When the EF-5 tornado struck Joplin, Mo. in May last year, NASCAR drivers (including Jamie McMurray, who is from Joplin) were active in supporting the community and helping rebuild Joplin. Now, fans have a chance to continue that work alongside their favorite players.

The Kansas Speedway and NASCAR Unites, along with with Misouri sports teams, are taking the Governor's Joplin Challenge with the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. Each team will have its own neighborhood to build homes for tornado victims to purchase, and in total the project should result in 35 new homes for families in Joplin.

Now, here's where the fans can help:

1. Register to volunteer to build homes in Joplin. When you sign up, pick your favorite team and you'll get to work alongside your favorite athletes. You can sign up multiple times if you'd like to work with multiple teams as well. Specific work dates haven't been announced yet, but they will be available soon. Volunteer here.
2. Donate money or in-kind goods to the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. You can donate through your favorite team(s) or by making a general donation that isn't tied to a specific team. Donations are made by secure connection through PayPal. Donate here.
3. Spread the word. Like the Facebook page for the Challenge and spread the work on Twitter using #JoplinChallenge.

This is a great opportunity to help the people in Joplin, and thanks to everyone for pitching in!

When the tornado struck Joplin in May last year, the St. Louis Blues were active in supporting the community and helping rebuild Joplin. Now, fans have a chance to continue that work alongside their favorite players.

The Blues, along with with other sports teams in Missouri, are taking the Governor's Joplin Challenge with the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. Each team will have its own neighborhood to build homes for tornado victims to purchase, and in total the project should result in 35 new homes for families in Joplin.

Now, here's where the fans can help:

1. Register to volunteer to build homes in Joplin. When you sign up, pick your favorite team and you'll get to work alongside your favorite athletes. You can sign up multiple times if you'd like to work with multiple teams as well. Specific work dates haven't been announced yet, but they will be available soon. Volunteer here.
2. Donate money or in-kind goods to the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. You can donate through your favorite team(s) or by making a general donation that isn't tied to a specific team. Donations are made by secure connection through PayPal. Donate here.
3. Spread the word. Like the Facebook page for the Challenge and spread the work on Twitter using #JoplinChallenge.

This is a great opportunity to help the people in Joplin, and thanks to everyone for pitching in!

When the tornado struck Joplin in May last year, the St. Louis Rams were active in supporting the community and helping rebuild Joplin. Now, fans have a chance to continue that work alongside their favorite players.

The Rams, along with with other sports teams in Missouri, are taking the Governor's Joplin Challenge with the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. Each team will have its own neighborhood to build homes for tornado victims to purchase, and in total the project should result in 35 new homes for families in Joplin.

Now, here's where the fans can help:

1. Register to volunteer to build homes in Joplin. When you sign up, pick your favorite team and you'll get to work alongside your favorite athletes. You can sign up multiple times if you'd like to work with multiple teams as well. Specific work dates haven't been announced yet, but they will be available soon. Volunteer here.
2. Donate money or in-kind goods to the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. You can donate through your favorite team(s) or by making a general donation that isn't tied to a specific team. Donations are made by secure connection through PayPal. Donate here.
3. Spread the word. Like the Facebook page for the Challenge and spread the work on Twitter using #JoplinChallenge.

This is a great opportunity to help the people in Joplin, and thanks to everyone for pitching in!

When the tornado struck Joplin in May last year, the St. Louis Cardinals were active in supporting the community and helping rebuild Joplin. Now, fans have a chance to continue that work alongside their favorite players.

The Cardinals, along with with other sports teams in Missouri, are taking the Governor's Joplin Challenge with the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. Each team will have its own neighborhood to build homes for tornado victims to purchase, and in total the project should result in 35 new homes for families in Joplin.

Now, here's where the fans can help:

1. Register to volunteer to build homes in Joplin. When you sign up, pick your favorite team and you'll get to work alongside your favorite athletes. You can sign up multiple times if you'd like to work with multiple teams as well. Specific work dates haven't been announced yet, but they will be available soon. Volunteer here.
2. Donate money or in-kind goods to the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. You can donate through your favorite team(s) or by making a general donation that isn't tied to a specific team. Donations are made by secure connection through PayPal. Donate here.
3. Spread the word. Like the Facebook page for the Challenge and spread the work on Twitter using #JoplinChallenge.

This is a great opportunity to help the people in Joplin, and thanks to everyone for pitching in!

