Arch Rivalry Recap

By Commissioner

The Good

-Jeremy Maclin snatched momentum away from the Illini with a 99-yard kick-off return to put the Tigers back in front just 13 seconds after falling behind. I’m not sure Mizzou has ever had a game-breaker like Maclin and it’s scary to think what could happen if he’s knocked out of a crucial game (more on this later).

-On a rough day for the defense, Sean Witherspoon stepped up and single-handedly sealed the win for the Tigers with two huge interceptions.

-With the spotlight on him in his first college game, Elvis Fisher delivered in a big way at left tackle. He kept Chase Daniel clean all afternoon (the vaunted Illini D-line never put much pressure on the QB, and the one sack late was a coverage sack). Perhaps Fisher’s best effort was on Derrick Washington’s second touchdown run, where he opened up the whole on the left side, then sprinted downfield and knocked Vontae Davis out of the play.

-Speaking of Washington, he was incredible in his debut, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry and scoring twice. His second touchdown run – thanks to some poor tacking by the Illini – made him look like Earl Campbell.

-Daniel turned in a good performance that would be great for most other quarterbacks. Throwing for 314 yards and 3 TDs is a good way to start off the Heisman campaign.

-Chase Coffman also left his mark on the game with more than 100 yards receiving and a touchdown. The play everyone will remember came early in the second half, when he juked past two defenders, jumped over a third, and carried a host of tacklers for 10 more yards. If he’s not an All-American, the voters simply are not paying attention.

-Also worthy of note: Styker Sulak was all over the field, notching 3 huge sacks and blocking an extra point... Jeff Wolfert nailed a career-long 51-yard field goal and was excellent on kickoffs... Tommy Saunders not only caught two touchdowns, but also wrangled three bad snaps as the holder on special teams and filled in admirably as a punt returner.

The Bad

-Daniel’s one mistake was a big one. He failed to look before throwing a screen pass, which ended up in the arms of an Illinois defender, who took it to the house.

-Injuries seemed to plague the Tigers on Saturday. I – along with every other Tiger fan – was holding my breath when Maclin went to the locker room. Luckily he will be back soon. The news is not so good for Steve Redmond, who is lost for the season. There was another scary moment when Carl Gettis – the lone bright spot in the Mizzou secondary – went down with an injury, but he appeared to be okay.

-We’ve come to expect such great things from William Moore that we are disappointed when he doesn’t completely dominate a game. He still led the team in tackles and was apparently limited by an injury... so hopefully we’ll see him have a greater impact on games going forward.

-Fourth and inches. I’m not saying we have to have a fullback. I’m not even saying we have to get under center. But why in the world do we insist on running a QB draw with Chase when everyone in the world knows it is coming? At least put a running back in there to disguise it or something. Frustrating.

The Ugly

-There’s no getting around it... Mizzou’s secondary played an ugly game on Saturday. Giving up 5 touchdown passes to anyone is bad. Giving up 5 touchdown passes to Juice Williams is just ridiculous, regardless of how much time he spent with Donovan McNabb this offseason (Did you know he spent a week with him? Did you?). I’m not sure whether the blame goes to the coaches or the players or both, but it better be sorted out by the time conference play arrives.

Play of the Game

There are plenty to choose from here – Spoon’s pick-6, Washington’s incredible run, Coffman’s hurdle – but the play of the day was clearly Maclin’s kick-off return. The Illini had all the momentum at that point, but Maclin took it all away in just 13 seconds. Kudos also to Earl Goldsmith for throwing two great blocks on the play.

Hit of the Game

Surprise, surprise. The winner here was not Sulak, Moore, Spoon, or any of the other heavy hitters on defense. Instead, it was 5’5” Tremane Vaughn, who laid a serious blow on an Illinois receiver late in the second half.

Seen and Heard in the Stands

Commissioner and Co. showed up in the ESPN broadcast after Mizzou’s first touchdown if you look very carefully... No near-fights with Illini fans this year, which was nice... I didn’t hear any B-C-S chants from the Illini. I wonder why... Crowd looked to be about 55-45 in favor of the Tigers, but there were a surprising number of empty seats in the upper deck... I received a text message and two voicemails telling me that Maclin’s injury was just a sprain. You guys know me too well; we were freaking out... Gold Rush was about 75 percent effective, but not nearly as good as Nebraska last year... Right before the opening play of the second drive, Born-a-tiger called a fake to Maclin on the end around, followed by a hand-off to Washington off the right side. The man knows his Tigers because that’s exactly what Mizzou did, gaining about 20 yards...

MU-Illinois Preview

By Commissioner

Well, it’s almost time to get the 2008 season underway. This year’s opener is huge because it will set the tone for the season. Win, and the Tigers are set up for a run at the national title (there’s something I never thought I’d be writing without sarcasm). Lose, and there will be talking heads all over the country lining up to say 2007 was a fluke. We can still have a great season with a loss on Saturday, but if we want a season for the record books, the Tigers need a win.

That being said, I have the utmost faith in Coach Pinkel’s ability to get his guys ready for this game. After all, as important as this game is, the Tigers have shown repeatedly over the last year that they can win big games. You can’t tell me this is any bigger than kU last year and we know how that ended up. You also have to like the senior leadership on this team. Do you really think Chase and Wily Mo will let these guys lose focus? Bottom line, they’ll be ready.

But what about Illinois? They don’t have the same expectations, but they also have no reason to fear the Tigers. Mizzou never connected with a knockout punch last year when they were up big and the Illini climbed right back into it. They know (think?) they can play with the Tigers, and confidence is huge this early in the season. That’s why I the game will be a lot closer than most Tiger fans (and the Vegas oddsmakers) seem to think.

Tigers to Watch:

We know what to expect from guys like Chase Daniel, Chase Coffman, Jeremy Maclin, William Moore, Jeff Wulfert, etc. So that’s not where I’ll be watching. Like so many other Mizzou fans, I’ll have my eyes trained on the left side of the offensive line to start the game. If Elvis Fisher can get the job done on the left side, it could be an easy win for the Tigers. But if the D-line can get pressure on Daniel’s blind side, causing turnovers, etc., it could get messy.

I’m also excited to see which of the freshman receivers leaves his mark on the game. Jerrell Jackson has been making dazzling plays in practice, and Andrew Jones should see some time at TE. But I’m sure Wes Kemp will want to get in there and do his best Jeremy Maclin impression by putting on a show in his hometown. Brad Smith also had his coming out party at the Dome. If one of these freshmen can make a similar first impression, it will be a long day for the Illinois secondary.

Illini to Watch

Everyone is going to talk about Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn. But I’m not really worried about either of them. Mizzou tends to handle mobile quarterbacks pretty well, and Benn can only do so much with Juice throwing him one-hoppers. I’ll be watching junior running back Daniel Dufrene to see if he can step into the big shoes left by Rashard Mendenhall. Dufrene had 58 yards in last year’s game on only six carries. The Tigers have to slow him down to win.

The marquis player on the other side of the ball is Vontae Davis at cornerback. Tiger fans might remember Davis from his blocked punt in last year’s contest. He will, of course, be matched up against Maclin. I’m sure Davis is great, but I’m amused by the number of Illinois fans who think Davis simply cancels out Maclin. You can’t take Maclin out of the game with single coverage, and I hope the Illinois coaches are dumb enough to try. That’s not an insult to Davis, who is a very good DB... but Mizzou just does too much with Maclin for one guy to stop him. I’ll say this though... if Davis is able to man up Maclin all day and shut him down, he’s probably the best DB in the country. The bad news for Illinois: Last time I checked, we have more than one receiver. Who’s covering the rest of them?

Keys to the Game:

1. Battle in the trenches: I really think this game will be won or lost in the trenches. Oklahoma showed last year that the only way to stop Mizzou’s offense is to get pressure with the front four. The Illini D-line is not nearly as good as OU, but they are talented and going up against a somewhat inexperienced MU offensive line. If they can pressure Chase, they’ve got a chance. On the flip side, I’ve heard that Illinois is going to blitz a lot. Let’s hope so, Tiger fans. They might get to Chase a couple times, but he’ll also burn them repeatedly. If you are Illinois, the pressure has to come up front.

2. Mizzou getting on top early: I haven’t seen the Illini this year (obviously), but I have to assume that they are a similar team – which means they aren’t really built to come from behind. On the flipside, they have the ability to grind out the clock with Juice and Dufrene if they get a lead. While I don’t expect the Tigers to fold under the pressure, things could get interesting if Illinois takes the lead late in the game. But if Mizzou gets ahead by a couple scores early, I think this one could be over. Do you really see Juice Williams throwing it all over the field and leading them to victory? I don’t. But I know you’re all thinking, “Uh, what about last year?” That brings me to point 3...

