Missouri’s trip to Fayetteville paid off in a big way, and the polls noticed.
After rolling past Arkansas 34-10 in the latest Battle Line Rivalry matchup, the Tigers climbed to No. 19 in both major rankings. The win moved Missouri to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in Southeastern Conference play, and it came with a balanced offensive performance that kept Arkansas from ever finding a foothold.
Jamal Roberts was the headliner on the ground, piling up 138 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries while also adding a receiving score. Quarterback Austin Simmons handled the passing game efficiently, going 20 of 31 for 179 yards and two touchdowns. All-American running back Ahmad Hardy returned to action and finished with 5 yards on two carries.
The victory left Missouri sixth in the SEC standings, though the Tigers share the same overall and league record as LSU, Tennessee and Texas. In the AP Top 25, Missouri landed as the seventh-highest of nine SEC teams.
The Tigers are 1-1 against teams currently in that poll, with a 31-3 loss to now-No. 12 Ole Miss and a 45-17 win over now-No.
25 Florida. Three ranked opponents still remain on Missouri’s schedule.
The AP poll’s top 25 was led by Miami at No. 1, followed by Georgia and Utah. Missouri checked in at No. 19, just ahead of Boise State, Iowa, New Mexico, South Carolina and Arizona.
The coaches poll told a similar story. Missouri jumped from No. 23 to No. 19 in the USA Today LBM Coaches Poll, where the Tigers are the last of eight SEC teams ranked. South Carolina and Florida are the first two teams outside the poll.
Missouri’s stretch run will be loaded with ranked opponents. The Tigers are set to face No.
10 Texas at 11 a.m. Saturday, then finish the season with games against Texas, Georgia and Kentucky - all ranked in the coaches poll - before closing with Oklahoma.
In Other News...
Mizzous Backcourt Just Lost A Piece At The Worst Time
Missouris backcourt took an unexpected hit just as the season is about to begin, with transfer guard CJ Gunn ruled ineligible by the Southeastern Conference after earning money from a signed professional contract in May. Head coach Dennis Gates confirmed the situation, and the Tigers now have to finalize their roster without Gunn ahead of the opener, a setback for a team that had been counting on added depth in the perimeter rotation.
The timing makes the loss sting even more because Missouri was already building around a guard-heavy group, and now it will move forward with eight guards instead. Among them is freshman Jason Crowe Jr., who was named to the Naismith Trophy Mens College Player of the Year Watch List, giving the Tigers at least one notable young piece to lean on as they sort out the backcourt picture. [Read more 🡒]
Missouris Arkansas Win Made One Position Battle Harder To Ignore
Missouris Week 9 win over Arkansas offered a little something from just about every position group, and that is part of what made the game so encouraging. Connor Bazelak kept the offense moving without needing a huge statistical day, Jamal Roberts pushed past 1,000 rushing yards for the season and scored twice, and the offensive line gave the Tigers the kind of protection that lets a game plan breathe.
On the other side of the ball, Missouris front was every bit as disruptive, controlling the run and getting after Arkansas quarterback KJ Jackson repeatedly. The secondary, though, had a rougher afternoon giving up plenty through the air, which only sharpened the focus on a position battle that has become harder to ignore as the Tigers sort out where they are strongest and where they still need answers. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Opens With A Rotation Test Fans Didnt Expect
Missouris season opener arrives with a little more uncertainty than the Tigers probably wanted, as they get ready to face Cleveland State without Jaylen Carey and Luke Northweather. Carey is suspended indefinitely for violating team rules, while Northweather is sidelined with an injury, leaving Dennis Gates to sort through an early rotation puzzle before the first meaningful game even tips off.
Gates and senior captain Trent Pierce both pointed back to the lessons from preseason exhibition play, where the Tigers had a chance to see what needs cleaning up before the games start counting. Gates also singled out freshman Jason Crowe Jr. for his development, and the matchup adds a familiar edge for him too, with Cleveland State coached by one of his former assistants. [Read more 🡒]