Oct. 3, 2005
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TIGER NEWS & NOTES
Missouri Tigers (2-2, 0-1) at Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-1, 0-1)
Oct. 8, 2005 - Boone Pickens Stadium - Stillwater, Okla.
KICKOFF: 1:05 p.m. (central time).
STADIUM: Boone Pickens Stadium (48,000). Football Pro surface. OSU leads the series there, 11-10 alltime, but MU has won its last 3 outings there (1994, 1997, 2001).
RADIO: Tiger Network (Mike Kelly, play-by-play/John Kadlec, color/Chris Gervino, sidelines). Carried on over 50 stations statewide, and on the Internet at mutigers.com. The game is also carried on SIRIUS Satellite Radio on Channel #119.
TV: None.
RANKINGS (AP/COACHES): None.
SERIES: MU leads, 27-20 overall, including 4-1 since the formation of the Big 12 Conference in 1996.
COACHES:
Mizzou: Gary Pinkel (Kent, '75), 24-27 at MU (5th year) and 97-64-3 overall (15th year). Pinkel is 1-1 versus Oklahoma State and 0-0 versus Mike Gundy.
Oklahoma State: Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State, '90), 3-1 at OSU (1st year) and 3-1 overall (1st year). Gundy is 0-0 versus Mizzou and Gary Pinkel.
The Missouri Tigers (2-2 overall, 0-1 in Big 12 Conference play) face their first true road game of the 2005 season (and the first played outside of the state of Missouri) when they take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-1, 0-1) Saturday in Stillwater, Okla. Kickoff time for the non-televised game is set for 1:05 p.m.
Mizzou is looking to rebound from a 51-20 home loss at the hands of 2nd-ranked Texas. The Tigers were hurt severly by 3 1st-half turnovers inside their own 35 yardline that led directly to 21 Texas points.
Oklahoma State is also looking to bounce back, as it suffered its first loss of the 2005 season last Saturday, as it was shutout at home by Colorado, 34-0. It was OSU's first home shutout loss since 1991.
HOOKED BY THE HORNS
Mizzou is looking to get well this Saturday in Stillwater, Okla., where they will take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys, one week after absoring a 51-20 home loss to the 2nd-ranked Texas Longhorns.
The Tigers entered the game with hopes of an upset in their minds, and through the game's first half, it appeared MU was poised to give it a great run. Mizzou tied the game at 7 apiece early on, and then closed to 14-13 late in the 1st quarter after a second long TD drive (the PAT failed).
Texas outscored MU by a 10-0 count in the 2nd quarter to take a 24-13 lead into halftime. It was frankly amazing that the Tigers trailed by that little, considering they had turned the ball over 3 times inside their own 35 yardline - Texas converted all three Tiger miscues into TDs (all on drives taking just one play each).
But the second half proved to be all Texas, as UT scored 27 consecutive points to run out to an insurmountable 51-13 lead, before a late Tiger TD by Brad Smith (his second rushing score of the day) accounted for the final score.
Texas came into the game with one of the nation's top offensive attacks, and it didn't disappoint, as UT amassed 585 yards of offense (349 rushing / 236 passing). They did all their damage despite being flagged for a whopping 14 penalties for 135 yards and turning the ball over twice.
The difference in the game likely came down to the Tiger offense being held in check by Texas' stingy defense, as the Longhorns held Mizzou well below its offensive averages of 43.7 points, 553.7 total yards 287.3 rushing yards, 266.3 passing yards. MU had season-low outputs of 20 points, 330 total yards, 139 rushing yards and 191 passing yards.
TIGERS AND COWBOYS OFFER CONTRAST
Mizzou and Oklahoma State provide an interesting statistical comparison on paper, as the numbers show that the apparent strengths of the two teams will match up directly.