3. Killer instinct: For years, Pinkel’s teams didn’t have it at all (see: the entire 2004 season). Last year, they showed it in flashes, pummeling Nebraska and Arkansas. But for every 41-6, there was a game where the Tigers were up big in the second half and then seemed to stop playing. That’s why MU fans have a completely different view of the Illinois and kU games last year than our opponents. We remember being up big and we remember winning. We conveniently forget that empty feeling we all got when we thought it might slip away. Hopefully the Tigers have learned their lesson. I don’t want Pinkel to worry about running up the score... and that goes for the whole season. If we’re up 21, make it 28.... make it 35. I would much rather defend the Tigers against critics who say we run up the score than blow a 24-point lead in the second half.

Prediction:

Last season, the Tigers only scored fewer than 30 points once. I don’t see it happening on Saturday, and I think that’s the only way Illinois wins it. Mizzou 34, Illinois 27.

Pop quiz:

Can you name the only two Tiger starters who are not from Missouri or Texas?

It's funny how things change...

By Commissioner

In anticipation of bringing back The Zou after a year and a half hiatus, I was reading through some of the old posts. I stumbled across this entry from April 13, 2006, outlining the “simple truths” of being a Mizzou fan. It reminded me just how much the perception of Mizzou athletics has changed thanks to the unforgettable 2007 season. The question is, what does the future hold? Mizzou fans are wired to wait for the other shoe to drop – and with good reason: Fifth Down, Flea Kicker, Tyus Edney, etc. But should we? Let’s a take a look back at those “truths”.

If Mizzou has a top 25 preseason team and a consensus All-American, the team WILL fall apart and the player WILL underachieve or get injured.

Part of what made last season so remarkable is that no one outside of Tiger Nation saw it coming. There were no accolades (with the possible exception of Martin Rucker) and no preseason ranking, despite being picked to win the Big XII North. With a Top-10 preseason ranking and preseason All-Americans in Maclin and Willy Mo, this year will really test this truth. But don’t you trust this group of Tigers a lot more than the past?

If Mizzou is the front-runner for a top-flight recruit, he WILL change his mind.

This is simply not true any more – at least in football. Now we’re taking recruits from other schools (Blaine Gabbert, Wes Kemp, etc.). I think the whole “we don’t recruit, we select” thing is WAY over the top at this point, but the culture has definitely changed. It’s changed in basketball too: We’re not even in the running for big recruits. Sigh.

If there is an important personnel decision to made, the athletic department WILL handle it poorly.

There hasn’t been a big hire since Anderson, so it’s hard to say at this point. The closest example is how they handled all the suspensions of the basketball team last year. In my opinion, it was a joke. A bunch of guys are involved in the same incident, but the only one who gets kicked off the team is the one who is injured and can’t play? It just made us look stupid. But, I will give credit where credit is due... Alden was right when he decided to hold onto Pinkel.

No matter how badly the revenue sports perform, a non-revenue sport WILL accomplish something great to keep Alden looking good.

This is only partly true. The non-revenue sports are still performing at a high level... but Alden emerged from last year’s football season looking like a genius (except for that whole bowl game fiasco).

Gary Pinkel WILL struggle against against mediocre teams from kansas, but win a big game or two late in the season to make fans forget that his team has underachieved.

This is also not true anymore. Pinkel has crushed kU and K-State in each of the last two seasons. He’s also gotten the monkey off his back by winning at Colorado and other road venues. Next up is winning at Nebraska for the first time since 1978. Now if only we can beat Oklahoma...

The basketball team WILL inexplicably win a couple big games in the middle of the season, tricking Mizzou fans into believing that it has finally turned the corner.

This is still true, but Mizzou fans stopped falling for it a couple years ago. Really, after Mizzou blew out Texas last year, did anyone think they could compete in the Big XII? I sure didn’t. I do think Anderson will get it turned around eventually... I just hope there are some fans left by the time he does.

Bottom line: We WILL be a second-tier athletic program until the problems are fixed… and that means we need change in the athletic department.

This is an interesting point. On one hand, we still have not won a Big XII title in a major sport. We haven’t won a national championship since the 1950s. But yet... something feels different. Mizzou is on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Chase, Maclin and Co. are on the front page of every college football Web site. Last year’s MU-kU game was one of the highest rated games ever.

In 2006, I wrote “[M]any Mizzou fans seem to have a false sense of where Mizzou fits in the national consciousness . . . . They expect national titles, even though they have no reason to. Then, when the teams inevitably fall short, they get upset. They say people should be fired. They tear apart 19-year-old kids on the Internet. They say we are cursed. But maybe the only curse we have is a fan base with unreasonable expectations.” Well, just two years later, Mizzou football is firmly planted in the national consciousness. And those national championship aspirations? They’re looking a bit more reasonable these days. It’s amazing how quickly things can change. Let’s just hope it continues.

On hiatus...

In case anyone ever checks in on our little site, I thought I would let you know that we've been on a bit of a hiatus for more than a year while I finished up law school and started studying for the bar. Look for a new and improved Zou to return in the fall when I get some free time... at least until I have to start a real job.

The U

#2 Miami Hurricanes

Record: 36-22

Bid: At-large, from ACC

Regional Appearances: 36

CWS Appearances: 22

National Titles: 4

Players to Watch: For starters, there are some names on the roster that should be familiar to folks in Columbia. Sophomore CF Blake Tekotte was a star at Hickman and hit .345 this season while appearing in all 57 games for the Hurricanes. Fans from St. Louis should recognize the name of Jason Hagerty, a freshman catcher who was the 2006 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year. Given Miami’s storied history, it’s hard to blame these kids for leaving the state, but it sure would be nice if they regretted that decision by next Monday… Miami’s biggest threat at the plate is sophomore first baseman Yonder Alonso (.378, 18 HRs and 74 RBI). The fact that he was only a second-team All-ACC selection with those numbers goes to show how deep that conference is… The pitching rotation is led by freshman left-hander Eric Erickson (10-3, 2.00), who was an All-ACC selection. Junior lefty Scott Maine (5-5, 3.03) appears to be the No. 2 starter, striking out 73 batters in 92.0 innings pitched… Danny Gil (3-0, 3.73) is probably the best arm out of the bullpen, appearing in 31 games and earning 5 saves.

Pretty much anyone who follows college baseball can tell you that Miami has a rich tradition of winning. Their trip to Columbia marks the 35th consecutive regional appearance for the Hurricanes, which is an NCAA record. Miami has also won 13 consecutive regionals and appeared in last year’s College World Series. Even more daunting is the fact that Miami is 27-2 in its last 29 regional games and has not suffered a regional loss to a team other than Florida since 1998. Still, history alone will not get Miami through to the next round and this year’s Hurricane squad is not as dominant as we have come to expect. Despite winning 10 of their last 13 games, they earned only a No. 5 seed in a very deep ACC tournament and ended up falling to No. 8 seed Wake Forest. They’re bound to lose eventually… right?

It’s hard to know what exactly to expect from Miami this weekend. They have played extremely well at times, including two wins against No. 3 Florida State and No. 13 Clemson. But they also had their share of bad games against teams outside the top 100 in RPI, including two losses to Mercer (RPI 101), a loss to St. Bonaventure (RPI 204), and a loss to North Florida (RPI 152). The one thing we do know is they have postseason experience, so being away from home probably won’t bother them. After all, they made it to the College World Series last year without hosting a regional. I know I’m not going out on a limb here, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Mizzou and Miami facing off on Sunday for the Regional Title. Who comes out on top is anybody’s guess… but my gut reaction, unfortunately, is Miami. Prove me wrong Tigers!

Let's play ball!

By Tiger Fan

After a LONG hiatus as I finished up my second year of law school, I’m back to preview the Columbia (yes, MISSOURI) Regional for the NCAA Baseball Championship. This, my friends, is a program on the move. Congrats to Tim Jamieson and Co. on their fifth straight postseason. I’d love to see other teams at Mizzou step up and match that consistency. I’ll preview Kent State and Louisville today, Miami on Wednesday and our Tigers on Thursday, so keep checking back for updates. I will also be in Columbia on Friday for Game 1, which should ensure two things based on this year’s track record: 1) rain, and 2) a Tiger victory. Mizzou-Rah!

