Mizzou Primed To Make First CFP Appearance In 2027-28

Missouri has had little luck reaching the College Football Playoff. Before the initial expansion to a four-team playoff, the Missouri Tigers were on the outside looking in during the BCS era; a couple of seasons later, the first bracket was formed.

Before the expansion to 12 teams, the Tigers were in a New Year’s Six bowl, defeating Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, once more missing the playoffs by a year. Next season, the College Football Playoff will officially expand to 24 teams, meaning that head coach Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers could be headed to the playoffs for the first time.

Missouri’s chances for the 2026-27 edition are all but gone after their loss to Texas, which was filled with controversial officiating. Next season could be the year that Drinkwitz gets to showcase his team at full strength in the postseason.

How The New College Football Playoff Format Works

Beginning next season, the 24-team era will officially begin. The first two rounds of the playoffs will be hosted by the higher seed, with the quarterfinals and semifinal games being played in the traditional bowl games.

With 24 spots up for grabs, the playoff will move to a 19+4+1 format to allot the berths. Four spots are reserved for conference champions, with no conference championship game. One spot is reserved for the highest-ranked group of six champions, and 19 spots are reserved for at-large teams.

Drinkwitz has opposed the committee and expressed his preference to have play in games leading to the playoffs inside each conference. Ultimately, the committee will remain and be the decisive voice on the field.

The expansion also removed the conference championship games, which was the biggest gripe from SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, who opposed the 24-team field in favor of a 16-team field.

The Heisman Ceremony will also be affected by the expansion, moving the award ceremony to what was conference championship weekend to begin the playoffs on time and keep the quarterfinals around the start of the new year.

Mizzou’s Eli Drinkwitz Clock Could Be Ticking With Playoff Expansion

It is no secret that Drinkwitz has been able to stabilize the Missouri program into being a top-25 team year after year. He has failed to win in the statement games, excluding this season’s huge win over No. 8 Florida. Even with that win this season, the Tigers are 1-3 against ranked opponents.

Missouri will likely miss the playoff again this season. Already with three losses and the next two matchups against Georgia and Kentucky. Next season could be the year that the Tigers find themselves playing in the College Football Playoff. The expansion to 24 teams is certainly favorable for the Tigers, but more importantly, the return of Austin Simmons.

Simmons was gaining interest for the NFL Draft following this season, but instead signed to return to the Tigers for the 2027 season. A major boost to the program, as Simmons has shown why he initially beat out Trinidad Chambliss at Mississippi before an injury derailed his season.

If the Tigers don’t make the playoffs, the noise around Drinkwitz could get louder due to the expansion.

If the Tigers continue to struggle against ranked opponents, never get over the hump, and miss an expanded playoff field, time could be running short for Drinkwitz.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

The post Mizzou Primed To Make First CFP Appearance In 2027-28 appeared first on HEAVY.