Oct. 26, 2010

#6/#7/#8 Missouri Tigers (7-0, 3-0)
at #14/#14/#12 Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-1, 2-1)

Oct. 30, 2010 – Memorial Stadium – Lincoln, Neb.

SURGING TIGERS BATTLE NEBRASKA FOR NORTH DIVISION DRIVERS' SEAT
   The Missouri Tigers (7-0 overall, 3-0 in Big 12 Conference play), fresh off a win last Saturday over the #1-ranked Oklahoma Sooners (BCS poll) head North to Lincoln, Neb., where they'll face off against the Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-1, 2-1) for a battle of supremacy in the Big 12 North Division. The winner of Saturday's game will control its own destiny in the North race heading into the final half of the league season.
   Mizzou used a dominant fourth quarter to knock off previously-unbeaten Oklahoma, 36-27, in Columbia last Saturday. The Tigers outgained OU's potent offense by a 192-to-16 margin in total offense in the quarter, as Mizzou erased a 21-20 deficit entering the 4th quarter.
   Thanks to the impressive showing, which marked MU's first-ever win over a #1-ranked team in a major poll, the Tigers skyrocketed up the various polls on Sunday, and enter the Nebraska game ranked #6 in the BCS standings, as well as #7 in the Associated Press poll, and #8 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll.
   Nebraska rebounded from a stunning home defeat to unranked Texas two weeks ago (losing 20-13) by posting an impressive 51-41 win on the road last week at 17th-ranked Oklahoma State, handing the Cowboys their first defeat of the season. In that game, Husker freshman QB Taylor Martinez posted a massive 435 yards of total offense to lead the way, as he completed 23-of-35 passes for 323 yards and 5 TDs, to go with 112 rushing yards on 19 attempts. The Huskers began the season ranked in the top 10 of most polls, and reached as high as #4 in the Coaches' poll before getting knocked off by Texas on Oct. 16th.

TIGERS FLYING HIGH AFTER BIG WIN VS. OKLAHOMA
   It was quite the week for the Mizzou Football program last week, as the Tiger program was in effect the center of the football universe. That's because, in addition to hosting a game which pitted the #1 and #11 teams in the BCS poll, Columbia, Mo. played host to ESPN College Football GameDay's show.
   A crowd estimated at 18,000 (said to be by ESPN officials a GameDay attendance record) packed MU's Francis Quadrangle on Saturday morning for the big show, despite the threat of rain throughout the day. The excitement carried over into the evening, as a sellout crowd of 71,004 took part in what was an historic game for Mizzou, as it won against a #1-ranked team for the first time in school history. Mizzou had been 0-11 alltime against #1 teams (all against Associated Press poll) coming into the game.
   Sophomore WR Gahn McGaffie, along with his kickoff return mates, saw to it that the sellout crowd would be into the game from the get-go, as he returned the opening kickoff of the game 86 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 Tiger lead just :14 seconds into the action. It marked the first time since 1967 that Mizzou had returned the opening kickoff of a game for a touchdown – All-American Roger Wehrli did the feat that year against Iowa State, going 96 yards on the play.
   After a Tiger muffed punt led to a Sooner TD, the Tigers got a big play from sophomore DE Aldon Smith, who made his first appearance since breaking his fibula in his right leg on Sept. 18th against San Diego State. Smith intercepted a Landry Jones pass on the MU 14-yardline to squash a Sooner scoring threat, and he returned it 58 yards down to the OU 28-yardline. Six plays later, Mizzou took a 14-7 lead on a 1-yard TD run by junior TB De'Vion Moore. The Sooners would tie it a 14-apiece later in the 2nd quarter, but Tiger PK Grant Ressel made it 17-14 in favor of Mizzou with a 36-yard field goal at the gun.
   Ressel made it 20-14 in favor of Mizzou with 6:36 to go in the 3rd quarter, with a 30-yard field goal, but the Sooners answered with a TD drive to take their first lead of the game, at 21-20, heading into the 4th quarter. Tiger QB Blaine Gabbert led a 72-yard TD drive that he finished off on a 38-yard scoring strike to WR Jerrell Jackson to regain the lead, at 26-21 with 12:43 to play (the ensuing two-point play failed).
   On the very next Sooner play from scrimmage, Mizzou sophomore LB Zaviar Gooden stepped in front of a Landry Jones out pass to make a diving interception (his first career pick) at the OU 22-yardline. That led to Ressel's 3rd field goal of the night, and a 29-21 MU lead with 9:44 to play. The sellout crowd was at a fever pitch, sensing the upset win, and after the Tiger defense held for another 3-and-out possession, the offense applied the kill shot, driving 76 yards for a TD to make it 36-21 with 6:36 to play. True freshman QB James Franklin came into the game for a specially-designed play once the Tigers were near the goalline, and he scored on a 3-yard keeper to finish the drive off.
   Oklahoma got a long kickoff return on the ensuing kick, and that led to a TD which accounted for the final score, but the Sooners couldn't convert an attempted onside kick, and Mizzou ran clock, and got one more defensive stop to end the game and send Columbia, Mo. into a state of euphoria.
   The win broke a seven-game losing streak to the Sooners, giving the Tigers their first win against OU since 1998. It also improved MU to 7-0 for only the third time in school history, and the first since 1960.

