Welcome to Four Down Territory where 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. The SEC Preseason Poll was released on Friday.
Here's what the list was:
1. Georgia
2. Texas
3. Alabama
4. Ole Miss
5. LSU
6. Missouri
7. Tennessee
8. Oklahoma
9. Texas A&M
10. Auburn
11. Kentucky
12. Florida
13. South Carolina
14. Arkansas
15. Mississippi State
16. Vanderbilt
Here's what my list was:
1. Georgia- Lost one game in three years and it was the SEC title game.
2. Texas- Was close to being in the national title game.
3. Alabama- This team could be No. 2 for me but I'll put them here just because it would be interesting if Texas is a top two team. Also, I'm not as low on Alabama as some people are.
4. Missouri- I think this is a 9-3 team at worse that will probably go 10-2 but I'm leaning towards them going 11-1.
5. Ole Miss- I think the Rebels and Mizzou are on the same level or close to it. Both of these teams feel like 10-2. Mizzou gets the edge because its two big games (Bama and Oklahoma) seem more winnable in my mind than Ole Miss beating LSU and Georgia.
6. LSU- That defense was horrible last year and then it lost its three top offensive players to the NFL and its starting running back joined Ole Miss.
7. Tennessee- I'm sure it will have a good offense because it seems like it always does but I simply think they aren't better than the teams listed above.
8. Oklahoma- The talk of SEC Media Days about this team was how hard their schedule is (Texas, at Ole Miss, at Missouri, Bama, at LSU).
9. Texas A&M- It's the Los Angeles Chargers of the SEC. If you know you know.
10. Auburn- They will be all right. Seems like a middle-of-the-pack to the lower end of the SEC type of team.
11. South Carolina- I just haven't heard a lick about them.
12. Kentucky- Look at what I said for South Carolina.
13. Florida- same thing as Oklahoma as far as a hard schedule except Florida isn't as talented as Oklahoma so it's worse.
14. Arkansas- Make or break season and it looks like its going to break for Sam Pittman.
15. Mississippi State- First year under Jeff Lebby and it's Mississippi State.
16. Vanderbilt- I rather be nice. Vandy had the best food I had at any game all season last year.
Overall, the lists were pretty similar. But Vandy got a pair of first-place votes and South Carolina got one. Stuff like that will always bother me. Why do I need to care about the polls when anyone can vote in these things and make silly "predictions?" These polls are already meaningless but they become more meaningless when bottom-tier teams are predicted to win the conference.
2. Here are the Mizzou players I voted for the All-SEC teams.
The first thing I noticed was there was no option to vote for Johnny Walker, Marcus Bryant, Chuck Hicks (I don't know if I would've voted for him but there's no reason he's not on the list), Dreyden Norwood or Blake Craig (I can kind of get why he wasn't on there).
But I voted for Luther Burden III, Armand Membou, Connor Tollison, Daylan Carnell and Triston Newson.
Burden is a given. He's the best receiver in the nation.
Membou is a freak of nature and Johnny Walker told me he's the best run-blocker in the nation.
Honestly, I wasn't acting like I knew centers in the SEC like that. I looked them up and I said I'll give the nod to Tollison as long as he can fix the snaps.
When I think of the Mizzou defense, Carnell is easily a top-two-or-three player.
I gave Newson a nod even though I think the linebacker room will be by committee. However, if it's not like that I can see him being an All-SEC selection.
Of course, only Burden would get voted for one of the three SEC teams. I can't explain it besides enough people don't watch Mizzou.
These polls are crapshoots. These never make sense because other media don't know Mizzou as well as I do and I don't know the other schools like the beat writers of the respective schools do. So, why are we voting on people we don't know?
3. Quick thoughts on EA College Football 25.
I started playing on Thursday at 11 p.m. when the game was released for everyone and probably finished at 2 a.m. on Friday. The graphics instantly blew me away and it’s one of the better sports video games ever from that standpoint.
I like the game. I give it an 8.8/10. But here are some things I’ve noticed that I like and don’t like.
