Good, lucky or Mizzou? Missouri win its Tiger Bowl to stay in CFP picture

It wasn’t that long ago Missouri was embarrassed in College Station to the tune of 41-10 against Texas A&M. But it seems, well, at least one Tigers’ woes have dissipated. Auburn allowed 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter as Missouri completed the come-from-behind win during the early slate of Saturday’s games. 

And with the win, a spot in the College Football Playoff is still in play for Mizzou. Yep, you read that right: Another SEC team could land in the CFP. Thank you, conference realignment. But we’ll save that for another story. 

This one is about painting the picture that Missouri can finally put that embarrassing loss behind them and prepare for a spot in the 12-team playoff. Because after passing Auburn’s test on Saturday, the path is pretty clear for them landing in the playoff. 

They just have to win the games they’re supposed to.

Missouri still has a chance to reach the College Football Playoff

Missouri has five games left in the season, not including the SEC title game, and every last one of them are winnable, including a tilt against Alabama next week. Through one half against Tennessee, Bama hasn’t looked like its usual dominant self and have Tennessee’s equally bad offensive performance to thank for having the lead. 

The Crimson Tide already showed they’re beatable in a loss to Vanderbilt as well as letting South Carolina play it close in Tuscaloosa as well. If Missouri can beat Alabama, not only would it most likely kill any chance the Crimson Tide have at getting one the 12 spots, but all but lock in its own. 

Missouri also can’t overlook any of its other opponents. While Oklahoma hasn’t looked that good in its SEC debut season, they could catch Missouri like Auburn did. South Carolina has already shown it can play in big games, going to wire against LSU and Alabama.

The Tigers have five winnable games as it hopes to be one of the many SEC teams represented in the College Football Playoff. But it’s easier said than done. They could just as easily go 4-1, lose to Alabama and be on the outside looking in. It’s possible to lose two or three of those games too. 

But they can also win all five. And that’s the only way they’ll land in the College Football Playoff.