DOMINANT 4TH-QUARTER LED TO TIGER WIN OVER OU
   Mizzou was solid all night long against #1-ranked Oklahoma, but the Tigers were most impressive down the stretch, as they turned a 21-20 deficit entering the 4th quarter into a 36-21 lead to pull away for the win. The 16 unanswered points consisted of a Blaine Gabbert 38-yard TD pass to WR Jerrell Jackson early in the quarter to give MU the lead for good, (the two-point try failed following the score), followed by a 23-yard field goal by PK Grant Ressel (his 3rd of the night) and a 3-yard TD run by freshman QB James Franklin.
   Only a long kickoff return which set up a short TD drive late in the game kept the Sooners from being shut out in the final period.
A comparison of the 4th-quarter stat comparisons: 1st Downs – MU 8, OU 1; Total Offense – MU 192, OU 16; Passing Yards – MU 95, OU 0; Rushing Yards – MU 97, OU 16; Time of Possession – MU 13:15, OU 1:45.
   The Tiger defense was excellent in the entire second half, not solely the 4th quarter. OU racked up 301 total yards in the first half, but the Sooners were limited to just 101 total yards in the final 30 minutes. Landry Jones was limited to just 60 yards passing in the second half after throwing for 248 in the first. In the decisive 4th quarter, MU's defense held Jones to 0-of-7 passing with 1 interception.

GABBERT, GOODEN, MCGAFFIE WERE STARS OF THE NIGHT VS. OU
   Anytime you down a #1-ranked team, there's lots of standout play to tout, but we picked QB Blaine Gabbert, LB Zaviar Gooden and WR/KR Gahn McGaffie as our players of the game.

• Gabbert was spectacular once again for the undefeated Tigers, as he finished 30-of-42 for 308 yards and a score. Gabbert was at his best in crunch time, as he completed 8-of-9 passes for 95 yards and one TD in the 4th quarter. Oklahoma led, 21-20, heading into the 4th quarter, but he led a crucial 5-play, 72-yard drive to begin the quarter which ended in a 38-yard TD pass to WR Jerrell Jackson for a 26-20 lead (the two-point try failed). That score put the Tigers up to stay in what was MU's first win over Oklahoma since 1998 (breaking a string of seven consecutive losses to the Sooners)…
• Gabbert also ran for 26 net yards on the night, including a sneak for 2 yards on a 4th-and-1 at the OU 45-yardline in the final minutes which helped Mizzou milk the clock. In his last two games Gabbert is a combined 61-of-89 for 669 yards, four TDs and zero interceptions…
• Gooden was part of an impressive defensive charge which held Oklahoma well below its season averages in most categories during MU's 36-27 win. He finished the game with 5 tackles, but made one of the biggest plays of the night when he stepped in front of an out pass to notch his first career interception in the 4th quarter. That play, which came at the OU 22-yardline with Mizzou leading, 26-21, set the Tigers up for a field goal with 9:44 left which would prove to be the winning score of the game…
• Gooden's efforts helped the Tiger defense hold OU RB Demarco Murray to a season-low 49 rushing yards, some 61 yards shy of his season average coming in (110.5). In all, Mizzou held Oklahoma to just 99 rushing yards, well below their season average of 155.33 coming in. In his first year as a starter, Gooden is tied for the team lead with 45 tackles through 7 games, and he leads the team with a pair of recovered fumbles on the season…
• McGaffie set the tone for Mizzou's win over #1 (BCS) Oklahoma Saturday night when he returned the opening kickoff of the game for an 86-yard touchdown and a quick 7-0 Tiger lead just :14 seconds into the game. McGaffie's opening kickoff return for TD was the first of his career. It was also the first for Mizzou since 2008 when Jeremy Maclin took a kickoff 99 yards for score in the season-opener vs. Illinois in the second quarter…
• The last time a Tiger took the opening kickoff back for a score was 1967 when Roger Wehrli raced 96 yards vs. Iowa State. The longest kickoff return by Mizzou in 2010 prior to McGaffie's feat was 39 yards (twice by Marcus Murphy)…

MORE ODDS & ENDS FROM THE OU GAME
   A few more bits of tid from Mizzou's 36-27 win over Oklahoma…

