The SEC East Leader? Missouri with a 2 game lead
By Peter Smith
The current leader in the SEC East is Missouri. Not only are the improbable Tigers leading the division, but they have a two game lead over South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. It is important to note that Missouri has only played three conference games where those three other teams have played five, but with back to back wins against Georgia and Florida, the Tigers now take aim at the Gamecocks at home this Saturday.
Steve Spurrier
tried to get his team to focus on the
Tennessee Vols
this past weekend and not to look ahead to the Tigers, but the Vols still upended the Gamecocks and now put South Carolina in a must win game against Missouri that may end up deciding that division. If South Carolina can beat Missouri and win out, they might have a shot to win the East, but the Tigers have a manageable schedule the rest of the way.
It is the SEC and none of the games will be easy, but considering their options, a slate of Tennessee at home followed by Kentucky and Ole Miss before they come home to host Texas A&M in their regular season finale is not nearly as bad as it could have been. Missouri does not have to play Alabama or LSU, so if they can get through this stretch with a win against South Carolina and just a 2-2 record against the remaining four teams, they will play the SEC West representative in the Georgia Dome. At this point, Alabama is the prohibitive favorite on that side and while Missouri would be a huge underdog, they have been the entire season. The number of pundits who had Missouri as the team to win the SEC East has to be miniscule.
If Missouri can finish this season 10-2, even if they were to get throttled in the SEC Championship, would be a hugely successful season for Gary Pinkel and the Tigers, who won against Florida with their backup quarterback Maty Mauk. After their first season in the SEC where Missouri went 5-7, they could follow that up with winning the SEC East and make a big statement in the SEC. Right now, Big Mo looks pretty good in Columbia.