When the Defense Roars: Missouri Tigers Dynasty

[Kcordloh]

Games to watch week 8

Alabama (1-4) at #24 Ole Miss (5-1)
Idaho (4-0) at #4 Notre Dame (6-0)
Michigan (4-2) at #9 Michigan State (5-2)
#7 Oklahoma (4-1) at Kansas (4-1)
#1 Oklahoma State (4-0) at #23 Texas A&M (2-2)


The games to watch at both Big XII games.
Kansas's spread offense is #4 in the nation in total yards, and #2 in points. Oklahoma's defense is #16 in the nation, but can their #76 offense take advantage of the weak Kansas defense (#87). Kansas lost to Connecticut, an unproven Big East team, while Oklahoma lost to the fierce Missouri Tigers.

Oklahoma State vs Texas A&M is a top contest, because A&M is 0-1 in the big XII, but could still easily win it if they win out and Kansas finishes worse than 8-1 in Big XII play. Oklahoma State has a difficult stretch ahead, A&M this week, Missouri next week, and Kansas the next week. If they survive undefeated then it should be clean sailing until Bedlam.

[Kcordloh]

Conference alignment takes top story of the week

In a breaking development of conference realignment Notre Dame is apparently really close to signing with the Big XII. Arkansas and Notre Dame are a rumored package, but sources close to the SEC say that the SEC is desperate to keep Arkansas; and the Big 10 is rumored to have uped the ante in chasing Notre Dame.

The backup package is Boise State/BYU. Apparently SMU is in if Arkansas and Notre Dame join, and Houston is in if BSU/BYU join. No word on the third team if only one from each pair joins.

[Kcordloh]

Results of week 8: Who is #1?

Alabama upset #24 Ole Miss 24-21
Idaho upset #4 Notre Dame 35-33
Michigan upset #9 Michigan State 17-13
Kansas outgunned #7 Oklahoma 35-31
#23 Texas A&M upset #1 Oklahoma State 32-30 after taking a 32-17 lead with 8:17 left in the game
Florida upset #6 Arkansas 31-20

Coaches Poll

NCAA Football Rankings - Coaches Poll - Updated: Oct 14, 2012
RK	LW	TEAM (VOTES)	W	L	POINTS
1	2	Illinois (36)	6	0	1500
2	3	Boise State (22)	5	0	1281
3	8	Oregon State (2)	6	0	1252
4	5	Stanford	5	1	1170
5	14	Utah (1)	6	0	1031
6	1	Oklahoma State	4	1	1030
7	10	Oregon	6	1	984
8	11	Auburn	5	1	932
9	13	Virginia Tech	5	1	855
10	4	Notre Dame	6	1	785
11	7	Oklahoma	4	2	756
12	17	Troy	5	1	710
13	18	Missouri	4	1	655
14	19	Wisconsin	4	2	605
15	9	Michigan State	4	3	602
16	6	Arkansas	7	1	593
17	20	Georgia	6	1	580
18	23	Texas A&M	3	2	571
19	21	LSU	5	2	527
20	12	South Carolina	5	2	506
21	--	Michigan	5	2	469
22	--	Kansas	5	1	469
23	15	Ohio State	4	2	270
24	--	Pittsburg	5	1	246
25	--	Louisville	4	1	245

First BCS Poll top 10

NCAA Football Rankings - BCS Rankings - Updated: Oct 14, 2012
RK	LW	TEAM (VOTES)	W	L	POINTS
1	--	Illinoios	6	0	1.000
2	--	Boise State	5	0	.992
3	--	Oregon State	6	0	.992
4	--	Stanford	6	1	.982
5	--	Utah	6	0	.978
6	--	Oregon	6	1	.969
7	--	Auburn	5	1	.964
8	--	Oklahoma State	4	1	.957
9	--	Notre Dame	6	1	.953
10	--	Virginia Tech	5	1	.940
11	--	Missouri	4	1	.926

[Kcordloh]

#13 Missouri takes on #6 Oklahoma State

In what is starting to become a bit of a really hated contest, the #13 Missouri Tigers head to Stillwater to take on the #6 Oklahoma State Cowboys. Missouri has already knocked off Oklahoma this year, a victory over Oklahoma State would put them in the driver's seat for the Big XII, tied only with Kansas who is also undefeated in conference play.

Missouri's brand new 3-3-5 defense has effectively shut down the spread offenses the Tigers have faced, unlike the 4-3 and 3-4 they ran last year and the beginning of this year. The Cowboys have plenty of fire power, but can they defend against Missouri's scary strong defensive line? The Tigers secondary is good, but if the Cowboys get time to their QB then this game will be close the entire way. If Missouri gets pressure in the pocket early and often then the Tigers win going away.

ESPN Poll:
Missouri winning: 36%
Oklahoma State winning: 64%

[Kcordloh]

Tigers defense holds explosive Cowboys to season low in offense

The #6 Oklahoma Cowboys walked into their home stadium with a lot of confidence. They did lose to Texas A&M last week, but they still controlled their own destiny, and if they finished 11-1 most likely they would be playing for the BCS National championship.
That confidence lasted until the 3rd quarter when Missouri picked off C. Chelf twice and turned both into touchdowns to open a huge 45-14 lead that they coasted to the end of the game with.

E. Gaines helped out Missouri's defense by blitzing five times, all of them resulting in swatted passes, tackles for loss, sacks, and interceptions. The best was when E Gaines head butted a pass out of the air late in the second quarter to block a pass intended for Tracy Moore the speedy wideout for Oklahoma State who was wide open in a blown coverage set.

