Week 12: Missouri at Kansas State

Talk about high stakes.

All Missouri has on the line is the Big 12 North title. Possibly a spot in the BCS. A national championship, perhaps?

Yes, it all remains on the table for the Tigers. On the flip side, a loss hands the North crown to Kansas. Probably eliminates Mizzou from the BCS picture. And definitely kills any national title hopes.

But maybe the biggest obstacle for MU is the site of this one.

Kansas State has not lost at home to Missouri since 1989. Do you remember who coached the Tigers in those days. Quick. Give up? Bob Stull.

Stull never led an MU team quite like this — and that’s why the Tigers have a real shot at ending that streak which began when coach Bill Snyder was starting his wonderful journey in Manhattan, Kan.

“I think for the most part it’s just fun,” says MU quarterback Chase Daniel about the Tigers’ current situation. “It doesn’t happen a lot in your life, if anytime at all. I’m going to try to keep all my teammates loose, all the coaches loose, and just enjoy the time.”

MU rates as the seventh-best scoring offense in the country at 41.8 points a game. In fact, the Tigers along with Hawaii are the only two teams that have recorded 30 or more points in every game.

Bad news, you would think, for K-State. The Wildcats are coming off one of the most embarrassing defeats in years, a 73-31 loss at Nebraska. The Huskers scored on 11 straight possessions and rolled up 702 yards.

K-State senior free safety Marcus Watts still was reeling earlier this week from the thumping.

“You know, you could almost compare it to losing a family member. It was a tough loss to swallow,” Watts said.

BOTTOM LINE: You’ve got two trains headed opposite directions here. MU has major nuggets at its fingertips if it continues to win. K-State, needing one more win to become bowl eligible, hasn’t shown progress in its last three games. It’s doubtful its home history will help the Wildcats this time.

Missouri by 9