Printer-Friendly Format     E-mail this article     Kirk Herbstreit sat with a Truman-toting Lee Corso the last time the College GameDay was on hand for a Mizzou game. They return to Austin Saturday.

 
Tigers Look For Bounce-Back at Top-Ranked Texas

28 Texas Tigers Make Return Trip Home

Oct. 13, 2008

#11/12 Missouri Tigers (5-1, 1-1)
at #1/1 Texas Longhorns (6-0, 2-0)
Oct. 18, 2008 – Darrell K Royal/
Texas Memorial Stadium – Austin, Texas

TIGERS LOOK FOR BOUNCE-BACK AT TOP-RANKED TEXAS
   The Missouri Tigers (5-1 overall, 1-1 in Big 12 Conference play) travel to Austin, Texas, where they’ll take on the nation’s #1-ranked Texas Longhorns (6-0, 2-0) Saturday night. The game, scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff, will be shown nationally on ABC.
   Mizzou is looking to bounce back after being knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten last Saturday in a gut-wrenching 28-23 home loss to then #17 Oklahoma State. The loss dropped Mizzou from its lofty perch in the national polls down to #11 in the Associated Press poll and #12 in the USA Today Coaches’ poll, down from #3/#2 entering the OSU game.
   The Tigers will have their work cut out for them Saturday, as they’ll be facing the nation’s new #1-ranked team in the Texas Longhorns, who are coming off an impressive win over previous #1 Oklahoma. The Longhorns staged a big rally in their annual Red River Rivalry game against the Sooners, as they trailed 21-10 early in the 2nd quarter. Texas closed the gap to 21-20 at half with 10 straight points, and took the lead for good with 7:37 left in the game on a Cody Johnson 1-yard run. Johnson tacked on a 2-yard TD run with 4:02 left to ice the win that helped the Longhorns supplant OU as the #1 team in both polls.
   Texas features the play of star QB Colt McCoy, who enters Saturday’s game ranked 4th in the NCAA in pass efficiency (189.02 rating), and 9th in the country in total offense (317.50 ypg). The Longhorns have scored at least 38 points in each game so far, and have Big 12 wins at Colorado (38-14) and versus Oklahoma (45-35) in 2008.

BOUNCE-BACK HISTORY ON MIZZOU’S SIDE
   While Tiger Nation was coming to grips with their team’s tough loss to Oklahoma State over the weekend, the team was already turning its thoughts to its next game – and for good reason, as they don’t have time to feel sorry for themselves, not while the #1 team in the country is waiting in the wings in the Texas Longhorns.
Mizzou has displayed resiliency under Head Coach Gary Pinkel in his time in Columbia, as the Tigers are 7-0 under Pinkel after suffering their first loss of a season. Two of those bounce-back wins came against ranked foes, with all of them coming in games played in Columbia. At right is a look at those instances.
   Additionally, each of the last three seasons has seen the Tigers win in their next time out after suffering their first Big 12 loss of the season. In 2005, MU lost 51-20 at home to #2 Texas for its first Big 12 loss, then claimed a 38-31 win at Oklahoma State the next week. The 2006 and 2007 examples are listed above, as those were also MU’s first losses of those particular seasons. In all, MU is 5-2 under Gary Pinkel in bounce back games after their first Big 12 loss of the year.

MIZZOU-TEXAS SERIES
   Missouri and Texas will meet for the 21st time when they face off Saturday night in Austin, Texas. The Longhorns hold a 15-5 lead in the alltime series, including wins in 5-of-6 meetings since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1996. Mizzou returns to the spot of their first-ever Big 12 Conference game, as in 1996, the Tigers opened their season with a 40-10 loss at 8th-ranked Texas in the first game of the inaugural season of Big 12 play.
   The Longhorns have won 13-of-14 meetings between UT and Mizzou dating back to 1931. Mizzou’s last win in Austin came way back in 1896 (a 10-0 Tiger win) – but that fact is certainly skewed by the fact that MU has only played in Austin a total of 7 times in all since 1931.
   Mizzou did win four of the first six meetings between the two state universities, from 1894 through 1916, but then the Longhorns went on to eight straight wins in the series until MU’s sole win in Big 12 play between the two – a 37-29 win in Columbia in 1997.
   Tiger Head Coach Gary Pinkel is 0-3 versus Texas and their coach, Mack Brown, while Brown is 4-0 alltime against Missouri, with one win coming over the Tigers’ late former coach Larry Smith.

