Welcome to Four Down Territory where I’ll give you three thoughts on Missouri football or college football in general. Then, the last thought will be whatever I want it to be.
1. How Mizzou has fared versus ranked opponents and at home recently.
On Saturday, Missouri beat then-No. 24 Boston College to get its third straight win versus a ranked opponent dating back to last season. The Tigers are also 4-2 in their last six games versus ranked opponents.
Something I've learned from these games is Mizzou has shown the ability to win in multiple ways.
Last season in Week 7, against No. 24 Kentucky, Mizzou was down 14-0 early and then went on a 38-7 run to win 38-21. Four weeks later versus No. 14 Tennessee, the Tigers ran through, around and over the Vols behind Cody Schrader's historic day. They'd win 36-7.
In the Cotton Bowl, Missouri's defense led it to a 14-3 win over No. 7 Ohio State, and then last weekend the offense and defense had a great surge after going down 14-3 versus Boston College, closing the game on a 24-7 run.
That's what I came away most impressed with. Mizzou goes down 14-3 and then scores on four straight drives while during that same stretch, the defense forced three punts and two interceptions.
If Mizzou is going to be a College Football Playoff contender it's going to have to be able to win games when it doesn't start fast like versus Boston College or against Kentucky. It must be able to dominate other good teams offensively like it did versus Tennessee, and also defeat teams like Ohio State with defense that would make a strait jacket jealous.
Also, it has to be able to protect its home field and it has. It has won its last six home games and nine of its last 10 at home.
Winning home games and winning ranked versus ranked games is what good teams do. It's what the legitimate title contenders do.
Luther Burden said he and the team felt disrespected by College GameDay not coming to this Columbia (the show went to Columbia, South Carolina in Week 3), but if the Tigers keep doing what they need to do they'll get the attention they want.
There are several things the Tigers can do to be better, but if they can continue to win in the face of adversity when they’re not playing their best ball they’ll get to where they want to be.
2. Spreading the love to the players who didn't grab the headlines.
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