Expectations for the Missouri Tigers football team are highest it’s been in the programs history. The team is ranked No. 7 in the Pre-Season USA Today/Coaches Poll, the first time Mizzou has been ranked in the top-ten since the 1969 season when ranked No.10 by the AP. Oddsmakers at online sportsbook Bodog (Bodoglife.com) have the Tigers listed as 4/5 odds favorites to win the BIG 12 Conference North title and 3/1 odds to win the overall conference championship. Bodog has Missouri listed as one of the teams with a decent chance of winning the BCS National Championship at 14/1 odds. In “Total Wins” betting, the OVER/UNDER number is posted at 10.
Mizzou was recently picked to finish the season ranked No. 1 in the BIG 12 North by representatives of the media at the BIG 12 media days recently held in Kansas City.
Senior quarterback Chase Daniel leads a Tiger offense that racked up 6,864 total yards last season. Daniel set a school record with 4,306 passing yards as a junior in 2007 en route to an invitation to the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York City and Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year accolades. Two of his favorite targets, sophomore wide receiver / return special Jeremy Maclin and senior tight end Chase Coffman are also preseason All-Americans. Senior safety William Moore headlines a defense that returns 10 starters. Moore was an All-American in 2007 and appears on a number of preseason All-America ledgers prior to the 2008 campaign.
Missouri opens the 2008 season on Aug. 30 in the State Farm Arch Rivalry vs. No. 19 Illinois at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. The Tigers are installed favorites in the game by an 8 ½ point chalk by oddsmakers. Game time is slated for 7:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPN.
Missouri Tigers 2008 Football Schedule
Aug 30 Illinois (St. Louis)
Sep 06 Southeast Missouri State
Sep 13 Nevada
Sep 20 Buffalo
Oct 04 @Nebraska (Lincoln, Neb.)
Oct 11 Oklahoma State
Oct 18 @Texas (Austin, Texas)
Oct 25 Colorado
Nov 01 @Baylor (Waco, Texas)
Nov 08 Kansas State
Nov 15 @Iowa State (Ames, Iowa)
Nov 29 Kansas (Kansas City)