#4 Kent State Golden Flashes

Record: 33-24

Bid: MAC Tournament Champions

Regional Appearances: 8

CWS Appearances: 0

National Titles: 0

Players to Watch: Senior Andrew Davis led the Golden Flashes in hitting for the second straight year, batting .335 and driving in 53 runs. He was the only player to start all 57 games and also holds Kent State’s career hits record… Freshman Anthony Gallas was a big source of power for Kent State, hitting 10 HRs, driving in 43 runs and registering a .554 slugging percentage. On the flip side, Gallas also leads the team in strikeouts with 48… On the mound, righthanders Evan Smith and Kyle Smith have made the most starts for KSU this season and both have ERAs under 4.00. Ryan Davis, who has earned 8 saves, is the Kent State closer… Earlier today, Baseball America predicted that Chris Carpenter might get the start against Mizzou on Friday. Carpenter does not have a lot of starts this year because he is coming back from injury, but he has gone 4-0 in five starts with a 3.55 ERA and 25 strikeouts.

After falling just short of the NCAA tournament a year ago, Kent State is excited to be headed to Columbia. They are coming in with quite a bit of confidence, too. They already beat No. 3-seed Louisville earlier this year and the Golden Flashes have won 16 of their last 17 games. KSU also took 2 of 3 from Florida in Gainesville, which doesn’t mean as much as it has in years past, but is still impressive for a No. 4-seed. Much like the Tigers, Kent State has found ways to win all year, including four extra-inning victories and a number of one-run games. All in all, Kent State is a solid team that will certainly not be a pushover. I don’t see the Tigers losing on Friday, but anything is possible in baseball… particularly if Carpenter plays at his best. The bottom line is this: If the Tigers from Saturday’s 13-1 win over OSU show up, we will win. If the Tigers who lost to Baylor and Oklahoma show up, things could get interesting.

#3 Louisville Cardinals

Record: 40-22

Bid: At-large, from Big East

Regional Appearances: 2

CWS Appearances: 0

National Titles: 0

Players to Watch: The senior tandem of Isaiah Howes and Logan Johnson anchor the Cardinals’ attack. Howes hit .387 with 15 HRs and 55 RBI. Johnson hit .372 with 13 HRs and 55 RBI… CF Boomer Whiting is the nation’s top base-stealer, with 69 stolen bases… On the mound, it’s all about junior Zack Pitts (Big East Pitcher of the Year) and freshman lefty Justin Marks (Big East Rookie of the Year), each of whom has started 15 games. Pitts has eye-popping numbers: his 8-3 record is accompanied by a 1.78 ERA and 80 strikeouts, compared with only 21 walks. In his first year, Marks has compiled a 7-2 record with a 2.44 ERA and struck out 72 while walking only 26… Trystan Magnuson handles the closing duties for Louisville, recording 8 saves and striking out 49 while giving up just 5 earned runs in 31 appearances.

Many have said that Louisville is a weak No. 3, but I’m just not seeing it. Perhaps the Big East is not the strongest baseball conference, but Howes and Johnson have put up huge numbers that have been complemented by equally impressive pitching. The rest of the line-up seems to drop off considerably after their star players, but if they are all playing well, I’m not sure it will matter. The loss to Kent State earlier this season has to be a concern for Cardinal fans (as does their 7-10 mark against the Golden Flashes all-time), and they have a very formidable opening round match-up with perennial power Miami. Still, it’s not crazy to think Louisville can make some noise in this regional. The question is, where do they turn for pitching after Pitts and Marks? The answer is not readily apparent, which probably means Columbia will be their last stop this season.

Please remain calm...

By Tiger Fan

Ladies and gentlemen of Tiger nation, I implore you: Take a deep breath and calm down. I'm well aware that we have started 0-3 in conference play. I'm aware that ISU and KSU are not good teams. I'm aware that this may be a long season. But didn't we already know this was going to be a long season? How quickly we forget...

Cruising Tigerboard, I'm reading that Hannah (our best player, mind you) should be benched. Anderson (who has coached 16 games) should be fired. His system (which is being run by a very average team) will never work. It's a ridiculous reaction to a few tough games.

Let's a take a step back. The only reason we have these expectations for Anderson is that he came in and started off 9-0. No one expected that, but as soon as it happened, many Tiger fans somehow shifted their expectations from "first-year coach in a rebuilding year" to "conference contender." If you look at this objectively, we have one of the worst teams in the Big XII from a talent perspective. We finished 11th last year, and we lost our top two scorers and only legit big man from that team. Now, we have six new players on the roster and everyone is learning a new system. We have no inside presence. Our best player is in his first D-I season. Our best pure shooter (Matt Lawrence) can't create his own shots.

If anything, Anderson should be lauded for getting to 11-5 with this team. People are all worked up about the five losses, but three of those five games could have gone either way. Illinois came down to the final shot. ISU needed some questionable officiating and a lucky tip-in to win. KSU won by 4 despite shooting 43 free throws. If a few bounces had gone our way, this team could be 14-2, with Tiger fans declaring CMA coach of the century. I'm not trying to make excuses for this team... the losses to Purdue and Texas were ugly, and ISU and KSU should have been wins. But I can promise you this: With this talent, Quin would have lost all these games and probably would have lost to Arkansas, Davidson and at least one other patsy.

The point is, everyone needs to calm down. Before the season started, we all knew it would be a tough year. Then these guys got off to a hot start and everyone determined that Anderson was the second coming. Now Missouri fans have expectations that are impossible to meet with the talent we have.

I also have some bad news: It's not likely to get much better this season. We will get killed on Monday in Lawrence. We may only win 4 or 5 games in conference. We probably won't make either postseason tournament. But you all knew that was likely when the year started... you just got caught up in the hype and wanted to believe Anderson could work miracles. CMA is good, but he's not that good. We're heading in the right direction, but it's going to take time. So everyone needs to take a deep breath and relax. Things will get better eventually.

Braggin' Rights Live Blog

By Tiger Fan and Born-a-Tiger

Well, it’s that time of year again. Time for the Braggin’ Rights game… lately, an annual ritual where Mizzou fans gather together and bemoan the demise of their basketball program. The Tigers haven’t won since 1999. I’ve been there the last two years and that hasn’t helped, so I’ll try watching it at home with Born-a-Tiger and Fannette this year. Last year’s 82-50 loss was the worst in series history, so it can’t get any worse. Right? Game on… let’s end this drought!

8:00: Certainly Duke is Duke… but they’re trying real hard to screw over Mizzou fans by blowing a 10-point lead against Kent State and sending things to overtime

8:05: Looks like Duke will pull this out, despite being incredibly overrated. In fact, Kent State fans have begun an overrated chant (down 5). And apparently Ohio State is struggling against the Cyclones. What the heck? Anyway, it’s over… let’s go to the real game.

8:09: As the team takes the floor, Born-a-Tiger suggests that Mizzou invest in a Mission:Impossible-style mask so that DeMarre Carroll can pretend to be Kalen Grimes. Or, CMA could do start Leo Lyons in his place. That could work.

8:15: Nolan Richardson was just spotted in the stands with a straw hat and a gray moustache. I think he’s trying to blend in…. ‘cause, you know, that’s what everyone else is wearing.

8:19: Stefhon Hannah is starting out hot and the Tigers have weathered the opening storm from the Illini. It’s 8-10 at the first timeout… I’ll take that.

8:27: Illinois fouls Grimes in an attempt to front him. Apparently they think he’s good and… OOOOHHHHH, Grimes with a huge put-back. Perhaps we were wrong about Kalen. Perhaps.

8:30: Illinois seems to be scoring at will right now, but they’re taking some tough shots and they happen to be going down. I’m okay with those shots… and if they really keep making them, we’re not going to win anyway.

8:37: And it seems that everyone on both teams is in foul trouble. Advantage: Mizzou.

8:49: I correctly called a Jason Horton miss at the free throw line, then Born-a-Tiger calls two straight misses by Pruitt, specifically naming where on the rim it will hit. Nice.

8:59: I was all set to say that the “Grimes fade-away count is at one”… but he traveled

9:02: The Tigers lead 38-35 at the half. Any Tiger fan who won’t take that is delusional. No popcorn showers this year. Great half of coaching.

9:06: Thinking back, the Tigers have been down at halftime a lot in this series and they always play better in the second half. I wasn’t a math major in school, but I’m pretty sure if we outscore them in the second half this year, we’ll win. Write that down.