28 TEXAS TIGERS MAKE RETURN TRIP HOME
   From day one of his tenure at Missouri, Head Coach Gary Pinkel identified the state of Texas as a recruiting priority. Over the years, the Tigers have mined the state for athletes who developed into All-Big 12 honorees, including the likes of MU’s alltime career QB sacks leader, Brian Smith, as well as 2006 1st-Team All-Big 12 LB Marcus Bacon, in addition to other standouts such as David Overstreet, Jason Simpson, Shirdonya Mitchell, and Marcus King, among others.
   Mizzou features 28 Texas natives on its roster in 2008, including six projected starters, in QB Chase Daniel (Southlake), LB Sean Weatherspoon (Jasper), DE Stryker Sulak (Rockdale), DT Ziggy Hood (Amarillo), DE Tommy Chavis (Orange) and WR Jared Perry (La Marque). Add to that mix some key reserves such as WR Danario Alexander (Marlin), WR Earl Goldsmith (Denton), S Del Howard (Dallas) and CB Kevin Rutland (Houston) and there’s quite a flavor of Texans on the field at any time for the Tigers.
   In addition, five of Mizzou’s 10 true freshmen who have seen the field in 2008 are from the Lone Star State, including LB Will Ebner (Friendswood), TE Michael Egnew (Plainview), WR Jerrell Jackson (Houston), DB Kenji Jackson (Mansfield) and DE Jacquies Smith (Dallas)

LAST TIME IN AUSTIN: #9 TEXAS 28, MIZZOU 20 (2004)
   Mizzou went toe-to-toe with the nation’s 9th-ranked team, but a pair of mistakes that Texas turned into 14 points proved to be the difference, as #9 Texas held on for a hardfought 28-20 win over Missouri in Austin.
   Missouri entered the game as 14-point underdogs, and no one outside of the Tiger lockerroom gave MU a chance of even staying close with the Longhorns. Early on, it looked as if the pundits would be right, as Texas jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the 1st quarter.
   Texas’ first score came on defense, as MU took over on its own 3-yardline after being pinned there by a punt. Mizzou QB Brad Smith tried to throw an out pass from his endzone, but Texas’ Brian Robison jumped high and somehow caught the rocket from Smith, landed and stepped into the enzone for a 2-yard return to put UT up, 7-0.
   Mizzou recovered to drive into Longhorn territory on its next possession, but the drive stalled after reaching the UT 41 yardline. Texas took over on its 20 after a punt , and put together a 4-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by a scintillating scramble from QB Vince Young that he took 23 yards for a TD and a 14-0 lead with 23 seconds left in the quarter.
   The Tigers were undaunted, however, as they quickly responded, and scored TDs on their first two possessions of the 2nd quarter. The first was a 9-play, 66-yard drive that was capped with a Brad Smith to Sean Coffey 4-yard TD pass to cut the deficit to 14-7 at the 6:44 mark. Mizzou’s defense pitched in on Texas’ next possession, as CB Shirdonya Mitchell jumped in front of a Young pass to set MU up at the Texas 33 yardline.
   It took just one play for MU to tie it up, as TB Damien Nash took a handoff and raced untouched around left end for a 33-yard TD run that made it 14-all with 5:26 left in the half.
   Momentum further swung to Mizzou’s side, as S Nino Williams II grabbed another errant Young throw on Texas’ next possession, and returned it 23 yards to the UT 32. Just when it appeared MU was poised to take the lead, disaster struck, when Smith was intercepted on 4th-and-5 from the Texas 27. Texas’ Aaron Ross returned the interception 64 yards to the Tiger 12 yardline, and it took Texas just 2 plays to punch it in, and the Longhorns led, 21-14 at halftime.
   After a scoreless 3rd period, Texas got a little breathing room after an 11-play, 71-yard drive that ended in Cedric Benson’s 2nd rushing TD of the day, to make it 28-14 with 12:52 left. Texas converted a key 3rd-and-10 during the drive, and also survived Benson’s 3rd fumble of the day, when he fell on his drop caused by MU’s Jason Simpson.
   Mizzou responded with a 16-play, 77-yard drive capped off by a Brad Smith 1-yard keeper with 5:25 left to cut it to 28-20 (the PAT failed), and the Tigers got one more defensive stop and had the ball as far as their own 45 yardline before Texas held and got the ball back to run out the clock.
   Points off turnovers proved to be the difference, as Texas capitalized on MU’s 2 mistakes to score 14 game-swinging points, while MU could manage only 7 points of its own off 3 Longhorn giveaways.
   Other than that, Mizzou fared very well statistically, as it outgained Texas by a 358-to-299 total yardage figure. The Tiger defense played quite well, as it held Texas to 193 yards rushing and just 8-of-20 passing for 106 yards. Texas had entered the game ranked 2nd in the nation in rushing (313.60 ypg) and 10th in total offense (470.80 ypg), but were held in check for most of the day. Texas converted on only 3-of-12 3rd downs, and MU held a time of possession advantage of 34:26-to-25:34.
   Texas also had some fortune on their side, as the Longhorns fumbled 4 times on the day, but 3 of them bounced right back to the burnt orange-clad team.

