By Keegan Goudie

As the NFL season nears it midway point, we take another look at the former Tigers in the NFL.

By Ryan Schmitz, Mizzou Media Relations Student Assistant

While Mizzou fans continued to savor Saturday night's momentous win over Oklahoma, many former Tigers made key contributions Sunday in the professional ranks. Here's a glance at the Mizzou alumni who played this week in the NFL.

MIZZOU FOOTBALL WEEKLY NOTES

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

QB - Blaine Gabbert, 6-5, 235, Jr., Ballwin, Mo.

·         Blaine Gabbert was spectacular once again for the undefeated Tigers, as he helped lead Mizzou's first-ever win over a #1-ranked team (any major poll) as MU downed #1 (BCS) Oklahoma, 36-27 Saturday night in Columbia, Mo.  The junior finished 30-of-42 for 308 yards and a score...

·         Gabbert was at his best in crunch time, as he completed 8-of-9 passes for 95 yards and one TD in the 4^th quarter.  Oklahoma led, 21-20, heading into the 4^th quarter, but he led a crucial 5-play, 72-yard drive to begin the quarter which ended in a 38-yard TD pass to WR Jerrell Jackson for a 26-20 lead (the two-point try failed).  That score put the Tigers up to stay in what was MU's first win over Oklahoma since 1998 (breaking a string of seven consecutive losses to the Sooners)...

·         Gabbert also ran for 26 net yards on the night, including a sneak for 2 yards on a 4^th-and-1 at the OU 45-yardline in the final minutes which helped Mizzou milk the clock...

·         In his last two games Gabbert is a combined 61-of-89 for 669 yards, four TDs and zero interceptions...

·         Mizzou's passing offense ranks 16^th in the NCAA through 7 games, averaging 286.43 yards per contest, while Gabbert also ranks 16^th individually in passing yardage, at 271.29.  He is 26^th nationally in total offense (271.29) and 39^th nationally in passing efficiency (137.85 rating)...

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

LB - Zaviar Gooden, 6-2, 225, So., Pflugerville, Texas

·         Was part of an impressive defensive charge which held Oklahoma well below its season averages in most categories during MU's 36-27 win.  Finished the game with 5 tackles, but made one of the biggest plays of the night when he stepped in front of an out pass to notch his first career interception in the 4^th quarter.  That play, which came at the OU 22-yardline with Mizzou leading, 26-21, set the Tigers up for a field goal with 9:44 left which would prove to be the winning score of the game...

·         Gooden's efforts helped the Tiger defense hold OU RB Demarco Murray to a season-low 49 rushing yards, some 61 yards shy of his season average coming in (110.5).  In all, Mizzou held Oklahoma to just 99 rushing yards, well below their season average of 155.33 coming in...

·         In his first year as a starter, Gooden is tied for the team lead with 45 tackles through 7 games, and he leads the team with a pair of recovered fumbles on the season...

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

WR - Gahn McGaffie, 5-10, 185, So., Galena Park, Texas

·         Set the tone for Mizzou's win over #1 (BCS) Oklahoma Saturday night when he returned the opening kickoff of the game for an 86-yard touchdown and a quick 7-0 Tiger lead just :14 seconds into the game...

• McGaffie's opening kickoff return for TD was the first of his career.  It was also the first for Mizzou since 2008 when Jeremy Maclin took a kickoff 99 yards for score in the season-opener vs. Illinois in the second quarter...
• The last time a Tiger took the opening kickoff back for a score was 1967 when Roger Wehrli raced 96 yards vs. Iowa State...

·         The longest kickoff return by Mizzou in 2010 prior to McGaffie's feat was 39 yards (twice by Marcus Murphy)...

TEAM/PLAYER NOTES

·         Mizzou jumped to #7 in this week's Associated Press Top-25 poll, and #8 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, thanks to the big win over Oklahoma...

