The preseason picture for Missouri men’s basketball is starting to come into focus, and the early read depends a lot on which numbers you trust.
On one side, there’s plenty of optimism. Rob Dauster, after checking out Field of 68’s offseason review, thinks the Tigers could be creeping toward top-10 territory.
He was joined by friend of the site Jim Root in the YouTube discussion, and Root’s skepticism makes sense given his own history as a scarred Mizzou fan. Dauster, though, was bullish.
The analytics crowd isn’t nearly as convinced yet. EvanMiya.com is set to release its rankings today, but Missouri is expected to land outside the top 30.
In a YouTube show breaking down top players and top teams, Mark Mitchell did crack the top 20, but the Tigers themselves were not included in the top 30. BartTorvik.com still hasn’t updated to account for Mitchell, and has Missouri sitting at 42.
The SEC representation in the top 30 is already clear: Florida, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, LSU, Kentucky, Arkansas, Auburn, Oklahoma, and Georgia all made the cut.
As for Missouri in our own preseason rankings? Not 11th. Even with the uncertainty around eligibility situations, the Tigers still look like a team that should land in the top half at worst.
Elsewhere around Rock M and Rock M+, the day brought a mix of Olympic-sport results and football notes.
In men’s golf in Ontario, Canada, [Veikka] Viskari put together a 73-66-70 line on the par-71 course to finish 4-under overall. He was the only golfer in the field to card a 66, and that also stood as his lowest 18-hole score of the season. Junior Trent Mierl wasn’t far behind, posting a steady 72-71-72 for a 2-over total and tying for ninth after starting the final round in 17th.
Cross country also delivered a strong showing. At the Cyclone Invite, Elijah Limo led the way with a first-place finish in 18:05.2, with Raymond Kipkoech right behind him in second at 18:10.6, just 5.4 seconds back.
Tyler Freiner added another solid result, taking sixth in 18:24.4. On the women’s side, Missouri put three runners into the top four of the 5,000-meter race.
On the football side, the linebacker group is starting to look like a real strength. Nicholas Rodriguez and Robert Woodyard Jr. have emerged as the leaders of the revamped defense, and the two combined for 14 tackles against Kansas.
Woodyard in particular flipped the game with a huge sequence: he forced and recovered a fumble on one snap, then intercepted Isaiah Marshall on the very next defensive play. Missouri turned both takeaways into touchdowns in a 28-second stretch and seized control after the game had been tied 14-14.
When Missouri signed Woodyard, it was easy to see the kind of impact he could have. He’s been exactly that kind of player - a wrecking ball of energy on defense.
There’s also been a notable rise from edge rusher Daeden Hopkins, who earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors. His 50 snaps against Kansas matched his total from the 2025 season, and PFF credited him with eight pressures.
He had four pressures against Arkansas-Pine Bluff a year ago. Hopkins finished the job with a strip sack that helped push Missouri ahead 38-21.
In a room that still has plenty to prove, Hopkins, Darris Smith, and Langden Kitchen have all looked the part, and Hopkins’ ability to handle a bigger workload gives Missouri a clearer answer on who can step forward off the edge.
That said, the concern about the defensive line hasn’t disappeared - not with Hopkins still waiting in line just a little longer than some expected.
On the podcast side, BTBS is set to continue soon with a new episode on the way. Dive Cuts went quiet this week after the host got sick and had to cancel with a guest, but the plan is to reschedule and get more shows out soon.
In Other News...
Mizzou Baseball Is Turning Family Weekend Into A Bigger Statewide Event
Mizzou Baseball has finalized its 2026 fall schedule, and the home slate brings more than just tune-up games to Taylor Stadium. Along with matchups against Iowa and Bradley, the Tigers will host the Show-Me Diamond Duel for Special Olympics Missouri presented by Multipli Credit Union, adding a charitable centerpiece to a weekend that already carries plenty of local appeal.
The event is set for October 24-25 and will feature Missouri's Division I baseball programs along with Central Missouri, with free admission and proceeds going to Special Olympics Missouri. It is the kind of addition that turns a routine fall date into a broader statewide gathering, even before the first pitch is thrown. [Read more 🡒]
Missouris Troy Game Comes With A Price Tag Fans Will Notice
A September matchup at Memorial Stadium is carrying a bigger line-item than most fans will ever see on the schedule. Missouri football will pay Troy for making the trip to Columbia, a reminder that nonconference games are not just about opponents and kickoff times, but also the cost of getting teams in the building.
The payment for the Sept. 19 game is one of the three largest participation fees in Missouris current nonconference agreements through 2035, adding another layer to a deal that was put in place years ago. It is the kind of behind-the-scenes arrangement that often only surfaces when the numbers come into focus, and in this case it gives a little extra context to a game that otherwise looks routine on the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Cross Country Built Real Momentum With One Big Test Ahead
Missouris cross country teams left the Billiken XC Invite in Saint Louis with plenty to build on, as both the women and men finished second overall against a solid field. The host Billikens took team titles in both races, but Mizzou showed enough depth and consistency to keep the momentum rolling heading into the heart of the fall schedule.
Morgan Yeomans set the tone for the womens side, while the men got an encouraging opening look from a newcomer who immediately put himself in the mix. For a program looking to turn a strong early meet into something bigger, the next test will say plenty about how real that progress is. [Read more 🡒]