Missouri Football: 2017 season preview, predictions
By Tim Kaiser
2017 Missouri schedule and predictions
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | LOCATION |
| 1 | Sept. 2 | vs. Missouri State | Columbia, MO |
| 2 | Sept. 9 | vs. South Carolina | Columbia, MO |
| 3 | Sept. 16 | vs. Purdue | Columbia, MO |
| 4 | Sept. 23 | vs. Auburn | Columbia, MO |
| 5 | BYE WEEK | ||
| 6 | Oct. 7 | at Kentucky | Lexington, KY |
| 7 | Oct. 14 | at Georgia | Athens, GA |
| 8 | Oct. 21 | vs. Idaho | Columbia, MO |
| 9 | Oct. 28 | at Connecticut | East Hartford, CT |
| 10 | Nov. 4 | vs. Florida | Columbia, MO |
| 11 | Nov. 11 | vs. Tennessee | Columbia, MO |
| 12 | Nov. 18 | at Vanderbilt | Nashville, TN |
| 13 | Nov. 25 | at Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR |
Final Thoughts
Missouri has the media polls and computers dueling each other. The SEC Media picked the Tigers to finish a distant last behind Vanderbilt in the SEC East. They only had two players named to the preseason All-SEC team. Wide receiver J’mon Moore was named to the second team. Defensive lineman Marcell Frazier was named to the third team.
Sportsbooks and ESPN’s computer models tell a different story. Bovada set Mizzou’s season win total at 6.5. ESPN’s FPI has the Tigers finishing 6.5-5.5. That means essentially both outfits are picking Mizzou to make a bowl game and win at least two games in conference.
The Media appears to be thinking Mizzou will be largely the same team we saw last year. The computers and oddsmakers see a team that will make a leap in Barry Odom’s second season. It would be almost impossible for the defense not to improve. The question is will it be enough?
Prediction: 5-7, 1-7 SEC
Missouri will be better this year. Unfortunately for their fans, that won’t be reflected in a drastic improvement in the Tigers’ record. Mizzou’s improvement coincides with catching the wrong SEC East teams at the wrong places.
The Tigers’ non-conference schedule is once again laughably easy. They replaced West Virginia with Missouri State on the schedule this year for a gimme win in the opener. That win and not losing an embarrassing game like the one to Middle Tennessee last season will be the difference.
Next: 5 most important SEC East games of 2017
In conference, Mizzou has to go on the road to play Vanderbilt and Arkansas this season. Those were their best wins last year, and the change of venue puts those in the probable loss column. The South Carolina game might be the only game in which they will be favored.
The Tigers will steal at least one SEC game. They wouldn’t be the most shocking bowl bound team, but it’s more probable than not they will miss out on postseason play for the third straight year.