I like that the game feels like a hybrid between arcade and simulation until we talk about the scheme. The only game I play consistently is Madden and what I like about that game is that scheme and skill can usually beat a better team.
I can win with the Giants versus the Chiefs or Bills or something because I have a better scheme than whoever I’m playing against online.
I think this game feels a tad arcadey when it comes to scheming, and that may be the people I'm playing against but fundamental things work too often. For example, four verticals work too often even if you aren't in Cover 3 or 4 (which usually get torched against that play). Halfback screens are nearly unstoppable and open field tackling is really hard.
In Madden, playing four verticals and HB screens usually don’t work especially if you know what you're looking for like me, but in this game, it works well even if you know how to defend it.
Also, I think you can play a lot of stock defense or use a lot of basic plays such as Cover 2 contain or Cover 3 match the entire game and relatively be alright.
Those defenses are too easy to beat in Madden.
From a gameplay perspective, I like how people run and move in the game. I like the passing mechanics much better than Madden.
Over the weekend, I went 18-4, including a couple of wins over my good friend Matt Stahl, formerly of the Columbia Tribune and now at AL.com.
Also, I did use Mizzou for every game except one (it was Louisiana in a random game versus Matt). The appeal of playing with them is I know the players. I haven't played a video game before where I actually knew most of the roster.
It also helps me with expectations going into a game because I know what these players can and can't do.
Eventually, I'll change up the teams but it's just easier to know the team I know for now.
4. Other notes.
The team is hosting a media day on Sunday with coaches and assistants. I'll be at the facility all day doing that. Fall camp will happen next week and then the college football hiatus is over until January.
Likely in my next Four Down Territory, I will put the sign up for the PowerMizzou Fantasy Football League so stay tuned for that. There'll be 12 teams total but three are already filled by myself, your favorite Mizzou basketball writer Drew King and our winner of last year's tourney, @Lmac66 if they choose to be in the league.
Also, if you want to play me in EACFB25 my EA/Xbox gamer tag is "therealrod24."
1. The SEC Preseason Poll was released on Friday.
Here's what the list was:
1. Georgia
2. Texas
3. Alabama
4. Ole Miss
5. LSU
6. Missouri
7. Tennessee
8. Oklahoma
9. Texas A&M
10. Auburn
11. Kentucky
12. Florida
13. South Carolina
14. Arkansas
15. Mississippi State
16. Vanderbilt
Here's what my list was:
1. Georgia- Lost one game in three years and it was the SEC title game.
2. Texas- Was close to being in the national title game.
3. Alabama- This team could be No. 2 for me but I'll put them here just because it would be interesting if Texas is a top two team. Also, I'm not as low on Alabama as some people are.
4. Missouri- I think this is a 9-3 team at worse that will probably go 10-2 but I'm leaning towards them going 11-1.
5. Ole Miss- I think the Rebels and Mizzou are on the same level or close to it. Both of these teams feel like 10-2. Mizzou gets the edge because its two big games (Bama and Oklahoma) seem more winnable in my mind than Ole Miss beating LSU and Georgia.
6. LSU- That defense was horrible last year and then it lost its three top offensive players to the NFL and its starting running back joined Ole Miss.
7. Tennessee- I'm sure it will have a good offense because it seems like it always does but I simply think they aren't better than the teams listed above.
8. Oklahoma- The talk of SEC Media Days about this team was how hard their schedule is (Texas, at Ole Miss, at Missouri, Bama, at LSU).
9. Texas A&M- It's the Los Angeles Chargers of the SEC. If you know you know.
10. Auburn- They will be all right. Seems like a middle-of-the-pack to the lower end of the SEC type of team.
11. South Carolina- I just haven't heard a lick about them.
12. Kentucky- Look at what I said for South Carolina.
13. Florida- same thing as Oklahoma as far as a hard schedule except Florida isn't as talented as Oklahoma so it's worse.
