COLUMBIA, Mo. — Doubt? Disrespect?

Whatever it is — and whether or not it’s fair — The Associated Press preseason poll handed Missouri a sobering dose.

The Tigers received a handful of votes but nowhere near enough to crack the top 25, leaving them as the seventh team out of the poll despite having posted double-digit wins in both 2024 and 2025.

Omitting Mizzou is not necessarily surprising, given the general negative perception of the program as it replaces key losses at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and along the offensive line.

Yet it’s still striking because AP voters very rarely leave teams coming off back-to-back double-digit win seasons off their ballots.

Power conference teams with 10 wins in each of the two prior seasons have been left out of the top 25 just 5.4% o

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