Big 12 spotlight pans to Nebraska-Mizzou battle

By John Helsley

Published: October 2, 2007

The teams have been talking with contempt, back and forth since summer, anticipating this first Saturday in October.

Their showdown Saturday is complete with Big 12 championship implications and national appeal and best of all — bodacious bragging rights.

Finally, it arrives.

Missouri vs. Nebraska.

Sorry, Sooners and Longhorns, the gloss is off your meeting in Dallas.

What looked like a national quarterfinal just days ago now carries a much different elimination feel — Big 12 elimination; although in this butt-ugly Big 12, not even an 0-2 start will get you ruled out of contention.

So, at least for cosmetic appeal, heads turn to Columbia, where Mizzou waits for the Cornhuskers and a shot at stamping themselves title worthy.

And, oh, they've been waiting.

"We've got to kill those guys,” Tigers safety Cornelius "Pig” Brown told the Kansas City Star last week. "I just want to kill them. We need to beat them by three touchdowns or more.”

From Lincoln: "We're ready to go,” Nebraska tight end Sean Hill countered. "We're not worried about what they're saying. We'll play as hard as we can. We'll let our pads speak.”

Too late. The banter started months ago, spurred when Missouri was tagged by the media as the team to beat in the North.

The Huskers, the defending North champion, wondered what was up.

"We did win last year, but for whatever reason, people feel they have an edge on us this year,” Huskers star linebacker Bo Ruud said during Big 12 Media Days in July. "I don't know why.

"We'll have our chance to play them. And it will unwind like it's supposed to.”

Finally, it unwinds Saturday night, with ESPN plugging the game into its 8:15 p.m. primetime slot.

The network could be rewarded with a shootout.

The Tigers, ranked No. 17 for their highest poll position since 1998, average 544.2 yards and 42 points a game through its Chase Daniel-driven spread offense. Nebraska allows 408.6 yards a game, which is more than any Huskers crew in history.

The flip side is similar: Nebraska averaging 467.8 yards and 35.8 points; Mizzou surrendering 434.5 yards per game.

Another notable stat: The Tigers have owned the last two games in Columbia, winning 41-24 at Faurot Field both times.

"I was on those teams,” Nebraska tight end J.B. Phillips said. "We're far different from them.

"It's not like we're going to go into the game and go, ‘Oh, Missouri was picked to beat us. Let's just not show up.'

"It's going to be a fight.”

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