. Auburn
Week 9, Oct. 26: at Alabama
Week 10, Nov. 2: OPEN
Week 11, Nov. 9: vs. Oklahoma
Week 12, Nov. 16: at South Carolina
Week 13, Nov. 23: at Mississippi State
Week 14, Nov. 30: vs. Arkansas
At first glance, Missouri should be 4-0. Not only should it be 4-0, it should win all of those games comfortably. There can’t be any losses, but there shouldn’t be any close games.
Then the first of the team’s two bye weeks happens in Week 5, right in time for a showdown against Texas A&M. For now, that has to be thought of as a win for the Tigers.
Then, the game at UMass should be another game Missouri handles. The Minutemen were 3-9 this season. So, I’m going to say for that game I should be writing my story by halftime. That’s 6-0 heading into a home game versus Auburn. That should be another win.
The game versus Alabama will be insane. For one, the prices for a hotel there are insane. I interned in Tuscaloosa in 2021, so I'm aware of how it gets.
I've got a little story time about my hotel troubles from that year.
I had booked the SureStay by Best Western Tuscaloosa Southeast hotel to stay in for like a month that was going to run me $1,200, which was pricey but I booked that in April, so I would be set for June.
Well, when I got there they said they gave my reservation away or something despite me arriving on time. They found me a room to stay in for a week but then I found another hotel, which was the Woodspring Suites (it looked very nice on the inside at first glance but it was a bug-infested place and was terrible). I’d give that place -5/10 stars.
Both hotels were pricey and I was staying there in the summer when no sports were going on and all the students had gone home. So, just know you may have to spend a pretty penny for this game.
Anyway, this is the game I’m looking forward to the most. I mean this game will be the measuring stick for the year. If they win this game, I think Mizzou could go undefeated. However, playing against Nick Saban on the road is a tall task. So, for now, I’ll pencil this as a loss, which puts the Tigers at 7-1.
The team has another bye week, which comes at a great spot right before a matchup with Oklahoma in Week 10 as the teams reignite the Tiger-Peace Pipe rivalry.
I think that Mizzou should win that game as of today, but it’s a toss-up probably. So, I’ll say they lose this game.
But the reason I say they lose is much more about how I predict records than me thinking Missouri can't win.
When the Chiefs’ schedule comes out I mark all the toss-up games as losses, so when they win the games it’s a nice surprise.
So, let’s say Mizzou is at 7-2 before it finishes with a pair of road games at South Carolina and Mississippi State before a home game versus Arkansas.
Mizzou should win all three games.
So, that’s a 10-2 season, but to be honest, I feel like it’ll be 11-1, but I’ll give them that additional loss, whether it be to Oklahoma or some random game.
By the way, that should be enough to be a playoff team next year.
This is a great schedule, and the floor should be 9-3 unless something goes wrong.
So, I’ll give you three thoughts on Missouri football or college football in general. Then, the last thought will be whatever I want it to be.
1. There’s still a game to be played.
I wrote about this the other day, but the Cotton Bowl is almost forgotten about. With the transfer portal and Early Signing Day tomorrow it just feels like the game is almost not even happening.
For one, that’s a good thing.
Think about it Mizzou fans. The Tigers are in their first New Year’s Six Bowl and it’s not even the talk of the town so to speak.
That’s one of many indications that the team is trending in the right direction.
Anyway, I’ve had some people ask how much this game “counts” or not because of some of the Ohio State transfers and expected opt-outs.
To answer the question, you may ask what I mean by counts. Well, the Buckeyes (for those living under rocks or simply forgetting this game due to everything else going on) have two starters in quarterback Kyle McCord and wide receiver Julian Fleming not playing. Instead, those players have entered the transfer portal with the former committing to Syracuse and the latter trending toward committing to Penn State.
The team’s second-string back and second-leading rusher Chip Trayanum has also entered the portal.
On top of that, several Buckeyes have decisions to make, whether it be entering the portal or declaring for the draft.
When it comes to declaring for the draft, several high-level players could declare for the draft but all eyes are on Heisman finalist Marvin Harrison Jr.
The expectation is that he’s going to be a top 10 pick, and more likely a top-five pick. So, he probably shouldn't play but the chances of him playing seem more and more likely as teams have begun to prep for each other, but he can pull his name out of the hat any time.
Whether he does opt out or doesn’t, whether other star players opt-out or not this game counts.
For one, there’s no shortage of talent for Ohio State.
They have two five-star receivers waiting to play in Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss.
