The Missouri Tigers are just over a month away from beginning the new college football season, when they’ll host Arkansas-Pine Bluff on September 3. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
TAMPA, FL — With SEC Media Days concluding on Friday, the league office released the preseason poll conducted among the credentialed media who attended the event. And it seems those media folks aren’t very high on University of Missouri football heading into the 2026 season.
The media in attendance picked Missouri to finish 10th out of 16 teams this season, which would put Mizzou right on the verge of being a bowl team should those predictions come true.
The two-time defending SEC champion Georgia Bulldogs were picked to win the league title again this season, narrowly edging out Texas in this week’s voting.
Georgia totaled 2,519 points, including 88 first-place votes, to claim first place, while Texas finished with 2,449 points and 57 first-place votes. Ole Miss, which received six first-place votes, came in third with 2,004 points.
Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz speaks during SEC Media Days this week in Tampa. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
Texas A&M, LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Florida were the team who also finished ahead of Missouri, which totaled 1,105 points. South Carolina, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Mississippi State, and Arkansas rounded out the field.
Reporters covering the SEC Media Days event weren’t sure how serious to take the voting after seeing that one voter picked Kentucky to win the league title this season, even though the Wildcats haven’t had a winning season since 2023.
2026 SEC Preseason Poll
- Georgia
- Texas
- Ole Miss
- Texas A&M
- LSU
- Alabama
- Oklahoma
- Tennessee
- Florida
- Missouri
- South Carolina
- Auburn
- Vanderbilt
- Kentucky
- Mississippi State
- Arkansas
2026 MIZZOU TIGERS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 03, 2026 (Thursday) | 7 pm | Home | Arkansas- Pine Bluff | Faurot Field |   |
| September 11, 2026 (Friday) | 7 pm | Away | Kansas | Lawrence, Kan. / David Booth Memorial Stadium |  |
| September 19, 2026 (Saturday) | 11:45 am | Home | Troy | Faurot Field |  |
| September 26, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Away | Mississippi State | Starkville, Miss. / Davis Wade Stadium | |
| October 03, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Home | Florida | Faurot Field | |
| October 10, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Home | Texas A&M | Faurot Field | |
| October 17, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Away | Ole Miss | Oxford, Miss. / Vaught Hemingway Stadium | |
| October 31, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Away | Arkansas | Fayetteville, Ark. / Razorback Stadium | |
| November 07, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Home | Texas | Faurot Field | |
| November 14, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Away | Georgia | Athens, Ga. / Sanford Stadium | |
| November 21, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Home | Kentucky | Faurot Field | |
| November 28, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Home | Oklahoma | Faurot Field |