Popular opinion tends to think 2015 will be the year Mizzou finally makes its way off the Eastern Division throne after a two-year reign at the top.

The fanbase remains confident judging by the immense social interaction this offseason and Gary Pinkel doesn’t need to reveal what he thinks about meaningless preseason projections. With all that being said, what are the Tigers’ realistic chances at an SEC Championship and perhaps more this fall?

The favorable schedule is the go-to primary narrative and it has substantial impact. Mizzou will likely play two nationally-ranked teams at home and two on the road this season, far less than any of the other perceived contenders in the SEC. The Tigers won’t have to play Alabama or Auburn from the West and get the luxury of hosting Mississippi State on a Thursday night coming off a bye week — the ideal ingredients for a well-prepared victory.

Personnel losses aside, the Tigers have a less maniacal journey to Atlanta than others if they take care of business at home and — at worse — split challenging road contests in Athens and Fayetteville.

Furthermore, here’s a breakdown of Mizzou’s path to the College Football Playoff …

Defining factors

  • Who steps up at receiver following the exit of Mizzou’s top four options?
  • Can the front seven remain productive without Markus Golden and Shane Ray?
  • Will the Tigers push their November record to 11-0 over the last three seasons?
  • Is Maty Mauk going to perform at a high level?

Magic numbers

  • 57: Number of total takeaways during Mizzou’s two-year run (tops in the SEC)
  • 6: Russell Hansbrough’s 100-yard games; Tigers are 5-1 when he hits triple digits

Key stretch

Conventional wisdom tells us the Tigers could win a third straight divisional title by winning out in November, but the final month won’t hold nearly as much meaning this fall if Mizzou slips up during SEC play prior to a showdown at Georgia on Oct. 17. The Tigers first play Kentucky, South Carolina and Florida — all teams they’ll be favored against. The potential ‘East Championship Game’ in Athens will lose some of its luster if Mizzou enters Sanford Stadium with a conference loss. On the flipside, coming in at 6-0 ranked inside the Top 10 means Herbie and the Gang could make the trip.

Final say

I tend to side with the nine-win crowd this season when it comes to projecting Mizzou’s shot at a championship, but stranger things have happened. The roster has obvious questions and Mauk’s play at quarterback will be under a heavy microscope, but the Tigers do return several playmakers on defense and have an offensive line that ranks at the top of the division alongside Georgia’s unit. All bets are off if the Tigers go into Athens and win (like they’ve done before) in October with five winnable games remaining. A rematch with Alabama in Atlanta would be fitting for a team that has come up a few plays short each of the past two seasons.