The Missouri Tigers have surprised many through 8 games. The Tigers are sitting at 7-1, with 3 conference wins, and in prime position to challenge the Georgia Bulldogs for the SEC East.

The Tigers defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks convincingly on Saturday, winning 34-12. Brady Cook once again played an almost perfect game and Cody Schrader racked up 159 yards on the ground and 2 TDs. The Tigers’ defense sacked Spencer Rattler 6 times and caused him to fumble twice. It was a solid all-around performance from the Tigers.

Now, the team gets to enjoy a bye week before heading down to Athens for a matchup with the Bulldogs that could have College Football Playoff implications. Now, let’s try to predict the rest of the season for the Tigers and see how far this team can go.

Week 10: at Georgia

Skinny: Georgia has dominated Mizzou in football. The Tigers have beaten the Bulldogs just once ever, all the way back in 2013. The Bulldogs have won 9 in a row in the series, with 5 of the last 6 coming in dominating fashion.

Last season, the Tigers came close to pulling off the upset, falling to the Bulldogs 26-22. Once again, the Tigers will need a legendary performance if they wish to upset the Bulldogs and keep their SEC Championship hopes alive. ESPN’s FPI gives the Tigers just an 18.5% chance to pull off the upset, and the line will likely be around 2 touchdowns in Georgia’s favor.

If there’s one advantage the Tigers may have, it’s the fact that the Bulldogs will be without their best player in tight end Brock Bowers. Mizzou can stop the run, so the team will have to force Carson Beck to throw the ball. Can anyone step up in Bowers’ place? We know the Tigers can put points on the board, but can they do it against one of the best defenses in the nation? Overall, I believe the Georgia defense will be too much to handle and Beck will make enough plays.

Prediction: Georgia 35, Missouri 24

Week 11: vs. Tennessee

Skinny: The Tigers have lost 4 straight games to the Volunteers. Overall, the Vols lead the Tigers 6-5 in the all-time series.

Much of this matchup will depend on what happens in Tennessee’s next game. The Vols are coming off of a heartbreaking loss to Alabama and will have to rebound quickly against the Kentucky Wildcats. With the Vols losing to the Tide, their playoff hopes are all but over. Will the team lay down, or will they go into Lexington and pull off the win?

I think the Vols still have much to play for. A  New Year’s 6 bowl is still in the cards. Tennessee has one of the most prolific rushing attacks in the nation, but Mizzou has the No. 28-ranked rushing defense. If the Tigers can stop Tennessee on the ground, they have a great chance to come away with the victory.

Tennessee’s passing defense has been stellar, and the unit is allowing opponents to score just 19 points per game. The Vols will want to keep this a low-scoring game and limit Mizzou’s passing attack. The Tigers will want to hit deep shots and get a lead early. However, the Vols have had the Tigers’ number in recent years and that can’t be ignored. I think the Tigers lose another heartbreaker here.

Prediction: Tennessee 21, Missouri 17

Week 12: vs. Florida

Skinny: The Florida Gators are sitting at 5-2 with losses to Utah and Kentucky. However, before the team heads to Columbia, they will have to face Georgia, Arkansas, and LSU. The Gators could easily enter the Mizzou game sitting at 6-4 and with not much to play for. In our projection, we have the Tigers sitting at 7-3 and potentially still in play for a New Year’s 6 bowl.

The Tigers and Gators are tied with 6 wins each in the series. The Gators won by a TD in 2022, but the Tigers won by a point in 2021. These teams typically play a tight game, and I wouldn’t expect anything less this season.

Florida has the No. 46 total offense through 7 games, but I don’t think they have the horses to keep up with the Tigers. Additionally, this game is in Columbia, and the Gators are a different team away from the Swamp. I think the Tigers break the losing streak here and get another big conference win.

Prediction: Missouri 37, Florida 17 

Week 13: at Arkansas

Skinny: The Arkansas Razorbacks are in crisis mode. The team fired their offensive coordinator Dan Enos after suffering their 6th-straight loss on Saturday. The team would have to win out to go to a bowl, and that likely will not be happening. This means the Razorbacks could be in full-on quit mode by the time this game approaches.

With the Tigers sitting at 8-3 in this projection, the team would be staring at its first 9+ win season since 2014.

The Razorbacks struggle to move the ball, and they struggle to contain the deep ball as well. This is the perfect formula for the Tigers to end up winning in convincing fashion. I expect the Tigers to throw all over this team and put on a clinic before heading into bowl season.

Prediction: Missouri 47, Arkansas 13

Missouri final record prediction: 9-3