There hasn’t been much national noise around Mizzou football, and that’s been part of the story. The Tigers have stayed mostly out of the spotlight even after winning 29 games since 2023, the fourth-most in the conference.
But Pro Football Focus’ Daire Carragher still found room for Missouri on a list of eight teams that could reach the College Football Playoff for the first time in 2026, slotting the Tigers at No. 5.
The case for Missouri starts with the pieces that could swing the whole season. Ahmad Hardy is at the center of it, though his return timetable is still uncertain.
If he comes back fully healthy, Carragher wrote that there’s a legitimate argument he’s the best running back in college football. Hardy’s 92.0 overall PFF grade from last season ranks second among all returning running backs.
Then there’s Austin Simmons, who arrives with something to prove at quarterback. His exit from Ole Miss had more to do with Trinidad Chambliss emerging during Simmons’ injury absence than with Simmons falling short. A fresh start could give him the chance to show the level of play that made him such an intriguing name in the first place.
Missouri’s path is complicated, and the source material doesn’t pretend otherwise. The Tigers are dealing with a new quarterback, a new offensive coordinator and a defense that will look different, all while facing a difficult SEC schedule. But that same schedule also creates chances for the kind of wins that can change the conversation fast.
The broader point is that the playoff door has already been cracked open for the SEC’s next tier. With Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Tennessee having already pushed through in recent seasons, the idea of Missouri taking that same step doesn’t feel as far-fetched as it once did. It would still be an uphill climb, but if the Tigers get the quarterback spot right and enough other things break their way, making the 12-team bracket is at least in the realm of possibility.
In Other News...
Drinkwitz Just Raised The Biggest Border War Question Yet
The Border War is back on the calendar, and Missouris win over Kansas last fall only sharpened the appetite for more. The two programs are already lined up to meet again this season, with additional games on the books in 2031 and 2032, giving the rivalry at least a little more runway after years of absence.
Eli Drinkwitz made clear he sees the matchup as bigger than a one-off nonconference date, stressing how much it means to both fan bases and how much he wants the series to keep going. The catch, as he noted, is that future meetings depend on both schools agreeing, which leaves the long-term shape of one of college footballs oldest rivalries still hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Suddenly Has A Huge Question Hanging Over Its Defensive Line
Sterling Webbs name has become a lot more important around Columbia than it was a few weeks ago. After four collegiate seasons, including two at New Mexico State, the former Mizzou defensive tackle is now at the center of a roster issue that could shape how the Tigers look up front in 2026, especially after he was such a steady part of the defense last season.
Webbs production gave Missouri real value on the interior, and the timing matters because the Tigers are already trying to piece together life without both him and Chris McClellan at defensive tackle. Fans are looking ahead to next season with plenty of optimism, but this is one of those situations that can change the conversation fast, depending on how the eligibility picture settles and what it means for the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]