Missouri visits Mississippi State Saturday night after a 27-17 win over Troy, rallying from 10-0 down with 24 unanswered points. Coach Eli Drinkwitz said the Tigers must avoid slow starts against a Bulldogs team he called college football's most explosive.
Missouri's schedule stiffens substantially: in Bill Connelly's SP+ rankings, Kansas was its highest-rated nonconference opponent at No. 64 among FBS teams, while Arkansas is the lowest-rated team left at No. 70. Seven of the Tigers' nine remaining opponents rank in the top 30, including six in the top 20.
Mississippi State's first three games included wins over Minnesota and South Carolina. Quarterback Kamario Taylor has drawn attention as a potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2028 NFL Draft; Missouri allowed two touchdowns of more than 50 yards against Troy, and Drinkwitz said the Tigers must limit explosive plays.
