The Missouri Tigers lost a conference road game at Stillwater against Oklahoma State last week, so a drop in the latest rankings and polls is expected. Still, it’s nice to see the Tigers standing tall in the rankings the next week — a sign that voters respect the work of Frank Haith and the team’s talent. Instead of dropping them thinking they were some sort of a Big 12 fluke, Missouri continues to stay in the top four of the national polls.
“Last week, after its huge road win at Baylor, Missouri climbed to No. 2 in the coaches’ poll. This was fair,” writes ESPN’s Eamon Brennan. "This week, Missouri lost at Oklahoma State. It fell to No. 4. This is also fair. More than anything, it’s an acknowledgment of the Tigers’ season to date and, I’d wager, an endorsement of their performance as it relates to the future. If poll voters thought Mizzou was ready to fade or was outperforming its own talent, they might have been more eager to drop the Tigers a few extra spots within the top 10.
“Instead, voters seemed to recognize that Missouri is indeed legit, that good teams lose conference games on the road from time to time, and hey, no big deal, right? At this point, Frank Haith’s team deserves the benefit of the doubt. The Tigers seem to be getting it.”
The Tigers bounced right back with a nice win against Texas Tech, but now must go on the road to face the Texas Longhorns at Austin. The Big 12 won’t get any easier, but it’s clear Mizzou has already earned a confident spot at or near the top.