9:10: As halftime continues, Fannette wanders into the room and I tell her we’re down by 20. She looks confused… not because she doesn’t think this is possible, but because we haven’t been screaming nearly enough to be down 20. Ah, college basketball.

9:23: Yikes. A quick 6-0 run by the Illini. Too many second chance points. Good time out by CMA.

9:29: Brian Randle gets his third foul. Born-a-Tiger says he looks hurt. I say he look stupid in his t-shirt. Fannette says he looks Mexican. Classic.

9:30: Fannette points out that I am also wearing a t-shirt under my jersey. Touche.

9:32: Why is Sean Sutton considered a first-year coach? Hasn’t he realistically been the coach at OSU for several years because his dad is a drunk? I’m just asking.

9:44: After Kalen knocks down a jumper, the announcer says, “Grimes, not known for his post moves…” Yeah, that’s what you want to hear about your big man. But hey, he’s playing well tonight.

9:57: This one’s not over yet, but with Mizzou down five, you have to look at second chance points. Illinois has 20 so far… teams won’t get that next year with Carroll in the mix.

10:15: Ahhhhh… free throws, rebounding and a lane violation are going to cost us the game. That’s a shame. It’s been a great game.

10:17: It’s not over yet, but the Tigers trail by three with 11.7 to play. They should have gotten it back on the last in-bound (the Illini player traveled and there was a held ball), but Illinois used its last timeout. It will come down to this possession.

10:18: STEAL! Tigers have 4.8 seconds to tie it. What a game!

10:19: Hannah loses it on his way up and that’s it. He was open but it just slipped out of his hands. His reaction? “F***ing crap.” Interesting choice of words to sum up the end of an interesting game. The final is 73-70 and while the Tigers need to beat these guys soon to keep the rivalry interesting, Mizzou fans should feel pretty good about this. It was a great game and it could have gone either way. Unfortunately, the guys just couldn’t quite pull it out and CMA becomes the first coach in the history of this rivalry to lose in his first year. Oh well… we’ll get them next year. And I mean it this time.

Weekly Report

By Tiger Fan

Allright, law school exams are over, so I finally have to time to weigh in on all the issues in Columbia. So, without further ado...

Ticket scalping
Is anyone really surprised that the Sun Bowl ticket situation has turned into such a fiasco? It just wouldn't be a Mizzou sporting event without the athletic department screwing things up. When I first heard that they were giving away free tickets to students, I thought it was great... it's about time Mike Alden acknowledged the fact that the athletic department is actually tied to a university full of students. But almost as quickly, I realized this would be a disaster. Let's see: "poor" students who are crappy "fans," free tickets, eBay, a game in freakin' El Paso smack dab in the middle of winter break... what could go wrong?

I'm torn about who to blame for this. The athletic department is stupid for not seeing this coming. The fans who are buying the student tickets are stupid for encouraging it. And the students themselves are just jerks... and terrible fans. We actually had this happen with Zou Crew student tix to the Braggin' Rights game a couple years ago and those responsible were kicked out of the organization. The bottom line is that no true Tiger fan would take advantage of the AD's generosity and try to turn a profit for themselves. It is amusing to me to hear the students justify selling their tickets: "Well, they shouldn't have given them to us" (classy)... "Everyone knows Mizzou football is just about tailgating anyway" (I'm sure the players would appreciate hearing that. Plus, I've got bad news for the Mizzou tailgaters out there: Our scene is fine, but it's no better than most other Big XII schools and pales in comparison to anything in the SEC)... "I'm a poor college student" (give me a break)... "Who wants to ride to El Paso in a bus and sleep four to a room?" (Um, I think that's called a road trip. Those kind of memories are what college is all about. Besides, I thought you were poor?)... and my personal favorite, "Do you know how much an All Sports Pass costs? I'm just trying to recoup some of my investment. All student tickets should be free." (Are you freakin' kidding me? All Sports pass costs $207. That's less than season football tickets cost and then you get all the other sports for free. If anyone needs to recoup their investment it's someone who actually paid the AD face value for their tickets. The AD loses money on All Sports Passes. And sure, there are some schools where they let kids in free... but there are also schools like Ohio State where freshman get the distinct privilege of buying tickets to ONE game. I think Mizzou is at a happy medium).

Lost in all this is the bigger problem: The AD has only sold a couple thousand tickets, well short of the mark required by the Sun Bowl. If we don't get there, it will COST the AD around $200,000. Nice work, Tiger fans. Here's the bottom line: We should never complain about getting passed over by a better bowl. Mizzou fans have proven we don't deserve it.

Fan support
Speaking of Mizzou fans, what the heck is going on in Columbia? I understand that there was some snow and all, but let's show some support for the basketball team. They're 9-1 and off to their best start since 2001 (when they went to the Elite Eight), but no one seems to care. It's pathetic. Only a few years ago, Hearnes was overflowing with people because the AD thought all the students would skip the Iowa game at the start of Christmas break and resold the tickets... but then all the students showed up. Now? Either our student "fans" are pathetic or they have seriously raised the academic standards at Mizzou. Come on folks, get to a game. It takes two hours and if that makes a difference in your studying, you're probably screwed anyway. CMA is not Quin Snyder and he has these guys playing with heart. They deserve your support.

I guess part of the problem may be the geniuses in the athletic department, who seem to be doing everything possible to discourage student attendance. According to this story in the Tribune, Alden apparently called in the police at 3:00 a.m. to prevent students from lining up early for Braggin' Rights tickets. Yes, this is the same guy who won't let students camp outside the arena before big games (that's why the annual Zou Crew camp-out for kU seats was always at Tiger Plaza). Name for me another big-time program that would turn away students who were camping out for seats. I'll wait.... Back? There aren't any. Some Mizzou fans want to believe we have a big-time program, but we won't until our crappy leadership stops doing stuff like this. It's a Catch 22: The AD complains that we don't have any fan support... then the fans show up and he calls the police. Brilliant. How does this man still have a job?

Wrestling
The other team that deserves your support is the Mizzou wrestling team, currently ranked No. 1 in the country. Take a minute to let that sink in. No. 1 in the nation. Could you imagine what game day would be like if football was No. 1? Basketball? Ben Askren already brought Mizzou one national title and is working on another. Now, his brother Max is looking to do the same. These guys are the real deal.

Elson Floyd
I'd be remisced if I didn't mention the departure of University of Missouri President Elson Floyd. He's not directly related to the athletic department, but after the Ricky Clemons debacle, he will be forever tied to Quin, Alden, etc. I'm torn about what to think. On one hand, I'm all for getting rid of the entire regime that killed the basketball program and embarassed Mizzou on a national scale. Quin's gone... Floyd is gone... Alden is the only one left. The thing is, Floyd didn't really do anything wrong. Sure, his wife was completely out of line and embarassing, but can he be blamed for his wife's conduct? It always seemed to me like he got caught in a bad situation where he reached out to a student in trouble, and Clemons made him look like a fool. On the other hand, if you look at the big picture, he was good for the academic side of the university (which is why it exists in the first place, isn't it?). Most faculty members supported him, and he did a good job of keeping the state from slashing Mizzou's budget more than necessary. I think the Tiger fans who are cheering his departure are taking a somewhat myopic view of the situation. Overseeing athletics at Mizzou was a very, very small part of his job. Floyd was supervising the operation of four campuses throughout the state. He must have been doing a good job, otherwise Washington State wouldn't have offered him so much money to leave. He always seemed like a nice guy to me (can't say the same for his wife), so I wish him all the best. I just hope the UM system can find a suitable replacement to run the SCHOOL. If you have a problem with ATHLETICS, fire Alden. Maybe the new guy will do it...

