SEC Football: Preseason power rankings for 2023 season
By Matt Melton
13. Missouri Tigers
Coming off back-to-back losing seasons, Missouri enters year four of the Eli Drinkwitz era sitting in the No. 13 spot of our SEC football preseason power rankings.
As mentioned previously, Missouri would finish the 2023 season at 6-7 overall, while also holding a 3-5 mark in SEC play. Falling in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl, this would mark the second consecutive season in which the Tigers finished 6-7 overall, as well as 3-5 in the SEC, with the last time Missouri finished a year over .500 coming back in 2018 when they went 8-5.
Looking ahead to this season, the Tigers are set to return starting quarterback Brady Cook, as well as a few others on offense, with arguably the biggest name being that of sophomore wide receiver Luther Burden. Defensively, Missouri will return one of the SEC’s top linebackers in Ty’Ron Hopper, along with others on that side of the ball that feature the likes of Jaylon Carlies, Joseph Charleston, and Kris Abrams-Draine.
Joining that group will be a strong transfer portal class for the Tigers, one that is headlined by the likes of former Oklahoma wide receiver Theo Wease, as well as Miami transfer quarterback Jake Garcia and Houston offensive tackle Cam’Ron Johnson. Missouri also has multiple names that are likely to make an impact from their 2023 recruiting class such as pass catchers Joshua Manning, Jordon Harris, and more.
The Tigers will play at home in Week 1, as Missouri hosts South Dakota to open the 2023 season.