At the halfway point of the college football season, Missouri sits at 3-4 with 5 games to go. A team that many thought could win 6 or 7 games is faced with the possibility of not even making a bowl game.

Now that the Tigers are in the meat of their schedule, what are their chances, if any, to getting to at least 6 wins and becoming bowl-eligible?

We are going to take a look at Missouri’s next 5 games and see if there is any hope of it getting to that magic number.

Vanderbilt, Oct. 30

The team the Tigers most likely get a win against is Vandy. Like Mizzou, the Commodores haven’t won a conference game this season, but they almost did in a 21-20 loss Saturday to South Carolina. The Commodores are still dealing with the effects of COVID-19, which could explain why they have fallen to the SEC basement again.

Although this should be a guaranteed win, with the way this season is going, anything can happen. Offensively, the Tigers are way better. Connor Bazelak and Tyler Badie are in the top 5 in the SEC in passing and rushing, respectively, while Dores quarterback Ken Seals is 12th in the SEC in passing and running back Rocko Griffin is 21st in rushing with 284 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Advantage: Mizzou

Georgia, Nov. 6

The following week, Mizzou goes to Athens to face the Bulldogs. Let’s be honest: Although Mizzou at times has played Georgia tough and come close to winning, this year is different.

The Dawgs’ defense is being considered by many to be one of the best of all time. Georgia is No. 1 in the country in total defense, allowing only 208 yards per game and 5 total touchdowns. It is that good. The Mizzou offense is going to have to be creative if it wants to have a chance.

The Georgia offense isn’t bad, either, and seems to be on a roll with backup quarterback Stetson Bennett at the helm and Zamir White carrying the load for the running backs. The Mizzou defense is going to have to create turnovers in this game, which the Dawgs aren’t known to do.

Rarely do they hurt themselves, and when they do, their defense is good enough to stop anyone.

Advantage: Georgia

South Carolina, Nov. 13

Until this past Saturday, the Gamecocks hadn’t won an SEC game. Then they defeated Vandy on a last-second touchdown.

And just like Vandy, the Gamecocks aren’t very good on offense. They are a tough bunch, however. Aside from Georgia and Tennessee, the Gamecocks have played fairly close games, and in fact they almost beat Kentucky, losing just 16-10.

South Carolina does have a tendency to turn the ball over, which is good news for the Mizzou defense. The offense needs to take advantage of those opportunities.

This won’t be an easy game for the Tigers, and if they let the Gamecocks stick around, they can be beaten.

Advantage: Mizzou

Florida, Nov. 20

What can we say about the Gators? You never know which team is going to show up. Is it the team that almost defeated Alabama in Gainesville back in September? Or will it be the team that gave up 49 points to an LSU squad that was missing several starters?

The Gators are a hard team to figure out. That’s scary for the Tigers, because either they will be blown out or this could turn into a shootout.

The good news for the Tigers is the game will be played at home, which may motivate them to play above their heads.

And depending on what’s on the line for the Gators, this game could go either way. If Anthony Richardson ends up as the starting quarterback for the rest of the year, watch out. He is a playmaker. He can use his arm or his feet to make trouble for any defense, something Mizzou doesn’t need.

Advantage: Florida

Arkansas, Nov. 26

In September, the Razorbacks were probably the hottest team in the SEC other than Georgia, and they were thought to be contenders in the SEC West. Weeks later, the Hogs are starting to look like the Hogs from last year.

Arkansas is a dangerous team that can beat anybody. Quarterback KJ Jefferson can run or pass. As with Mizzou, this game might determine whether the Razorbacks go to a bowl game, so this will be huge for them, too.

The Hogs defense the last few weeks has struggled, which could give Mizzou the advantage. The question is whether the Mizzou defense can be counted on to make a stop to save its season.

The Tigers’ season may come down to this game.

Advantage: Toss-up