TIGERS VS. #1 TEAMS
   With Saturday’s opponent, the Texas Longhorns, vaulting to #1 in both major polls, here’s a look at Mizzou’s history playing against the #1-ranked team in the Associated Press poll.
   Mizzou is 0-10 alltime against #1-ranked teams, with just one of them coming under Head Coach Gary Pinkel. The last shot MU had at #1 was in 2003, when the Tigers hung with #1 Oklahoma for a quarter, before a 24-point OU explosion in the 2nd quarter propelled the Sooners to a 34-13 win over the 24th-ranked Tigers. Saturday’s game at Austin will mark the 4th-straight time MU has faced #1 on the road.
   One of Mizzou’s most memorable games in program history came against a #1-ranked foe, when in 1997, Nebraska came to Columbia, and left 45-38 winners in overtime in what became known infamously as the “flea-kicker” game. That game was called on ABC by the very same Brent Musburger, who is calling this Saturday’s game between Mizzou and Texas.

LAST TIME OUT: COWBOYS TAME TIGERS, 28-23
   It was expected by most to be an offensive shootout between the nation’s 2nd and 3rd-ranked offenses coming into the game, but that’s not the way it turned out. And in the end, 17th-ranked Oklahoma State surprised the experts by upsetting 3rd-ranked Mizzou, 28-23 in Columbia, knocking the Tigers from the ranks of the undefeated.
   The Cowboys came into the game averaging a whopping 52.60 points and 530.20 yards of total offense per game, and if Tiger fans were told before the game that OSU would be held to 28 points and 404 yards, most would have signed up for that in a heartbeat. Add the fact that the Cowboys were forced into 3 turnovers on the night by the Tiger defense, and that’s the formula for another big Tiger win.
   But it wasn’t to be, as the Cowboy defense in turn held the Tiger offense in check enough times to take the lead for good in the 3rd quarter and hold off a late MU attempt at a rally.
   Mizzou opened the game with a long drive that reached the OSU 1-yardline, but the Tigers were kept out of the endzone on 3rd down, and opted for a chip-shot FG and a 3-0 lead. On 2nd-and-goal from the OSU 7-yardline, QB Chase Daniel hit TE Chase Coffman on a slant route that Coffman appeared to have stretched over the goalline, but he was ruled down by officials inside the 1-yardline. Replay proved insufficient to overturn the call on the field, and the Tigers were stuffed for no gain on a run attempt by TB Derrick Washington.
   The Cowboys caught a huge break on their first drive, when they appeared to have fumbled after a hit on a short pass completion deep in their territory. The play was called an incomplete pass, however, and even though subsequent TV replays showed the ball was clearly caught by WR Dez Bryant and fumbled on the hit by CB Castine Bridges, because the whistles had blown, nothing could be changed about the call.
   OSU took advantage of the break and answered with a methodical drive to take a 7-3 lead, which is how the score stood after one quarter of play. Mizzou caught a break when OSU drove deep into Tiger territory, but missed a 25-yard FG early in the 2nd quarter. Later in the period, Oklahoma State’s attempt at trickery went awry, when punter Matt Fodge tried to get a first down on a fake punt, but he was stopped 5 yards short, giving MU the ball on the Cowboy 36-yardline. The Tigers capitalized, taking 5 plays to score on a 5-yard run by Washington, his 12th rushing TD of the season.