Mizzou's offense comes into the game Saturday ranking among the nation's top 20 in three different categories - rushing (10th - 250.25), total offense (11th - 497.75) and scoring (18th - 37.75). Those high rankings come even after the Tiger offense was held below its averages by 2nd-ranked Texas last week.
Staring at the Tiger offense on the other side of the ball will be what looks to be the strength of Oklahoma State thus far - its defense. The Cowboy defense ranks among the nation's top 25 in three categories also - pass defense (4th - 146.50), scoring (14th - 14.25) and total defense (22nd - 294.25).
The Cowboys have leaned heavily on their running game offensively thus far, as they rank 48th nationally in rushing (163.75) with 14 TDs on the ground, compared to a passing attack that ranks 113th overall (124.00) with 2 TDs in the air.
One big contrast offered by the two teams is their success rate offensively on third down. Mizzou has converted 52.6% on the season (40-of-76) thus far, which is the 7th-best rate in the NCAA. Conversely, the Cowboys have converted on 21.6% of its third down attempts (12-of-56), and that ranks OSU 116th in the nation.
MIZZOU-OKLAHOMA STATE SERIES NOTES
LONGEST MU WINNING STREAKS AT OPPOSING STADIUMS
Mizzou has won its last three games playing in Stillwater, Okla., against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. We thought it would be interesting to see where that 3-game winning streak ranks in the MU record books. Research shows that the 3-game streak does not quite rank in MU's top-10 for longest winning streaks at opposing stadiums, but a win Saturday for the Tigers would do just that.
A win for MU against OSU Saturday would give the Tigers four straight wins at Boone Pickens Stadium, and that would tie for 7th-longest MU win streak at an opponent's stadium. The longest such string in MU's favor is a whopping 15 straight games won by MU at Kansas State - a streak which dated from 1940 through 1968.
LAST YEAR REWIND: #22 OKLAHOMA STATE 20, MIZZOU 17
The final 50 seconds of the first half turned the game around for No. 22 Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys fell behind by 17 then rallied to beat Missouri 20-17 on a 28-yard field goal by Jason Ricks with 55 seconds to play.
The Cowboys drove 78 yards to set up the winning kick. The drive was kept alive when Donovan Woods connected with his brother, D'Juan Woods, for a 27-yard gain on third-and-4 from the Oklahoma State 42.
Missouri lost its second straight game, both to ranked opponents, and ended a nine-game home winning streak.
The Tigers appeared headed for an easy win after going ahead 17-0 with 54 seconds left in the first half. But the Tigers allowed Oklahoma State to drive 80 yards in 50 seconds, scoring on a 12-yard pass from Woods to Woods with 4 seconds left in the half. The Cowboys were able to use a mix of passes and runs on the drive, including runs of 21 and 19 yards by Vernand Morency.
After Ricks' 27-yard, third-quarter field goal cut the deficit to seven, the Cowboys tied it early in the fourth quarter when Donovan Woods faked a handoff to Morency and ran untouched 34 yards for the score.
Morency carried 31 times for 173 yards, bettering the 163.3 yards he averaged entering the game, second-best in the nation. Donovan Woods carried 10 times for 71 yards - 69 of those coming on two runs - and was 7-of-13 for 110 yards and one interception.
After controlling the ball for more than 21 minutes in the first half, the Tigers could muster just four first downs and 87 total yards in the final 30 minutes. The Tigers had the ball less than 12 minutes of the final half.
Missouri's Brad Smith was 18-for-29 for just 96 yards and one interception. He rushed 17 times for 58 yards, and Damien Nash carried 18 times for 89 yards.
Missouri drove 83 yards on 16 plays to go ahead 7-0 on Smith's 4-yard pass to Martin Rucker on the final play of the first quarter. Smith dropped straight back, scrambled to his right, then back to the left sideline before finding Rucker open in the middle of the end zone.
Joe Tantarelli's 21-yard field goal with 5:34 to play in the half gave Missouri a 10-0 lead.
