The Missouri Tigers are banned from the 2019 postseason, giving Georgia football an easier route back to Atlanta this season.
The Bulldog’s route to the SEC Championship Game just got much easier. The Missouri Tigers were slapped with a one-year post season ban, loss of scholarships and a three-year probation today. Their postseason ban means that Georgia can return to the SEC Championship Game with a second place finish in the East, if the Tigers win the division.
Of course, that is not a goal the coaches are going to shoot for. But it is a safety net the Bulldogs might find themselves needing, especially since the Tigers were expected to improve with transfer quarterback Kelly Bryant.
Missouri’s punishment comes from an admission of a former tutor that she completed classwork for multiple student athletes at Missouri, including three football players. The punishment will affect Missouri’s football, baseball and softball teams. Overall, she admitted to improperly helping 12 Missouri student athletes.
The punishments also include 10-year show-cause order for the tudor; 2019 post season ban for baseball and softball teams; vacating records of games the 12 players competed in after they became academically ineligible. The punishment is just as harsh on recruiting. Each team loses five-percent of their scholarships and undergoes a 7-week ban on unofficial visits and off-campus contacts, among other harsh punishments. A $5,000 fine is also levied against each team. The recruiting effects could linger for a few years
Missouri was once again emerging as one of Georgia’s biggest rivals in the SEC East and expected to compete for the divisional crown in 2019. Their confidence came from former Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant deciding to spend his last year of eligibility at Missouri. Bryant has decided to stay at Missouri and the schools plans on appealing the punishments they claim are unfair.