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CFP Prediction: Burden, Cook Have Missouri at No. in Top 25 Countdown

· Aug 14 - 5 minutes read

Luther Burden might be the best receiver in college football as Missouri could put up huge offensive numbers in 2024.
Missouri won’t play SEC front-runners Georgia and Texas during the regular season.
Transfers could help Missouri overcome the loss of key defensive starters to the NFL.
Check out the reasons why Missouri is at No. 13 in the BetUS list of the Top 25 college football teams in 2024.

Any discussion about the 2024 Missouri Tigers begins with all-everything receiver Luther Burden, who looks to build on an impressive 2023 season. It is hard for a receiver to win the Heisman Trophy. However, Burden is priced at +8000 in the Heisman Trophy odds.

CFP Prediction: Burden, Cook Have Missouri at No. in Top 25 Countdown — Luther Burden III #3 | Sam Hodde/Getty Images/AFP

Missouri was sixth in the SEC preseason poll while the Tigers came in at No. 11 in both the Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association preseason polls. Missouri checks in at No. 13 in the BetUS Top 25 College Football Countdown.

#️⃣1️⃣1️⃣ to start the season @AP_Top25 #MIZ | #STP pic.twitter.com/2iNNIDqYaC

— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) August 12, 2024

A 10-point loss to LSU and a nine-point loss to Georgia kept Missouri from an undefeated regular season. The Tigers then topped Ohio State 14-3 in the Cotton Bowl. It has been a decade since Missouri played in the SEC Championship Game. Can the Tigers defy the college football odds by playing for the SEC title in 2024? They are tied for seventh at +1200 in the SEC championship odds.

Missouri is priced at +170 to make the College Football Playoff field and +6000 in the odds of winning the NCAAF national title. The Tigers snuck up on teams during the 2023 season and that won’t be the case this season.

Missouri Tigers at a Glance

2023 record: 11-2
2023 SEC record: 6-2
Head coach: Eli Drinkwitz
Odds to win SEC title: +1200

Burden, Cook Return to Lead Missouri Offense

Burden is far from the only returning key offensive player for the Tigers.

Quarterback Brady Cook threw for more than 3,000 yards in 2023. Theo Wease, Mookie Cooper, Marquis Johnson and tight end Brett Norfleet all return so it could be another impressive season for Cook and the Tigers on offense. The BetUS sportsbook odds have Cook at fourth at +750 in the odds to lead the SEC in passing yards.

The Tigers will miss leading rusher Cody Schrader, but transfers Marcus Carroll and Nate Noel were two of the best running backs in the Sun Belt and they will be running behind one the top offensive lines in the SEC.

Leading tackler Jaylon Carlies, sack leader Darius Robinson, linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper and cornerbacks Ennis Rakestraw and Kris Abrams-Draine are all in the NFL so there are some holes to fill on defense. The Tigers were in the top five in the SEC in total defense and scoring defense for the first time since 2019.

Missouri added plenty of defensive players via the transfer portal. Johnny Walker is back after having five sacks while safety Joseph Charleston is the top returning tackler.

Missouri added Oklahoma offensive tackle Cayden Green, Clemson cornerback Toriano Pride, Georgia edge rusher Darris Smith and Michigan Jeremiah Beasley among the 16 incoming transfers, and were relatively unscathed when it comes to key players transferred elsewhere.

Edge rusher Williams Nwaneri was a top-10 national recruit and receiver Courtney Crutchfield was another huge signing by the Tigers.

Nice one-handed catch from #Mizzou freshman WR Courtney Crutchfield in practice today: pic.twitter.com/k1WMrpTABi

— Eli Hoff (@byEliHoff) August 13, 2024

Bet on Brady Cook at +750 To Lead the SEC in Passing Yards

Missouri 2024 Betting Outlook

After going 23-5 and 14-2 in the SEC during the 2013 and 2014 seasons, NCAA sanctions sent the Tigers trending in the wrong direction. After going 23-25 in a four-year span, Missouri opened some eyes with an 11-win season in 2023.

Missouri led the SEC with a 9-4 record against the college football spread last season, including a 5-1 mark as an underdog. The Tigers covered in five of the six games against ranked teams.

Missouri covered in three of the four road games after going from 11th to fifth in the SEC in total offense and 10th to sixth in scoring offense.

The Tigers won’t play Georgia or Texas during the regular season. There are road games against Texas A&M and Alabama but another double-digit win season is rather likely.

The non-conference schedule features Murray State, Buffalo, Boston College and UMass. It remains to be seen if that will prepare the Tigers for the rigors of the SEC. Missouri seems a little undervalued at +120 to go over 9½ regular-season wins.

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