On Oklahoma State's next drive, the Cowboys tried a fake punt with the ball snapped to up-back Chase Holland, who passed to Prentiss Elliott. But just as Elliott was about to make the catch, Missouri's Jason Simpson jarred the ball loose, giving the Tigers the ball at the Oklahoma State 42 with 3:21 to go in the half.
Seven plays later, Smith and Sean Coffey connected on a 3-yard touchdown pass with 54 seconds to play in the half.
MIZZOU'S LAST VISIT TO STILLWATER WAS A MEMORABLE ONE
Brad Hammerich's 36-yard field goal in the third overtime period, after Missouri blocked an Oklahoma State field goal try, gave the Tigers a thrilling 41-38 triple overtime victory in Stillwater, Okla., on Oct. 6, 2001.
Missouri, which trailed 14-0 in the first half, blocked a 39-yard try by Luke Phillips in the third overtime, then ran three plays up the middle to set up Hammerich's fourth field goal of the night.
Oklahoma State forced overtime with two fourth-quarter touchdowns, the second coming with just 25 seconds left in the game. But OSU sputtered with its third overtime possession throwing two incompletions and being flagged for illegal procedure.
QB Kirk Farmer rallied Missouri from an early 14-0 deficit by throwing three touchdown passes in the third quarter. He wound up 20-of-33 passing for a career-best 247 yards. His favorite target on the night was Justin Gage, who had 12 catches for 113 yards and one TD.
Each team needed only four plays to score in the first overtime, with OSU QB Aso Pogi sneaking in from a yard out and MU's Zack Abron following with a 3-yard run for Mizzou. Each defense held the opposing offense to a field goal in the second overtime.
OSU scored early in the four quarter to get within 28-21, then forced OT when Pogi his Rashaun Woods with a 21-yard TD pass on a 4th-and-6 play with just 25 seconds left in regulation.
MU's Farmer threw a 15-yard scoring pass to Thomson Omboga early in the 3rd quarter to cap an 88-yard drive that started with a 36-yard completion to Tay Jackson. The two-point conversion pass failed, making the score 14-12 in favor of OSU.
Pogi fumbled on the next drive and MU's Tauras Ferguson recovered at the OSU 25. Three plays later, Farmer threw to Gage for a 15-yard TD. Jackson then threw to Gage on the ensuing 2-point try and the Tigers had their first lead, at 20-14 with 8:42 left in the 3rd quarter.
Oklahoma State drove to MU's 41 yardline on the next possession, but Tatum Bell fumbled the ball and the Tigers again recovered. Mizzou stayed mostly on the ground as it moved down field, before Farmer hit TE Dwayne Blakley with a screen pass that went 20 yards for a TD. Farmer's 2-point pass to Jackson made it 28-14 with just seconds left in the 3rd period.
Oklahoma State scored on a 1-yard run by Bell in the first quarter and on a 17-yard pass from Pogi to Woods in the second as it jumped out to the 14-0 lead. MU's Hammerich had field goals of 47 and 39 yards in the second quarter to make the score 14-6 at halftime.
Zain Gilmore led Mizzou in rushing on the night, with 107 yards on 22 carries.
MORE TEXAS GAME TIDBITS
TIGER GROUND ATTACK STILL RANKS HIGHLY
Despite getting held below its season averages last time out against Texas, Mizzou still enters Saturday's game at Oklahoma State carrying the nation's 10th-ranked rushing attack, at 250.2 yards per game. The Tigers have rushed for totals of 317 yards (vs. Arkansas State), 242 yards (vs. New Mexico) 303 yards (vs. Troy) and 139 yards (vs. Texas) so far on the season.
The potent rushing attack is a much-welcomed sight, after MU averaged just 165.00 yards per game in 2004 (ranking 48th overall nationally). Just a year prior, in 2003, MU's ground game was one of the nation's best, as it ranked 6th nationally (237.46 ypg).
