Missouri Enters Top 10 in AP Poll After Week 1

The Missouri Tigers jumped into the top 10 of the AP's top 25 poll ahead of week 2.

Aug 29, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. (2) celebrates after scoring against the Murray State Racers on a pick six during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Missouri Tigers have welcomed themselves into the top 10 spots of the AP poll. This is the first time Missouri has ranked inside the top 10 in the week 2 poll since 2008 and only the sixth time since the AP poll was created in 1936.

Missouri earns the notch after a dominating 51-0 win over Murray State, its first shutout win since 2019. The Tigers are coming off an 11-2 season that ended with a victory in the Cotton Bowl over Ohio State, earning them spot No. 8 in the final AP poll.

Though there's high expectations for Missouri in 2024, especially with the looming opportunity of the new 12-team playoff format, head coach Eli Drinkwitz is emphasizing with his players the importance of not paying attention to outside noise.

"Expectations are external," Drinkwitz said in a press conference ahead of the season. "That's what everybody else outside of this building believes we should or could accomplish or be. Internally, we talk about standards. So for us, the standard is how we practice, how we carry ourselves, the focus and energy that we have, the core values that we live by, the goals that we wanted to accomplish."

Preseason AP Top 25 Poll

First-place votes in parentheses

1. Georgia (57)
2. Ohio State (5)
3. Texas
4. Alabama
5. Notre Dame
6. Ole Miss
7. Oregon
8. Penn State
9. Missouri
10. Michigan
11. Utah
12. Miami (FL)
13. USC
14. Tennessee
15. Oklahoma
16. Oklahoma State
17. Kansas State
18. LSU
19. Kansas
20. Arizona
21. Iowa
22. Louisville
23. Georgia Tech
24. NC State
25. Clemson

Other receiving votes: Texas A&M 97, Boston College 49, Boise St. 47, Iowa St. 32, Memphis 27, Nebraska 27, SMU 23, Washington 20, Liberty 12, Vanderbilt 8, Wisconsin 8, Auburn 8, Tulane 4, North Carolina 4, UTSA 3, Appalachian St. 3, Kentucky 2, West Virginia 2, Arkansas 2, UNLV 1, Colorado 1.

US LBM Coaches Poll 

First-place votes are in parentheses.

1. Georgia (51)
2. Ohio State (3)
3. Texas (1)
4. Alabama
5. Ole Miss
6. Oregon
7. Notre Dame
8. Penn State
9. Michigan
10. Missouri
11. Utah
12. Tennessee
13. Oklahoma
14. USC
15. Miami
16. Kansas State
17. Oklahoma State
18. Arizona
19. LSU
20. Kansas
21. Iowa
22. Clemson
23. NC State
24. Louisville
25. Washington

Others receiving votes: Georgia Tech 86; Texas A&M 78; Memphis 43; Kentucky 23; Boise State 22; SMU 19; Auburn 13; Wisconsin 11; Iowa State 10; UNLV 9; Tulane 9; Maryland 9; Liberty 9; Nebraska 8; Boston College 7; South Florida 5; James Madison 4; Air Force 4; UTSA 3; North Carolina 3; Appalachian State 3; Texas State 2; Syracuse 1; Coastal Carolina 1

Read more Missouri Tigers news:

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Brady Cook has Chance to Climb Missouri Leaderboards in Week 2

Final Notes and Numbers from Missouri's Week 1 Win