Missouri Football: O/U of 6 Games in 2016 is Too High

5dimes has set the over/under for Missouri football wins in 2016 at 6– and I think you have to go with the favored outcome.

At the end of the 2015 football season, I know that Missouri fans had to be thinking to themselves that the season didn’t go quite as expected. After 2 SEC East titles, they finished the season with a 5-7 record, and that was the least surprising of the events to occur at Missouri in 2015.

Missouri football was the focal point of a scene of racial tension in which the football team went on strike until Missouri President Tim Wolfe stepped down. Apparently there was enough support for the movement the football team pushed the needle with their head coach Gary Pinkel supporting them all the way.

Five days later, Missouri fans and players alike were surprised when Gary Pinkel announced his intentions to retire at the end of the season due to health concerns. He revealed that in May he had been diagnosed with lymphoma, and that while the disease was manageable, he felt he had reached a point in his life where he needed to step down to give more focus towards more important things in life.

So, in 2016, just playing football may seem a little boring.

New head coach Barry Odom walks into quite the scenario. He has to replace the all-time winningest head coach in Missouri history after quite an eventful season. Barry Odom could be the sense of consistency needed to navigate this territory, and he has been involved in many of the great Missouri defenses in the past. How does all this affect the minds behind the sportsbooks?

6 games. The over/under win total for the 2016 Missouri Tigers football team is 6 games, and that includes postseason play. At 5dimes, the over is an underdog  paying +145 while the under is favored at -185. If you’ve read any of my previous articles, you know I’d take the underdog, or I wouldn’t bet. This one is making me think twice about that method of thinking.

You know how we do this by now. Let’s take a look at the 2016 schedule and quickly determine the way too early the wins and losses.

Related: Can South Carolina Cover 6.5 Wins?

Related: Tennessee Covers 10.5 Wins in 2016

2016 Missouri Football Schedule

@ West Virginia– Morgantown has proved time and time again that it is a tough place to play. I think West Virginia wins, but if quarterback Drew Lock shows growth from last year, Missouri fans will be able to look forward with optimism.

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Eastern Michigan

– Win, but to feel good about the season ahead, Mizzou has to win big.

Georgia – This is a mighty tricky game for me. I’m not buying Georgia as a legit contender in the SEC East like others are, but I’m really down on Missouri’s outlook this year. Again, if Drew Lock improves on his 49 percent completion percentage from last year, then I’ll be wrong about this pick. I’m taking Georgia. Missouri drops to 1-2.

Delaware State Hornets – Did Missouri for real schedule this game? Geez.

@ LSU – I’ve talked a lot of Drew Lock, but that is mainly because I’m sold that Missouri will continue to have an outstanding defense. They will have to reload in the secondary, but they always bounce back. That being said, there is zero chance Missouri wins this game. Zero.

@ Florida –The bye week in between won’t matter for Missouri. I’ve got big back-to-back losses on the road to LSU and Florida, and dropping to 2-4.

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Middle Tennessee

– Mizzou win.

Kentucky – In our over/under for Kentucky, I took Kentucky to win this one. But like I said, if Missouri wins this game I won’t be surprised. Whether or not Missouri covers the 6 will be determined by this game, but I’m saying Missouri will be  at the end of this game.

@ South Carolina– Again, I am bound by the words of a previous article picking South Carolina to win a close one. However, I cannot believe that Missouri will lose to both Kentucky and South Carolina, but as I look at each game individually, I find myself picking against Missouri.

Vanderbilt – Missouri will win this game and Derek Mason will be all but fired after this game. Missouri will be move along to 4-6 on the season.

@ Tennessee – Loss.

Arkansas- I’m bullish on the Razorbacks this year. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but give me another Missouri loss, 4-8.

Over or Under?

Game by game I’ve got the Tigers going 4-8. I concede, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Missouri finish with a 5-7 record, a repeat of 2015. I think Missouri will really have a feeling where Missouri football is heading by gauging the performance of their offense. I fully believe Barry Odom will bring a stout defense, and despite Drew Lock’s physical gifts and accolades he had coming to Missouri, last year’s numbers are just too hard for me to shake in the first year of a head coaching change.

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Even if Missouri finishes 5-7 and they are invited to a bowl game during this inflated time period of bowl season, a Missouri win will just make the bet a push.  Knowing that I could be completely wrong, I would still be able to sleep at night if I took the under and lost. Defensive coordinators taking over teams with offensive struggles the year prior don’t exactly have the best track record in the SEC.