LAST TIME OUT
Missouri enters Saturday's game following a 38-24 loss at No. 25 Colorado last week. Saturday will mark the first game under Head Coach Gary Pinkel that Missouri enters a contest with a two-game losing streak. Following a scoreless first period, the Tigers jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. Kirk Farmer hit Dwayne Blakley for a two-yard TD pass to give Mizzou a 7-0 lead. On Colorado's next possession, Tiger outside safety Kevin Johnson picked off a Bobby Pesavento pass and returned it 59 yards for a touchdown. Colorado quickly answered with 17 points in the final 1:55 of the quarter. Pesavento connected with Matt Brunson for a 25-yard scoring pass, and then hit tight end Daniel Graham for a 36-yard TD strike to tie the game 14-14. With under a minute left, Missouri's Tyrone Roberson was stripped of the football and recovered by Colorado. Jeremy Flores then connected on a 36-yard field goal send the Buffaloes into the locker room with a 17-14 edge. Colorado drew first blood in the third quarter on a 31-yard TD run by Bobby Purify to take a 24-14 lead. Missouri answered on its' next drive when Kirk Farmer capped an 8-play, 79-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown run to bring the Tigers within a field goal at 24-21. The Buffaloes took the momentum back on a 15-yard TD run by Cortlen Johnson with 43 seconds to go in the third quarter. Missouri hung close as Brad Hammerich brought the Tigers within a touchdown with a 32-yard field goal with 12:21 left in the game, making the score 31-24. The back-breaker occurred with 9:46 left to go in the game when Roman Hollowell, the nation's top punt returner, broke off a 69-yard punt return for a touchdown to give Colorado a commanding 38-24 advantage.

12-GAGE
Junior wide receiver Justin Gage is among the nation's best wide receivers. He ranks 17th in the country with 6.4 receptions per game. He has 52 receptions on the season for 603 yards in MU's eight games. Gage has already passed his season total from a year ago (44). His 52 receptions currently ranks seventh all-time in single-season receptions at Missouri. Gage has three 100-plus receiving games this season and has twice reached double-digits in receptions. Playing wide receiver for the first time in his life last season, Gage earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors and was the MU offensive MVP. His 44 receptions ranked 10th among Missouri single-season leaders. His 709 receiving yards rank seventh in school history. The 6-4, 208-pounder is perhaps the Tigers' best overall athlete. A former quarterback, Gage has completed 16 passes in his career, two of them for touchdowns. Gage has also been a key reserve each of last two seasons for Quin Snyder's basketball team.

DYNAMIC DUO
Missouri linebackers Jamonte Robinson and Sean Doyle have become one of the best linebacking duos in the country. In the Tigers' first eight games, Robinson and Doyle have combined for 198 tackles. Robinson leads the team with 12.8 tackles per game. Doyle is averaging 11.87 tackles per game. Both Robinson and Doyle are ranked among the nation's top 15 tacklers.

ROBINSON TACKLES HIS WAY INTO THE TOP FIVE
Senior linebacker Jamonte Robinson is climbing the career tackles chart at the University of Missouri. The St. Petersburg, Fla., native has 372 career tackles, ranking him fourth all-time at Missouri. Robinson recorded a career-high 19 tackles against Texas. Robinson jumped from sixth to fourth place on the career tackles chart, passing Darryl Major (346) and former teammate Barry Odom (362). He is averaging 14.0 tackles per game in Big 12 Conference play. Robinson is one of 10 players in school history to record 300 career tackles. He needs four tackles to pass Darren MacDonald for third place all-time. Robinson needs 44 tackles in his final three games to pass DeMontie Cross as the all-time tackles leader at Missouri.

RIDING ZACK
Sophomore running back Zack Abron was well on his way to his fourth 100-yard game in a row last week at Colorado until a sprained ankle sidelined him midway through the second quarter. Abron had 12 carries for 69 yards last week against the Buffaloes. Abron has rushed for over 100 yards in four of eight games this season. The 5-10, 220-pound back has been a load to bring down for the opposition. he is averaging 5.3 yards per carry on the season. Against Texas, Abron had three 16-yard rushes and one 19-yard scamper. In nine games in 2000, Abron rushed for 502 yards, averaging 3.6 yards per carry for the season. He had five touchdowns in 2000. He already has six in 2001.

