The second set of College Football Playoff rankings didn’t exactly send Mizzou tumbling into the abyss.
After the loss to Texas, the Tigers are still alive in the committee’s eyes, landing at No. 22 in the second 2026 release. That’s a little surprising, but it keeps Mizzou in the Top 25 for now. The catch is obvious: they have to head to the new No. 1 this weekend, so that hold on the rankings could be short-lived.
The bigger picture from the committee’s latest reveal was just how high Alabama has climbed. A week after getting slotted at No. 5 as a 6-2 team, the Tide jumped all the way to No. 3 after beating LSU.
That doesn’t mean the ranking is wrong - Alabama looked strong at Death Valley - but it does make the committee’s lean pretty clear. The SEC’s strength is carrying real weight, and Mizzou is benefiting from that same broad respect even after slipping to 6-3.
There were other notable swings, too. Notre Dame moved into the top five after knocking off Miami, while Miami dropped six spots.
Indiana, meanwhile, seems to be getting a raw deal again, and Kentucky only fell three places after being blown out by Tennessee. Utah moved up to No. 2, which is a nice boost for national balance, and unbeaten UCLA cracked the top five.
Texas, as the source of plenty of committee debate, didn’t get a path into that group, and there didn’t seem to be a clean case for pushing the Longhorns ahead of either UCLA or Notre Dame.
For Mizzou, the practical takeaway is pretty simple: not much has changed. The Tigers are still in the same spot they were in last week - win out, and keep winning.
Beyond that, they need the rest of the sport to get weird. In a season this chaotic, a playoff path isn’t impossible, but it’s still a long shot.
The broadcast reportedly put Mizzou’s chances in the low single digits after the Texas loss.
FanDuel has the Tigers at +15000, which tells you plenty about how steep the climb is. Even if Mizzou strings together enough wins to stay in the conversation, cracking the Top 12 still looks like a tough ask.
In Other News...
Mizzou Got The Bounce-Back It Needed But A Bigger Worry Emerged
Missouri got the kind of response it needed after a rough stretch, rolling past Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 96-58 behind a breakout night from freshman Jason Crowe Jr. Crowe poured in a career-best 34 points and set a single-game freshman scoring record for the program, while Toni Bryant added 18 points and six rebounds as the Tigers shot 12-for-23 from three-point range and turned defense into offense by forcing 14 turnovers.
The bigger concern came much earlier than the final buzzer, when star forward Mark Mitchell left with a face injury and did not return. Missouri had plenty to like in the win, especially the way its young guards and wings helped carry the scoring load, but Mitchells status is the part that will matter most as the Tigers move into the next stretch of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri Suddenly Has A Mark Mitchell Concern Before Marquette
Missouris win over Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville was the kind of early-season result that can still tell you something about a teams depth, even in a lopsided game. Jason Crowe Jr. stole the spotlight with a team-high 34 points and a freshman scoring record, while coach Dennis Gates mixed in multiple defensive looks and got useful minutes from Toni Bryant and Trent Burns.
The bigger concern came when Mark Mitchell left early because of a facial injury, and his status now becomes part of the buildup to the next test against Marquette. Missouri has enough momentum from the blowout to feel good about where it is, but Mitchells availability matters because the Tigers are already heading into a matchup that will demand more than just scoring punch. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Crowe Answered Mizzou's Setback As A New Concern Emerged
Missouri got the bounce-back it needed at home, rolling past Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 96-58 after taking its first loss of the season. The response came with freshman Jason Crowe Jr. delivering a record-setting performance, pouring in 34 points for a Mizzou freshman while doing it with efficient shooting and giving the Tigers the kind of offensive lift they were looking for.
Mark Mitchells night, though, ended much earlier than Missouri would have liked. The fifth-year forward left with a facial injury and did not return, turning a comfortable win into a reminder that the Tigers may have a new concern to monitor as they move forward from the setback they just answered. [Read more 🡒]