Missouri

How have opening four games impacted Missouri football’s College Football Playoff chances?

Published

2 years ago

September 26, 2024

How have opening four games impacted Missouri football’s College Football Playoff chances?

The Tigers are exactly where they were expected to be.

It has lacked some flash. It has probably sent some heart rates racing. But Missouri football is 4-0 as it works through its first idle week of the season after a double-overtime win over Vanderbilt, a ranked victory over Boston College and shutouts of Buffalo and Murray State.

But what has that done for the Tigers’ shot at a spot in the first edition of the expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff?

Here’s the rundown:

More: Mistakes mounted for Missouri football in 2OT escape. Here’s where that leaves the Tigers

Has Missouri football improved chances of CFP berth?

The Tigers, according to ESPN’s playoff predictor after the Week 4 slate, are the 10th most likely team to earn a spot in the 12-team playoff. The algorithm gives Missouri a 40% chance of making the field.

Once you factor in conference-champion autobids, that’s essentially aligned with where Missouri fell in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25, where the Tigers were the No. 11-ranked team in the country.

More: Missouri football tumbles out of top 10 in coaches poll after double-OT win over Vanderbilt

In a hypothetical scenario where all voters are fortune tellers (they are not), this exact scenario plays out (it will not) and the CFP selection committee is in agreement (it likely won’t be), Mizzou gets the last at-large spot in the field — assuming no Group of Five team jumps into the top 12 — with the No. 11 seed, sending it on the road.

Missouri hasn’t lost and hasn’t really done anything to hurt its playoff odds. But the prognosticators, for what that’s worth, are jumping ship.

None of ESPN’s 11 forecasters put Mizzou in their projected 12-team field after Week 4. That’s down from three CFP projections after the Boston College win, which was down from seven selections after MU beat Buffalo.

Here’s the deal, though: Missouri has kept winning, and that, by default, makes its odds better. Especially as teams in the CFP conversation — looking at you, Florida State and Kansas — have faded early.

ESPN gave Missouri a 37.2% chance to make the CFP during the preseason. That’s up slightly to 40%.

As long as Missouri keeps winning, those percentages will rise.

But what happens when losses come?

Will 10-2 cut it?

Here’s where things get tricky.

Missouri has won the games it was expected to win. Let’s say the Tigers follow that trend. They’ll likely be underdogs at Texas A&M and Alabama. The home Oklahoma matchup and road South Carolina game, as it stands, will tilt in MU’s favor.

There’s no question that 11-1 gets in. If Missouri wins seven more games this year, there’s a meaningful December game coming, and it’s likely coming to Columbia.

But the race isn’t completely in MU’s hands if it goes 10-2.

ESPN’s playoff predictor — and it should be noted this hinges on a multiplicity of currently undetermined factors — has MU’s shot at making the CFP at 77% if it goes 10-2 with losses to Texas A&M and Alabama. That rises to 79% if it beats Texas A&M but falls at South Carolina.

The Tigers’ best bet at making it, at that record, is if there is a six-berth SEC. For that to happen, it’ll need a little help from the ACC and Big 12.

The two leagues cannibalizing themselves would help. Both league champions get straight in, but no at-large spots are guaranteed. What happens if a dominant regular-season ACC or Big 12 team falls in their conference title game?

There’s a world that brings two schools — one auto bid, one at-large — from one or both of those leagues into the fold. For instance, does a 12-1 Miami get left out if it loses to Clemson for the conference title? Seems unlikely.

The good news for MU in regards to the Big 12 is that undefeated Utah must face the three other remaining undefeated teams (BYU; UCF; Iowa State) in the league in the regular season, meaning some losses among the current favorites are guaranteed. That league looks well on its way to having just a single CFP representative. But if Utah runs the table then falls to, say, Iowa State in the title game? That forces a decision.

In short: The more ACC and Big 12 regular-season chaos, the better for Missouri.