• The Tigers earned their first victory over a #1 ranked club. OU is ranked #1 in the BCS standings and entering today's game Mizzou was 0-11 all-time vs. Associated Press #1 teams.
• Some apologists in the media are suggesting that Oklahoma "gave" the game away Saturday night.  We'd like to point out the fact that OU held a 21-20 lead to begin the 4^th quarter, and had possession of the ball.  With the game in the balance, MU turned up the heat and scored 16 unanswered points to bolt to a 36-21 lead.  Only a long kickoff return which set up a short TD drive late in the game kept the Sooners from being shut out in the final period...
• A comparison of the 4^th-quarter stat comparisons:  1^st Downs - MU 8, OU 1;  Total Offense - MU 192, OU 16;  Passing Yards - MU 95, OU 0;  Rushing Yards - MU 97, OU 16;  Time of Possession - MU 13:15, OU 1:45...
• The Tiger defense was excellent in the second half. OU racked up 301 total yards in the first half, but were limited to just 101 total yards in the final 30 minutes. Landry Jones was limited to just 60 yards passing in the second half after throwing for 248 in the first.  In the decisive 4^th quarter, MU's defense held Jones to 0-of-7 passing with 1 interception...
• Junior TB De'Vion Moore had a big game for the Tigers on Saturday, as he carried 10 times for 73 yards and one TD (his 4^th of the season).  Included in his total was a 39-yard 4^th-quarter run which saw him dragging two OU players on his back for at least 15 yards.  His efforts helped the Tigers rush for 178 yards, the most by MU this year against a BCS Conference opponent (119 vs. Colorado was the previous high)...
• The Tigers got a big boost Saturday in the return of sophomore DE Aldon Smith, who had missed the previous three games due to a fractured right fibula suffered on Sept. 18^th against San Diego State.  Smith made one of the plays of the game when he jumped to snag his first career interception at the MU 14-yardline to thwart a Sooner drive.  Smith, still playing at less than 100%, raced 58 yards the other way before being tackled at the MU 12-yardline.  That set up an eventual TD run by TB De'Vion Moore to begin the 2^nd quarter which gave MU a 14-7 lead at the time.  Smith ended the night with 2 tackles and the interception...
• Missouri is 7-0 for just the third time in school history. Mizzou was 7-0 in 1960 and also 7-0 in 1899. The Tigers are just one of seven remaining unbeaten clubs in FBS play...
• Saturday's attendance of 71,004 was a sellout at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium.  It was the first sellout since last season's game vs. Texas and tied for the 10th largest crowd in school history...
• Missouri earned its first victory over Oklahoma since 1998 (20-6)...
• Missouri recorded its 10th and 11th interceptions of the year on Saturday. The Tigers had just eight INT's all of last season...
• Missouri won the turnover margin once again on Saturday and the Tigers have now claimed 29 consecutive victories when winning the turnover battle (minimum of plus-one on turnover margin)...
• Gabbert's top target was Jerrell Jackson. The junior enjoyed his best game of the year, making a career high nine grabs for 139 yards and a score. Jackson's career high for receiving yardage was 142 last year vs. Iowa State...
• Kevin Rutland recorded his third sack of the season in the first quarter. The cornerback is now second on the team with those three QB sacks...
• Grant Ressel made his 13th consecutive field goal for the Tigers. Ressel is 13-of-14 this year after actually missing his first attempt of the year vs. Illinois back in the season-opener. The three-makes equals a season high. He also made three field goals vs. Illinois. His career high in a game is four makes last season vs. Kansas and Nevada...
• True freshman QB James Franklin scored his second career TD on the ground.  The freshman had an eight-yard TD carry vs. McNeese State earlier this season...

By Keegan Goudie, Mizzou Media Relations Student Assistant

Here's a look at what some former Tigers did last week in the NFL.

Mizzou has its third FSN-televised game of the season this Saturday at Texas A&M. The broadcast begins at Noon Eastern/11 am CT with Steve Physioc, Dave Lapham and Jim Knox on the call from College Station. Affilliates are listed below.

Follow the Tigers as they face Texas A&M Wednesday night (Oct. 13) at Reed Arena in College Station. The Tigers will look to get back on track as they look for theirt eighth win away from Hearnes this season. Mizzou had only seven all of 2009. Click the link below to follow all of the action!