After underdog season that saw Mizzou win the SEC East, capped with a bowl win, they still finish behind Georgia

Gary Pinkel led Mizzou to a Citrus Bowl finish and #14 ranking in the final AP poll

Winning back to back SEC East Division titles by winning their final six regular season games and then capping it off with a second consecutive New Year’s Day Bowl win did impress the A.P. voters to put the Tigers ahead of Georgia in the final Top 25 rankings.  Mizzou finishes the season with an 11-3 record and ranked 14th, while the 10-3 Georgia Bulldogs, who won the Belk Bowl toget to double digits, finished ninth.

Sour grapes on my part?  More like confusion…as usual with these polls.

The team that was picked fourth in the East in the preseason polls has won 23 games over the last two years, tied for most in the SEC with Alabama.  Mizzou is one of six SEC teams ranked, headlined by league champ Alabama at No. 4.

The Tigers fared better in the final coaches poll coming in a 11th, still behind Georgia.

Rank/Team/1st place votes/record/total pts

1. Ohio St. (59) 14-1 1,475 5
2. Oregon 13-2 1,402 3
3. TCU 12-1 1,349 6
4. Alabama 12-2 1,297 1
5. Florida St. 13-1 1,212 2
5. Michigan St. 11-2 1,212 7
7. Baylor 11-2 1,098 4
8. Georgia Tech 11-3 1,071 10
9. Georgia 10-3 925 13
10. UCLA 10-3 908 14
11. Mississippi St. 10-3 767 8
12. Arizona St. 10-3 756 15
13. Wisconsin 11-3 724 17
14. Missouri 11-3 710 16
15. Clemson 10-3 683 18
16. Boise St. 12-2 653 21
17. Mississippi 9-4 543 9
18. Kansas St. 9-4 509 11
19. Arizona 10-4 499 12
20. Southern Cal 9-4 315 24
21. Utah 9-4 302 23
22. Auburn 8-5 216 19
23. Marshall 13-1 161 NR
24. Louisville 9-4 116 20
25. Memphis 10-3 94 NR

Top 25 Coaches Poll