The Missouri Tigers began their 2024 college football season on Thursday Aug. 29 and after finishing last season as a top 10 team in the country, expectations are sky high. Their roster, packed with talent and experience, has the chance to create a foundation of success that could last for years. 

It is not extreme to say that this is one of the most important seasons in the program’s history. In an increasingly volatile, transfer-focused college football environment, it is crucial for non-blue blood programs on the rise, like Missouri, to establish themselves as legitimate contenders.

Here’s how our football reporters predict the season will pan out:

Tanner Coerr

Key Wins

Vs. Auburn (10/19/24): Auburn will be coming off of a bye week and a potential loss to the Georgia Bulldogs before that. Senior quarterback Payton Thorne does not possess the passing accuracy or power to overcome Missouri’s retooled room of defensive backs. Missouri’s new running backs, senior Nate Noel and senior Marcus Carroll will run all over Auburn’s relatively young defensive line en route to a homecoming victory.

Key losses

At Texas A&M (10/5/24): The Aggies’ strong recruiting classes of years past are starting to shape into a quality team after a disappointing last couple of seasons. One player from their top-ranked 2022 recruiting class is sophomore quarterback Connor Weigman. He will be at the head with their highly-touted defense to deliver a victory over the Tigers. The Aggies start the season against strong opponents like No. 7 Notre Dame and the Florida Gators preparing them for the contest against Missouri. 

Final Prediction

A 10-2 record puts Missouri in a complicated position with regard to the College Football Playoff. Five spots will be filled after the conference championship games have been played. 

In the new format, the four power conference champions and the best Group of Five in the country team will receive automatic bids. The remaining spots will be filled with at-large bids decided by a selection committee. This means Missouri would have to get a bid purely off the strength of their résumé. It will take a lot to get Missouri over that hump with two losses on their record.

Blowout victories will get them over that hump. Style points are always needed to impress the selection committee and handing out demoralizing losses to otherwise strong programs like Auburn will add those style points. Missouri will not win the National Championship, but they will be one of the last teams to make the cut for the playoffs. 

MVP: Brady Cook

Luther Burden III, justifiably, is the runaway favorite to be the team’s best offensive player. Other teams know that also, and will focus their defensive schemes on the superstar receiver. Extra opportunities will be given to players like Theo Wease Jr. and Brett Norfleet as a result, and the reliable Cook will be the one to capitalize on those opportunities. Quarterback is the most glamorous position in the sport for good reason, and Cook’s steady presence and willingness to unleash the deep ball will lead to the best season from a Missouri quarterback since the days of Drew Lock. 

Breakout Candidate: Brett Norfleet

Norfleet had a productive freshman season, with 18 catches and three touchdowns. A full offseason of work will raise his production far higher than that in 2024. Norfleet will be a beneficiary of Missouri’s strong wide receiver core, as opposing defenses will focus on Wease and Burden III. This will leave space for the tight end to make plays and rack up touchdowns at a higher rate. 

Lilly Marshall

Key wins

At Mississippi State (11/23/24): The Tigers can’t afford to drop a game so late in the year, as it may be detrimental to playoff hopes. Mississippi State may not seem like a threatening opponent, finishing 5-7 in 2023, but the Bulldogs have found success against the Tigers in the past. They split the all-time series 2-2 and won their last matchup 51-32 back in 2020. The end of the season is not the time to let up, and the Tigers need to keep this in mind as they make the trip to Starkville, Mississippi.

Key losses

At Alabama (10/26/24): Though losing former head coach and six-time National Champion Nick Saban is a huge blow, the Crimson Tide appear to be in good hands with new head coach Kalen DeBoer, who just led the Washington Huskies to the 2024 CFP National Championship Game. Additionally, quarterback Jalen Milroe is returning after an impressive season that contributed to his sixth-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting. On paper, this Alabama team is Missouri’s toughest opponent of the year, and I believe it will be their first loss of the season.

