Eye of the Tiger, Week 1: Boston College, Vanderbilt Seemingly Tougher Challenges for Missouri

Breaking down the impact the rest of the college football games will have on the Missouri Tigers in week 1.

Sep 30, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt cornerback Tyson Russell (8) defends during the second half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports / Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

The Missouri Tigers two-spot jump in the AP rankings is, yes, partially credit to their expected 51-point win over Murray State. But mostly, it's due to the mistakes of teams around them in an interesing opening weekend for college football.

12 of the 16 SEC teams came away with a win in opening weekend, though it was a close call for South Carolina and Vanderbilt, both teams Missouri will face down the road.

Overall, quite a bit was learned on Missouri's 2024 schedule. But things will continue to change throughout the season.

The Eye of the Tiger Series breaks down the rest of the college football schedule week to week to analyze how certain outcomes could affect Missouri.

Week 1 Results for Missouri's Future Opponents

Buffalo: 30-13 win over Lafayette
Boston College: 28-13 win over No. 10 Florida State
Vanderbilt: 34-27 OT win over Virginia Tech
No. 20 Texas A&M: 23-13 loss to No, 7 Notre Dame
UMass: 28-14 loss to Eastern Michigan
Auburn: 73-3 win over Albama A&M
Alabama: 63-0 win over Western Kentucky
Oklahoma: 51-3 win over Temple
South Carolina: 23-19 win over Old Dominion
Mississsippi State: 56-7 win over Eastern Kentucky
Arkansas: 70-0 win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff

• Is Florida State just that bad? Or does Missouri have a really solid Boston College team coming to town in week 3? The answer is probably in the middle but either way, Monday night was a strong debut for Bill O'Brien's Eagles. Quarterback Thomas Castellanos will be a good test for other mobile quarterbacks that Missouri will face down the road. Even before Boston College's upset over Florida State, it was clear they would be Missouri's toughest non-conference opponent. But it looks like could now be a legit challenge for Missouri.

• After Missouri faces Boston College, it will start SEC play by hosting Vanderbilt. The version of the Commodores on display Saturday was much different than the one that went 2-10 in 2023. Vanderbilt started the season with an upset over Virginia Tech, which required overcoming a 17-point deficit and a rushing touchdown in overtime from quarterback Diego Pavia in his first game with Vanderbilt. Pavia, a transfer from New Mexico State, has some real swagger, paired with an impressive arm and mobility. Missouri's match with Vanderbilt on September 21 won't be the easy match many made it out to be ahead of the season. Facing two legitimate opponents in September before heading into the thick of SEC season could bode well for Missouri's rankings if they handle business both weeks.

Week 1 Results for Missouri's AP Poll Neighbors:

No. 9 Michigan: 30-0 win over Fresno State
No. 10 Florida State: 24-21 loss to Georgia Tech in week 0, 28-13 loss to Florida State in week 1
No. 12 Utah: 49-0 win over Utah State
No. 13 LSU: 20-27 loss to No. 13 USC

• Brian Kelly and Eli Drinkwitz have always been two very different people. But the difference in team building has perhaps never been more clear than when the LSU head coach was slamming the table in his post game press conference, expressing his frustration with his team constantly getting too comfortable with a lead. While Drinkwitz's teams in 2023 had some third quarter lulls, it wasn't due to a lack of drive. Murray State is no USC, but even against the Racers, Drinkwitz emphasized with his team at halftime — when Missouri was leading 35-0 — that the team needed to uphold a standard during the second half. Some of Drinkwitz's public message could be interperted as coach speak. But he has a clear vision for the mindset he wants his team to have and seems to have a good handle on how to communicate it.

Read more Missouri Tigers news:

Eli Drinkwitz 'Concerned' with This Area of Missouri's Passing Offense

Missouri Enters Top 10 in AP Poll After Week 1

How to Watch: Buffalo at Missouri; Full Week 2 College Football Schedule