The new-look Missouri Tigers were ranked No. 25 in the AP preseason Top 25, which was released on Monday. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
The University of Missouri football team was ranked No. 25 in the Associated Press’ Preseason Top 25 national poll released on Monday morning.
The Tigers were also ranked No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches’ poll, which was released earlier this month, and were voted No. 23 in the CBS Sports preseason rankings.
This marks the 12th time in program history Missouri was ranked in the preseason Top 25, and the second time since Eli Drinkwitz took over as head coach in 2020.
Mizzou RB and St. Louis native Jamal Roberts will be back to lead the No. Tigers when the football season begins in two-and-a-half weeks. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
Eight other Southeastern-Conference teams appeared in the Top 25, including No. 3 Georgia, No. 5 Texas, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Ole Miss, No. 10 Oklahoma, No. 11 LSU, No. 13 Alabama, and No. 20 Tennessee.
2026 AP PRESEASON TOP 25 FOOTBALL POLL
| RANK | TEAM | POINTS |
| 1. | Ohio State | 1672 (40) |
| 2. | Oregon | 1597 (14) |
| 3. | Georgia | 1,513 |
| 4. | Notre Dame | 1510 (6) |
| 5. | Texas | 1,483 |
| 6. | Indiana | 1440 (8) |
| 7. | Miami (FL) | 1379 (1) |
| 8. | Texas A&M | 1,131 |
| 9. | Ole Miss | 1,102 |
| 10. | Oklahoma | 1,047 |
| 11. | LSU | 988 |
| 12. | Texas Tech | 983 |
| 13. | Alabama | 904 |
| 14. | BYU | 839 |
| 14. | USC | 839 |
| 16. | Michigan | 718 |
| 17. | Washington | 501 |
| 18. | Penn State | 482 |
| 19. | SMU | 434 |
| 20. | Tennessee | 394 |
| 21. | Utah | 304 |
| 22. | Iowa | 260 |
| 23. | Houston | 252 |
| 24. | Louisville | 194 |
| 25. | Missouri | 117 |
Others receiving votes: Clemson 112, Florida 51, Boise State 43, Arizona 32, TCU 11, Navy 10, South Carolina 10, Illinois 9, Oklahoma State 8, Vanderbilt 8, Pittsburgh 7, Virginia Tech 6, Minnesota 5, UNLV 4, New Mexico 4, Georgia Tech 4, Louisiana 4, James Madison 3, Auburn 3, Memphis 2, California 2, Liberty 1, Western Michigan 1, Tulane 1, Virginia 1.
Mizzou will play five of those ranked teams this season, with matchups against A&M (October 10), Ole Miss (October 17), Texas (November 7), Georgia (November 14), and the regular season finale against Oklahoma (November 28).
The season will begin for the Tigers in two-and-a-half weeks, when they’ll host Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday, September 3. Kickoff for that contest at Faurot Field is slated for 7 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally on the SEC Network.
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 |