Through 4 games this season, Mizzou has 12 rushing TDs, a year after Mizzou managed only 13 scores on the ground in 2004. Last season, the Tigers hadn't recorded their 12th rushing TD until the last game of the season (at Iowa State). In MU's 2003 season, the Tigers had an impressive 38 rushing scores.
Additionally, MU's 1,001 rushing yards through 4 games is already more than half of the season total that Mizzou mustered in 11 games in 2004 (1,815).
RED ZONE OFFENSE HAS BEEN IMPRESSIVE THUS FAR
Mizzou's offense has been good between the 20s, and just as efficient when it gets down inside the red zone. The Tiger offense is one of only 3 in the Big 12 Conference thus far to still have a 100 percent success rate in the red zone.
In 18 red zone situations, Mizzou has 18 scores, tallying 15 TDs and 3 field goals. The Tigers were 5-of-5 in the red zone in the opener versus Arkansas State (5 TDs), were 4-of-4 against New Mexico (3 TDs/1 FG), 6-of-6 against Troy (4 TDs/2 FGs) and 3-of-3 against Texas (3 TDs).
MU's 15 red zone TDs have been balanced, with 9 coming on the ground and 6 in the air.
Brad Smith BREAKS MU CAREER RECORDS FOR PASSING & RUSHING
MU's game vs. New Mexico was bittersweet for the Tigers, because despite the loss, they witnessed history not once, but twice, in the third quarter, as QB Brad Smith broke two major school career records.
First up on the hit list was the MU career passing yardage record of 6,959 by Jeff Handy (1991-94). Smith entered the game against New Mexico with 6,812 yards, just 148 yards from the record. He got that total by early in the 3rd quarter, and the record fell on a 7-yard pass to TB Marcus Woods on MU's 3rd possession of the quarter.
Smith ended the game with 248 yards passing, and he enters Saturday's game at Oklahoma State with 7,424 career passing yards.
Next up was the MU career rushing record of 3,198 set by Zack Abron (2000-03). Smith entered the game in 2nd place, with 3,083 yards, and needed 116 to break the record. He had 41 yards on the ground at halftime, but really came on in the third quarter as the Tiger offense racked up 203 yards of offense. Smith broke off two highlight-reel runs of 31 and 15 yards that went for TDs as MU rallied from a 21-14 deficit to take a 28-21 lead.
The rushing record came on a 32-yard run by Smith on the next-to-last play of the 3rd quarter. That pushed his game total to 140 yards, and he ended the evening with 165 to give him a total of 3,248. He now has 3,384 career rushing yards entering the OSU game.
Brad Smith RANKS 5TH NATIONALLY IN TOTAL OFFENSE THUS FAR
Those wondering how QB Brad Smith would take to MU's new offense had their questions answered in a big way early on, as Smith put up total offense numbers of 412 yards against Arkansas State and 413 yards against New Mexico. He had a workmanlike day against Troy, with 262 yards (183 passing / 79 rushing), 2 TDs (1 passing / 1 rushing) and 1 2-pt. conversion run. He was held to a season-low total of 238 yards last time out versus Texas (181 passing / 57 rushing), but did manage 2 rushing TDs. He gained 87 yards rushing on the day, but was sacked 4 times for a total of 29 yards.
Despite being held below his average against UT, Smith's 4-game average of 331.25 yards per game ranks him 5th nationally, while his rushing average of 99.00 per game is good for 26th in the NCAA heading into Saturday's game with OSU.
Smith had a statistical output of 412 yards of total offense in the season opener against ASU, as he passed for 317 and a career-high (and school-record tying) 4 TDs on the day (6, 1, 7 and 14 yards). Additionally, Smith was MU's leading rusher, as he ran for 95 yards on just 12 carries (7.9 avg.). He did all of this despite playing only 1 series in the final quarter-and-a-half of the game.
Smith completed 29-of-37 passes on the day, without an interception. His single-game QB rating of 186.0 was the 2nd-highest of his career.