• Oklahoma entered the game 2nd in the NCAA in turnover margin (+1.50 per game), as they had committed only 5 total turnovers in their first 6 games. Mizzou's defense forced 3 Sooner turnovers on the night, including 2 interceptions, which nearly equaled the 3 OU had thrown in the first six games…
• Mizzou's defense stiffened in the red zone, as it turned away Oklahoma three times in six opportunities. The three non-conversions included a forced fumble recovered by MU on its own 14-yardline, a missed 30-yard field goal, and the Aldon Smith interception at the MU 14-yardline…
• The Tiger defense forced 5 3-and-out series by the Oklahoma offense, while the Tiger offense had nary a 3-and-out, until the final possession of the game, when they could kill all but 2 seconds before having to punt the ball away…
• Junior TB De'Vion Moore had a big game for the Tigers on Saturday, as he carried 10 times for 73 yards and one TD (his 4th of the season). Included in his total was a 39-yard 4th-quarter run which saw him dragging two OU players on his back for at least 15 yards. His efforts helped the Tigers rush for 178 yards, the most by MU this year against a BCS Conference opponent (119 vs. Colorado was the previous high)…
• The Tigers also got a big boost Saturday from the return of sophomore DE Aldon Smith, who had missed the previous three games due to a fractured right fibula suffered on Sept. 18th against San Diego State. Smith made one of the plays of the game when he jumped to snag his first career interception at the MU 14-yardline to thwart a Sooner drive. Smith, still playing at less than 100%, raced 58 yards the other way before being tackled at the MU 12-yardline. That set up an eventual TD run by TB De'Vion Moore to begin the 2nd quarter which gave MU a 14-7 lead at the time. Smith ended the night with 2 tackles and the interception…
• Saturday's attendance of 71,004 was a sellout at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium. It was the first sellout since last season's game vs. Texas and tied for the 10th largest crowd in school history…
• Missouri recorded its 10th and 11th interceptions of the year on Saturday. The Tigers had just eight INT's all of last season…
• Gabbert's top target was Jerrell Jackson. The junior enjoyed his best game of the year, making a career high nine grabs for 139 yards and a score. Jackson's career high for receiving yardage was 142 last year vs. Iowa State…
• Kevin Rutland recorded his third sack of the season in the first quarter. The cornerback is now second on the team with those three QB sacks…

TIGERS OUT TO FIRST 7-0 START SINCE 1960, THIRD IN MU HISTORY
   It's been a full 50 years since the Missouri Tigers have started a season 7-0, but that's an achievement that the 2010 squad matched, thanks to its' stirring 36-27 win over #1 (BCS) Oklahoma last Saturday in Columbia. That 7-0 start matched the 1960 team as the last one in MU history to begin a season 7-0. The only other instance of a Tiger team starting 7-0 was back in 1899, but game number eight saw MU shutout by Drake, 11-0 (telegraph machines were undoubtedly aflutter calling for the firing of MU's offensive coordinator after that one).
   That 1960 team – which actually was honored with a player/coach reunion in Columbia earlier this season – has been considered one of the top teams in school history. That's thanks to an 11-0 season that saw them win the first of two eventual Big Eight Conference titles under Hall of Fame Coach Dan Devine (the other came in 1969). Devine's 1960 Mizzou squad rose to #1 in the rankings late in the season, only to suffer a loss in the regular-season finale to rival Kansas (23-7), which was later forfeited back to MU thanks to the use of ineligible players by the Jayhawks. Mizzou recovered to beat 4th-ranked Navy in the 1961 Orange Bowl, 21-14, and finished with a #5 national ranking.
   Mizzou's 6-0 start was only the 5th in school history (1899, 1960, 1973, 2006, 2010).
   Under Head Coach Gary Pinkel, Mizzou has managed to start 5-0 four times in the past five years (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010), and those four make up nearly half of the 10 times in MU history MU has started 5-0.

TIGERS ARE 10-3 ON THE ROAD SINCE 2007
   While the Missouri Tigers will face one of the toughest road tests in all of the nation this week, playing at venerable Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb., Mizzou has shown an ability to find success on the road in recent years.
   As Head Coach Gary Pinkel's program has taken roots over the last several years, his team has learned how to win on the road. Mizzou has earned three road wins each year in the previous three seasons, and after claiming a 30-9 win at Texas A&M in the first road game of 2010, Pinkel's teams have an overall record of 10-3 in road games since 2007.
   In fact, all three losses during that string came to the hands of top-16-ranked teams (No. 6 Oklahoma in 2007, No. 4 Texas in 2008, No. 16 Oklahoma State in 2009).

UNDEFEATED TEAMS THROUGH OCT. 23rd
Auburn	8-0		Oregon	7-0
Michigan St.	8-0		Utah	7-0
TCU	8-0		Boise State	6-0
Missouri	7-0

TIGERS ONE OF SEVEN UNBEATENS REMAINING
   Entering this week's games, Mizzou stands as one of 7 undefeated teams left standing. Three teams entered the week at a perfect 8-0, with another three touting 7-0 marks, and Boise State standing 6-0 before a Tuesday night game against Louisiana Tech. Mizzou is the last remaining unbeaten Big 12 Conference team.

TIGERS RANK 1ST IN BIG 12, 5TH IN NCAA IN SCORING DEFENSE
   A glance at the latest batch of statistics shows that Mizzou's improved defense leads the Big 12 Conference, and ranks 5th in the nation, in scoring defense. Through 7 games, the Tigers, under 2nd-year Defensive Coordinator Dave Steckel, are allowing an average of just 13.14 points per game. TCU currently leads the nation with a 9.00 average, followed by Biose State at #2 (12.33), then Alabama (#3, 12.50), Utah (#4, 12.86) and Mizzou.
   While pitching a shutout against the Buffaloes undoubtedly helped propel the Tigers up the rankings, it wasn't a one-game deal, as Mizzou entered the CU game ranked 10th nationally in scoring defense. Mizzou entered the CU game allowing 14.0 points per game.
   That was followed with a stifling defensive effort that held Texas A&M's potent offense to a season-low 9 points on their home field. A&M came into the game averaging 35.00 points per game (ranked 27th in NCAA). Mizzou held the Aggies to 379 yards of offense, nearly 100 yards below their average of 472.60 coming in, which ranked them 15th nationally in total offense at the time.
   The 92 points allowed by MU through 7 games is the lowest by a Tiger defense since the 1973 season, when Mizzou permitted 66 points in its first 7 games.