Thoughts on Mizzou-Purdue

By Tiger Fan

Before everyone starts jumping off a bridge because of the 79-62 loss to Purdue, let’s remember a few things: 1) a couple months ago, we all would have been thrilled with a 9-1 record right now… 2) this was our first road game and it showed… 3) Purdue is a pretty good team… 4) this game was a lot closer than it looks from the score. It was tied at the half, but we just couldn’t buy a basket in the second half. It doesn’t matter how well you play defense if you can’t score (they scored 39 in the first, 40 in the second… we scored 39 in the first, 23 in the second). Now, here are some specific thoughts:

-First off, let’s talk about ESPN 360. I can’t emphasize this enough... it SUCKS. Explain to me why I should like watching a game in a little 5x5 box in my computer instead of getting it on MSN or FOX. I feel bad for Big Eleven fans who apparently have to watch games like this all the time. For about half the game, it re-buffered every two or three or three seconds so you had no idea what was going on. Strangely, they didn’t have any problems with the ESPN ads. And I’m not sure where they got those announcers, but they were terrible. I’m almost hoping that they just hired the normal TV crew that does Purdue games because otherwise, they showed an incredible lack of professionalism in professing their love for Purdue throughout the game. Also, they apparently didn’t do any research on Mizzou before we got there. Through the whole first half, they kept talking about how “Mizzou is going to stick with the press here” and “There’s no way they can do this for 40 minutes.” Um… yeah… that’s exactly what we do. I guess we’ll have to deal with that until people get used to Mike Anderson. One interesting note: according to this crack announcing squad, comedian Martin Lawrence has turned into a white small forward who plays for the Tigers…

-Missouri probably thought it was a good idea to have Big XII refs in a Big Eleven venue. What the AD failed to remember is that Big XII refs suck. If Tom O’Neil and Steve Weimer call all the Mizzou games as tight as they did in the first half, we may be the first team ever to forfeit a game because the whole team fouls out.

-As expected, our interior defense and rebounding is TERRIBLE against a team with some real size. They gave up way too many second chance baskets on the offensive end and they made some kid named Landry look like Shaq. We also took at a lot of bad shots… and missed a lot of free throws… and we have to find a way to get Matt Lawrence open… and we will lose at least one or two games this year because Grimes sucks. He refuses to attack the basket, opting for the fade-away every time. That’s not what you want from your big man. The good news is that most of these things can be fixed.

-Apparently Purdue fans are really lame or they haven’t watched much basketball. Based on all the booing, they apparently expected a foul every time anyone was touched. I also thought it was funny to hear them get frustrated when their players continually dribbled into double teams. You would hear the whole crowd yelling, “Go! Come on!”

-A few plays that stood out: Mizzou’s first basket was a great dish from Horton to Grimes for a monster jam, Hannah scored six points in about 20 seconds to give us the lead in the first half thanks to the press, Tiller hit a 30-footer with a guy in his face as the shot clock expired, K-Law made a great block on a Purdue fast break and then saved the ball from going out of bounds. The only problem? All these plays happened in the first half.

MU-ISU recap

By Tiger Fan

We've all seen great games where everyone played well and it was a shame that someone had to lose. Last year's Rose Bowl, the amazing ND-USC game and even this weekend's epic between Michigan and Ohio State. Saturday's game between Mizzou and Iowa State was not one of those games. It's a shame that anyone had to win. Pretty much everyone other than ISU's Kock turned in a poor performance, including the refs. As mad as we were about the phantom holding call, our group of Mizzou fans had to admit we didn't deserve to win as we headed for the exits. Once we got to the bars, we were greeted by plenty of Cyclone fans who said they didn't deserve it either. But as much as we'd like to just erase this game from our collective memory, it happened. Here's a look at all that went so horribly wrong.

ISU
On the surface, it may not look like the Cyclones did anything wrong. After all, they won the game and their fullback turning tailback Ryan Kock turned in a huge day. But ISU actually blew several chances to put the game away... only to be aided by poor officiating or mistakes by Mizzou. Early in the game, trailing 10-7, the Cyclones stalled inside the 10 and were set to kick a field goal... when Mizzou jumped offsides. Only then did ISU take the 14-10 lead. On a crucial fourth and 2 in the third quarter, they didn't stick to their bread and butter by rushing up the middle. Instead, they rolled out Bret Meyer, who replays show was knocked out of bounds a yard shy of the first down... but the referees gave them the spot anyway. On third and goal from the 2 with a chance to ice the game, they got cute and went for a play action pass instead of sticking with Kock. The result was a sack. Then they missed a field goal and gave Mizzou a chance for the win. McCarney was out-thinking himself more than Gary Pinkel on Saturday... and that takes some effort. I'm not trying to take anything away from ISU... they came to play. But they didn't execute well and they made some very bad decisions. A good team would have exploited those. Unfortunately...

Mizzou
...Missouri is not a good team. It's becoming clearer and clearer that while this team might have more talent than past Missouri teams, they are very poorly coached. The offensive line can't block anybody. Our running backs can't hold onto the ball. Our defense can't make any adjustments (ISU ran the same cut-back play with Kock over and over again). And we call some of the most asinine plays you have ever seen. The Tigers ran the same flanker screen at least 6 times. All our running plays require our backs to run 10 yards to the sideline before going up the field. And why on earth would you line up in the shotgun on fourth and inches with the game on the line. I know Chase got in, but I guarantee that no one would have called holding on a QB sneak under center. Why put our crappy o-line in the position of having to pull and block somebody in space? It just doesn't make sense. The only player who played well was Chase, who turned in an absolutely heroic performance. It would have been legendary but...

The Refs
...Castleberry and his crew sucked on Saturday. According to the KC Star, Walt Anderson, who is the Big 12 head of officials, has already called Pinkel to say that the phantom holding call was incorrect. Big surprise there, considering the flag came in three seconds after the play ended and Wyrick was laying flat on his stomach at the time of the alleged penalty. Look, I'm not pinning this all on the refs, the game should never have been that close... but the fact is that they took the game-winning touchdown off the board with a bad call. Also, what most MU fans are missing is that the officiating was terrible throughout the game. Ignoring the fact that Chase scored twice and wasn't given credit for either score, here's a quick rundown of some fascinating decisions from Saturday's game:
-After allowing blatant holding by both teams throughout the game, the refs call three holding penalties on the Tigers in the fourth quarter.
-On the final drive, Jared Perry catches a short pass on the sideline, takes one step forward, gets hit, takes one step back and goes out of bounds. The ref calls him in bounds and signals for the clock to run.
-The refs consistently spot the ball about a yard ahead of where it should have been. The most blatant example was on the aforementioned fourth and 2 when Meyer rolls out and dives for the first down marker. The ref picks up the ball, LOOKS AT THE FIRST DOWN MARKER, then sets the ball down even with it. Despite the fact that Meyer dove three yards to get there and it was anything but an obvious call, they don't measure. The replay shows that Meyer's hand hits the chalk with the ball at least a yard shy of the first down.
-On a kickoff return in the second half, two MU players chase the kick returner out of bounds. The replay clearly shows that neither one touches the returner, although one does slam into an ISU coach who doesn't get out of the way in time. Mizzou is flagged for a 15-yard late hit. On Mizzou's next offensive series, Daniel is leveled going out of bounds. Frankly, it was a clean hit... but in the interest of consistency, there's no way he didn't deserve the penalty.
-The replay officials were just as bad. They reviewed two obvious Mizzou catches in the first half (both upheld) but didn't review Meyer's fourth down plunge. Also, the Tigers had to waste a timeout and beg for Daniel's flipping TD run to be reviewed. I still believe he was in, but I know there wasn't a good camera angle. The replay official confirmed the ruling on the field.

The only good thing I can say about Saturday's game was that it was exciting... mainly because you never had any idea what would happen next... and then you never knew if it might be overturned by a ref. Let's just chalk this up to a learning experience: Mizzou learned that you can't overlook anybody, ISU learned that it's best offensive strategy is to keep handing the ball to a huge white kid and the refs learned what holding is. And I learned once again why it sucks to be a Mizzou fan...

Basketball season is here

By Tiger Fan

In case you are looking for a way to pass the time this weekend with the football Tigers on a bye week, let me remind you that the Mizzou basketball team opens play this weekend with three games in three days. Things tip off Friday night… but it won’t be on TV for some reason. Anyway, I’ve had the opportunity to watch both of the exhibition games so far this season and I’ve been generally pleased with what I have seen. I’m not expecting a Big XII title or anything, but at least we have a reason to pay attention again. Here’s a rundown:

Good news…

-Stefhon Hannah is the best point guard Mizzou has had in a long, long time. I’ve heard lifelong Tiger fans compare his abilities to those of Melvin Booker. He’s very quick, plays solid defense, knocks down 3s and throws a killer alley-oop. Too bad he wasn’t around for the end of the Rickey Paulding era.

-Marshall Brown will need to step up this year if the Tigers are going to accomplish anything. So far, so good. It may just be the inferior opponents, but Brown has been doing a good job of attacking the basket… plus, playing with Hannah really seems to elevate his game.

-Matt Lawrence has proven himself to be a good shooter when he gets the chance. That’s something we will desperately need.

