Missouri Schedule Preview - Z. Lynn's Predictions

I won't bother saying whether or not Post Route will continue this Fall, but with College Football thick in the air, I couldn't help but type this up.  As for my prediction credibility, well, let my unprecedented 4 pool victories last year speak for themselves!  We can argue about these picks all we want, but let's be sure to come back to them at the end of the season.

Here they are! 

Mizzou vs. Southeastern Louisiana

Winner: Mizzou

Margin of Victory: 21 points

A standard warm-up game.  If Missouri loses this one for some reason, the rest of the season is really irrelevant, since they should get kicked out of the SEC and demoted to the FCS immediately.

Mizzou vs. Georgia

Winner: Georgia

Margin of Victory: 13 points

Yes, Georgia running back Crowell is off the team.  Yes, the Bulldogs have some key players suspended.  But this is still the team that won the SEC East, and then played an entire half of perfect defense against LSU, the runner-up in the National Championship.  Georgia QB Murray, already one of the best in the SEC, will continue to improve.  Look for the Georgia D to dominate in Mizzou's SEC opener, as the famous "Missouri Spread" is put to the test.

Mizzou vs. Arizona State

Winner: Mizzou

Margin of Victory: 7 points

After a heartbreaking overtime loss at ASU last year, the Tigers look to return strong against a team who lost their QB to the NFL.  Look for the Sun Devils to put up a good fight as both teams are still working out the kinks, but Mizzou gets revenge at home. 

Mizzou at South Carolina

Winner: South Carolina

Margin of Victory: 17 points

This will be one of Mizzou's toughest games this year.  In their first ever SEC road game, the Tigers will be overwhelmed by the atmosphere and talent of the Gamecocks.  If Mizzou doesn't put up a good fight, this one won't even be close.

Mizzou at UCF

Winner: Mizzou

Margin of Victory: 14 points

Mizzou looks to get its third win at Conference-USA opponent Central Florida.  UCF has had some success in C-USA in recent years, but won't be able to get the job done against former Big-12 Tigers.

Mizzou vs. Vanderbilt

Winner: Mizzou

Margin of Victory: 8 points

I like how Vanderbilt has improved in the past couple of years, but I was disappointed in their bowl loss to Cincinnati last year.  I'm not one to believe they're as bad as people make them sound, but unfortunately for the Commodores, a game in Columbia is not going to help them overcome that stereotype.  The Tigers control a low scoring game, one not so close as the 8 point margin of victory might indicate.

Mizzou vs. Alabama

Winner: Alabama

Margin of Victory: 24 points

Did I say the SC game would be tough?  So will the Crimson Tide and their 19,000 traveling fans.  Look for the defending national champ to do to Missouri what they do to just about every other team they play: dominate.  Mizzou will be lucky to score 10 points as the Crimson TIde make themselves right at home in Columbia.

Mizzou vs. Kentucky

Winner: Mizzou

Margin of Victory: 13 points

The Wildcats have been slacking lately, and in my mind the home-field advantage all but guarantees the Tigers get a fairly painless win.

Mizzou at Florida

Winner: Florida*

Margin of Victory: <3 points

This game is possibly the hardest to predict at this point.  I'm not entirely sure how good Mizzou or Florida will be, but since the game is in the Swamp, I have to give the edge to the Gators.  Missouri will win only if they are better than expected AND the Gators are worse than expected.  I'm not expecting much from Florida this year, but it will take another 6-6 year or worse for the Tigers to overcome them in the Swamp.

Mizzou at Tennessee

Winner: Tennessee*

Margin of Victory: <3 points

This game will be another close one.  Tennessee will be a very tough place to play, and returning quarterback Bray is very talented.  In my mind this game depends entirely on Mizzou being able to show us something special at the start of the season.  If they surprise and turn out to play better than expected, it could be Missouri on top by a slim margin.

Mizzou vs. Syracuse

Winner: Mizzou

Margin of Victory: 13 points

Syracuse is a mediocre team in the mediocre-at-best conference, the Big East.  A late season non-conference tune up game results in another Missouri victory.

Mizzou at Texas A&M

Winner: Mizzou

Margin of Victory: 4 points

Both teams will have been through a first year in the SEC that could be tougher than they'd anticipated.  There has been a lot of excitement surrounding the Aggies for the past two years, but I think Missouri gets it done.  Mizzou won in College Station last year with a worse team than they should have this year, against a better A&M team.  Through some terrible planning, this will be the third year in a row Mizzou plays at Texas A&M, but the Tigers get their third victory in a close one.

Final Record: 7-5 or 8-4

SEC Record: 3-5 or 4-4

*If Missouri ends up 8-4, it's because they win one of these games.  It will be extremely tough to win both.