Smith was named the SBC Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts. It marked the 5th time that he has won the award, with the other instances coming after performances in 2002 vs. Illinois, in 2003 vs. Nebraska and Texas Tech, and in 2004 vs. Iowa State.
Against New Mexico, Smith had 413 yards of offense, as he threw for 248 yards and 1 TD and rushed for 165 yards and 3 TDs in MU's defeat. Smith's 413 yards of total offense was just 6 shy of his personal best, when he amassed 419 in 2003 against Texas Tech (291 rushing, 128 passing).
SMITH MOVES INTO 7TH-PLACE ON NCAA ALLTIME LIST
As mentioned above, Smith enters the OSU game with 3,384 rushing yards in his career. Every rushing yard he accumulates this year will get him closer to the top of the NCAA rushing record for a quarterback. Smith ranks 7th alltime on the NCAA QB rushing list, as the chart below indicates. He moved into 7th place after his 57-yard outing last week against Texas.
He's still got a bit to go to reach the record of 3,895 set by Antwaan Randle El of Indiana (1998-2001), but he has a shot to reach it. Given that he is 512 yards shy of the record entering Saturday's game, and with his career average of 84.6 yards rushing per game, he needs just about 6 more games to break the mark.
Smith stands just 51 rushing yards shy of breaking the Big 12 Conference record of 3,434 yards set by Nebrask'a Eric Crouch (1998-2001).
Smith's rushing total of 1,406 yards during the 2003 season was the 4th-most ever in a season by a quarterback, behind only Beau Morgan of Air Force (1,494 in 1996), Stacey Robinson of Northern Illinois (1,443 in 1989) and Jamaal Lord of Nebraska (1,412 in 2002).
SMITH ONLY 3RD QB IN NCAA D-I HISTORY TO ACHIEVE 6,000/3,000 FEAT
With 95 rushing yards Sept. 3rd against Arkansas State, Brad Smith passed the 3,000-yard plateau for his career in that category. That put MU's signal caller in rarified air from a national perspective, as he became only the 3rd player in NCAA Div. I-A history to achieve at least 6,000 yards passing and 3,000 yards rushing. In fact, only 4 others altogether have ever achieved the 3,000/3,000 feat.
As we all know, as a redshirt freshman in 2002, Smith became only the 2nd player in NCAA D-IA history to throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a single season, when he threw for 2,333 and rushed for another 1,029. He just missed that feat a 2nd time in 2003, when he threw for 1,977 yards and rushed for 1,406.
MORE Brad Smith QUICK SLANTS
We'll try to wrap up the homage to Brad Smith with a few more quick facts...
COFFEY RETURNS TO THE LINEUP
Senior WR Sean Coffey returned to the Tiger lineup last week against Texas, and caught a game-high 6 passes for 43 yards. His return was a welcomed sight, as MU's leading receiver from a year ago (39 catches for 648 yards and a school single-season record 10 receiving TDs) had missed games #2 and #3 due to a shoulder he injured in the 2005 season opener against Arkansas State.
Coffey's catches against UT were historic in nature, as they moved him into the top-10 Mizzou career receptions list. He enters Saturday's game at Oklahoma State with 88 career receptions for 1,273 yards and 11 TDs.
Coffey also needs only 17 more receiving yards to move into the MU top-10 list for career receiving yardage.
Coffey needs only 12 more receptions to become just the 8th Tiger in history to record 100 career catches.
THE CHASE IS ON
For the second season in a row, a freshman tight end is making eye-opening contributions right out of the gate for Mizzou.
Last year, it was redshirt freshman Martin Rucker who made a splash as he earned freshman All-American status by catching 19 passes for 263 yards and 4 TDs.
This year, it is true freshman Chase Coffman that is turning heads. Coffman hasc caught 15 passes for 152 yards and 2 TDs in his first four outings. He grabbed 3 passes for 39 yards last time out against #2 Texas, and had a 4th reception for 24 yards wiped out by a tripping penalty.
