Odd Start to Mizzou's Schedule is Nearly Complete: The Extra Point

The first five games of Missouri's football season were unique for a variety of reasons, including the level of talent on a week-to-week basis.

Sep 20, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Vandrevius Jacobs (19) makes a leaping catch as Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter (40) defends during the second half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Missouri on SI football reporter Michael Stamps discusses the odd part of Missouri's schedule that is nearly complete.

Welcome to Missouri Tigers On SI's "Extra Point," a video series featuring the site's Missouri beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers provide analysis on a topic concerning the Tigers or the landscape of college sports.

It's always been clear that, heading into the 2025-26 season, the Missouri Tigers would have a unique start to their season. So far, that's been the exact case.

It's been nothing short of a rollercoaster, especially in terms of the level of competition of their opponents. They started the season with Central Arkansas, a team they handled business against, but followed that up with a challenge against Kansas.

They went back down after that, handling Louisiana with ease. But they went right back up the following week against South Carolina.

Once Week 5 against UMass is complete, the up-and-down cycle of competition will be over. The Tigers will get a week of rest following the Minutemen, but will jump right into the toughest part of their schedule in the Southeastern Conference.

The start they've had in terms of competition isn't exactly historic, but it is unique. It's given the Tigers a way to come down and work on things they've struggled with in their bigger games so far, as well.

For example, the Tigers showed a major defensive flaw in their secondary against South Carolina. They'll have a perfect opportunity to address those problems against UMass, a team they are favored heavily to defeat.

Against Central Arkansas in Week 1, the offensive line struggled. They got to test it against tough competition in Week 2 against Kansas, with the opportunity to tweak things in Week 3. Now, those issues, for the most part, seem to be addressed.

Missouri's schedule is historic, but in a different sense. Not many teams have ever opened a season with six-straight home games, but the Tigers have. That has its positives and negatives, but the Tigers will know what they are working with by the time they hit the road to face Auburn on Oct. 18, a game that should be a true gut-check.

Remaining Mizzou opponents

Saturday, Sept. 27: vs. UMass
Saturday, Oct. 11: vs. Alabama
Saturday, Oct. 18: at Auburn
Saturday. Oct. 25: at Vanderbilt
Saturday, Nov. 8: vs. Texas A&M
Saturday, Nov. 15: vs. Mississippi State
Saturday, Nov. 22: at Oklahoma
Saturday, Nov. 29: at Arkansas