-The new system is fun to watch. Even when Mizzou was obliterating the Lithuania Academy, I was entertained by all the steals and fast breaks. It’s probably a product of the system, but the Tigers also seem to be playing with a lot more energy and heart

-Stefhon Hannah is the best thing that ever happened to Jason Horton. First, Hannah’s presence keeps Horton from bringing it up the court and pounding it into the floor for 20 seconds. And second, he is pushing Horton and making him a better player. Have I mentioned how excited I am about Stefhon Hannah?

-Volkus seems like a solid contributor. He’s not going to win any style points, but he’s not afraid to get in there and rebound… which is good because don’t really have any big guys inside to handle that.

-Butterfield has more touch than I expected.

-Tiller appears to have all the physical tools and is a solid defender. Now it’s just a matter of refining his game to make him a complete player

-Grimes is quicker after shedding a few pounds in the offseason.

-We are scoring at a much better clip this year. I know that UMR and Lithuania Academy are horrible, but we scored 105 and 94 respectively. That’s much better than the totals we put up in last year. Unfortunately, I remember the days when we used to do that during the actual season… of course, I also remember needing a buzzer beater to beat the EA Sports All-Stars.

-We have a chance to surprise some people because this system allows us to play beyond our talent level. If we were playing in Quin’s “system” with this year’s talent, we would lose a TON of games

-We have a coach that is actually coaching this year. Seriously. Every time you look over there, Anderson is standing up, calling out instructions, moving guys around. Maybe I have forgotten that Quin used to do this, but I remember looking at the bench last year during the Braggin’ Rights game and seeing Quin sitting down and looking defeated. Attitude reflects leadership.

Bad news…

-We’re going to get killed inside this year. Definitely once Big XII play starts but maybe even before then. We better steal the ball before they get into a half-court set or we will be in big trouble. It sure would be nice to have DeMarre Carroll right about now… or Ty Morrison… sigh…

-… or Leo Lyons, for that matter. Lyons has been out for the exhibition games with undisclosed academic troubles. Great... just what we need. Hard to believe Kentucky wanted this guy.

-Keon Lawrence and Glen Dandridge are hurt and probably will be for at least another month. We know what Dandridge brings to the table and I can easily see him starting over Lawrence in this system. It fits his game perfectly. We still don’t know about K-Law. If the rumors are true, we want him out there ASAP.

-Mike Anderson Jr. isn’t a big addition, but at least he’s not using a scholarship. I have a sneaky suspicion that once everyone is healthy, we won’t be seeing very much of him.

-Grimes is being way too fancy with his shots. In both exhibition games, he was the biggest player on the floor, but he was shooting fade-aways and jump shots. He needs to take it strong to the rim and go through people. If he can’t be tough inside, it’s going to be a long season.

1978

By Tiger Fan

I meant to post this on Friday, but I never got around to it. This was supposed to be the MU-NU preview. We all know how that turned out. But I think a lot of this is still worth pondering. Enjoy.

1978.

That’s the last time the Tigers won in Lincoln. Let that soak in for a minute: It was 28 years ago and a lot has changed in nearly three decades. The Internet didn’t even exist, let alone blogs. Heck, no one who writes for The Zou was even alive yet. Kellen Winslow was still playing for the Tigers. We had a goofball Republican as our President. Gas prices were high. There was a crisis in the Middle East… okay, maybe some things haven’t changed, but you get my point. It’s been a REALLY LONG TIME since the Tigers beat the Huskers in Nebraska.

Perhaps more importantly, it has also been quite a while since the Tigers played in a game with so much on the line. Saturday’s winner is all but assured of a Big XII North Title. I know some may mock this “achievement” since it is akin to being the smartest kid in the slow class, but let’s remember for a moment that this is Mizzou we are talking about. In the 11-year history of the Big XII, we have exactly one conference title (softball in 1997). Beggars can’t be choosers. If Mizzou somehow wins on Saturday, it will likely propel them to the first 10-win season in decades and a shot winning the Big XII Championship in Kansas City. Fans can grumble all they want about bad coaching and last week’s ugly performance against OU, but I’m not sure anyone could be disappointed with a 10-win season.

Of course, it’s also not the end of the world if the Tigers lose on Saturday. As I have established, it’s been almost 30 years since we won in Lincoln, so there’s no reason to expect it now. Nebraska opened as a 7-point favorite and the Huskers should be angry coming off two straight losses. Let’s be honest: If the Huskers bring their A-game and the Tigers play like they did last week, Mizzou will lose by 30. Even if both teams play top-notch football, it’s a toss-up at best. So let’s say the Tigers lose… but let’s also say they finish the year by knocking off ISU and kU. I still think Tiger fans have to be pleased with the season. Yes, they could have won against A&M or OU, but can anyone tell me with a straight face that they predicted 10 wins for this team back in August? I for one would have been thrilled if you told me we’d go 9-3 this season.

So what will happen on Saturday? That’s anybody’s guess. If we get the Tiger defense from the Tech game and the Tiger offense from the KSU game, it could be exciting. But if we turn the ball over like we did against OU and A&M, it will be a long afternoon. Nebraska has its own fair share of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde syndrome. The team that almost beat Texas would likely dominate the Tigers… but the team that almost lost to kU in Lincoln is very beatable. The $1,978 question is which teams will show up.

Happy Halloween!

What if...

By Tiger Fan

I said in Friday's preview that the game against Oklahoma would establish whether the Tigers are contenders or pretenders. Unfortunately, it looks like we are the same old Mizzou. But the amazing thing is, despite how terrible the game was, the Tigers were just a few plays away from winning it. Don't believe me? Ponder this:

What if...

...Chase Coffman hauls in the wide open pass in the first quarter and puts the Tigers up 10-0?

...OU linebacker Zach Latimer doesn't accidently come on a blitz and intercept a tipped pass?

...Tony Temple switches hands to avoid the fumble?

...the offensive line actually blocks somebody so that the Tigers don't lose 21 yards on a fumble?

...the punt unit puts a body on Jason Carter to give Crossett time to punt?

...the refs make the correct call of running into the kicker?

...Mizzou does the smart thing by not even rushing the punter in the first place?

...Mizzou makes smarter play calls on its four chances from inside the two-yard line?

...Xzavie Jackson doesn't make stupid play by throwing Gutierrez out of bounds after the play was dead, extending the OU drive?

It's a sad game to play, but the fact is that if any one of these plays turns out differently, Mizzou could have won. If two or three turn out differently, the Tigers could have blown them out. All in all, it was a terrible day for the Tigers. The officiating was poor, but it didn't cost us the game. We lost because we were getting killed at the point of attack on both sides of the ball. And we lost because Gary Pinkel turned in one of the worst coaching exhibitions I have ever seen. I felt like it was 2004 all over again. Mizzou displayed all the signs of a poorly coached team on Saturday. If these things aren't fixed, we could finish 7-5. Seriously. Just when you thought it was safe to be a Mizzou fan...

Biggest... game... EVER... at least until next week

By Tiger Fan

Before I get to the preview, a few thoughts on our last few games (I’ve been kind of busy and unable to weigh in as much as usual):

-The Texas Tech game is a perfect example of why it is difficult to be a Tiger fan: We were up 24-0 and while I was thrilled, I was sitting there waiting for the other shoe to drop. Then it started… 24-7… 24-14… 24-21… NO, NOT AGAIN! Thankfully the Tigers pulled it out, but I really wish they wouldn’t do that to us. I’m only 23, I can take it… but one of these days an older Mizzou fan won’t be so lucky!

-There were obviously lots of problems with the A&M game. The fumbles killed us (while I’m sure Marcus Woods is a nice guy and a hard worker, I don’t know if he will ever touch the ball again) and Pinkel’s asinine fake field goal attempt after the delay of game will be joke-fodder for years to come. But Will Franklin’s fumble at the goal-line is one of those plays that just seems like it will come back to haunt you. I’m not blaming the ‘Copter… the Aggie defender made a great play. And it completely changed the tone of the game. I am certain the Tigers win big if he scores on that play. Instead, the Aggies marched down the field and took the lead. So what’s the big deal? Right now, it’s just one loss. But put a star next to that play. If the Tigers finish one game out in the Big XII North race, you’ll know why.