TIGER RED ZONE DEFENSE 1ST NATIONALLY
   It would stand to figure that a good scoring defense performs well in the red zone, and that has definitely been the case for Mizzou's defense to this point. Through 7 games, Mizzou's defense is ranked 1st nationally in red zone defense, as opponents have scored just 52% of the time they've gotten inside the 20-yardline.
   A perfect example of MU's ability to get key stops was on display this past Saturday against #1 (BCS) Oklahoma, as the Sooners converted on just 3-of-6 redzone opportunities. The Tiger defense got an interception by DE Aldon Smith on its 14-yardline in the 1st quarter, and forced/recovered a fumble on its 14-yardline again, in the 2nd quarter (force by DE Michael Sam, recovered by FS Jasper Simmons). In the 3rd quarter, the Tiger defense held the Sooners to a 30-yard field goal attempt, but the kick was pulled wide left.
   The 11 scores allowed have been split between 7 TDs and 4 FGs. Illinois was 2-of-2 in the red zone against Mizzou (1 TD/1 FG), while McNeese State was 1-of-2 (1 TD). San Diego State and Miami (Ohio) each went 2-of-3 against MU (1 TD/1 FG apiece), while Colorado was shut out all 3 times (1 missed FG, 1 blocked FG, 1 stopped on downs). At Texas A&M, Mizzou's defense allowed only 2 redzone penetrations, with the Aggies converting one into a field goal, and being stopped on downs on the other threat.

TIGERS HAVE BEEN TOPS IN THE BIG 12 NORTH THE PAST 4 SEASONS
   Over the last 4 seasons (2007-10), no team in the Big 12 North Division has been more successful than Mizzou. The Tigers rank 2nd-best in the league in overall wins (37) and 3rd in Big 12 wins (19) during the period, and that is also tops among North Division schools by a 4-game margin. Here's the tables (through games of Oct. 23rd)…

OVERALL WINS, 2007-10			BIG 12 WINS, 2007-10
1. Texas	39-8 (83.0%)		1. Texas	22-6 (78.6%)
2. Mizzou	37-11 (77.1%)		2. Oklahoma	20-7 (74.1%)
2. Oklahoma	37-11 (77.1%)		3. Mizzou	19-8 (70.4%)
4. Texas Tech	33-13 (71.7%)		4. Texas Tech	18-11 (62.1%)
5. Oklahoma State	31-15 (67.4%)		5. Oklahoma State	17-10 (63.0%)
6. Nebraska	30-16 (65.2%)		6. Nebraska	15-12 (55.6%)
7. Kansas	27-18 (60.0%)		7. Kansas	12-15 (44.4%)
8. Kansas State	21-22 (48.8%)		8. Kansas State	11-17 (39.3%)
9. Texas A&M	21-24 (46.7%)		9. Texas A&M	10-17 (37.0%)
10. Colorado	17-27 (38.6%)		10. Colorado	8-19 (29.6%)
11. Baylor	17-27 (38.6%)		11. Iowa State	7-21 (25.0%)
12. Iowa State	16-29 (35.6%)		12. Baylor	6-22 (21.4%)

COMPARING THE DEFENSIVE NUMBERS
   Coaches aren't real fond about comparing stats from different years, since each team is its own reality. But, that never stopped us from doing it, so with that, let's take a look at the numbers which show Mizzou's defense, through 7 games in 2010, is a much-improved unit overall…

