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football Edit

2019 Pre-Camp Predictions

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It's that time of year. The time where you get all excited that it's football season and I start to realize I have to go back to work. The time where you base your opinions of media members upon how many games they pick your team to win.

I don't know why we do this every year. We make predictions on things four months in the future and it generates discussion and it gets clicks, but really if we're right, nobody notices and if we're wrong we're still hearing about it ten years later. So, with the disclaimer that I am not now, nor have I ever claimed to be, Miss Cleo or any relation to her, I offer up my "no way this is right, but I'll do it because I think I'm supposed to" prediction of the 2019 Missouri football season.

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Missouri at Wyoming, 8/31

Yeah, Missouri could lose this game. Craig Bohl is a good coach and Wyoming is a team that's put together some good seasons and it's not like opening against Missouri State (not that a team like Missouri State would ever be able to put up 43 points and move the ball at will against an SEC defense, therefore scaring the ever-loving hell out of an entire fanbase about the rest of the season). But Missouri can't lose this game. If it does, the season simply isn't going to be anywhere what you hope it is going to be. Barry Odom has pulled off some turnarounds the last couple years. But he ain't turning a loss to Wyoming into ten wins. Fortunately, he won't have to.

FINAL SCORE: Missouri 44, Wyoming 20

CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 9/10

RECORD: 1-0

RANKING: No. 22

West Virginia at Missouri, 9/7

The first game of Odom's career was at West Virginia and Missouri fought hard but was clearly outmanned. The return trip brings a Mountaineer team under new leadership with a lot of new pieces. Will Grier is gone as are a lot of the weapons. But the Mountaineers are a solid program with rising star Neal Brown taking over for Dana Holgerson. This is the first litmus test for the Tigers and their fans. Missouri has taken a lot of air out of the balloon in the first half of the season the last few years. They can't afford to do it here. A strong (dare I say sellout?) crowd should be expected for Kelly Bryant's home debut. There will probably be some nerves and therefore some struggles, but we think Missouri overcomes them.

FINAL SCORE: Missouri 27, West Virginia 23

CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 5.5/10

RECORD: 2-0

RANKING: No. 19

SEMO at Missouri, 9/14

If Missouri doesn't win this one, cancel the season.

FINAL SCORE: Missouri 52, SEMO 10

CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 19/10

RECORD: 3-0

RANKING: 19

South Carolina at Missouri, 9/21

The last two seasons, Missouri has looked very good early against the Gamecocks and looked to have things under control. Then Deebo Samuel runs back a kickoff or Damarea Crockett (maybe) steps out of bounds, Drew Lock follows it up with a pick six and the season goes to hell. Bryant gets a game against the school from his home state (just not the one he attended). Missouri has a chance to rise to top-15 status. And until the Tigers get it done against the Gamecocks, I just can't pick them to do it.

FINAL SCORE: South Carolina 30, Missouri 24

CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 3/10

RECORD: 3-1 (0-1)

RANKING: 25

Troy at Missouri, 10/5

This was supposed to be the day Missouri faced Neal Brown, but now they're facing whoever Troy hired to replace him (honestly I don't know and I don't want to look it up). The Trojans are a good team. One of the better mid-majors in the country. They can win games like this. They will not be intimidated. Missouri cannot lose this game. We'll call it the 2019 Larry Rountree III coming out party as he goes for 200.

FINAL SCORE: Missouri 34, Troy 19

CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 7.5/10

RECORD: 4-1 (0-1)

RANKING: 24

Ole Miss at Missouri, 10/12

One of the big reasons many are predicting a big season for the Tigers is the schedule. Last year, they traveled to Alabama. This year, they get Ole Miss at home. No offense to the Rebels, but every coach in the country is making that trade, Matt Luke included. Ole Miss will put up some points and make people wonder about the Missouri defense going into the second half of the season, but the Tigers will put up more.

FINAL SCORE: Missouri 45, Ole Miss 31

CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 8/10

RECORD: 5-1 (1-1)

RANKING: 22

Missouri at Vanderbilt, 10/19

Mizzou has had some of its best performances in Nashville over the years. Vandy is better than people will give it credit for, but will still struggle to find wins in the SEC. The headliners in this game are Rountree and KeShawn Vaughn as two of the league's top running backs go head to head. But the difference will be Johnathon Johnson and Albert Okwuegbunam, who combine for three touchdown catches. Vandy can't match the firepower.

FINAL SCORE: Missouri 37, Vanderbilt 24

CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 7/10

RECORD: 6-1 (2-1)

RANKING: 20

Missouri at Kentucky, 10/26

Here it is. This is the season's critical game. This is the difference between a decent season and a good season. We set the baseline at eight wins and if Missouri loses this game it won't top that number. Kentucky lost a ton from last season. Gone are Josh Allen and a lot of one of the country's best secondaries. Benny Snell is out too. Kentucky is universally being forecast for a step back. Is it big enough that Missouri finally wins this game for the first time since 2014? We say it is.

FINAL SCORE: Missouri 29, Kentucky 27

CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 4/10

RECORD: 7-1 (3-1)

RANKING: 16

Missouri at Georgia, 11/9

If the Kentucky game is the difference between decent and good, Georgia can be the difference between good and magical. We believe Barry Odom will be good this year. We do not believe he will be a magician.

FINAL SCORE: Georgia 42, Missouri 24

CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 9/10 (That I'm right, not that Mizzou wins)

RECORD: 7-2 (3-2)

RANKING: 18

Florida at Missouri, 11/16

Florida won ten games last year and most people didn't think it was a ten-win type team. The Gators may be a better team this year, but not win quite as many. This is the reverse of the Kentucky game. Even when they've been down, the Tigers have played the Gators tough for the most part. They will again. It just won't be enough.

FINAL SCORE: Florida 25, Missouri 20

CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 3/10

RECORD: 7-3 (3-3)

RANKING: 23

Tennessee at Missouri, 11/23

There will be some doubt about the Tigers. Yes, they lost to two ranked teams, but they've still lost two straight. The Vols are better under Jeremy Pruitt in year two. Is this the year Tennessee breaks through? Nah.

FINAL SCORE: Missouri 40, Tennessee 27

CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 6/10

RECORD: 8-3 (4-3)

RANKING: 20

Missouri at Arkansas, 11/29

The Razorbacks will be better. They will not be better enough.

FINAL SCORE: Missouri 35, Arkansas 20

CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 8/10

RECORD: 9-3 (5-3)

RANKING: 17

The Post-Season

We're putting Georgia and Alabama in the playoff. We're putting LSU and Florida in New Year's Six bowl games. That leaves Missouri (for the sake of this we're going to say that the Tigers are allowed to play in a bowl game) as the next best selection for the league outside of the New Year's Six games. So the Tigers go off to the Citrus Bowl. In Orlando, they'll renew an old rivalry. It's homecoming for Scott Frost and a matchup with an improved Nebraska team. We won't predict a score for this one just yet (let me maintain some of my sanity). If Missouri wins, it's a ten-win season and a top 15 finish. If it loses, it's 9-4 and on the bubble for the top 25.

The Awards

Offensive Player of the Year: Larry Rountree III

Defensive Player of the Year: Cale Garrett

Newcomer of the Year: Kelly Bryant

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