Can Missouri Win the East, Again?

The past two years, the Missouri Tigers have dominated the SEC East. During that time they have won 23 games, lost only two conference games, and won the division twice. They have also won both of their January bowl games. In fact, it is hard to argue that any SEC program has matched their production in that two-year span. Yet Missouri is always forgotten, overlooked, and underrated. There are a couple possible reasons for that. Maybe they are so new to the conference that many don’t lump them in with traditional powers like Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. Or it could be because they aren’t a sexy team. Fans across the nation, and especially in the South, love to watch the Vols, or the Gators, or the Bulldogs, take on one of the western powers. But, because Missouri isn’t a traditional SEC power and doesn’t have much of a following in the South, the Tigers draw much lower ratings.

Because of the lack of love and hype for the Missouri Tigers, many analysts overlook Missouri. While they can’t help but notice players like Maty Mauk and Russell Hansbrough, they don’t necessarily know, or care, or report about the impact Barry Odom will have on that defense or about his track record at Memphis. And they completely miss the fact that while the Tigers may have one of the youngest receiving corps in college football, the tight end position is talented, mature, and dangerous. That is insulting to Missouri fans and college football fans that actually know the conference and the game.

All that said, Missouri is not going to contend for the SEC East this season. And it is not because they are not a traditional power, or because they aren’t sexy. Missouri is not going to win the East because they will not win at Arkansas or at Georgia, and if history tells us anything about the SEC East, it is hard to lose two or more conference games and still win the division. Since 2011, the East champion has always entered Atlanta with only one conference loss. This year, that could change, but if Missouri loses two road conference games, the Tigers will probably need to be perfect against South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi State, Tennessee, and away at Kentucky. That is a tall order.

Why will the Tigers lose those two games? Primarily because the defensive ends will weaken Missouri’s usually strong rush defense. The defensive tackle play will be strong this year, and the linebackers should be great, but if those defensive ends cannot prevent Georgia and Arkansas’ world-beater offensive linemen from getting to the second level, than it really won’t matter how great those linebackers are. In fact, Missouri could be this year’s Georgia. They, too, usually have big defensive tackles and talented linebackers, but they also have weak rush defense because of Georgia’s chronic inability to prevent opposing offensive lines from getting to the linebackers.

If I am proven wrong, Missouri could sneak in yet again. If I am right, though, and those defensive ends are too young and inexperienced to help in the run game, Missouri will fall just short of the SEC East Title. But it won’t be because they don’t deserve to be in the conversation.