   Mizzou’s defense forced a Cowboy 3-and-out series, and the Tigers drove to the OSU 16, but the drive stalled, and disaster struck when PK Jeff Wolfert’s 34-yard FG try was blocked (the first blocked kick of his career). The half would end with MU holding a 10-7 lead, as the Tigers also missed a 52-yard FG try at the halftime gun.
   OSU started the 2nd half with a statement that they weren’t going away, as RB Kendall Hunter burst around right end for a 68-yard TD on just the 2nd play to get the Cowboys a 14-10 lead. After being forced to punt, the Tigers made a big play on defense, when CB Castine Bridges nabbed his first interception of the year, and the offense answered right away as Daniel hit WR Jeremy Maclin for a 41-yard gain to take the ball to the OSU 28-yardline.
   Another bad break came MU’s way next, as Daniel threw a pass over the middle to WR Danario Alexander, but the ball went through Alexander’s hands, hit off his facemask and flew high into the air, with OSU’s Ricky Price snagging the ball for an interception – Daniel’s first since the 2nd quarter of the opening game against Illinois.
   But the Tigers held tough, forcing another OSU 3-and-out, and the offense came through big-time, as they drove 95 yards for a TD to take a 17-14 lead with 3:14 left in the 3rd quarter, as senior TB Jimmy Jackson plunged in from 1-yard out for the score.
   Barely one minute later, however, the Cowboys answered with a 40-yard TD pass from QB Zac Robinson to WR Damian Davis to regain the lead at 21-17 with 2:01 left in the period. MU was forced to punt on its next possession, but the defense came up big again as senior FS William Moore forced a fumble that was recovered by CB Carl Gettis near midfield with 10:31 left to play.
   After two plays, MU got to the OSU 39-yardline, but on a 1st-and-10 play, a screen pass to Washington was thrown for a 9-yard loss, putting Mizzou behind the chains. That led to Daniel forcing a desperation pass downfield on 3rd-and-13, with the pass being intercepted by OSU and returned to the Tiger 29-yardline. That mistake was costly, as the Cowboys got a back-breaking TD with 6:30 left on a 31-yard strike from Robinson to Davis again, this one coming on a 3rd-and-12 play, to give OSU a 28-17 lead.
   The sellout crowd of 68,349 came to life as MU staged a rally. Daniel completed 7-of-8 passes to get the Tigers downfield quickly, and he connected with Alexander on a nifty 7-yard TD pass to make it 28-23 with 4:27 left. Another key play took place on the ensuing 2-point conversion try, when Daniel passed to WR Tommy Saunders at the goalline, but the pass was dropped. Had that catch been made, MU would have trailed by just 3 points, but was now needing a TD to pull out the win.
   Mizzou’s defense did its job again, and forced a punt on OSU’s next series, and the Tiger offense took over on its own 35-yardline with 2:40 left in the game. Two completions and a roughing the passer penalty against OSU took the ball to the Cowboy 37-yardline, and pandemonium was mounting in the stands as the Tiger crowd could sense the comeback win percolating.
   But on 2nd-and-7 from the OSU 37, Daniel was intercepted by Patrick Lavine at the Cowboy 31-yardline on a pass intended for Maclin with 1:41 left. OSU was forced to punt with less than 10 seconds left in the game, but Mizzou couldn’t manage a miraculous punt return at the gun, and the Cowboys walked off with a big upset win.