HAMMERICH NAMED LOU GROZA AWARD SEMIFINALIST
While senior kicker Brad Hammerich is making a bid to be the best kicker in the Big 12 Conference, he has already garnered national attention. Hammerich has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the 2001 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award. The award is given to the nation's best place-kicker. Three finalists will be named on Nov. 13. A native of Chesterfield, Mo., Hammerich was the hero at Oklahoma State, converting four field goal attempts, (47, 39, 31 and 36 yards) including the game winner in the third overtime. Hammerich is now 10-for-12 in field goal tries this season. In the season opener against Bowling Green, he nailed a career-long 51 yarder. Hammerich is 57-of-58 in his career in PAT attempts. He is 26-for-36 in field goal tries. Just one of those missed field goals has come on attempts of under 40 yards. He is 17-of-18 from inside 40 yards in his career and 9-of-18 from beyond 40 yards. Four of his eight misses beyond 40 yards have been from beyond 50 yards. He is 1-for-5 in his career from 50 yards out. Hammerich has a big-time leg, evident by a 56-yard field goal in the Black and Gold Game in the spring.

THROW THE BALL TO BLAKLEY
Missouri fans have been asking for more Dwayne Blakley, the Tigers' talented tight end. Mizzou fans are getting what they wanted as Blakley is having a fantastic senior campaign, especially in conference games. He has 26 receptions in six conference contests this season and has scored a touchdown in four of the last five games. Last week, Blakley had three catches and a touchdown at Colorado. He had three catches for 47 yards against Texas. At Kansas, Blakley caught what proved to be the winning touchdown, a 14-yard pass from Kirk Farmer. The week before, only a diving deflection by an Iowa State defender prevented Blakley from being the hero against the Cyclones in the game's final seconds.

RICKER ON RIMINGTON TROPHY WATCH LIST
Sophomore center A.J. Ricker is among 21 players in the nation on the Rimington Trophy "watch list." The Rimington Trophy is awarded to the best offensive center in college football, and is presented by the Boomer Esiason Foundation. The Klein, Texas native started all 11 games as a redshirt freshman last year. He snapped the ball 654 times without committing a single penalty. He recorded 45 knockdowns and allowed just seven hits on the Tigers quarterbacks. Ricker has played an important role in the Tigers emerging running game each of the last five weeks. Missouri has had a 100-plus rusher in four of the last five games. He also leads an offensive line that has allowed the least number of quarterback sacks in the Big 12 Conference this season.

FARMER BACK IN THE HUDDLE
Junior quarterback Kirk Farmer continues to make up for lost time. Farmer made his first start in over a year on Sept. 29. The Tigers are 2-4 with Farmer back at the helm. In his second start at Oklahoma State, Farmer threw for a career-high 247 yards and 3 TDs in the Tigers triple-overtime victory over the Cowboys. At Kansas, Farmer enjoyed his most productive game since his incredible performance at Nebraska last season. Farmer accounted for 328 all-purpose yards against the Jayhawks (246 passing, 82 rushing). He threw three touchdown passes and completed 19-of-32 passes. For the second time this season, Farmer led the Tigers on three consecutive scoing drives at Kansas. In Missouri's loss against Iowa State, Farmer marched the Tigers down the field in the closing three minutes of the game and gave Missouri a chance to win the game. Only a great defensive play with three seconds on the clock by Iowa State prevented Farmer from leading the Tigers to a last second victory over the Cyclones. Against Colorado, Farmer threw a touchdown pass and rushed for another while keeping Mizzou in the game in Boulder. He threw for 185 yards and rushed for 55. A native of Jefferson City, Mo., Farmer split time with Jim Dougherty in 1999, starting one game before breaking his leg in week six. Last year, Farmer started the first four games before going down with a separated shoulder at Nebraska in week four, an injury that sidelined him for the rest of the season.

MISSOURI BLOCK PARTY
The Missouri Tigers have blocked six kicks in their first eight games this season. The Tigers have blocked two field goal attempts, three PATs and one punt. The two blocked PATs belong to junior defensive tackle Cedric Harden, giving him four blocks for his career. The Missouri blocked punt was by sophomore cornerback Michael Harden. No relation to Cedric, Harden's blocked punt resulted in an 18-yard touchdown return by Justin Gage. Keith Wright blocked a field goal attempt by Nebraska, but the most important block of the year was made by senior linebacker Jamonte Robinson who blocked an Oklahoma State field goal attempt in the third overtime of the Tigers 41-38 victory. Sean Doyle got his hand on a Kansas PAT attempt two weeks ago in Lawrence.