When the tornado struck Joplin in May last year, the Kansas City Chiefs were active in supporting the community and helping rebuild Joplin. Now, fans have a chance to continue that work alongside their favorite players.

The Chiefs, along with with other sports teams in Missouri, are taking the Governor's Joplin Challenge with the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. Each team will have its own neighborhood to build homes for tornado victims to purchase, and in total the project should result in 35 new homes for families in Joplin.

Now, here's where the fans can help:

1. Register to volunteer to build homes in Joplin. When you sign up, pick your favorite team and you'll get to work alongside your favorite athletes. You can sign up multiple times if you'd like to work with multiple teams as well. Specific work dates haven't been announced yet, but they will be available soon. Volunteer here.
2. Donate money or in-kind goods to the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. You can donate through your favorite team(s) or by making a general donation that isn't tied to a specific team. Donations are made by secure connection through PayPal. Donate here.
3. Spread the word. Like the Facebook page for the Challenge and spread the work on Twitter using #JoplinChallenge.

This is a great opportunity to help the people in Joplin, and thanks to everyone for pitching in!

The Kansas City Royals, along with with other sports teams in Missouri, are taking the Governor's Joplin Challenge with the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. Each team will have its own neighborhood to build homes for tornado victims to purchase, and in total the project should result in 35 new homes for families in Joplin.

Now, here's where the fans can help:

1. Register to volunteer to build homes in Joplin. When you sign up, pick your favorite team and you'll get to work alongside your favorite athletes. You can sign up multiple times if you'd like to work with multiple teams as well. Specific work dates haven't been announced yet, but they will be available soon. Volunteer here.
2. Donate money or in-kind goods to the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. You can donate through your favorite team(s) or by making a general donation that isn't tied to a specific team. Donations are made by secure connection through PayPal. Donate here.
3. Spread the word. Like the Facebook page for the Challenge and spread the work on Twitter using #JoplinChallenge.

This is a great opportunity to help the people in Joplin, and thanks to everyone for pitching in!

The Missouri Tigers, along with with other sports teams in Missouri, are taking the Governor's Joplin Challenge with the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. Each team will have its own neighborhood to build homes for tornado victims to purchase, and in total the project should result in 35 new homes for families in Joplin.

Now, here's where the fans can help:

1. Register to volunteer to build homes in Joplin. When you sign up, pick your favorite team and you'll get to work alongside your favorite athletes. You can sign up multiple times if you'd like to work with multiple teams as well. Specific work dates haven't been announced yet, but they will be available soon. Volunteer here.
2. Donate money or in-kind goods to the Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. You can donate through your favorite team(s) or by making a general donation that isn't tied to a specific team. Donations are made by secure connection through PayPal. Donate here.
3. Spread the word. Like the Facebook page for the Challenge and spread the work on Twitter using #JoplinChallenge.

This is a great opportunity to help the people in Joplin, and thanks to everyone for pitching in!

Take a look at the complete schedule here. Keep in mind, the projected record is based on cumulative probabilities of winning each game and may not equal the individual game predictions. (In Mizzou's case, it doesn't equal...the individual game projections give the Tigers at 12-4 conference record and 25-5 overall.)

Here's what jumped out to me. Rankings are according to Ken Pomeroy's system.

Key wins

• 73-71 vs no. 11 Georgetown (Neutral)
• 77-69 vs no. 38 Vanderbilt (Home)
• 76-72 vs no. 8 kansas State (Home)
• 75-72 vs no. 7 Baylor (Home)
• 74-73 vs no. 3 kansas (Home)

Projections says Mizzou goes undefeated at home, including three wins over top-10 teams.

Key losses

• 71-70 vs no. 9 Illinois (Neutral) - First loss of the season
• 71-70 vs no. 35 Texas A&M (Road) - First conference loss
• 73-70 vs no. 17 Texas (Road) - Really? Could happen, but I like our chances here.
• 77-70 vs no. 3 kansas (Road)
• 77-72 vs no. 8 kansas State (Road)

So of our five "projected losses", all are away from home and all are close (three are one-possession games). Three are against top-10 opponents, two of which are on the road.

Pomeroy gives the Tigers 0% chance of finishing undefeated, and 0.03% chance of sweeping the Big 12. (So you're telling me there's a chance...)

The projections give the conference championship to kansas, with Mizzou finishing fifth, I think (loss to Texas gives the Longhorns the tiebreaker and a first-round bye in the Big 12 tournament).

How accurate do you think this is? Would you be happy with this season?