Missouri is heading into November with a pair of Top-20 rankings and a showdown that now looks even bigger.
The Tigers climbed to No. 19 in the new AP Top-25 and also landed at No. 19 in the latest USA Today Coaches Poll, both released Sunday. Missouri was No. 23 in each poll a week ago, and the jump comes after a 34-10 win over Arkansas on Saturday night in Fayetteville.
That victory pushed Missouri to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in SEC play, while Arkansas dropped to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the league. It also gave the Tigers their fifth straight win over the Razorbacks.
A wild weekend across the sport helped clear the path back into the Top 20. Seven ranked teams lost, and Missouri took advantage by moving up just in time for Saturday’s matchup with Texas.
The Longhorns are No. 10 in the AP poll after beating Mississippi State, 31-3, in Austin. Texas is also 6-2 overall and 3-2 in SEC play, setting up a meeting between two old Big 12 rivals that haven’t played since 2017, when Texas beat Missouri 33-16 in the Texas Bowl.
The first College Football Playoff rankings for the 2026 season will be released Tuesday, Nov. 3, offering the first look at the playoff field with a month left in the regular season.
The AP Top-25 entering Week 10: Miami (Fla.), Georgia, Utah, Notre Dame, UCLA, Indiana, BYU, Kentucky, Alabama, Texas, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Wake Forest, LSU, Tennessee, Houston, USC, Missouri, Boise State, Iowa, New Mexico, South Carolina, Arizona and Florida.
The full USA Today Coaches Poll entering Week 10: Miami (Fla.), Georgia, Indiana, Utah, UCLA, Notre Dame, Kentucky, BYU, Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Wake Forest, LSU, Tennessee, USC, Houston, Missouri, Iowa, Boise State, Arizona, Northwestern, SMU and New Mexico.
In Other News...
Eli Drinkwitz Just Gave Missouri Fans A New Reason To Worry
Florida States coaching change has quickly put a familiar name back into the rumor mill, and Missouri fans have reason to pay attention. After the Seminoles fired Mike Norvell following a loss that left them at 3-5, ESPN mentioned Eli Drinkwitz as a potential candidate for the opening, adding another layer to a situation Tigers supporters would rather not see develop.
Drinkwitz has built a strong case to stay put in Columbia, going 51-31 at Missouri and guiding the program to at least eight wins in each of the last three seasons. Still, whenever a Power Four job opens up, the speculation starts fast, and this one has enough weight to make people around Missouri wonder how long the conversation will linger. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Beat Arkansas Again But One Problem Still Wont Go Away
Missouri kept the Battle Line Trophy right where it has lived for the past half-decade, rolling past Arkansas 34-10 for a fifth straight win in the rivalry. It was not a clean start, but the Tigers settled in and leaned on a defense that flipped the game with a touchdown after a bad snap by the Razorbacks, then got a boost from the return of All-American tailback Ahmad Hardy.
Jamal Roberts also cleared 1,000 rushing yards for the season, another sign that Missouris ground game still has plenty of life. Even so, the Tigers left with the same nagging issue that has hovered over them for much of the year, and it is the kind of problem that could matter a lot more once the competition gets stiffer. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri Is About To Face A Texas Team Riding Serious Momentum
Texas picked up another jolt of momentum in its win over Mississippi State, and it came from an unlikely source. Defensive tackle Maraad Watson scooped up a fumble and rumbled 61 yards for a touchdown, a play that turned into one of the afternoons most memorable moments and drew plenty of attention online thanks to Joe Tessitores lively call.
For Missouri, the timing matters because the Tigers are about to see a Texas team that seems to be stacking confidence as well as results. Big defensive plays can change the feel of a game in a hurry, and that kind of energy tends to travel, especially when a team is already heading into a matchup with something to prove. [Read more 🡒]