The Missouri Tigers went 10-3 and finished seventh in the SEC last season. (Photo: Cedric Williams)

Terrance Williams
Staff Writer

ATLANTA, GA — The University of Missouri was picked to finish 12th in the Southeastern Conference preseason football poll released by the league on Thursday.

Missouri had 1170 points in the vote conducted among media members covering the SEC Football Media Days this week.

The Tigers are coming off back-to-back 10-win seasons, after going 10-3 and defeating Iowa in the Music City Bowl last year and going 11-2 with a win over then-No. 7 ranked Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl in 2023.

If Missouri could do that again, it would be the first team in school history the Tigers reached double-digit wins in three straight seasons.

“We have a ‘something to prove’ mindset,” Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “Whether you’re talking about our coaching staff, our players, we all have a little bit of a chip on our shoulder. At the end of the day, two-minute drive, fourth quarter, that’s not what you’re thinking about. You think about your trust and belief in each other, doing your job at a higher level.”

Junior guard Cayden Green was the only Tiger named First Team on the All-SEC preseason team. (Photo: Cedric Williams)

Texas was the team picked to win the SEC championship this year. The Longhorns received 96 first-place votes and had 3060 total points.

Defending champ Georgia had 44 first-place votes and 2957 points to come in second. Alabama (2783 points) was third, with LSU (2668 points) and South Carolina (2109 points) coming in right behind to round out the top five.

Florida (1986 points), Mississippi (1979 points), Texas A&M (1892 points), Tennessee (1700 points), and Oklahoma (1613 points) made out the rest of the top 10, with Auburn (1272 points) finishing just ahead of Mizzou for the 11th spot.

Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Mississippi State were the bottom four.

Senior end Zion Young will be one of the leaders of the Mizzou defense in 2025. (Photo: Cedric Williams)

The participants of the SEC Championship Game will be determined by the final SEC league standings. The teams with the best winning percentages will receive a berth in the SEC title game and play for the championship on December 6 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Last year, Georgia defeated Texas 22-19 in overtime to win the program’s 17th conference title.

Mizzou will begin its chase for its first SEC championship on August 28, when the Tigers host Central Arkansas. Kickoff at Faurot Field that evening is set for 6:30 p.m., with the game scheduled to be televised nationally on the SEC Network.

2025 SEC FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL

RankSchoolPoints (1st Place Votes)
1.Texas3060 (96)
2.Georgia2957 (44)
3.Alabama2783 (29)
4.LSU2668 (20)
5.South Carolina2109 (5)
6.Florida1986 (2)
7.Ole Miss1979 (1)
8.Texas A&M1892 (2)
9.Tennessee1700 (1)
10.Oklahoma1613 (3)
11.Auburn1272 (1)
12.Missouri1170
13.Vanderbilt936 (2)
14.Arkansas764
15.Kentucky512
16.Mississippi State343

2025 MIZZOU TIGERS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

DateTimeAtOpponentLocationTVRadio
August 28, 2025 (Thursday)6:30 pmHomeCentral ArkansasFaurot FieldTiger Radio Network
September 6, 2025 (Saturday)2:30 pmHomeKansasFaurot FieldTiger Radio Network
September 13, 2025 (Saturday)3 pmHomeLouisianaFaurot FieldTiger Radio Network
September 20, 2025 (Saturday)TBDHomeSouth CarolinaFaurot FieldTBDTiger Radio Network
September 27, 2025 (Saturday)TBDHomeMassachusettsFaurot FieldTBDTiger Radio Network
October 11, 2025 (Saturday)TBDHomeAlabamaFaurot FieldTBDTiger Radio Network
October 18, 2025 (Saturday)TBDAwayAuburnAuburn, Ala. / Jordan-Hare StadiumTBDTiger Radio Network
October 25, 2025 (Saturday)TBDAwayVanderbiltNashville, Tenn. / FirstBank StadiumTBDTiger Radio Network
November 8, 2025 (Saturday)TBDHomeTexas A&MFaurot FieldTBDTiger Radio Network
November 15, 2025 (Saturday)TBDHomeMississippi StateFaurot FieldTBDTiger Radio Network
November 22, 2025 (Saturday)TBDAwayOklahomaNorman, Okla. / Memorial StadiumTBDTiger Radio Network
November 29, 2025 (Saturday)TBDAwayArkansasFayetteville, Ark. / Razorback StadiumTBDTiger Radio Network