MIZZOU-OKLAHOMA STATE WRAPUP NOTES
   The game wasn’t exactly a defensive stalemate, as the Tigers outgained OSU by a 454-to-402 margin in total offense, but the Cowboys took advantage of 3 MU interceptions and turned them into 14 points, while the Tigers got 3 turnovers of their own, but couldn’t convert them into any points against OSU.
   Mizzou’s Chase Daniel was 39-of-52 passing on the night for 390 yards and 1 TD. His favorite targets were the usual suspects, as TE Chase Coffman had 11 catches for 104 yards, while WR Jeremy Maclin had 8 catches for 120 yards. Sophomore TB Derrick Washington caught 7 passes for 52 yards, but he was stifled in the run game by an OSU defense that came into the game allowing 142.20 rushing yards per game. Whatever the Cowboy defense did to limit the Tiger run game, it worked, as Washington, who came into the game averaging 100.0 yards a game, was held to a season-low 11 yards on 8 carries.
   Daniel was MU’s leading rusher on the night, as he tallied 46 yards on 7 attempts. Mizzou had averaged 193.20 rushing yards per game leading into the game, but managed a net figure of just 64 yards on 18 tries (3.6 avg.).
   Mizzou’s defense did admirably against the high-powered OSU offensive attack that came into the game averaging 52.60 points and 530.20 yards of total offense. The Tigers held the Cowboys 24 points and 128 yards below their season averages and forced 3 turnovers.

WOLFERT BREAKS MU CAREER SCORING RECORD
   Lost in the shuffle of Mizzou’s loss to Oklahoma State Saturday was the fact that senior PK Jeff Wolfert broke the MU career scoring record. The record-breaking points came on his 1st-quarter 18-yard field goal to cap the game’s opening possession. He entered the OSU game with 284 points, and after that field goal, and a pair of extra points, he now stands atop the school career list, with 289 points for Saturday’s game at #1 Texas.
   Wolfert has broken the record helf formerly by standout QB Brad Smith, who also scored 284 points from 2002-05.

COFFMAN NEEDS 3 CATCHES FOR MU RECEPTIONS RECORD
   Mizzou’s John Mackey Award candidate TE Chase Coffman had yet another All-American performance in MU’s loss Saturday against Oklahoma State. The senior from Peculiar, Mo. caught 11 passes for 104 yards on the night, including one spectacular catch on MU’s opening drive where he leaped backwards near the left sideline to snare a ball out of the air with one hand and bring it in for the catch – all while the OSU covering him was being flagged for pass interference. The gain went for 21 yards and extended MU’s drive that resulted in a short field goal for a 3-0 lead.
   If that catch isn’t on your local neighborhood highlight reel, just give us a call and we’ll e-mail a clip to you, it’s a definite must-see!
   It was the third 100-yard outing for Coffman in six games in 2008, to match his 120-yard performance against Illinois and 127-yard day against Nevada already this year.
   Coffman needs just 3 receptions Saturday against Texas to break MU’s career receptions record of 203 held by 2007 consensus All-American TE Martin Rucker (2004-07). Coffman enters the game this week with 201 career grabs, and he’s got a team-best 44 catches in 2008 already for 554 yards and 3 TDs. Against Oklahoma State, Coffman also moved past Rucker for the school receiving yardage record for tight ends. Coffman now has 2,226 yards, surpassing Rucker’s former mark of 2,175. He stands 2nd on MU’s alltime career list among all players, trailing only former WR standout Justin Gage (2,704 from 1999-2002).
   Coffman is the NCAA Division I-A (FBS) active career leader for tight ends in both receptions (201) and yards (2,226), and he ranks #5 on the list among all players. His yardage total ranks 16th overall among all active players, and he is the only TE on the top 20 of both lists compiled by the NCAA.
   For the 2008 season, Coffman ranks #2 among all tight ends in receptions (44), as well as yards per game (92.33), and he is the clear leader among BCS school tight ends. His stats are enough to rank him 9th in receptions among all players, and he ranks 19th nationally among all players in yardage.