Prior to that, Coffman grabbed 3 passes for 28 yards against Troy, and had an impressive game against New Mexico, as he had a career-high 6 catches for a team-best 49 yards and MU's only receiving TD of the night. Quite a clutch catch it was, as well, as he hauled in a 13-yarder on 3rd-and-goal to tie the game with under eight minutes left in the contest.
That marked the 2nd-straight game that Coffman scored a TD, as he made a beautiful leaping catch in the back of the end zone at Arrowhead Stadium two weeks ago in MU's season-opening 44-17 win over Arkansas State. He ended that day with 3 catches for 36 yards and the one score.
At his current rate, Coffman is on pace to grab around 41 passes for over 400 yards.
Chase is the son of Paul Coffman, who was a standout tight end for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs (1986-87), and the Green Bay Packers (1978-85), after playing collegiately at Kansas State.
Brian Smith MOVES UP THE QB SACK LIST
Junior DE Brian Smith continued his move up the Mizzou career QB sack list. Smith had 1 more QB sack last Saturday versus Texas, which moved his career total to 17.5, putting him 3rd on the MU career sacks list. He moved past former Tiger standouts Bobby Bell, Steve Martin and Antwaun Bynum, who were tied for 3rd overall, at 17. He stands only 6 away altogether from the record established by former Tiger All-American DE Justin Smith (22.5 from 1998-2000, and his next sack will move him past Rick Lyle (18 from 1990-93) into 2nd place.
In all, Smith had 4 tackles on the day against the #2 Longhorns.
Smith got his 2005 season off to a good start, as he recorded 1.5 sacks versus Arkansas State. Those sacks bumped his career total to 16.5 and moved him past former Tiger C.J. Mosley into 6th-place on the MU charts.
In all, Smith recorded 5 tackles on the day, and 1 QB hurry against ASU. His sacks totaled 10 yards in losses.
The Denton, Texas, native led all NCAA freshmen defenders as a redshirt freshman in 2003 with 8 QB sacks. He followed last season with 7 more as a sophomore.
SPECIAL TEAMS HAS BIG DAY IN WIN OVER TROY
Mizzou's special teams were, well, special, in the Tigers' 52-21 win over Troy in game #3. The special teams units played a part directly in 24 of MU's 52 points on the day.
CROSSETT WAS MU'S MR. EVERYTHING VERSUS TROY
Continuing the theme from above, sophomore kicker Adam Crossett was Mizzou's Mr. Everything in MU's 52-21 win over Troy, as he handled not only his regular placekicking and kickoff duties, but he also took over the punting job for the first time this year after MU struggled in its previous game in that area...
TIGERS DROP SHOOTOUT TO NEW MEXICO
Mizzou was defeated at home on Sept. 10th in a tough 45-35 loss against New Mexico. The Tigers had their second straight impressive day offensively, but the Lobo offense was equal to the task, and New Mexico decisively won the turnover battle, as it converted 3 MU miscues (2 INTs, and 1 fumble returned for a TD) into 14 points. In turn, the Lobos played a perfect game from a turnover standpoint, as they had no giveaways.
Offensively, Mizzou rolled to 490 yards of total offense on the night, with a balanced attack that featured virtually identical passing and rushing totals of 248 and 242 yards, respectively.
But defensively, MU couldn't get the stops it needed late in the game as the Lobos rallied from a 7-point 3rd-quarter deficit to notch the win. New Mexico scored 24 points in the final 16:11 of the game for the victory. The Lobos ended the game with 431 yards of total offense, and much like Mizzou, was very balanced with 229 in the air and 202 on the ground.
MIZZOU-ARKANSAS STATE REWIND
Mizzou opened its 2005 season with a solid 44-17 win over Arkansas State on Sept. 3rd in a game played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Here are a few various and sundry notes from the contest...
