One of the biggest wild cards in the SEC resides in Columbia, Mo., this season.

The Tigers are among the nation’s best in terms of returning production, they have a dynamic playmaker in Luther Burden III and they should field one of the nation’s most complete and experienced defensive units.

Mizzou also has question marks at quarterback and offensive line, a tendency to start slow under head coach Eliah Drinkwitz and a schedule that features 10 bowl-eligible teams from last season.

All that said, it is difficult to gauge just how these Tigers will fare in 2023. Therefore, some bolder predictions may be in order.

1. Burden becomes 1st Tiger since J’Mon Moore (’17) to record 1,000 receiving yards

All signs point toward Burden having the breakout season that makes him a household name in college football. Dominic Lovett, the leading receiver for Mizzou in 2022, departed to join Georgia in the offseason, leaving the WR1 role open for the taking.

On top of that, with new offensive coordinator Kirby Moore bringing his explosive scheme from Fresno State, the Tigers figure to field a more proficient passing attack that can create opportunities for Burden to utilize his freakish athleticism to the fullest. The staff will slide the former 5-star recruit into the slot, which should provide better matchups and more space to operate for the sophomore.

2. Darius Robinson records 7-plus sacks at defensive end

“D-Line Zou” took a couple of hits this offseason. Star end Isaiah McGuire was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round, and DJ Coleman was picked up by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Those losses were expected, but the transfer of potential starter Arden Walker Jr. to Colorado was not.

Thus, Robinson will slide over from defensive tackle to end, a spot he has played sparingly. The vocal leader and mauler in the middle has shown flashes of great burst and pass rush technique in the past, and with a full offseason of work from the edge, he should fill the void while also putting some solid NFL tape together.

3. Mizzou enters the LSU game undefeated and ranked

Slow starts have plagued Drinkwitz’s tenure in Columbia. The Tigers began the 2020 season 0-2, began the 2021 season 2-3 and followed that with a 2-4 start to the 2022 campaign.

Mizzou has done well to regroup on each of those occasions, but to take the next step as a program, the Tigers have to be better coming out of the gate. Opening games against South Dakota and MTSU are must-wins, setting up a key home date with a Kansas State team that embarrassed Mizzou last season. That game is very winnable, as is a date with Memphis in St. Louis and a road trip to take on Vanderbilt.

Going 5-0 will be no small feat, but the opportunity is there.

Which segues into my next point …

4. Tigers upset either LSU or Tennessee at home

Under Drinkwitz, Mizzou has recorded 2 ranked wins. The Tigers took down defending national champions and then-No. 17 LSU in 2020, and they went into the other Columbia and took down No. 25 South Carolina just last season.

They have a great shot to make it 3 this season, and they can do so in dramatic fashion. LSU will visit Faurot Field for a clash on Oct. 7, and Tennessee comes to town on Nov. 11. The country watched as the Missouri defense nearly stumped Georgia for 4 quarters last season. This time around, Drinkwitz and Co. will close the deal.

5. Brady Cook starts every game of the season

Few quarterbacks in college football experienced a roller-coaster ride like Cook did last season. The St. Louis product tore his right labrum in Week 2 against Kansas State but proceeded to play through it the rest of the way. Cook struggled in losses to Florida, Auburn and Kentucky, causing the fan base to call for his starting spot. However, he appeared to improve as the season went on, highlighted by a 393-yard, 2-TD performance against in a win over Arkansas.

With a full offseason to rehab and digest what he learned in Year 1 as a starter in the SEC, Cook should only improve. With his dual-threat ability and experience within the program, no other quarterback on the roster will give the Tigers a better chance to win week in and week out.

6. Mizzou fields 2 All-SEC offensive linemen

This will be a welcome sight for Tigers fans. After suffering through 2 years of leaky offensive line play, Missouri should see improvement in 2023, in large part thanks to its 2 cornerstones.

Javon Foster is the elder statesman of the group, as the graduate student enters his 6th year within the program. He has made 26 straight starts at left tackle while consistently receiving high praise from Pro Football Focus.

Foster took true freshman Armand Membou under his wing last season, and it paid dividends. Membou, a Kansas City native, was one of the top freshman linemen in the country and started the final 5 games for Mizzou. He will slide to right guard primarily this season.

7. Freshman Brett Norfleet emerges as TE1 by October

No tight end has recorded more than 145 yards in a season since Drinkwitz landed in Columbia. That is in part due to his offensive style, but also due to a lack of production from the position. The 2023 tight end room returns plenty of familiar faces, but none of them has made a major impact in game action as of yet.

Enter Norfleet, the 6-foot-7 freshman who was rated as a 4-star recruit according to 247 Sports’ Composite. With Norfleet’s ability to win in jump-ball scenarios, it is hard to imagine a world where he does not at least get a couple of significant snaps early on. That may be all it takes for him to take over the starting role.

8. 4 rushers go for more than 400 yards on the year

An offensive line that struggled throughout the season hindered the Tigers’ rushing attack, but it is also true that there is not 1 bell cow in the backfield.

Former D-II product Cody Schrader is a bruiser with great vision, while former Stanford transfer Nathaniel Peat brings great speed to the table. Redshirt freshman Tavorus Jones may be the most talented of the trio, but he has little experience.

But throw in Cook, who ran for 585 yards and 6 TDs last season, and you have 4 quality rushing threats. Schrader, Cook and Peat all went for more than 400 yards last season, and that was with them playing in their 1st season as starters at Mizzou.

Improvement is expected up front, and Jones figures to see an expanded role this season, creating a true by-committee approach.

9. Mekhi Miller steps up as WR2

Alongside Burden, many expect Oklahoma transfer Theo Wease Jr. or former Ohio State transfer Mookie Cooper to step in as the No. 2 option. After all, Wease is an experienced player with great downfield ability, and Cooper is among the most explosive players in the country.

But a player that Drinkwitz recruited out of high school, not the transfer portal, may step up instead. Miller came into his own as the ’22 season progressed, and his clutch 3rd-and-4 catch with 2 minutes remaining in the Arkansas game sealed a rivalry win for the Tigers. He seems poised to take a major step forward in ’23.

10. Missouri will finish 8-4 in 2023

A 5-0 start to the season will have the fanbase buzzing like it’s 2013-14 again, and the ensuing victory over LSU will do nothing to dampen the hype.

However, the Tigers will come back to Earth with another heartbreaking loss to Kentucky, and after taking care of South Carolina for the 5th straight year, they will be more than humbled by Georgia in Athens. Tennessee will edge Mizzou in Columbia, but the Tigers will rebound to take down Florida before barely falling to Arkansas in the Battle Line Rivalry.