TIGERS FACE STIFF CHALLENGE VS. TEXAS RUN DEFENSE
   Mizzou will have a big challenge ahead of them Saturday night Austin, as they’ll be facing a Texas run defense that leads the Big 12 Conference and ranks 3rd in the NCAA, allowing just 51.17 yards per game. Texas held Oklahoma to just 48 yards on 26 carries last week, a per-carry average of just 1.8 yards. The Sooners came into the game last week averaging 179.0 yards per game on the ground.
   Texas’ defense is the only team in the nation to not permit a rushing TD so far in 2008. The best rushing day an opponent has had against Texas in 2008 was UTEP, who gained 145 yards on 31 carries (4.7 avg.). Texas’ 3 BCS opponents have managed just 11 yards rushing (Arkansas, on 26 carries), 49 yards rushing (Colorado, on 28 carries) and 48 yards (Oklahoma, on 26 carries).
   Mizzou’s offense is looking to rebound from a sub-par day on the ground against Oklahoma State, as they were held to a season-low 64 yards on 18 carries (3.6 avg.). Mizzou’s previous season low was 132 yards on 29 attempts (4.6 avg.) against Nevada. Sophomore TB Derrick Washington was held in check by the OSU defense, as he ended with just 11 yards on 8 carries. He came into the game averaging 100.0 yards a contest.

QUICK-STRIKE OFFENSE
   If you like following the Tiger offense, you’re best advised not to blink when they’re on the field, because Mizzou strikes quickly when it’s out there. MU is quickly disproving that winning the time of possession battle is the key to winning football – while Missouri is 3rd the nation in total offense (549.67 ypg), they’re doing it despite ranking 117th nationally in time of possession (26:01 average through 6 games).
   In fact, in a survey of Div. I (FBS) SIDs, Mizzou is 2nd in the country in most TD drives of under two minutes in length, with 18.
   Mizzou had 6 TD drives in this category against Nevada, while turning in 3 each against Nebraska, Buffalo and SEMO, 2 against Illinois and 1 vs. Oklahoma State. Here’s a look at the NCAA leaders in this category:

TIGER DEFENSE SOLID AGAINST THE RUN
   While Mizzou’s offense garners the majority of the headlines, the Tiger defense has quietly gone about its business, and has proven to be solid against the run so far. Through 6 games, Mizzou ranks 33rd nationally defending the run, as it has allowed 109.83 yards per game. Mizzou has allowed just 3 rushing TDs by opponents thus far.
   Additionally, opponents are averaging just 3.0 yards per rush against the Tigers.
   Mizzou has held 4-of-6 opponents to under 100 yards so far. Nevada broke the century mark as the Wolf Pack rushed for 182 yards in Mizzou’s 69-17 win on Sept. 13th, but that total was still well below the per-game average of 308.83 ypg that Nevada is currently averaging (they rank 3rd in the NCAA in rushing offense).
   Last time out, Oklahoma State managed an opponent season-high 187 yards on the ground against the Tigers (on 44 carries), but that total was well below OSU’s current season average of 293.83 rushing yards (they rank 4th currently in the NCAA and 1st in the Big 12).
   Here’s a quick breakdown of how opponents have fared on the ground so far against the Tigers, and where they currently rank in NCAA team rushing statistics...