14. Arkansas- Make or break season and it looks like its going to break for Sam Pittman.
15. Mississippi State- First year under Jeff Lebby and it's Mississippi State.
16. Vanderbilt- I rather be nice. Vandy had the best food I had at any game all season last year.
Overall, the lists were pretty similar. But Vandy got a pair of first-place votes and South Carolina got one. Stuff like that will always bother me. Why do I need to care about the polls when anyone can vote in these things and make silly "predictions?" These polls are already meaningless but they become more meaningless when bottom-tier teams are predicted to win the conference.
2. Here are the Mizzou players I voted for the All-SEC teams.
The first thing I noticed was there was no option to vote for Johnny Walker, Marcus Bryant, Chuck Hicks (I don't know if I would've voted for him but there's no reason he's not on the list), Dreyden Norwood or Blake Craig (I can kind of get why he wasn't on there).
But I voted for Luther Burden III, Armand Membou, Connor Tollison, Daylan Carnell and Triston Newson.
Burden is a given. He's the best receiver in the nation.
Membou is a freak of nature and Johnny Walker told me he's the best run-blocker in the nation.
Honestly, I wasn't acting like I knew centers in the SEC like that. I looked them up and I said I'll give the nod to Tollison as long as he can fix the snaps.
When I think of the Mizzou defense, Carnell is easily a top-two-or-three player.
I gave Newson a nod even though I think the linebacker room will be by committee. However, if it's not like that I can see him being an All-SEC selection.
Of course, only Burden would get voted for one of the three SEC teams. I can't explain it besides enough people don't watch Mizzou.
These polls are crapshoots. These never make sense because other media don't know Mizzou as well as I do and I don't know the other schools like the beat writers of the respective schools do. So, why are we voting on people we don't know?
3. Quick thoughts on EA College Football 25.
I started playing on Thursday at 11 p.m. when the game was released for everyone and probably finished at 2 a.m. on Friday. The graphics instantly blew me away and it’s one of the better sports video games ever from that standpoint.
I like the game. I give it an 8.8/10. But here are some things I’ve noticed that I like and don’t like.
I like that the game feels like a hybrid between arcade and simulation until we talk about the scheme. The only game I play consistently is Madden and what I like about that game is that scheme and skill can usually beat a better team.
I can win with the Giants versus the Chiefs or Bills or something because I have a better scheme than whoever I’m playing against online.
I think this game feels a tad arcadey when it comes to scheming, and that may be the people I'm playing against but fundamental things work too often. For example, four verticals work too often even if you aren't in Cover 3 or 4 (which usually get torched against that play). Halfback screens are nearly unstoppable and open field tackling is really hard.
In Madden, playing four verticals and HB screens usually don’t work especially if you know what you're looking for like me, but in this game, it works well even if you know how to defend it.
Also, I think you can play a lot of stock defense or use a lot of basic plays such as Cover 2 contain or Cover 3 match the entire game and relatively be alright.
Those defenses are too easy to beat in Madden.
From a gameplay perspective, I like how people run and move in the game. I like the passing mechanics much better than Madden.
Over the weekend, I went 18-4, including a couple of wins over my good friend Matt Stahl, formerly of the Columbia Tribune and now at AL.com.
Also, I did use Mizzou for every game except one (it was Louisiana in a random game versus Matt). The appeal of playing with them is I know the players. I haven't played a video game before where I actually knew most of the roster.
It also helps me with expectations going into a game because I know what these players can and can't do.
Eventually, I'll change up the teams but it's just easier to know the team I know for now.
4. Other notes.
The team is hosting a media day on Sunday with coaches and assistants. I'll be at the facility all day doing that. Fall camp will happen next week and then the college football hiatus is over until January.
Likely in my next Four Down Territory, I will put the sign up for the PowerMizzou Fantasy Football League so stay tuned for that. There'll be 12 teams total but three are already filled by myself, your favorite Mizzou basketball writer Drew King and our winner of last year's tourney, @Lmac66 if they choose to be in the league.
Also, if you want to play me in EACFB25 my EA/Xbox gamer tag is "therealrod24."
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