Playing out potential paths

We ran scenarios on ESPN’s playoff predictor to see where that puts the Tigers in the postseason. The algorithm does not let you pick results for the Auburn, UMass, Oklahoma, Mississippi State and Arkansas games, so keep it in mind that those are being automatically marked as wins in these scenarios:

Missouri goes 11-1 with wins at Texas A&M and South Carolina, a loss at Alabama and no SEC title game berth: No. 6 Missouri hosts No. 11 Penn State in Columbia.
Missouri goes 11-1 with wins at Texas A&M and South Carolina, a loss at Alabama and an SEC title game loss: No. 6 Missouri hosts No. 11 Notre Dame in Columbia.
Missouri goes 10-2 with a win at South Carolina and losses at Texas A&M and Alabama: No. 11 Missouri at No. 6 Alabama.
Missouri goes 10-2 with a win at Texas A&M and losses at Alabama and South Carolina: No. 10 Missouri at No. 7 Tennessee.
Missouri goes 10-2 with a win at Alabama and losses at Texas A&M and South Carolina: No. 9 Missouri at No. 8 Tennessee.

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Missouri

Missouri realtors hold statewide rally to vote no on Amendments 4 & 5

Published

43 minutes ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Missouri realtors hold statewide rally to vote no on Amendments 4 & 5

COLUMBIA — Hundreds of Missouri realtors were in Columbia Thursday to show their opposition to a couple of proposals on the August 4th ballot. The Missouri Association of Realtors hosted a statewide rally against Amendments 4 & 5. Realtors distributed tens of thousands of yard signs, bumper stickers, buttons, and literature.

More than 26,000 Missouri realtors want Missourians to vote no on Amendments 4 & 5. They said the proposals ignore tax restrictions that Missouri voters put into the Missouri Constitution. Amendment 4 would modify the current requirements for a simple statewide majority vote. Amendment 5 would require the phase out of the individual state income tax. Matthew Becker is the Treasurer-Elect for the Missouri Board of Realtors and said Amendment 5 would give too much power to state government.

Becker said, “Amendment 5 is nothing more than a bait and switch. Amendment 5 literally wants to go out and give our legislature a blank checkbook for the next 5 years.”

Jefferson City Realtor Logan Gratz said Amendment 4 favors politicians and destroys majority rule for Missourians.

Gratz said, “Realtors have always been major advocates of property owners, of property rights, good business, and good tax policy.”

Springfield area State Representative Bishop Davidson said Missouri realtors were wrong when they opposed Amendments 4 & 5. Davidson said Amendment 5 would improve Missouri’s tax system.

Davidson said, “Right now, the way our tax structure works is old and archaic. It discourages economic growth. When it comes to Amendment 4, what I would say is protecting our Missouri Constitution is important.”

Governor Mike Kehoe’s communication director sent KRCG a statement that said, “Governor Kehoe supports Amendment 5 because it is a revenue-triggered, constitutionally protected path to eliminating Missouri’s individual income tax, allowing workers to keep more of every paycheck.”

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Missouri

Missouri Farm Bureau to host agritourism conference in Hermann | Fulton Sun

Published

11 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Missouri Farm Bureau to host agritourism conference in Hermann | Fulton Sun

Missouri Farm Bureau’s 2026 Agritourism Conference will be held Sunday through Tuesday in Hermann, bringing together agritourism stakeholders to explore opportunities in Missouri’s growing agritourism sector.

The conference usually draws 60-70 attendees annually, said Janet Adkison, director of public affairs and advocacy with Missouri Farm Bureau. This includes farmers, agribusiness leaders, tourism professionals and local economic development partners.

At the conference, participants will see firsthand how farms, wineries, orchards and other value-added agriculture business and rural destinations are connecting tourists and consumers with the state’s agriculture scene, while diversifying revenue streams for farm families and rural communities.

“Whenever folks think of agritourism, they think of a pumpkin patch or a flower farm,” Adkison said. “But agritourism is really anything that gets folks to connect with the agriculture industry. So from your Airbnbs that are out in rural Missouri to the wineries that you see across the countryside, to even a tree farm or just a simple orchard, those are all part of Missouri’s agritourism industry.”