Final Prediction:

The Tigers will end the season 10-2, just like last year. They will open the year 7-0, with the biggest win coming against preseason No. 20 Texas A&M on the road. Week eight’s matchup with Alabama will be Missouri’s biggest challenge in which they come up short in a high-scoring, back-and-forth contest. The Tigers will then face Oklahoma, restoring a rich historic rivalry, where they will be handed their second defeat. Missouri will brush the back-to-back losses off and end their season strong, winning their last 3 games to clinch a playoff berth. 

MVP: Luther Burden III

Burden had a breakout season in 2023, racking up 86 receptions, 1,212 receiving yards, and nine touchdown receptions, leading the Tigers in all three categories. Burden’s production took a big leap from 2022, as he nearly doubled his touchdown receptions and tripled his receiving yards. Coming into 2024, Burden has a real shot to further improve his numbers, earning him many more accolades and a potential spot in the Heisman conversation.

Breakout Candidate: Marvin Burks Jr.

Marvin Burks Jr. started every game as a freshman, logging 22 total tackles with 13 solo stops. His impact was also felt when he came up with a sack in last year’s season opener and recovered a fumble against Arkansas. Will year two be Burks’ breakout year as it was for teammate Luther Burden III? Only time will tell, but it seems promising.

Brady Shanahan

Key Wins

At Alabama (Oct. 26): Saban is out of the picture and the Alabama Crimson Tide may be more vulnerable than ever due to the uncertainty around the team. However, this is still one of the best teams in the country and a potential lock for the college football playoffs. Their dynamic quarterback Jalen Milroe is a Heisman hopeful and has the talent to carve up the best defenses in the league – which he displayed last year when he totaled 3,365 yards and 35 touchdowns. 

Missouri has the offensive firepower to match up with anyone. They return six of the top seven receiving options from a season ago where Brady Cook threw for 3,317 yards. However, the new-look defense headlined by first-year defensive coordinator Corey Batoon needs to find their identity before going into Bryant-Denny Stadium. By this point in the season, they will learn from their early season mistakes and shock the Crimson Tide on their own turf.

Key losses

At Texas A&M (Oct. 5): Kyle Field is one of the most hostile environments in the nation. A stadium with a capacity of over 102,000 people is so loud it can alter the outcome of football games. Noise reaching as high as 126 decibels, so disruptive the crowd has notoriously been dubbed the 12th man.

This will be the Tigers’ first road game of the season, taking on an already battle-tested Aggies team who face off against No. 7 Notre Dame to open the season. I see the Tigers entering this week undefeated and ranked in the top 10, but I don’t believe that will survive this road trip. I would be apprehensive to predict any team will go into College Station and come out with their record unscathed.

Final Prediction:

The Missouri Tigers have the talent and experience to make the college football playoffs. I expect them to finish the regular season with an 11-1 record, their lone loss coming at the hands of the Texas A&M Aggies. 

Given the conference loss, I don’t foresee the Tigers making the SEC Championship game. However, I believe Missouri will take down Alabama on the road and Oklahoma at home in what should both be ranked matchups. Now is the time to establish themselves as a national powerhouse. The stars will shine under the brightest lights in what will be a historic season for Missouri.

MVP: Daylan Carnell

Many fans considered Carnell the Tigers’ breakout star from this past season. He closed his impressive sophomore campaign with 51 tackles, seven pass deflections, three sacks, two forced fumbles and a pick-six. Carnell is poised to have an even greater impact this season. Fittingly, Carnell plays the “Star” safety role, reserved for the most talented, versatile and athletic players on the field. His versatility and experience make him a perfect contender to lead this new-look defense.

Breakout Candidate: Triston Newson

While one could argue that Newson broke out last season, the majority of his production came at the tail end of the year. This was capped off with a 10 tackle with 2.5 for loss performance in the Cotton Bowl. Despite being a senior, I believe Newson still has heaps of untapped potential. This will be his first full season as a starter, and the senior has the opportunity to shine on the biggest stage.

Missouri has a lot riding on this season, as the new 12-team College Football Playoff provides a greater margin of error. The Tigers are aware of this opportunity and are ready to make the most of it.

Edited by Michael Stamps | mstamps@themaneater.com

Copyedited by Hannah Taylor | Htaylor@themaneater.com

Edited by Emily Skidmore | eskidmore@themaneater.com