The focus in Oxford has shifted fast, and now Missouri is walking into one of the biggest games on the SEC slate with a lot more weight on its shoulders.
What looked earlier like a tricky road trip that could easily land the Tigers with two losses has turned into something bigger. Missouri arrives as an outsider College Football Playoff contender, which gives this matchup with Ole Miss a very different feel than it had before the season. Both teams are still trying to keep their playoff hopes alive, but for different reasons and with different quality on the résumé.
Ole Miss has seen its profile sag. The home win over LSU doesn’t carry much shine at the moment, and the road loss to Florida has lost some of its sting too.
Missouri’s issue is different: the Tigers still haven’t landed that marquee victory the committee can lean on. Beating Florida looked like a strong result when the Gators were ranked in the Top 10, but that win doesn’t look nearly as impressive now that Florida has fallen out of the rankings.
That’s why this trip matters so much. If Missouri wants to convince the committee it deserves real attention, it needs a statement kind of win.
Taking down a Top 10 team on the road would do exactly that. Ole Miss may no longer look like the SEC heavyweight it did a few weeks ago, but the Rebels still bring plenty of firepower, with a Heisman contender at quarterback steering one of the nation’s best offenses.
That sets up a compelling test for a Missouri defense that has been locked in over its last two games.
The oddsmakers expect points, too. FanDuel opened Ole Miss as a 6.5-point favorite, and the over-under sits at 60.5, the highest SEC total on the Week 7 board. In a game with that kind of scoring expectation, the margin can swing quickly.
SEC games to watch in Week 7:
Florida at No. 6 Texas (-9.5), O/U 52.5
No. 19 Mississippi State at No. 21 LSU (-10.5), O/U 59.5
The Citadel at Texas A&M, N/A
No. 13 Mizzou at No. 10 Ole Miss (-6.5), O/U 60.5
Auburn at No. 1 Georgia (-18.5), O/U 49.5
No. 7 Alabama (6.5) at No. 14 Tennessee, O/U 55.5
Arkansas at Vanderbilt (-6.5), O/U 49.5
No. 17 Kentucky at Oklahoma (-6.5), O/U 43.5
In Other News...
Mizzou Fans Have Been Waiting For This Johnnie Jones Update
Freshman offensive tackle Johnnie DJ Jones is still at the center of a wave of support from the Missouri football community after undergoing a heart transplant just two weeks after being told he needed a new heart. Since the news surfaced, Mizzou and head coach Eli Drinkwitz have publicly backed Jones and his family, and the broader college football world has responded with fundraising efforts and messages of encouragement.
Jones is now recovering and receiving treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, as the focus shifts from the urgency of the transplant to what comes next. For Missouri fans, the update is the one they had been hoping for, even as the long road ahead remains very much in view. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri Just Watched Texas A&Ms Frustration Spill Into Something Bigger
Texas A&Ms 27-6 loss to Missouri left the Aggies sitting at 3-3, and the disappointment carried well beyond the final whistle. What might have stayed a routine postgame reaction instead turned into a broader conversation about frustration around the program, with head coach Jimbo Fisher Elko taking aim at a segment of the online crowd and describing it as a cesspool while trying to separate those critics from the wider fan base.
Billy Liucci, the co-owner of TexAgs, was among those who pushed back, calling the remarks ridiculously tone deaf. For Missouri, the game itself was the cleanest statement, but the aftermath showed just how quickly a loss can open the door to a larger mess when a program is already feeling the pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Still Waiting On Ahmad Hardy As Jamal Roberts Keeps Delivering
Ahmad Hardys return is still on hold as Missouri continues to work through the aftermath of the offseason upper-leg gunshot wound that has kept the running back out of action. Eli Drinkwitz said Hardy has not even begun the required two-week ramp-up period yet, which means he will not be available for the Tigers upcoming game against No. 9 Ole Miss.
In the meantime, Jamal Roberts has turned a backup role into a major part of Missouris offense. His breakout season has already pushed beyond what he produced a year ago, and his steady contribution has helped fuel the Tigers recent wins while Hardy remains sidelined and the timeline for his comeback stays unsettled. [Read more 🡒]