The first College Football Playoff poll of the 2023 season was released on Tuesday and Missouri (7-1, 3-1) debuts in the poll at No. 12
This is the Tigers' first appearance in the CFP poll since Week 14 of the 2020 season when they were ranked No. 25.
This also marks the team's highest ranking since they finished No. 16 in 2014.
Missouri has two games versus teams currently ranked in the CFP.
How'd we get here?
Missouri's 7-1 finish is the fourth-best start the team has had in school history and is its best start since 2013.
The Tigers already have two top-25 wins over then-No. 15 Kansas State (now. No. 23) in Week 3 and then-No. 24 Kentucky in Week 7. It's lone loss was to then-No. 23 LSU (now No. 14) in Week 6.
The offense under new offensive coordinator Kirby Moore has been revitalized.
Mizzou is ranked 30th in the FBS in total offense at 443 total yards per game, 17th in passing offense at 295 yards per game, 27th in scoring offense at 33.9 points per game and first in red zone offense, converting 34-of-35 attempts with 24 touchdowns.
A season ago, the Tigers ranked 83rd in total offense at 369.8 total yards per game, 87th in scoring offense at 24.8 points per game, 91st in passing offense at 214.1 yards per game and 82nd in red zone offense, scoring on just 81% of their opportunities.
Quarterback Brady Cook has emerged as one of the Southeastern Conference's premier quarterbacks.
All of last season, Cook completed 66% of his passes for 2,739 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also had 545 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
Through eight games, he's completed 169-of-242 passes (69.8%) for 2,259 yards, 15 touchdowns and three interceptions. He's also added 134 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Cook's primary target, wide receiver Luther Burden III, is among the nation's elite with 61 receptions for 905 yards and six touchdowns while Cody Schrader has emerged as one of the nation's best running backs.
A year ago, he had 745 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 170 carries a season ago. Now, he is 15th in the nation in rushing yards with 807 to go along with nine touchdowns on 170 carries.
The Tigers' defense is also no slouch.
The defense is 26th in stopping the run allowing 112.2 rushing yards per game, 62nd in passing defense allowing 226 yards per game, 37th in total defense allowing 338.2 total yards per game and 52nd in scoring defense allowing 23.25 points per game.
Star cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine is leading this unit as one of the nation's best defenders. He's recorded 35 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 10 pass deflections (fourth in the FBS) and four interceptions (T-sixth).
Mizzou will go on the road to face No. 2 Georgia (8-0, 5-0) in Week 10, and it will host No. 17 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2) in Week 11.
The Tigers finish the season with games versus conference foes Florida and Arkansas in their final two games.
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