Four thoughts on Mizzou football’s new 2020 schedule: Maybe it’s not all that bad?
As if navigating a global pandemic while trying to infuse a new culture as a first-year coach wasn’t difficult enough, Missouri Tigers coach Eliah Drinkwitz’s job got a little bit more strenuous Friday.
The SEC released its altered 2020 schedule, adding two new opponents to Mizzou’s plate — and they’re both doozies.
The Tigers unearthed what fans will likely argue as the short end of the stick, drawing College Football Playoff champ LSU at Baton Rouge, La., and annual title contender Alabama at Faurot Field. Mizzou is 0-3 against Alabama and 0-1 vs. LSU since joining the SEC in 2012.
What had appeared to be a manageable slate for Drinkwitz became daunting as the SEC’s elite made an appearance on the revamped schedule. But the first-year coach tweeted he’s ready for the two new foes — pending there is a season, of course, during the pandemic.
Here are four thoughts on Mizzou’s 2020 schedule.
Brutal draw … but fair
While fans will look at LSU and Alabama and wonder why Mizzou got two heavy hitters, the opponents make sense when it comes to fairness. The Tigers’ original cross-divisional foes, Arkansas and Mississippi State, were projected near the bottom of the division. This could be why the Tigers were then pitted against the SEC West’s best teams.
The other options aren’t exactly much easier, at least according to USA Today coaches’ preseason poll. As part of a 10-game schedule, Mizzou doesn’t face three of its SEC West counterparts: No. 11 Auburn, No. 13 Texas A&M and Mississippi.
Even if LSU or Alabama were replaced with an Auburn or Texas A&M, it would’ still meant a preseason top-15 team on the schedule. The alternatives were easier on paper, but not by much.
That’s life in the SEC — but also what Mizzou signed up for.
Where the schedule’s at
In the short term, Mizzou’s schedule added two preseason top-10 teams: Alabama is at No. 3 and LSU is ranked No. 5.
That’s on top of facing every SEC East team, which is weaker than the West, yes, but still has No. 4 Georgia and No. 8 Florida. Count them up and 40% of Mizzou’s schedule resides in the top 10.
The rest of the schedule also features tough foes: up-and-coming Tennessee, Kentucky, who has had Mizzou’s number, and even the Bulldogs received votes from the coaches’ poll.
There are winnable games still — which is why the Tigers got the schedule they did — including South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Arkansas. Of course, Mizzou’s finish to 2019 shows how there are no gimme wins in the SEC, but it’s not all doom and gloom.
How many wins?
Drinkwitz’s legacy at Mizzou will be determined by how many wins he racks up, whether that’s fair or not. However, it’s difficult to determine that without a full schedule, which the SEC said will be announced within the next two weeks.
Mizzou originally had four easy to winnable non-conference games, with a chance of likely going 3-1 or 4-0 depending on breaks. The SEC East still features Florida and Georgia, but a path to six wins and qualifying for a bowl game was there in the 12-game schedule.
With this new 10-game “one-time anomaly,” as SEC commissioner Greg Sankey called it, there are more roadblocks. There is also likely no answer as of now as to what happens to Drinkwitz’s contract incentives.
This year is likely going to be a wash anyway for Drinkwitz’s performance evaluations. The Tigers went through just three spring practices while installing a new offense and culture. It’s been a whirlwind of unpredictability, ultimately giving Drinkwitz some leeway, regardless of how many wins he picks up.
If the Tigers joust their way to a 5-5 season — including an upset or two — then fans will likely be more than happy with that result.
It could be worse
While everyone looked at Mizzou and wondered what it did to get LSU and Alabama, Missouri’s Battle Line rival didn’t have it any better. Arkansas, similarly under a first-year coach in Sam Pittman, added Georgia and Florida, the SEC East’s heavy swingers.
But the Hogs play in the SEC West, already loaded with Alabama, LSU, Auburn and Texas A&M. Arkansas’ crossover was Tennessee, which could be a dark horse contender in the SEC East.
So, hey, maybe things aren’t so bad for the Tigers. Arkansas arguably has the shorter end of the stick. To top it off, Arkansas is coming off a 2-10 season and hasn’t won an SEC game in two years.