JUST TWO THREE-AND-OUTS SO FAR FOR #1 OFFENSE
   Mizzou’s #1 offense, through 5 games thus far in 2008, had yet to leave the field having had to punt after a three-and-out possession, spanning 48 possessions through that stretch. After scoring a FG on their first drive of the game last time out against Oklahoma State, the streak ended at 49, as OSU forced the first 3-and-out of the season on MU’s 2nd possession.
   In 61 possessions with QB Chase Daniel at the helm, the #1 offense has scored 37 times, including 31 TDs and 6 FGs. The non-scores have resulted in just 9 punts (only 2 after just three plays), 4 lost fumbles, 4 interceptions, 4 missed FGs and 3 lost on downs.
   In an amazing two-game stretch spanning the Southeast Missouri State and Nevada games, Daniel led the offense to scores on all 13 possessions in which he took the field (12 TDs and 1 FG). In those two games combined, Daniel had more TD passes (7) than incomplete passes (6). After scoring a TD and a FG on the first two drives of the Buffalo game, that streak was upped to 15 straight scoring drives. It ended on possession #3 of that game, when the drive stalled after 5 plays and a punt.

OFFENSIVE LINE HAS BEEN AIRTIGHT IN 2008
   Even with the return of 2007 Heisman Trophy finalist QB Chase Daniel to the fold this season, much was made of the expected uncertainty of Mizzou’s offensive line going into the year. That’s largely because the Tigers lost a pair of four-year starters to graduation, in C Adam Spieker and LT Tyler Luellen. And when it was announced during fall camp that redshirt freshman Elvis Fisher was named the starter at left tackle – thus protecting Daniel’s blindside – people wondered if it would take awhile for the offensive line to gel.
   Opening up against Illinois, which has a couple of NFL prospects on their defensive line, the Tiger line showed it was indeed ready for the challenge, and that Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach Dave Christensen knew what he was doing in naming Fisher the starter. All the Tigers did in that game was rack up 549 yards of total offense, including 323 passing and 226 rushing. As noted previously, this offensive line is paving and protecting the way for a unit that ranks 3rd nationally in both total offense (568.80 ypg) and 2nd in scoring (53.40 ppg).
   The Tiger offensive line comes into the game having allowed only 2 sacks in 5 games on 183 pass attempts – that’s a healthy once every 91.5 passes average. Mizzou ranks 5th nationally coming in with its 0.40 sacks allowed average per game, and the #1 line has given up just one of them on Daniel – in the opener against Illinois. They haven’t given up a sack since game #2 against Southeast Missouri, with the other one coming against Illinois in the opener – and that one was actually charged to Daniel, as he kept the ball too long instead of throwing it away (although he did have two receivers fall down on the play, to his defense).

PINKEL STANDS 3RD ON ALLTIME MU COACHING WINS LIST
   Mizzou Head Coach Gary Pinkel is in his 8th season at MU and touts a career record of 127-75-3 (62.7%). The Illinois game to open the 2008 season was the 200th in Pinkel’s head coaching career.
   Pinkel, who has led MU to a combined record of 45-24 (65.2%) over the past 5 seasons, and to bowl games in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007, has an 8-year record in Columbia of 54-38 (58.7%). Dating back to the 2005 Independence Bowl win over Steve Spurrier and South Carolina, Pinkel has won 26 of his last 34 games overall.
   MU’s win in the 2008 opener against Illinois gave Pinkel his 50th MU win, and he now ranks 3rd on the coaching wins list at MU, with 54.
   Pinkel is in a select group of Mizzou coaches that includes College Football Hall of Famers Don Faurot and Dan Devine, as well as    Warren Powers, to be the only coaches to have an MU record of above .500 (with at least one full season coached) dating all the way back to 1935.
   Here’s a quick look at the top winning coaches in MU history at right.
   For the efforts in 2007, Pinkel was a finalist for several national coach of the year awards, including the Robinson, Bryant and Munger awards. He was also named the National Coach of the Year by FieldTurf in 2007.
   Pinkel has led MU to 4 bowl games, and if his Tigers reach a 5th in 2008, he will join Devine (6 bowls), and Powers (5 bowls) as the only coaches to guide MU to 5 bowl games.
Pinkel has guided Mizzou to 4 winning seasons (8-5 in 2003, 7-5 in 2005, 8-5 in 2006, 12-2 in 2007), with those representing 4 of MU’s 6 winning campaigns dating back to the 1983 season.

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