TIGERS HAVE WON 29 STRAIGHT WHEN WINNING TURNOVER BATTLE
   Tiger Head Coach Gary Pinkel always touts the importance of turnovers, and how no other statistic can more directly impact the outcome of ballgames. Mizzou's emphasis on both taking care of the ball on offense, and getting it out on defense, have led to outstanding results in 2010 thus far.
   Through 7 games, Mizzou ranks 19th in the nation in turnover margin, at +0.86 per game and is among the nation's best defenses at forcing takeaways (17), including 11 interceptions gained, which is already three more than the 8 that Mizzou picked off in 13 games in 2009. Mizzou is picking off a pass once in every 25.1 pass attempts so far in 2010 (11 INTs in 276 attempts), and that's a huge improvement from the ratio of once every 59.4 pass attempts by opponents in 2009 (8 INTs in 475 attempts).
   Research shows that when MU is on the plus side of the turnover equation in a game, the results are astoundingly good. Coming into Saturday's game against Nebraska, Mizzou has won 29 straight games when it has been at least +1 in turnover margin. The last time Mizzou dropped a game in which it was positive in turnovers was in 2005 at Kansas, when MU was +1, but lost, 13-3.
   In 2010, MU has been plus in 4-of-7 games, including last Saturday's win over #1 (BCS) Oklahoma, as MU gained 3 turnovers (2 INTs / 1 fumble), which was one more than the two fumbles it gave back. The Tiger defense did an outstanding job of getting the ball out against an OU team that had turned it over only 5 times on the season coming into the game (OU was ranked 2nd nationally in turnover margin coming in).
   Mizzou began the year by finishing +3 against both Illinois and McNeese State, and going +2 against Miami (Ohio). The Tigers were minus-2 in turnovers against San Diego State (including three 4th-quarter turnovers), which contributed heavily to the need for posting a comeback win. In Big 12 play, the Tigers were actually minus-1 against Colorado (2 turnovers/1 takeaway), but still managed the shutout win, and that followed an even-Steven outing at A&M, as both teams were turnover free.
   The streak of 29 wins includes the 4 aformentioned games in 2010, plus all 7 games in 2009 when MU was plus in turnover margin, 3 in 2008, 9 in 2007, 5 in 2006, and the last instance in 2005, which was the 2005 Independence Bowl victory over South Carolina.

THIRD QUARTERS HAVE KEYED TIGER WINS
   Whenever he's asked about halftime adjustments, MU Coach Gary Pinkel is fond of saying that if you're waiting until halftime to make adjustments, you're waiting too long.
Even with that being the case, Mizzou has been coming out of the lockerroom for the second half in dominating fashion. Through 7 games, Mizzou has now outscored opponents by a 67-13 margin in the 3rd quarter.
   In Saturday's win over #1 (BCS) Oklahoma, the Sooners actually outscored MU in the 3rd quarter, 7-3, and that represented the first TD scored against the Tiger defense in the 3rd quarter this season. But Mizzou rallied for 16 unanswered points in the final quarter to erase a 21-20 deficit for the 36-27 win.
   Previously, in College Station, Mizzou outscored Texas A&M 14-3 in the 3rd quarter, to extend a 16-0 halftime lead to an insurmountable 30-3 advantage.
   The tone was set in the season opener, when the Tigers trailed rival Illinois, 13-3 at halftime, only to come out looking like a new team in the 3rd quarter. Thanks to a 7-0 3rd-quarter (which was more lopsided than the score might indicate), the Tigers went on to a 23-13 win. Mizzou outscored McNeese State by a 17-0 margin in the 3rd quarter of game #2 to pull away for a 50-6 win. On Sept. 25th, Mizzou held a solid 28-3 halftime lead over Miami (Ohio), but they quickly removed any doubt about the eventual outcome of the game, thanks to a sterling 23-3 blitz in the 3rd quarter that led to MU's 51-13 win. .

• In fact, one could say that Coach Gary Pinkel and staff have done an outstanding job of having their team prepared to play coming out of the lockerroom all year long, as the Tigers have outscored opponents in the 1st and 3rd quarter combined by a whopping 130-30 margin (63-17 in 1st quarter, 67-13 in 3rd quarter)…
• Digging a little further into the stats shows the Tiger defense has been amazing to open the 3rd quarter of play, as opponents have yet to score a single point on their opening possession of the quarter. In 4 of the 7 3rd-quarter drives, opponents have gone 3-and-out (including Oklahoma last Saturday), and the most yards gained by an opponent on their opening 3rd-quarter drive has been 36 yards by Colorado, before the drive stalled out.

TIGERS HAVE WON 29 STRAIGHT WHEN WINNING TURNOVER BATTLE
   Tiger Head Coach Gary Pinkel always touts the importance of turnovers, and how no other statistic can more directly impact the outcome of ballgames. Mizzou's emphasis on both taking care of the ball on offense, and getting it out on defense, have led to outstanding results in 2010 thus far.
   Through 7 games, Mizzou ranks 19th in the nation in turnover margin, at +0.86 per game and is among the nation's best defenses at forcing takeaways (17), including 11 interceptions gained, which is already three more than the 8 that Mizzou picked off in 13 games in 2009. Mizzou is picking off a pass once in every 25.1 pass attempts so far in 2010 (11 INTs in 276 attempts), and that's a huge improvement from the ratio of once every 59.4 pass attempts by opponents in 2009 (8 INTs in 475 attempts).
   Research shows that when MU is on the plus side of the turnover equation in a game, the results are astoundingly good. Coming into Saturday's game against Nebraska, Mizzou has won 29 straight games when it has been at least +1 in turnover margin. The last time Mizzou dropped a game in which it was positive in turnovers was in 2005 at Kansas, when MU was +1, but lost, 13-3.
   In 2010, MU has been plus in 4-of-7 games, including last Saturday's win over #1 (BCS) Oklahoma, as MU gained 3 turnovers (2 INTs / 1 fumble), which was one more than the two fumbles it gave back. The Tiger defense did an outstanding job of getting the ball out against an OU team that had turned it over only 5 times on the season coming into the game (OU was ranked 2nd nationally in turnover margin coming in).
   Mizzou began the year by finishing +3 against both Illinois and McNeese State, and going +2 against Miami (Ohio). The Tigers were minus-2 in turnovers against San Diego State (including three 4th-quarter turnovers), which contributed heavily to the need for posting a comeback win. In Big 12 play, the Tigers were actually minus-1 against Colorado (2 turnovers/1 takeaway), but still managed the shutout win, and that followed an even-Steven outing at A&M, as both teams were turnover free.
   The streak of 29 wins includes the 4 aformentioned games in 2010, plus all 7 games in 2009 when MU was plus in turnover margin, 3 in 2008, 9 in 2007, 5 in 2006, and the last instance in 2005, which was the 2005 Independence Bowl victory over South Carolina.