TIGER OFFENSE HAD ITS WAY FOR THE MOST PART AGAINST NEW MEXICO
In looking at the drive charts for MU's game against New Mexico, it seems as though the Tiger offense was never really stopped cold, so to speak.
Of MU's 13 possessions (6 of which ended in scores), 10 of them ended in New Mexico territory. The only 3 MU drives that didn't reach the other side of the 50 did so because of Tiger turnovers. Mizzou's turnovers came from its own 28 yardline (INT), 28 yardline again (fumble returned for a TD) and 42 yardline (INT).
Additionally, Mizzou's four other non-scoring possessions on the night all ended in Lobo territory. The Tigers reached the UNM 38-yardline and 49-yardline before stalling out and punting, while it twice lost the ball on downs in the 4th quarter - at the Lobo 36-yardline and 38-yardline.
TIGERS TURN IN EXPLOSIVE OFFENSIVE DAY IN SEASON-OPENING WIN OVER ASU
Mizzou was quite explosive in its 44-17 season-opening win over Arkansas State.
In that game, the Tigers rolled up 657 yards of total offense, with a potent and balanced attack that produced 340 yards passing and 317 yards rushing. It marked the first time that MU had 300 yards both rushing and passing in a game since 1969 against Kansas (344 rush / 307 pass).
MU's new spread attack accounted for a school-record-tying 4 TD passes (all by QB Brad Smith) and a pair of rushing TDs (one each by TBs Marcus Woods and Tony Temple).
OFFENSIVE RECORD NEARLY FALLS
Not only was MU's total offensive output of 657 yards the 2nd-highest total in the nation for the first weekend of play, it came oh-so-close to breaking a school single-game record.
Mizzou's single-game total offense record is 665 - just 8 yards more than MU's total against Arkansas State - and that came all the way back in 1949, when MU defeated rival Kansas in Lawrence, 34-28. That day, the Tigers racked up 465 yards rushing and 200 yards passing.
The ASU game marked just the 7th time in school history that the Tigers have topped the 600-yard plateau in a game. The last time that happened was in 1992 when MU beat then-Div. I-AA Marshall, 44-21 with 641 yards of total offense (258 rush, 383 pass). The last time MU had 600 yards of offense against a Div. I-A foe was against Kansas State in 1984 when the Tigers won 61-21 in Manhattan thanks to 614 yards of offense (355 rush, 259 pass).
The 657 yards of total offense on Sept. 3rd also was the most ever for MU in a season opener. The previous mark was 603 yards in 1982 versus Colorado State (244 rush, 359 pass) in a 28-14 win in Columbia.
DEFENSE HOLDS IT OWN AGAINST ARKANSAS STATE
While MU's offense stole the show in the season-opening win over Arkansas State, the Tiger defense played well itself overall. Mizzou held the Indians scoreless until ASU got a 32-yard field goal with 3:32 left in the 3rd quarter - after MU had built an insurmountable 37-0 lead.
MU was especially stingy on 3rd down, as the Tiger defenders allowed ASU to convert on only 2-of-15 3rd down tries on the day (13%).
TIGERS WELL-REPRESENTED ON PRE-SEASON AWARD LISTS
While nothing much exciting happens in the off-season, good things were happening for at least five Tiger players, in terms of earning national recognition for the upcoming season.
Five Tigers - all on the offensive side of the ball - earned mention on very prestigious pre-season award watch lists, including QB Brad Smith, OL Tony Palmer, TE Martin Rucker, OL Adam Spieker and WR Sean Coffey. Here's a quick look at who is up for what:
Tigers on Award Watch Lists
IN MEMORY OF A.O.
Hearts will be heavy all season on the Tiger sideline, for while MU's team looks to focus on the football side of life, weighing on everyone's mind will be the loss suffered over the summer of redshirt freshman linebacker Aaron O'Neal.