TIGERS HOT IN RED ZONE
The Missouri Tigers have been very productive in the red zone this season. According to the Automated Scorebook used by every school in Division I, the Tigers are 24-for-27 in the red zone (88.8 percent). Because of the way the computer calculates the red zone, two of Missouri's red zone scores in its triple-overtime victory at Oklahoma State do not register. Missouri is actually 26-for-29 (89.6) in the red zone this season. The Tigers were six-for-six against Oklahoma State and five-for-five against Kansas. Iowa State held Mizzou twice in the red zone, once in the first quarter and then on the final drive of the fourth quarter. The Tigers reached the red zone three times against Texas and scored all three times. At Colorado, the Tigers were a perfect 3-for-3 in the red zone. The only other time that Missouri did not score in the red zone was when the Tigers ran out the clock in their victory over Southwest Texas.

BYNUM IN THE BACKFIELD
While no one can quite fill the shoes of Justin Smith, the fourth overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, junior defensive end Antwaun Bynum is doing his best. The St. Louis native leads the team with seven quarterback sacks and tackles for loss (15). His seven quarterback sacks are tied for sixth place on Missouri's single-season list. Bynum tied the Missouri single-game record for quarterback sacks against Oklahoma State. Bynum sacked OSU quarterback Aso Pogi four times in Mizzou's 41-38 triple overtime victory over the Cowboys. Bynum tied the record held by Bobby Bell (1983 vs. BYU in the Holiday Bowl) and Justin Smith (2000 at Baylor). His career night at Oklahoma State also included a career-high 14 tackles and two forced fumbles. He is playing defensive end for the first time in his career. He came to Missouri last year as a junior college transfer from Hutchinson C.C. where he was an All-American linebacker. He recorded 24 sacks in two seasons at Hutchinson.

THREE PLAYERS WITH 30 CONSECUTIVE STARTS
Senior offensive linemen Mike Hayes and Justin Bland and senior safety Clarence Jones have started 30 consecutive games. All three players have started every game since game one in 1999. All three players are All-Big 12 performers.

DEFENSIVE FRONT FOUR
Missouri's defensive front four was literally pieced together this past spring. Defensive end Antwaun Bynum is a former linebacker, defensive end Dan Davis is a former tailback and defensive tackle Keith Wright is playing inside for the first time in his career. Only Cedric Harden is playing his natural position. This group continues to get better and better with each week. By adding senior defensive tackle Chris Ryan and redshirt freshman Nick Tarpoff into the mix, Missouri's defensive front four have combined for 43 tackles for loss and 14.5 quarterback sacks. They have hit the quarterback 18 times, forced six fumbles and recovered three fumbles, intercepted a pass and blocked three kicks.

ALL-BIG 12 PERFORMERS LEAD THE MIZZOU DEFENSE
The experience on the defensive side of the football is talented. Five returning defensive players have been All-Big 12 selections. Both linebackers, Jamonte Robinson and Sean Doyle, have been honorable mention All-Big 12 picks. Defensive backs Antoine Duncan and Clarence Jones were honorable mention All-Big 12 selections last season and junior defensive tackle Cedric Harden has also been an All-Big 12 pick.

RESHUFFLING THE SCHEDULE
Due to the attack on the United States on Sept. 11, the Missouri Tigers have reshuffled their schedule. The Tigers will makeup their game with Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich. on Saturday, Dec. 1. Missouri has also moved its' game against Kansas State to Nov. 24 to accomodate the Wildcats who will play Louisiana Tech on Nov. 17, the original date for the MU-KSU game. The last time Missouri had a football game postponed or cancelled was back in 1918. The entire season was cancelled due to an influenza epidemic.

TIGERS EARN PRESEASON ACCOLADES
Three Missouri Tigers were named preseason honorable mention All-Americans by Street & Smith's. Wide Receiver Justin Gage, offensive guard Mike Hayes and linebacker Sean Doyle were all recognized by Street & Smith's. Hayes was also named to The Sporting News "All-Underrated Team."

2001 TIGER CAPTAINS
Six seniors were voted captains by their teammates in the spring for 2001 season. The 2001 Missouri Tiger captains are:

IF IT GOES TO OVERTIME ...
Missouri has played six overtime games since overtime was instituted into college football in 1996. The Tigers are 4-2 in OT with three of those victories against Oklahoma State. In 1996, Mizzou defeated the Cowboys 35-28 in Columbia. That same season, Missouri needed three overtimes to knock off Baylor in Waco, Texas. The final score of that game was 49-42. In 1997, the Tigers defeated the 12th-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys in double-overtime, 51-50. Two weeks later, Missouri suffered its first overtime loss in the infamous "kicked ball" game as No. 1 Nebraska escaped Columbia with a 45-38 overtime win. The Tigers fell in overtime in 1999 at Colorado, 46-39 ... This year, the Tigers won their fourth overtime game, a triple-overtime thriller at Oklahoma State.