What earning No. 12 overall in the College Football Playoff Top 25 means for Missouri football
In the first College Football Playoff ranking of the 2023 season, Missouri football found itself further ahead in the rankings than in other polls.
Missouri came in at No. 12 overall, ahead of teams like Notre Dame, LSU and Louisville and immediately behind No. 11 Penn State.
This means MU is firmly in play for a New Year's Six Bowl for the 2023 season. It also means the Tigers can make a great season even better this weekend.
The Tigers go on the road to take on 8-0 Georgia, which came in at No. 2 overall in the first ranking of the season.
However, the No. 12 ranking means that Missouri has much more respect among the most important decision-makers in college football.
"Missouri's real," ESPN analyst McElroy said during ESPN's reveal show. "They have a good quarterback, they have explosive playmakers."
MU's No. 12 ranking is the highest CFP ranking in program history.
The last time Missouri appeared in the CFP Top 25 ranking was week 14 of the 2020 season at No. 25. This is also the earliest the Tigers have appeared in the CFP Top 25. Missouri previously earned a ranking in Week 14 of the 2014 season.
Prior to earning No. 12 on Tuesday, Missouri's best ranking was its No. 16 ranking in the final CFP poll of the 2014 season.
Aside from making some program history, Missouri also learned it has earned solid respect from the CFP committee. The committee ranked Missouri over LSU, even though LSU has a head-to-head win over MU.
ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit noted head-to-head matchups are taken into account in certain situations.
"Head-to-head should matter when everything else is close," Herbstreit said during the reveal show. "It's obvious it's a better team, even if they lost that day."
If Missouri keeps winning in November, which includes games against No. 2 Georgia and No. 17 Tennesee, then MU will have a chance to play in the College Football Playoff.
So far, Missouri has learned it has earned some important respect with its 7-1 record so far this season.
Earning No. 12 is also significant in a future sense. While the top four teams make the Playoff this season, in 2024 the Playoff will expand to the top 12 teams.
Missouri would be in that conversation then. For now, the Tigers will settle for a program best.
"Head to head is really important," CFP committee member Boo Corrigan said. "But there are so many other factors that are going to play in."
Week 10 College Football Playoff Top 25
1. Ohio State
2. Georgia
3. Michigan
4. Florida State
5. Washington
6. Oregon
7. Texas
8. Alabama
9. Oklahoma
10. Mississippi
11. Penn State
12. Missouri
13. Louisville
14. LSU
15. Notre Dame
16. Oregon State
17. Tennessee
18. Utah
19. UCLA
20. USC
21. Kansas
22. Oklahoma State
23. Kansas State
24. Tulane
25. Air Force
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: What Missouri football's College Football Playoff ranking means for the Tigers