MIZZOU-NEBRASKA SERIES HISTORY
   Mizzou and Nebraska have played 103 times previously, in a series that dates back to 1892. The only school Mizzou has played more than Nebraska is arch-rival Kansas, which, at 118 games played, is the nation's 2nd-most played rivalry game.
   Nebraska holds a 64-36-3 lead in the series with Mizzou, with a lion's share of that overall advantage due to a stranglehold the Cornhuskers held over MU from 1979-2002 that saw Nebraska win 24 straight games.
   Prior to that NU winning streak, the Mizzou-Nebraska series was a very competitive and fiercely fought rivalry, as going into the 1979 season, Nebraska held just a 37-32-3 overall lead.
   Mizzou has won 4 of its last 7 games over Nebraska, with all 4 wins coming by no fewer than 17 points. Mizzou had won 3 straight in Columbia (41-24 in both 2003 and 2005, plus a 41-6 win in 2007), prior to dropping a 27-12 contest in 2009. In Mizzou's last appearance in Lincoln, the Tigers notched an historic 52-17 win, which marked Mizzou's first win in Nebraska since 1978. The last time Mizzou won consecutive games in Lincoln was during a string where MU took three straight games there, winning in 1974 (21-10), 1976 (34-24) and 1978 (35-31).
   Tiger Coach Gary Pinkel stands 4-5 against Nebraska in his 9 years on the Mizzou sideline. The last Tiger coach to have more wins against Nebraska than Pinkel was the College Football Hall of Famer, Dan Devine, who went 8-5 against the Huskers from 1958-70.

Blaine Gabbert IMPROVES TO 15-5 AS A STARTER
   The old adage is that quarterbacks will be judged in the history books by how many games they help their teams win, not by the records and stats they accumulate.
   Junior QB Blaine Gabbert is off to a great start in the winning category, as he's helped guide Mizzou to a 15-5 record in his 20 career starts (75.0%). Win number 15 came last time out against BCS-#1 Oklahoma, as he became the first Tiger QB to ever lead MU to a win over a #1-ranked team (any major poll), and the first QB since former great Corby Jones to beat the Sooners (1998).
   Gabbert was lights out against OU, completing 30-of-42 passes for 308 yards and 1 TD, while also running for 26 yards. He was at his best in crunch time, as he completed 8-of-9 4th-quarter passes for 95 yards and a TD (a 38-yarder to WR Jerrell Jackson that gave MU the lead for good).
   Prior to that, Gabbert improved to 4-1 as a starter in road games as the Tigers cruised to a 30-9 win at Texas A&M, in what was among the best performances of his career. Gabbert was a solid 31-of-47 passing for 361 yards and 3 TDs, with no interceptions as he helped lead MU to a 16-0 halftime lead, and an insurmountable 30-3 lead through 3 quarters of play. He did all of that while playing with a sore right hip/side area, after sustaining a high hip pointer the previous week against Colorado.
   Against the Buffaloes, Gabbert helped guide the Tigers to a 26-0 shutout win when he put up 17-for-29 passing figures for 191 yards and 2 TDs (with zero INTs), before leaving the game early in the 4th quarter due to a high hip (right) pointer sustained earlier in the game.
   For the season, Gabbert's passing yards average of 271.3 ypg ranks him 16th in the NCAA currently, and he's also 26th in the nation in total offense (271.29 avg.). Gabbert has completed 181-of-269 passes so far for 1,899 yards and 11 TDs, in helping lead MU to just the 3rd 7-0 start in school history.
   Gabbert threw for a season-high 351 yards in the win over San Diego State, as he completed 28-of-51 passes, including the game-winning TD to T.J. Moe covering 68 yards with just :51 seconds left. He became the first Tiger QB to throw a game-winning TD in the final minute of play since Pete Woods beat 2nd-ranked Ohio State in Columbus in 1976 (a 22-21 win with :12 seconds left).
   Gabbert did throw his first two interceptions of the season in the 4th quarter against SDSU, but he also helped stake the Tigers to a 17-7 lead late in the first half when he scrambled 11 yards for his first rushing TD of the season, on a play where all his receivers were covered.
   In limited action gainst McNeese State, Gabbert completed his first 15 passes, and eventually finished the game 26-of-31 (220 yards, 1 TD) to break the MU single-game completion percentage record with a mark of 83.9%, breaking the old standard of 83.8% set in 2008 by Chase Daniel vs. Buffalo.
   In the opener against Illinois, Gabbert helped lead the Tigers to a 20-point 2nd half as MU rallied for its 23-13 win over Illinois in St. Louis. Gabbert finished the game 34-of-48 for 281 yards and two TDs. While he was solid in the first half (14-of-20 passing, 114 yards, QB rating of 117.88), he enjoyed a more effective 2nd half, as he completed 20-of-28 passes for 167 yards and 2 TDs (QB rating of 145.10).
   Gabbert ended 2009 ranked 2nd in the Big 12 Conference (29th nationally) in passing efficiency, with a rating of 140.45. He was also 4th in the Big 12 and 11th in the NCAA in total offense, averaging 292.08 yards per game.
   The fourth QB to start for 10th-year Head Coach Gary Pinkel in his Mizzou tenure, Gabbert hopes he can continue a trend his predecessors Brad Smith and Chase Daniel achieved – increasing the win totals dramatically from the first year to the second year as a starter.
   Smith started as a redshirt freshman in 2002 and helped the Tigers to a 5-7 record. In his second year as a starter, the Tigers went 8-5 in 2003 – an improvement of 3 wins. Daniel started for the first time in 2006 as a true sophomore, and he helped take the Tigers to an 8-5 record. In his 2nd year running the show, the Tigers exploded for a school-record 12-2 record – an improvement of 4 wins.