-On a brighter note, great win last week by the Tigers to finally end the 13-year losing streak to KSUcks. Daniel looked great after the first play and the defense was lights out after making that stop on fourth-and-goal. A lot of folks were concerned about how many rushing yards they gave up, but I don’t think it was a big deal. First, the Wildcats racked up a lot of those yards late in the game after several reserves were in the game. Second, I think most of the missed tackles can be attributed to the rain. Take Freeman’s big run in the third, for example. Four Mizzou players were in exactly the right place, but they slipped and fell because of the wet turf. That’s just unlucky. The early forecast looks like that won’t be an issue vs. OU. Speaking of which…

I’ve discovered that something interesting happens when a college football team is winning consistently: Each game becomes more important. This may not be news to the Ohio State and USC fans of the world, but Mizzou fans haven’t had a one-loss record this late in the season in decades. You know, this winning thing is kind of fun. Anyway, the point is that this Saturday’s game against Oklahoma is the biggest game of the year – if not the decade – for the Tigers... well okay, at least until next week’s showdown with Nebraska.

But you get the idea: This is big-time stuff. It’s a chance for Mizzou to prove that it deserves all the national attention. It’s a chance to silence the nay-sayers. And it’s a chance to show that Mizzou has finally turned the corner under Pinkel. I think a win on Saturday would prove the Tigers are for real and will be a legitimate force in the Big XII for years to come. A loss proves that we really are the beneficiaries of a weak schedule and despite the 7-1 record, we’re the same old Mizzou.

Everyone wants to talk about beating Nebraska next week and winning the Big XII North. While that would obviously be great, I think the game against OU is more important for long-term success. No one outside Columbia will pick Mizzou to win in Lincoln… but we’re supposed to beat the Sooners on Saturday. Good teams win the games they are supposed to win. So we’ll get to find out if we have a good team. If the Tigers win on Saturday, we should end up with at least 10 wins… which is remarkable when you consider what this team has been over the last 20 years. And after that, if we were to beat Nebraska to win the North, it would be icing on the cake. But first things first… let’s go get the Sooners:

Coach

This one is pretty easy. Bob Stoops took over an Oklahoma program in the late ‘90s that had fallen out of the national spotlight. But it didn’t take him long to restore that tradition: He’s got a .824 winning percentage and has led the Sooners to seven bowl games (including four BCS games), three Big XII titles and the 2000 National Championship. He’s also 2-0 vs. Pinkel. Nothing against Gary, but there’s no argument here.

Advantage: Oklahoma

Defense

OU is always known for having a tough defense, but prior to doing some research, I was under the mistaken impression that the Sooners were having an off-year. That’s simply not the case. Oklahoma boasts the top defensive unit in the Big XII and No. 11 in the country, allowing just over 266 yards per game. Normally the Tiger offense wins games through the air, but they will need to establish the ground game in this one. Oklahoma ranks just 41^st against the run compared to 11^th against the pass. Many have also bemoaned Missouri’s porous rush defense, but it’s worth noting that the Tigers only give up about 110 yards per game on the ground. I think the defensive battle will be won by whichever team can stuff the run. OU Linebacker Rufus Alexander leads the team in tackling and seems to be on the watch list for every meaningful defensive award. Injuries will also play a role in this one: OU’s starting strong safety Reggie Smith will be limited with a broken tibia (though he may still play) while the Tigers will be without All-American candidate Brian Smith for the rest of the year. His replacement, Styker Sulak, will need to have a big game for Mizzou to be successful on defense.

Advantage: Oklahoma (by just a hair)

Offense

The hurdles facing the Oklahoma offense this season have been well-documented: QB Rhett Bomar was kicked off the team and Heisman candidate RB Adrian Peterson was lost for the season two weeks ago with a broken collarbone. Senior WR Paul Thompson has been a solid replacement at QB, but his inexperience limits the Sooners play-calling. While Thompson can’t always make the big plays, he has made up for it by being very efficient and not making mistakes. For most of the season, the offense has focused on Peterson, so the Sooners will turn to Allen Patrick in his absence. Patrick ran for 110 yards last week against Colorado. Also look for Jacob Gutierrez to get some touches in the backfield. On the Mizzou side, everyone named Chase continues to be amazing. I think Tony Temple and Earl Goldsmith will be the key to a Tiger win. If they can run on the OU defense and set up the pass, it could be a fun day for Mizzou.

Advantage: Mizzou

Special Teams

OU has a very good special teams unit. The only good news is that top return man Reggie Smith probably won’t be available for returns because of his injury. Wolfert has been fine on field goals for the Tigers, but we need to fix our punt and kickoff coverage quickly.

Advantage: Oklahoma

Bottom Line

OU has won 15 of the last 16 against Mizzou, but the Tigers are favored by a couple points on Saturday. Things are pretty much as even as they could be for this game: OU averages 32 points per game, Mizzou averages 33… OU gives up 16 points per game, Mizzou averages 15… neither team has beaten a top 25 team… both teams have dominated inferior competitions. The Sooners seem to have the better defense, while the Tigers seem to have the better offense. I really have no idea what is going to happen on Saturday, which is why I think it is hilarious that so many fans on both sides are extremely confident that their team will win big. This one will go down to the wire and if it were in Norman, I would pick the Sooners. But it’s not… so I’m picking the Tigers, 24-21.

Can't spell SUcKs without KSU

By Tiger Fan

Let’s not beat around the bush: There’s no reason the Tigers should lose this weekend. None. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. The only way it happens is if they are completely overlooking KSU in anticipation of next week’s showdown against OU… and even then, I think the Tigers could wake up in time for the second half and still win by a touchdown. If anything, Mizzou should be more focused than usual coming off the loss to A&M.

The line is Mizzou by 16.5, but let’s give some credit where credit is due: K-State has won 13 straight against the Tigers, so I don’t think it will be the cakewalk that some are predicting. However, these aren’t Bill Snyder’s Wildcats. They started the season by squeaking out a one-point victory at home against I-AA Illinois State and lost two weeks ago to Baylor. Yes, THAT Baylor. Other wins this season have come against powerhouse teams Florida Atlantic, Marshall and Oklahoma State.

All that being said, I hope the Tigers wipe the floor with KSU on Saturday. I’ve only been around for the last five losses, but it was five too many. Now, on to the preview:

Coach

KSU fans were quite excited when Ron Prince arrived last December to lead the Wildcats. They envisioned big things from the former UVa offensive coordinator and he started off on the right, putting together a solid recruiting class and stealing Josh Freeman away from Nebraska. But now that there is actually football being played, life isn’t so rosy in Manhattan. Rumor has it that after the loss to Baylor, Prince started kicking seniors and team captains out of practice. Starting offensive lineman Matt Boss left the team. Now there are five freshman starting on offense, including the right side of the offensive line and Freeman at QB. Prince was an offensive line coach before he became a coordinator, but you wouldn’t know it by watching his o-line this year. Pinkel has been a different coach for most of the year, but he reverted to his old ways a bit last week. No matter which Pinkel shows up on Saturday, he’s in better shape than Prince right now.

Advantage: Mizzou

Defense

The K-State defense has faired much better. In two match-ups vs. top 10 offenses (Nebraska and Louisville), the Wildcats have held their opponents below their season averages in points and yards. They gave up just 24 points to Louisville and 21 last week to the Huskers. Unfortunately, the offense let them down, coming up with just nine points combined in the two games. KSU ranks No. 36 in total defense and No. 30 in scoring defense, allowing 17 points per game. As we found out last week, the Tigers are very beatable if they turn the ball over… and the Wildcats have forced 14 turnovers through seven games this season. Sophomore DE Ian Campbell has been the leader on defense this year with 38 tackles with 12.5 for a loss and was the Big XII Defensive Player of the Week after the win over Illinois State. The Tigers should also keep an eye out for senior linebacker Brandon Archer, who has been a Mizzou killer in the past. He has returned interceptions for touchdowns against the Tigers in each of the last two seasons. Yes, the Wildcat defense is pretty solid… but they’re not on par with Mizzou. Even after last week’s debacle, the Tigers still rank No. 18 nationally in total defense. Put these guys up against a weak o-line and things could get ugly in a hurry. The only downside is that the Tigers will be without starting safety Brandon Massey, who is suspended for violating team rules according to the Columbia Tribune.

Advantage: Mizzou

Offense

The Tigers are ranked No. 15 in the nation in total offense and they average 32 points/game. Chase Daniel continues to prove he is a stud. I think it is pretty clear that if the offense manages to hold onto the ball (particularly at the goal line, Will Franklin), they can rack up the points. As for K-State… yikes. They rank 93^rd in total offense and 93^rd in rush offense. They fair slightly better in the passing game (No. 59), but that probably has more to do the fact that they have been playing from behind several times this season. The position players are okay – and true freshman QB Josh Freeman (who will be making his second career start on Saturday) certainly has potential – but none of that matters when your offensive line is terrible… and K-State’s line is terrible. Brian Smith and Co. should have a blast this weekend.

