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Texas A&M Football: News and notes from around the SEC in Week 12

By Mary Catherine McCord

COLUMBIA, MO - NOVEMBER 4: Running back Ish Witter #21 of the Missouri Tigers celebrates a touchdown with Albert Okwuegbunam #81 against the Florida Gators the second quarter at Memorial Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, MO - NOVEMBER 4: Running back Ish Witter #21 of the Missouri Tigers celebrates a touchdown with Albert Okwuegbunam #81 against the Florida Gators the second quarter at Memorial Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

1. Missouri is bowl eligible

After a rough start to the season, the Missouri Tigers (6-5, 3-4) suddenly find themselves bowl eligible for the first time in three years. The Tigers started the season well with a 72-43 shellacking of Missouri State, but the wheels seemed to fall off after that.

The Tigers lost five straight games and sat at 1-5 at the midway point of the season.

Since then, the Tiger offense has found their stride and has exploded for 215 points in the last five games. They haven’t scored less than 45 points in that span.

This week the Tigers took on the winless Vanderbilt Commodores. They never trailed. They held a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and then exploded for 28 in the second.

Junior quarterback Drew Lock threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns on the day and running backs Ish Witter and Larry Rountree III combined for 155 yards and a touchdown as well.

Missouri is the ninth and final SEC team to reach bowl eligibility this season. It is mathematically impossible for Florida, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas to reach six wins. Ole Miss could with a win in the Egg Bowl next week, but because of a self-imposed penalty will be out of the post season regardless.

The Tigers will most likely make an appearance in the Independence Bowl, Birmingham Bowl, or Liberty Bowl. The East is already decided this season, but Mizzou could challenge Georgia in 2018.