TIGER GROUND GAME GETS BIG CHUNKS BY COMMITTEE, NETS 178 VS. OU
   Mizzou's rushing attack doesn't garner the attention its aerial game does in the spread offense MU has employed since installing it prior to the 2005 season. However, the Tigers have shown in 2010 that their ground game is something to brace for, as it's been very efficient and effective when called upon thus far. Here are some basic factoids regarding the Tiger ground game…

• It's been a tailback by committee approach thus far, with the bulk of the carries being split by junior De'Vion Moore (50 carries, 273 yards, 4 TDs, 5.5 avg.), true freshman Henry Josey (50-319, 4 TDs, 6.4 avg.), sophomore Kendial Lawrence (39-177, 2 TDs, 4.5 avg. in 6 games), and true freshman Marcus Murphy (15-96, 1 TD, 6.4 avg. in 6 games). Lawrence missed the McNeese State game due to an injury, and Murphy did not play in the season opener against Illinois…
• Those four backs have been very potent, as they've combined to average a solid 5.62 yards per attmpt (154 combined carries, 865 yards, 11 TDs)…
• Mizzou enjoyed great success on the ground in last Saturday's win over BCS-#1 Oklahoma, as the Tigers gashed the Sooners for 178 rushing yards, which factored heavily in MU's 36-27 win. It was the highest rushing total this season by MU against a BCS-Conference school (119 vs. Colorado was the previous high), and the third-highest total overall. De'Vion Moore led the way with 73 yards and 1 TD on 10 carries (7.3 avg.) and Henry Josey added 14 carries for 64 yards (4.6 avg.) in support…
• Mizzou has 15 rushing TDs through 7 games in 2010, and that already equals MU's 13-game total of 15 rushing TDs in all of 2009…
• The Tigers have 15 rushing TDs in 220 attempts in 2010, good for a TD per 14.67 attempts. In 2009, MU had 15 rushing TDs in 444 attempts, for a ratio of one rushing TD per every 29.6 attempts…

2010 SENIOR CLASS JUST 1 WIN SHY OF SCHOOL WINS RECORD
   Mizzou's senior class isn't very big (just 16 in all) but they've no doubt played a big role in helping the Tigers elevate the overall standing of the program in their time at MU. The 2010 senior class entered the season having collected 30 wins over the previous three years, and with 7 wins so far in 2010, that puts them just one win shy of the school record of 38 wins over a four-year period, which was established by the 2009 class.
   The 2009 class one-upped the record of 37, which had been established just the previous year by the 2008 class. The 2010 class has been a very key group of players and leaders who have helped push Mizzou to new heights. They have been part of two Big 12 North Division championship teams (2007, 2008), they've helped lead Mizzou to bowl games in each of the past four seasons overall (2006 Sun, 2008 Cotton, 2008 Alamo, 2009 Texas), and they were also part of the 2007 team which ascended to #1 in the BCS polls on Nov. 25th, 2007.
   If the 2010 team can reach a bowl game, this senior class will become only the fourth in MU history to play in four bowl games in a four-year span. The only previous classes to achieve that feat were the 1981 senior class, followed by the last two classes to come through (2008 & 2009).
   At right is a look at the most prolific senior classes at Mizzou, in terms of wins.