Advantage: Mizzou

Special teams

Mizzou’s special teams unit runs hot and cold (See: Adam Crossett’s 79-yard punt last week… followed by a 39-yard shank). The Tigers’ net punting game ranks No. 91 in the nation. Not to be outdone, the Wildcats come in at No. 94. The bad news for the Tigers is that K-State has a superior return game (and I’m sure I’m not the only one who remembers the damage done by Wildcat punt returners in the past). They rank No. 2 nationally in kick-off returns and No. 38 in punt returns. It should surprise no one that the Tigers aren’t even close. KSU kicker Jeff Snodgrass is just 10 of 15 on the season, but probably has more range than Wolfert. Meanwhile, Wildcat punter Tim Reyer averages more than 40 yards a punt.

Advantage: KSU

Bottom line

The Tigers should end more than a decade of futility on Saturday. They have superior athletes and superior coaching. Isn’t it nice to be able to say that about a Tiger team? The only thing that could get in the way would be overconfidence. But if Pinkel’s boys have any pride, they will come out looking for blood on Saturday to avenge the last 13 years. I think the KSU defense will keep it closer than we would like, but the Tigers will win on Homecoming, 24-10.

Gig'em Tigers

By Tiger Fan

This is a big weekend for the Tiger Fan Family. My parents both went to Texas A&M, so I grew up as a huge Aggie fan. To this day, one of my favorite sporting event memories was celebrating with my family in our Ohio living after Sirr Parker scampered into the end zone in overtime to beat K-State for the Big XII title. But now I have split loyalties: 23 years of cheering for the Aggies from afar vs. 5.5 seasons of living and breathing Tiger football (first in the band, then in the front row of Tiger’s Lair, now as an alumni season ticket holder).

When I decided to come to Mizzou, this was supposed to be pretty easy. A&M was a football school, so I could cheer for the Aggie football team. Mizzou was a basketball school, so I could cheer for the Tigers on the hardwood. But a funny thing has happened… the Tiger football team is on the rise while the Aggie basketball team will be a preseason top 10 selection. What the…?

Still, when my mom asked earlier this year who I would be cheering for, I said I would wait and see who needed the game more. But that’s not going to work either. The Tigers are an almost unprecedented 6-0 and suddenly have a chance to compete for a Big XII title. Meanwhile, the Aggies are 5-1 and need this win to start regaining some respect (and Coach Fran may need it to keep his job). Decisions, decisions.

The most disappointing thing this week has been the behavior of both sets of fans on message boards. Some Aggie fans are living in the past, pretending that opposing teams never win at Kyle Field, Mizzou’s win over Texas Tech was a fluke and the Aggies will win in a blowout on Saturday. Not to be outdone, many Mizzou fans have suddenly developed a superiority complex, refusing to believe the Tigers could possibly lose on Saturday and it is disrespectful for anyone to say otherwise.

The truth is somewhere in the middle (Born-a-Tiger will sort some of that out in his Myth and Fact piece). I personally think Mizzou will win on Saturday if the Tigers play their best game, but it certainly won’t be a blow-out. Most people are latching on to Texas Tech comparisons to make their predictions: Aggie fans point out that Tech “handed the game to Missouri” with five turnovers and A&M actually held the Red Raiders to fewer yards. Mizzou fans point out that the Tigers won by 17 on the road in Lubbock while the Aggies lost at home. In reality, the games can’t really be compared. Because of the turnovers, Tech ran 77 plays against Mizzou compared to 56 plays against A&M. Yes, the Tigers gave up more yards (456 to 433), but they only gave up 5.9 yards/play compared with 7.7 yards/play for the Aggies. That’s the beauty of statistics… look long enough and you can find one that backs up your opinion.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to a great game this weekend. Contrary to some of the garbage that has been posted on the net this week, Missouri and Texas A&M are both great schools with great traditions. This is a big game for both teams, so let’s all bury the hatchet and hope for an exciting, safe game for both sides… and then we can focus all our negative energy on t.u. and kansas. Now, on to the teams:

Offense:

When the Aggies have the ball:

If A&M is smart, their game plan will revolve around pounding the ball in the rushing game via RBs Jorvorski Lane (who is an absolute beast) and Mike Goodson (the quicker back) and QB Steven McGee. The Aggies boast the No. 13 rushing attack in the nation, averaging 203 yards/game on the ground. The Tigers counter with the No. 10 run defense. Something has to give… but it’s hard to be sure what to make of either side. A&M has compiled its stats against Army (56^th best defense), Louisiana Tech (118), UL-L (87), Texas Tech (30) and kansas (83). Meanwhile, Mizzou has yet to face a legit rushing attack: Ole Miss (56), Ohio (95), Colorado (44), Tech (104), NM (102).

McGee, the reigning Big XII Offensive Player of the Week, has also shown the ability to throw the ball well (see: his game-winning drive last week against the beakers) and has a talented corps of wide receivers, headlined by TE Martellus Bennett. Up front it will be strength vs. strength as the solid A&M O-line goes up against the dangerous Mizzou defensive line.

Look for the Aggies to grind it out and try to keep Mizzou’s high-powered offense off the field as much as possible. But don’t be surprised to see them mix in some deep pass plays to keep the Tigers honest… and with Coach Fran, you never know when a trick play might be coming.

When Mizzou has the ball:

Contrary to what many think, the Tigers have a balanced attack, averaging 179 yards/game on the ground (25^th nationally) and 244 yards/game through the air (29^th nationally). That adds up to a unit ranked No. 15 in total offense. The Tigers will be facing off against the nation’s No. 35 defensive unit… but those stats include three games against teams with offenses ranked above 80^th. I think the Tigers will be able to move the ball against A&M. The Aggies seem to be under the mistaken impression that the Mizzou offense relies solely on short passes, kind of like Texas Tech. If they crowd near the line to take away short routes, they will be introduced rather rudely to Wiliam Franklin and Jared Perry. Regardless, just like Bennett on the other side, I can’t see the Aggies matching up favorably against TEs Rucker and Coffman. Oh… and I haven’t yet mentioned Tony Temple and Chase Daniel (who gets kinda angry when he plays Texas teams).

QB Advantage: Mizzou

RB Advantage: TAMU

O-Line Advantage: TAMU

Receiving Advantage: Mizzou

Overall offense: Mizzou

Defense

On defense, A&M runs an unorthodox 4-2-5 after getting destroyed by opposing passing attacks last season. The Aggies are strong up front with defensive ends Harrington and Jack. Tiger fans should also keep an eye out for linebacker Justin Warren, who has been a tackling machine this season. Despite improvements from last year, the weakness still lies in the secondary, which is great news for Chase Daniel and Co. The Aggie defense is solid, but they don’t compare favorably to the nation’s No. 11 defense. The Tigers, with a superb defensive line, excellent linebackers and a solid secondary, have allowed just 11.8 points/game this year. One of the keys to the game will be the possible return of DT Ziggy Hood. If Ziggy is back, A&M will have a tougher time running the ball.

DL Advantage: Mizzou

LB Advantage: Mizzou

Secondary Advantage: Mizzou

Overall defense: Mizzou

Special Teams

Here’s the painful part about being a fan of both A&M and Mizzou: You have to watch them play special teams. Mizzou has looked better in recent weeks (in fact, the only big return they gave up against Tech was because Crossett outkicked his coverage), but you never know when we might return to the days of the 10-yard punt. Wolfert has been pretty solid on field goals for the Tigers, but I still hold my breath any time the field goal team trots onto the field. The one thing I will say is that Mizzou has blocked a lot of kicks this year. As for the Aggies, things aren’t much better… though Kerry Franks has shown he has the potential to be dangerous in the return game. Given that this is a big game for him, don’t be surprised to see Coach Fran pull out a fake kick at some point on Saturday.

Advantage: Even… in a bad way.

Bottom line

I think this will be a close game and the Aggies are very capable of winning it if they can move the ball effectively on the ground. It’s not like it was in the early ‘90s, but it’s still never easy to go into Kyle Field and come out with a win. If TAMU keeps the Tiger offense off the field and holds them under 20 points, they will win. But I don’t think it will happen. I’m picking the Tigers to continue their magical season and come back to Columbia for Homecoming next weekend with a 7-0 record. Mizzou wins it, 31-24.