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Missouri opens its season at West Virginia in just ten days. With fall camp closing tomorrow, PowerMizzou.com takes a look at the schedule and offers up a game-by-game prediction.
Before we get into the predictions, let's break the schedule down. We're going to go most difficult to least difficult game:
AT LSU OCTOBER 1
AT TENNESSEE NOVEMBER 19
AT FLORIDA OCTOBER 15
VS GEORGIA SEPTEMBER 17
AT WEST VIRGINIA SEPTEMBER 3
VS ARKANSAS NOVEMBER 25
VS VANDERBILT NOVEMBER 12
AT SOUTH CAROLINA NOVEMBER 5
VS KENTUCKY OCTOBER 29
VS MIDDLE TENNESSEE OCTOBER 22
VS EASTERN MICHIGAN SEPTEMBER 10
VS DELAWARE STATE SEPTEMBER 24
Four of Mizzou's five toughest games are road games (and we debated moving West Virginia ahead of Georgia due to the home/road split (but also could have put UGA in front of Florida). The top two toughest games aren't really debatable. The next three could fall in pretty much any order. There shouldn't be much argument with the placement of the Arkansas and Vandy games. The next three (South Carolina, Kentucky, Middle Tennessee) are relatively interchangeable, but again, we put the road game as the toughest. The last two are games that Missouri can pretty much mail in the season if it loses.
READ: LATEST NOTES FROM PRACTICE
So, now, let's break this thing down game by game. For this purpose, we'll go in the order the games are played.
AT WEST VIRGINIA, SEPTEMBER 3RD
Any opener is tough for a new coach and an offense that struggled like Missouri's did. West Virginia has had some problems of its own with injuries and such throughout fall camp, but this is a Big 12 program in their house starting a brand new era. The last time that happened, Brad Smith torched Illinois in a national coming out party. Maybe Barry Odom has a Brad Smith-like secret weapon at his disposal. We don't think so. PREDICTION: WEST VIRGINIA 27, MISSOURI 17
VS EASTERN MICHIGAN, SEPTEMBER 10TH
This one doesn't need a whole lot of analysis. If Missouri loses this one, throw in the towel. If it's close, inch toward the panic button. PREDICTION: MISSOURI 34, EASTERN MICHIGAN 12
VS GEORGIA, SEPTEMBER 17TH
Oh, the beauty of SEC scheduling where you get one of the best games of the year in mid-September. Both the Tigers and Bulldogs bring in new coaching staffs with offenses that struggled a year ago. Georgia won a snoozer in Athens last year that didn't feature an offensive touchdown, despite Mizzou starting its first possession inside the UGA 2-yard line. This one figures to be a bit more offensive because how could it not? Both teams have questions. Missouri has more. The Tigers don't win, but do provide reasons for optimism. PREDICTION: GEORGIA 22, MISSOURI 20
VS DELAWARE STATE, SEPTEMBER 24TH
Score early, score often, put in the backups. Anything else is a bit concerning. PREDICTION: MISSOURI 41, DELAWARE STATE 14
AT LSU, OCTOBER 1ST
You want a reason to hope? Missouri has a really good defense and a really good defensive line. If you can slow down Leonard Fournette, you have a chance. You want a reason to be scared? The game's in Baton Rouge. And Fournette is really good. PREDICTION: LSU 23, MISSOURI 13
AT FLORIDA, OCTOBER 15th
Missouri gets a bye week before heading back on the road for the Swamp. The Gators surprised everyone by winning the East last year in Jim McElwain's first season, but most have them taking a step back in 2016. Florida doesn't have an offense that's going to blow a lot of people out. The last time the Tigers played in Gainesville they gained 123 yards and won 42-13. The time before that, they moved up and down the field, but turned it over four times and lost 14-7. This is a real swing game in Mizzou's season. We've got them 2-3 coming in. With a loss, it's all about simply finding a way to get six wins. But win this one and you start to think about real improvement in Odom's first season. What's a prediction without an upset pick? PREDICTION: MISSOURI 16, FLORIDA 13
VS MIDDLE TENNESSEE, OCTOBER 22ND
Definition of a trap game. The Blue Raiders have a potent offense and Missouri is (in our prediction) coming off a potentially season-changing win. The hangover for Homecoming is in full effect (for the fans and the team). Don't be surprised to see the Blue Raiders keep this one very close (remember last time they came to CoMo and pushed Gary Pinkel's team to the brink?). We see Mizzou starting sluggishly and battling till the end, stressing fans out for three long hours. PREDICTION: MISSOURI 34, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 27
VS KENTUCKY, OCTOBER 29TH
The Tigers are back to .500 and will be favored with the Wildcats coming to town. Last season really unravelled in Lexington when Mizzou lost to UK and then went the rest of the way without its starting quarterback. Drew Lock and Mizzou's offense exact some revenge in this one. PREDICTION: MISSOURI 30, KENTUCKY 14
AT SOUTH CAROLINA, NOVEMBER 5TH
If Missouri's going to be favored to win a road game, this is the one. The Gamecocks weren't good last year and aren't expected to be good this year. We don't yet know what to expect out of Barry Odom as a head coach. We know exactly what to expect out of Will Muschamp. Advantage Tigers. PREDICTION: MISSOURI 23, SOUTH CAROLINA 17
VS VANDERBILT, NOVEMBER 12TH
We have reached pivotal game number two. Most Mizzou fans are underselling Vandy, which is a better team than many think. The Tigers have won three straight and will be a slight favorite in this one at home. But put them on high alert for a potential upset. We see Mizzou doing just enough to survive here. PREDICTION: MISSOURI 28, VANDERBILT 27.
AT TENNESSEE, NOVEMBER 19th
The Tigers have clinched bowl eligibility and a winning season. Now the final two games are the difference between a decent season and a really good one. The Vols have the reputation of a choker under Butch Jones, but they're chasing an East title that pretty much everyone has picked them to win. Missouri doesn't have enough to keep them out of Atlanta. PREDICTION: TENNESSEE 24, MISSOURI 14.
VS ARKANSAS, NOVEMBER 25TH
Arkansas, playing in the brutal SEC West, comes in 5-and-6 and needing a win to secure a bowl bid. Missouri's already wrapped that up, but is playing to regain the prestigious Battle Line Rivalry Trophy (insert blue font here). Motivation carries the Hogs in Columbia. PREDICTION: ARKANSAS 20, MISSOURI 17.
So there you have it. Every game predictied. We've got the Tigers going 7-and-5. Which means they probably won't. But what good are predictions if not to be proven wrong? Buckle up, the season starts in ten days.