RESSEL CONTINUING HIS DEPENDABLE PRESENCE
   In 2009, Mizzou took to the field with the daunting task of having to replace departed PK Jeff Wolfert, who, in his three seasons (2006-08), set the NCAA combined kicking accuracy record, as he made a combined 244-of-257 kicks (59-of-72 FGs, plus 185-of-185 PATs), for a career percentage of 94.9%.
   In stepped sophomore Grant Ressel, who won the kicking job in the final week of training camp, and who took the field in the 2009 season opener with exactly zero career kicks under his belt. All Ressel did during his sophomore season was establish himself as the most accurate kicker in the nation, as he made a combined 65-of-66 total kicks (98.5%) – a mark which broke the NCAA single-season record for best combined kick accuracy.
   Ressel also led the NCAA in FG percentage among those with 13 or more attempts (96.3%). For the season, Ressel, who joined Mizzou in 2007 as a walk-on (he's now on scholarship), made 26-of-27 FGs, and was perfect on 39-of-39 PATs.
   Through 7 games in 2010, Ressel has picked up where he left off, although he did start the year with an uncharacteristic miss against Illinois, when a high snap threw the timing off of his first attempt of the season, and his 37-yarder went just wide. After that, he's been perfect on field goals, as he's made 13 consecutive kicks entering Saturday's game at Nebraska, including 3 pressure-packed kicks against BCS-#1 Oklahoma last Saturday, to help lift the Tigers to a 36-27 win.
   Against the Sooners, Ressel made three shorter kicks, connecting from 36 yards at the halftime gun to give MU a 17-14 lead, and he followed with a 30-yarder to make it 20-14 midway through the 3rd quarter, and ended with a 23-yarder with 9:44 to play that gave MU a 29-21 lead, which proved to be the game-winning points.
   For the 2010 season, Ressel is 13-of-14 on FGs and 26-of-28 on PATs, making him 39-of-41 on FGs (95.1%) and 65-of-67 on PATs (97.0%) for his career.
   Ressel connected from 33, 27 and 34 against Illinois (the last two which came with the game still in the balance in the 4th quarter), then from 27 and 32 yards against McNeese State, followed by makes from 34 and 38 yards against San Diego State.
   Against Miami (Ohio), he had a mixed bag of a day, as he nailed a 50-yard field goal in the 3rd quarter, which represented his first career make of 50 yards or more. That followed a shocking miss on an extra point attempt in the 3rd quarter where he simply pushed the kick right and banged it off the right upright. That miss broke a string of 252 consecutive made extra points by Mizzou (dating back to 2005), which left them just 10 shy of the alltime NCAA record of 262 consecutive PATs made by a school (Syracuse).
   He followed that by making a 47-yarder in his only try against Colorado and hit a 21-yarder at Texas A&M last Saturday right before halftime, and that gave him 12 consecutive games with a made field goal. He did have an extra point blocked at A&M, which was the first blocked PAT against MU since the 2005 season.
   He forever etched his name fondly into the hearts of Tiger fans in the 2009 regular-season finale against arch-rival Kansas, when he made four FGs (43, 28, 37, 27 yards), including the game-winning 27-yarder as time expired to give Mizzou a comeback 41-39 win. Ressel's only miss on the year was a 43-yard attempt against Nebraska in terrible downpour conditions, on a play where the snap that was off a bit, which threw off the timing of the kick.
   For his efforts, Ressel was named a 1st-Team All-American by Sports Illustrated, becoming MU's first-ever kicker to achieve 1st-Team All-American status.

PINKEL STANDS 3RD ON ALLTIME MU COACHING WINS LIST
   Mizzou Head Coach Gary Pinkel is in his 10th season at MU (20th overall as a head coach) and touts a career record of 147-83-3 (63.7%). Following Mizzou's historic win over #1 (BCS) Oklahoma last Saturday, one national scribe asked the question if Pinkel should be considered a potential lead candidate for national coach of the year (we would agree with that assertion, by the way!).
   Pinkel, who has led MU to a combined record of 52-21 (71.2%) over the past 5+ seasons, and to bowl games in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, has a 10-year record in Columbia of 74-46 (61.7%). Dating back to the 2005 Independence Bowl win over Steve Spurrier and South Carolina, Pinkel has won 46 of his last 62 games overall (74.2%).
   MU's win in the 2008 opener against Illinois gave Pinkel his 50th MU win, and he now ranks 3rd on the coaching wins list at MU, with 74.
   Pinkel is in a select group of Mizzou coaches that includes College Football Hall of Famers Don Faurot and Dan Devine, as well as Warren Powers, to be the only coaches to have an MU record of above .500 (with at least one full season coached) dating all the way back to 1935. At right is a quick look at the top winning coaches in MU history.
   For his efforts in 2007, Pinkel was a finalist for several national coach of the year awards, including the Robinson, Bryant and Munger awards. He was also named the National Coach of the Year by FieldTurf in 2007.
   Mizzou's bowl appearance in 2009 means that Pinkel has led MU to 6 bowl games overall, and he now joins Devine as the only other coach to guide MU to 6 bowl games.
   Pinkel has directed Mizzou to 7 winning seasons (8-5 in 2003, 7-5 in 2005, 8-5 in 2006, 12-2 in 2007, 10-4 in 2008 and 8-5 in 2009, along with this season), with those representing 6 of MU's 8 winning campaigns dating back to the 1983 season.
   The Big 12 North Division titles won by Mizzou in 2007 and 2008 represent the first football conference title of any kind Mizzou has won since 1969 – the last time it claimed a share of the old Big Eight Conference crown.
   In November of 2008, Pinkel agreed to a new seven-year contract, meaning he'll patrol the Tiger sidelines through the 2015 season.