Tate has recorded 17 receptions for 260 yards and a touchdown in 12 games while Inniss has played in seven games and has one reception for 58 yards and a touchdown.
Overall, the Buckeyes had the No. 4 recruiting class in the country a year ago. So, they have talent. Is it the same as having their starters and key reserve players? Not exactly, but the expectation is most of the team's remaining key players will play.
An 11-2 season that’s capped off with an Ohio State win in the Cotton Bowl carries so much weight, even if it’s not a full-strength Buckeyes team.
Because let's face it. How many people are going to come back and say how many Buckeyes didn’t play? Not many. These teams still have to show up and play the game. If Ohio State wins this game then it would be able to say it won the game despite the players that didn’t play, but if that’s the case it goes both ways.
Next man up.
2. The 2024 schedule looks pretty favorable a year out.
The SEC revealed the conference schedules for all 16 teams in a two-hour TV special last week and the first thing I've got to say is they should cut that out.
They’ve got to stop doing these money grabs. It's cringy. I get it’s all about the money, and I’m sure some fans care so much that they’ll watch a two-hour special about schedules for the next season, but this
could've been a tweet. At most, this should’ve been no longer than a 30-minute thing.
Anyway, let’s get to Missouri's schedule.
Week 1, Aug. 31: vs. Murray State
Week 2, Sept. 7: vs. Buffalo
Week 3, Sept. 14: vs. Boston College
Week 4, Sept. 21: vs. Vanderbilt
Week 5, Sept. 28: OPEN
Week 6, Oct. 5: at Texas A&M
Week 7, Oct. 12: at UMass
Week 8, Oct. 19: vs. Auburn
Week 9, Oct. 26: at Alabama
Week 10, Nov. 2: OPEN
Week 11, Nov. 9: vs. Oklahoma
Week 12, Nov. 16: at South Carolina
Week 13, Nov. 23: at Mississippi State
Week 14, Nov. 30: vs. Arkansas
At first glance, Missouri should be 4-0. Not only should it be 4-0, it should win all of those games comfortably. There can’t be any losses, but there shouldn’t be any close games.
Then the first of the team’s two bye weeks happens in Week 5, right in time for a showdown against Texas A&M. For now, that has to be thought of as a win for the Tigers.
Then, the game at UMass should be another game Missouri handles. The Minutemen were 3-9 this season. So, I’m going to say for that game I should be writing my story by halftime. That’s 6-0 heading into a home game versus Auburn. That should be another win.
The game versus Alabama will be insane. For one, the prices for a hotel there are insane. I interned in Tuscaloosa in 2021, so I'm aware of how it gets.
I've got a little story time about my hotel troubles from that year.
I had booked the SureStay by Best Western Tuscaloosa Southeast hotel to stay in for like a month that was going to run me $1,200, which was pricey but I booked that in April, so I would be set for June.
Well, when I got there they said they gave my reservation away or something despite me arriving on time. They found me a room to stay in for a week but then I found another hotel, which was the Woodspring Suites (it looked very nice on the inside at first glance but it was a bug-infested place and was terrible). I’d give that place -5/10 stars.
Both hotels were pricey and I was staying there in the summer when no sports were going on and all the students had gone home. So, just know you may have to spend a pretty penny for this game.
Anyway, this is the game I’m looking forward to the most. I mean this game will be the measuring stick for the year. If they win this game, I think Mizzou could go undefeated. However, playing against Nick Saban on the road is a tall task. So, for now, I’ll pencil this as a loss, which puts the Tigers at 7-1.
The team has another bye week, which comes at a great spot right before a matchup with Oklahoma in Week 10 as the teams reignite the Tiger-Peace Pipe rivalry.
I think that Mizzou should win that game as of today, but it’s a toss-up probably. So, I’ll say they lose this game.
But the reason I say they lose is much more about how I predict records than me thinking Missouri can't win.
When the Chiefs’ schedule comes out I mark all the toss-up games as losses, so when they win the games it’s a nice surprise.
So, let’s say Mizzou is at 7-2 before it finishes with a pair of road games at South Carolina and Mississippi State before a home game versus Arkansas.
Mizzou should win all three games.
So, that’s a 10-2 season, but to be honest, I feel like it’ll be 11-1, but I’ll give them that additional loss, whether it be to Oklahoma or some random game.
By the way, that should be enough to be a playoff team next year.
This is a great schedule, and the floor should be 9-3 unless something goes wrong.
