Forget the bowls. Really, is anyone excited about the Insight Bowl? The Iowa Hawkeyes are decimated with suspensions and defections and general what-if disappointment.
Let's face it, the Missouri Tigers should roll them. The forward-thinking folks at NationalChamps.net have released quite possibly the most premature top 50 poll ever, and Missouri comes in at No. 8. As our friends at SB Nation Kansas City note, they must be counting on Blaine Gabbert coming back for his senior season.
Four Big 12(minus two) teams made the top 25, with Oklahoma coming in as
preseason No. 1. Texas A&M is No. 10, followed by Oklahoma State at
No. 11. Mighty Texas is on the outside at No. 31, and Baylor even got a
nod in the top 50, coming in at No. 45.
As for Missouri's Insight Bowl opponent, the Hawks are ranked 47th.
Here's the top 25:
1. Oklahoma
2. Alabama
3. Louisiana State
4. Oregon
5. Auburn
6. Ohio State
7. Arkansas
8. Missouri
9. Stanford
10. Texas A&M
11. Oklahoma State
12. Michigan State
13. Wisconsin
14. Boise State
15. Nebraska
16. Virginia Tech
17. TCU
18. Florida State
19. South Carolina
20. Notre Dame
21. Georgia
22. Connecticut
23. Mississippi State
24. Michigan
25. Tulsa
Bottom line, Missouri has a shot at being really good
in 2011.The non-conference schedule doesn't look daunting (home games
with Miami of Ohio and Western Illinois and a road trip to Arizona
State). If Gabbert's under center, the Tigers could make a nice run.