E. Gaines saves the day with a soccer move

Missouri sealed the game late in the second quarter when C. Browning grabbed a picture perfect interception and ran it back 36 yards for a pick 6 and a 24-14 lead, one they would never relinquish.

C. Browning sealed the game for the Tigers even though nobody knew it yet

Missouri Tigers at Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oct 20, 2012 1 2 3 4 F #13 MIZZ (4-1) 7 17 21 10 55 #6 OKST (4-1) 0 14 0 0 14 Top Performers PASS: James Franklin - 18-32, 235 yards, 5 TD RUSH: Henry Josey - 14 rushes for 81 yards REC: L. Washington - 3 catches for 36 yards and 3 TD	Team Stats Comparison MIZZ OKST First Downs 21 11 3rd Down Efficiency 6-13 3-12 4th Down Efficiency 0-0 0-0 Total Yards 497 356 Passing Yards 287 158 Rushing Yards 169 67 Penalties-Penalty Yards 7 4 Turnovers 0 4 Time of Possession
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING MIZZ OKST 3:09 (MIZZ) L. Washington 17 yard pass TD from J. Franklin (PAT) 7 0 SECOND QUARTER SCORING MIZZ OKST 5:44 (MIZZ) R. Woodland 13 yard pass TD from J. Franklin (PAT 14 0 4:25 (OKST) J. Horton 1 yard pass TD from C. Chelf (PAT) 14 7 2:00 (MIZZ) C. O'Connor 53yd FG 17 7 1:35 (OKST) J. Horton 74 yard pass TD from C. Chelf (PAT) 17 14 0:24 (MIZZ) C. Browning 36 yard interception return (PAT) 24 14 THIRD QUARTER SCORING MIZZ OKST 4:49 (MIZZ) L. Washington 5 yard pass TD from J. Franklin (PAT) 31 14 3:46 (MIZZ) L. Washington 11 yard pass TD from J. Franklin (PAT) 38 14 1:29 (MIZZ) S. Smith yard pass TD from J. Franklin (PAT 45 14 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING MIZZ OKST 4:43 (MIZZ) M. Lucas 13 yard pass TD from J. Franklin (PAT) 52 14 1:23 (MIZZ) C. O'Connor 32 yard FG 55 14
Missouri Tigers Oklahoma State Cowboys

[Kcordloh]

Beavers slide into 1st place

Thanks to a 42-13 thrashing of the #4 Stanford Cardinals the Oregon State Beavers moved into the #1 spot in the coaches poll.

Important results
#3 Oregon State defeated #4 Stanford 42-13
#8 Auburn defeated #10 Notre Dame 30-14
#9 Virginia Tech defeated previously undefeated Boston College 31-26
unranked Nebraska toppled #1 Illinois 38-35 on a TD with :19 left
unranked Washington toppled #5 Utah 52-45 in OT

Coaches Poll

NCAA Football Rankings - Coaches Poll - Updated: Oct 21, 2012
RK	LW	TEAM (VOTES)	W	L	POINTS
1	3	Oregon State (34)	7	0	1498
2	2	Boise State (27)	7	0	1299
3	8	Auburn	6	1	1117
4	7	Oregon	7	1	1080
5	9	Virginia Tech	6	1	1017
6	1	Illinois	6	1	984
7	13	Missouri	5	1	960
8	4	Stanford	6	2	932
9	11	Oklahoma	5	2	919
10	12	Troy	7	1	904
11	6	Oklahoma State	4	2	795
12	15	Michigan State	5	3	756
13	10	Notre Dame	7	2	723
14	17	Georgia	6	1	694
15	5	Utah	7	1	673
16	18	Texas A&M	4	2	638
17	20	South Carolina	6	2	520
18	21	Michigan	6	2	520
19	22	Kansas	5	1	485
20	--	Nebraska	5	2	457
21	23	Ohio State	5	2	445
22	--	Mississippi State	6	2	437
23	16	Arkansas	7	2	367
24	14	Wisconsin	4	3	356
25	--	Ole Miss	6	2	312

[Kcordloh]

Red Raiders host Tigers

It's starting to become same story, different lead this season. For the 4th time the Missouri Tigers face a major offensive threat, this time the Texas Tech Red Raiders who bring in the #2 passing attack in the nation.
The Red Raiders are ranked 5th in scoring with 43.0 points a game, but they will have to try and overcome the 3-3-5 the Tigers have been using that has shut down everyone that has faced it so far.

The #7 Tigers (5-1) are trying to slide into a national championship game, a potential rematch with the Boise State Broncos. The Red Raiders rushing attack brings nothing to the table, they are ranked 120th in the nation with 231 total rush yards. Kansas is #119 with 422, and Oklahoma State is #117 with 597. Without a rushing attack the Red Raiders (4-2) must crack the Tigers secondary, or else the weak Tech secondary will have to step up and keep Heisman dark horse James Franklin from shredding them.

[Kcordloh]

Games to watch on the last October weekend

#20 Nebraska (5-2) at #18 Michigan (6-2)
Arizona State (2-5) at #1 Oregon State (7-0)
#6 Illinois (6-1) at Penn State (4-3)
#24 Wisconsin (4-3) at #21 Ohio State (5-2)
Arizona (4-4) at #15 Utah (6-1)
USC (5-2) at Stanford (6-2)
#19 Kansas (5-1) at #11 Oklahoma State (4-2)
LSU (5-3) at #3 Auburn (6-1)
#7 Missouri (5-1) at Texas Tech (4-2)