To say the Missouri Tigers got off to a rough start this season would be a massive understatement. After struggling to beat FCS foe Missouri State in Week 1, the Tigers went on a five-game losing streak, getting blown out by every team except Kentucky.

However, what’ has happened since is nothing short of extraordinary, as coach Barry Odom’s squad has rattled off five straight victories and is now bowl eligible. Mizzou can finish the regular season 7-5 if it goes into Fayetteville and beats a struggling Arkansas squad on Friday afternoon.

So, what changed from the start of the season until now? A lot of things, really. After gaining momentum in losses to Kentucky and Georgia, the Tigers have looked like a new team and have done some really great things on the field.

Here are the five biggest reasons Mizzou has kept 2017 from turning into one of the worst years in program history:

Drew Lock is playing like a first-round pick

This is a bit of a double-edged sword, as the better Lock plays, the more the Tigers win, but Lock’s NFL Draft stock is also on the rise.

The junior should absolutely return to Columbia for his senior season, but if the money is there, it’s hard to fault a kid for making a decision for his future. He leads the nation in passing touchdowns, and he’ll certainly draw some looks from scouts this weekend and in the Tigers’ bowl game.

The defense has become serviceable

Nobody is going to mistake the Tigers for an elite defensive team, but since firing former defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross, Mizzou’s defense has stepped up its play.

In fact, the Tigers have held their past four opponents to 17 or fewer points — a huge boost when the offense is scoring 45 or more points (which it has in every game during the five-game streak).

Ish Witter has become a star

Many Mizzou fans thought the Tigers’ rushing attack would take a big hit when star running back Damarea Crockett went down with an injury a few weeks ago. However, senior Ish Witter and true freshman Larry Rountree III have looked incredible in Crockett’s place.

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Witter has been particularly good the past few weeks, running for more than 200 yards against Tennessee on Nov. 11 and adding 102 more against Vanderbilt on Saturday night. With Witter leading the way, Crockett doesn’t have to rush back and risk another injury.

They’re holding onto the ball

During the five-game winning streak, the Tigers have only committed four turnovers, most of which came on inexplicable throws by Lock. He still makes some head-scratching errors, but he also makes some jaw-dropping throws for touchdowns.

He’s a true gunslinger, so the Tigers have to take the good with the bad, but over the past five games he has tilted more toward the good and the Tigers are taking advantage. Mizzou has been winning the turnover battle these days.

They’re catching teams at the right time

Mizzou's average margin of victory during its five-game winning streak is 52-17.

It would be foolish to compare Florida, Tennessee and Vanderbilt to some of the best teams in the SEC, but the Tigers are certainly taking advantage of their favorable schedule.

Mizzou caught Florida in its first game after the Gators parted ways with coach Jim McElwain, caught Tennessee in what ended up being coach Butch Jones’ last game and met a struggling Vanderbilt team which, like the Vols, has yet to win an SEC game this year (that sets up an interesting matchup between the Commodores and the Vols this weekend in a game they can’t both lose).

Again, the schedule will favor the Tigers on Friday, as they face the Razorbacks in what might be Arkansas coach Bret Bielema’s last game before he too gets fired. It has been an easier road, which also has included victories over Idaho and Connecticut, but the Tigers also deserve credit for taking care of business against those struggling teams.