We start off our 50 straight days of CFB team previews with a squad I think has a good shot to be playing for all the marbles at the end of the year.
Missouri Tigers
The Good News: This team is loaded. I don't know if they could beat one of the SEC powerhouses head to head but in my opinion, Missouri has the fewest holes entering the season of any team in CFB. Chase Daniel is one of the top quarterbacks in the country, six of the teams top eight pass catchers return, including sophomore sensation Jeremy Maclin and All-American tight end candidate Chase Coffman. Throw in a talented, experienced offensive line and nine starters back from a strong defensive unit and it's no surprise expectations are high in Columbia. The Tigers offense scored over 40 points eight times in 2007 and it could be even more potent this season now that Maclin has a year of seasoning under his belt. Missouri's secondary is one of the Big 12's best and they are even strong on special teams. Maclin is the most dangerous return man in the nation and placekicker Jeff Wolfert has made 151-of-157 kicks in his career, including 64 in a row. The team is loaded.
The Bad News: Punting. The only real weakness on this team is at punter. Missouri has only one scholarship punter on the team - Jake Harry - but the position will still be up for grabs in August. The Tigers suffered some injuries to their linebacking corps this summer but luckily for them, they have a lot of depth there. Missouri has to replace RB Tony Temple but I don't think that's going to be a big deal. Temple was solid but he wasn't the kind of guy who can't be replaced. Talented Derrick Washington, Jimmy Jackson and De' Vion Moore are all vying to replace Temple. Washington, in particular, is coming off an impressive spring and appears to be the frontrunner heading into the season.
Schedule: This sets up very nicely for a title contender. There is a tough opener against Illinois but Missouri is the more talented team, so they should come out victorious. Then come three home cupcakes (SE Missouri, Nevada and Buffalo) before traveling to Nebraska. The Cornhuskers may be rebuilding but don't forget, Missouri hasn't won in Nebraska since 1978. Upstarts Oklahoma State and Colorado have to come to Columbia, while the season finale against rival Kansas is in Kansas City. The biggest hurdle for the Tigers could be an Oct. 18 visit to Texas. Missouri hasn't beaten the Longhorns in Austin since 1896. The biggest news is no Oklahoma this year, the only team to have beaten Missouri last season. The Tigers won't have to worry about the Sooners until a potential showdown in the Big 12 Championship Game.
Gambling Angle: This team is once again loaded on offense so early overs should be money. Games against teams that can put points on the board early in the year like Illinois, Nevada and Nebraska will produce a lot of fireworks. Any total under 60 with Missouri deserves strong consideration because Daniel is as comfortable running the spread offense as any quarterback I've seen. However, once the Tigers start playing those important Big 12 games later in the year and the totals are elevated even more, it may be time to jump off. This Missouri defense is no joke and teams tend to be tight early on in big games while they feel each other out. The Tigers also offer great value in my opinion at odds of 16-1 to win the National Title. I will be throwing $150 on that wager myself.
Outlook: If Missouri can avoid any bumps in the road and win at Texas, they have a shot to get to the Big 12 Title Game with a National Championship berth at stake. Gary Pinkel continues to upgrade the talent level in Columbia, especially on defense where Missouri is as strong as they've been in years. Daniel is a wizard at running the spread offense and Maclin, Coffman, Jared Perry, Danario Alexander and Tommy Saunders give the Heisman Trophy candidate plenty of dangerous threats in the passing game. The other thing I like about the Tigers is I keep hearing how hungry they are this season after being passed over for a BCS bowl last year. I think the players know they could have a special season and if a couple of breaks go their way, I see no reason why that won't be the case.
Projected Record: 12-1