After Tennessee Win, Best CFP Ranking Yet, Where Might Mizzou Go Bowling?

Projections have the Tigers playing in a variety of places for their final game this season, but all of them are good.

A year from now, if Mizzou football is able to have comparable success to what it's doing this season, the Tigers would be on the cusp of making the first 12-team College Football Playoff.

Let that sink in for a moment. However, in addition to demonstrating just how far the program has come recently, it's also a strong indication that this year's team could be playing in one of the best bowl games. 

With the 36-7 victory over Tennessee, Mizzou has also moved up in both the bowl pecking order and league standings. At 8-2, 4-2 in Southeastern Conference play, the Tigers could potentially land the league's third or fourth spot come selection time. While the upcoming SEC Championship Game is already set between Alabama and Georgia, Mizzou can all but lock down a Jan. 1-type destination by winning its final two games of the regular season against Florida and Arkansas. 

With the College Football Playoff semifinals set to be played at the Rose and Sugar Bowls on Jan. 1, the selection committee will set the pairings for the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 29, the Peach and Orange Bowls on Dec. 30, and the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1. Missouri could be a factor to participate in one of those major bowls if it moves up any more in the rankings. 

Tuesday night the third College Football Playoff rankings were released and the selection committee bumped the Tigers up from No. 14 to No. 9. It's Mizzou's best ranking ever in the CFP era.  

Bowl matchups will be revealed on December 3, following the regular season and conference championship games. 

Here's where some of the national media services and reporters are speculating Missouri ends up closing the 2023 season: 

The Athletic: Peach Bowl, vs. SMU

USA Today: Citrus Bowl, vs. Iowa

CBS: Citrus Bowl, vs. Iowa

ESPN: Mark Schlabach has Cotton Bowl, vs. Texas; Kyle Bonagura projects Peach Bowl, vs. Tulane

College Football Playoff Rankings

1. Georgia 10-0
2. Ohio State 9-0
3. Michigan 10-0
4. Florida State 10-0
5. Washington 10-0
6. Oregon 9-1
7. Texas 9-1
8. Alabama 9-1
9. Missouri 8-2
10. Louisville 9-1
11. Oregon State 8-2
12. Penn State 8-2
13. Ole Miss 8-2
14. Oklahoma 8-2
15. LSU 7-3
16. Iowa 8-2
17. Arizona 7-3
18. Tennessee 7-3
19. Notre Dame 7-3
20. North Carolina 8-2
21. Kansas State 7-3
22. Utah 7-3
23. Oklahoma State 7-3
24. Tulane 9-1
25. Kansas 7-3

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