Missouri players leave the field after the Tigers’ loss to Oklahoma State in October, their first of three losses this season. PHOTO BY STEVE SISNEY, THE OKLAHOMAN
The Sports Illustrated Jinx only becomes relevant the few times it works, not the dozens of times each year that it doesn’t. The Missouri Tigers must be believers.
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Mizzou landed on the magazine’s cover as its No. 1-ranked football team in the preseason, but by mid-October, national title hopes had been derailed by back-to-back Big 12 Conference losses. And Saturday’s loss to rival Kansas dropped the Tigers out of the top 15 in every major poll.
Perhaps the season can still be saved with a win over Oklahoma in Saturday’s Big 12 Championship game, which would result in a BCS bowl berth, but that’s well short of the expectations the Tigers came into the year with.
"We just haven’t played as well as we wanted to in games that we should’ve,” Mizzou quarterback Chase Daniel said. "The Oklahoma State game, we threw the ball game away — we had three turnovers. Texas beat us fair and square. They’re a really great team.
"Did we want three losses on the year? No, we didn’t.”
There’s no explanation for the whipping Texas gave the Tigers, who trailed 35-3 in the first half.
Against OSU, the offense saw its first signs of being slowed, and turnovers finished them off. Turnovers were a major factor in the loss to Kansas, along with injuries that could play a role this week as well.
Missouri coach Gary Pinkel has tried to maintain a positive outlook. He said he never has and never will put pressure on his team to win a national championship, though there’s still some disappointment in a 9-3 regular season.
"Most teams, you look back at a game or two, and you wish you could’ve done better, and that’s my frustration,” Pinkel said. "But this is where we wanted to be. We wanted a chance to win a Big 12 championship.”
And the opportunity to reach a BCS bowl — something an 11-2 Tiger team was overlooked for last season — provides great motivation.
"It’s a one-game season now,” Daniel said. "It’s our playoff, Oklahoma’s playoff. They’re playing for the national championship, we’re playing for a BCS bowl. There’s a lot on the line on Saturday night.”
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So Texas beat them "fair and square"? Does that mean in his stupid mind Chase Daniel thinks OSU did NOT??? What a loser! He says they gave the game away to OSU? That's BS, the Cowboys TOOK it away. Only one of those four int's (yes, I'm counting the one on the 2-pt conversion attempt) was a bad throw, the others were takeaways. And it pressure on the qb that forced the bad throw! He makes it sound like somehow OSU cheated to win. No Chase, you got your butt whipped by a BETTER team playing something LESS THAN their best game on YOUR HOME FIELD!! Deal with it like a man, instead of whining like a little girl. Missouri will lose by 40 to OU.
Jeremy, you won't see much of the power set this weekend because Bradford can't take the snap from under center due to the torn ligaments in his left hand. It will be mostly shotgun to prevents fumbling the snap.
If you have not seen the youtube clip with chase daniels picking his nose and eating his boogers it is a classic. I think about it everytime i see that joker. He is the biggest baby ive seen on the football field. All they talked about at the beginning of the year was getting another shot at OU. Well your about to get it boys....be careful what you wish for!! OU 62 Mizzou 24
Chase Daniel is a cry baby. Did you see the way he acted on the sidelines last year during the Big 12 Championship game? He has no class and refuses to give credit to anyone.
Mizzou will come out on fire in this game, the last second lose last week and 2 loses to OU last year, they will be looking for some revenge. Bob and the players need to be very aware of this. Kevin Wilson needs to have the offense run the ball early and often out of the power set, so OU can mash the spirit right out of Mizzou. Control the clock and keep Daniel & Maclin off the field. This game is their Super Bowl! Be aware, be very aware!
well hopefully it'll be the same result as last year. Look what OU has to do to win a title. We have to win in stillwater, then beat mizzOU in missOUri and then most likely florida in florida. that sems so fair, but @ least we have the team to do it. Boomer Sooner!
Don't you love how Chase Daniel refuses to give credit where credit is due? Last year, Missouri supposedly gave the first game to OU and felt they let OU win it. Now he says that they gave the game to OSU this year. C'mon FUPA boy...admit that you were beaten by a better team, AGAIN.
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