The conference kicks off Sunday with welcome remarks by Missouri Farm Bureau president Garrett Hawkins and a dinner at Hermann Farm Store Barn. Participants will spend the nights at The Inn at Hermannhof.

Monday will include an agritourism bus tour, with stops at Thierbach Orchard, Heritage Valley Tree Farm, White Mule Winery & BNB and Cool Cow Cheese, where participants have the opportunity to speak to business owners.

It will be followed by a farm-to-table, wine-pairing dinner at Hermannhof Winery Court with the Missouri Wine & Grape Board.

“If you are somebody who’s interested in agritourism, you get to hear from somebody who’s been there and done that, and some of the hurdles that they may have experienced along the way,” Adkison said. “You’ll have that exposure both on the tour and also during the programs that they’ll provide on Tuesday.”

On the final day of the conference, participants will attend educational workshops and network with other vendors at Hermannhof Festhalle. Topics discussed in the workshops include marketing, risk management, USDA Rural Development resources for agricultural businesses.

“You’ll hear from some folks as far as the missteps or wins that they had while trying to market and get those crowds to come to the farm, and sometimes something might work, (or) something surprises you and it doesn’t work,” Adkison said.

The conference location rotates around the state each year — past stops have included northeast and west central Missouri, which Adkison said gives the conference a chance to showcase how agritourism looks based on the terrain and agricultural strength of each region.

Find out more about the event or register for it at mofb.org/event/2026-agritourism.

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Missouri

Missouri politicians champion unity, diversity on America’s 250th

Published

21 hours ago

July 8, 2026

Press Room

Missouri politicians champion unity, diversity on America’s 250th

Former Missouri Gov. Jeremiah “Jay” Nixon followed in his ancestor’s footsteps, 250 years to the day.

On July 8, 1776, Colonel John Nixon was the first person to publicly read the Declaration of Independence from the steps of the Pennsylvania State House, now Independence Hall.

Jay Nixon, along with other Missouri officials from local, state and national offices, participated in a semiquincentennial celebration at the Historical Greene County Courthouse on July 8, 2026.

“As we commemorate 250 years of American independence, may we remember not only the courage of those who signed the declaration, but also our responsibility to preserve the freedoms they declare,” said Connie Yen, director of the Greene County Archives and Records Center.

While the reading of the Declaration of Independence was the main event, patriotic music from the Salvation Army Band, Springfield Sound, the Patriotic Chorale — as well as the national anthem sung by former U.S. Attorney John Ashcroft and former judge and representative Max Bacon — rang throughout the courthouse’s rotunda, which was packed with people. The music itself, Ashcroft said, was a metaphor for the nation.

“There is something charming about America that doesn’t require that we be uniform. There’s a difference between unity and uniformity. As a matter of fact, you can’t have harmony if you only have one note. You have to sing different notes for things to be harmonic and it’s much more beautiful,” he said. “Maybe America is America not because of uniformity or everybody being in unison, but America may be America because we have disparity, but we’re in harmony. We believe in unity, not uniformity.”

Before reading the Declaration of Independence, Nixon shared part of a speech he gave at Fulton’s Westminster College in August 2025, where he encouraged people to “resist apathy with action” through involvement with civic and faith organizations, and by voting. Like others, he emphasized diversity as the strength of America.

“(We’re) a nation of immigrants. Many of our ancestors fled poverty, injustice and tyranny to build something better. We are the great-great-great-grandchildren of slaves, and those who enslaved them; the first families who inhabited these lands, and those who drove them from it,” Nixon said. “A nation of scrappy strivers stitched together by our ideals, marked by original sins, but redeemed by the courage and sacrifice that saved us from fascism and unleashed freedom and prosperity — the envy of the world. That is the true story we all need to tell, the promise we made to each other that we work every day to keep.”

The reading was followed by an ice cream social, co-hosted by the Greene County Democratic and Republican women’s clubs.

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