Football Saturday!

[Feathers and Fins]

Ohio IS loosing... Florida has its hands full with Duke, this could be very interesting.

Im glad Auburn won in the great tennis match.

[Al Agnew]

Well, the four man front stopped Auburn for one series in the second half, didn't stop them every time. Face it, Mizzou lost because the Auburn offense was far, far better than the Mizzou defense. The Auburn o-line dominated, their back Mason was exceptionally quick to hit the holes and strong enough to run through arm tackles, and they ran the triple option almost flawlessly; it was tough watching the game to see who had kept the ball, the qb or the running back, it was tough for the camera people to see, and it had to be tough for the players to see sometimes. It wasn't like stacking the box would have automatically worked; Auburn had already shown they could run around the edges just as well, and had Mizzou totally sold out on the run, I have no doubt that Auburn could have burned them on pass plays. Sometimes the personnel you have just doesn't match up well with a particular offense, not quite fast enough, strong enough, or smart enough. Having one week to prepare for a gimmicky offense that you haven't seen anything similar to all year (and probably with a bit of surprise among the coaches that they were playing Auburn instead of Alabama, which they'd probably thought about playing prior to last weekend) is tough on coaches and doesn't allow the players to hone their instincts and reaction times.

For whatever reason, I don't feel too bad about losing. None of us and none of the pundits thought before the season opened, or even after the first few games, that Mizzou would end up playing for the SEC championship this year, and it was a great season that should pay dividends down the road in recruiting. They'll still get in a good bowl against a good team, and I'm looking forward to it.

[Wayne SW/MO]

come on, if a teams runs 90% of their plays on the ground, don't you stop the run first? It is not rocket science. A 3 man front defensive line? I think Mizzou was "told" to lose this one. You can't be that stupid not to stuff the run.

My thoughts exactly. Why would you not run the 4 man front that brung you knowing the opposition lives and dies by the run?

it was tough watching the game to see who had kept the ball

I'm thinking it was number 21.

[Chief Grey Bear]

That's all folks. Can't win a football game if you give up 550 yards rushing.

Well less than 200 total yards between them. Not near the difference the media is portraying.

[stlfisher]

Auburn was just better. Not sure it mattered what we did. I don't think anyone can stop it...but having 59 dropped on you is tough to swallow.

Great season for MU... need to make it count on the recruiting traol. DGB has arrived.

[Feathers and Fins]

Well I'm happy OSU got exposed good last night I said they were not that good and would loose against a top 10 ranked team and they did.

I'm happy it will be Auburn v Florida in the NCG, Gus is a helluva coach and his team has bought in to the program and some Miracles have happened for them. Will they be able to contain what seems uncontainable is the question, But I will say this if Florida tries to have shoot-out against them Florida Looses, they will have to stop the run and Auburn will have to stop the pass. Duke found the chinks in the Florida armor last night in the first quarter and if Gus and company can make four quarters of frustrating the Offense of Florida then Auburn wins.

My bowl thoughts are:

BCS National Championship Game:Florida St. Seminoles vs. Auburn Tigers

Sugar Bowl:Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Ohio St. Buckeyes

Rose Bowl:Stanford Cardinal vs. Michigan St. Spartans

Fiesta Bowl:Baylor Bears vs. Central Florida Knights

Orange Bowl:Oklahoma Sooners vs. Clemson Tigers

But I think it will be:

BCS National Championship Game:Florida St. Seminoles vs. Auburn Tigers

Sugar Bowl:Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Oklahoma Sooners

Rose Bowl:Stanford Cardinal vs. Michigan St. Spartans

Fiesta Bowl:Baylor Bears vs. Central Florida Knights

Orange Bowl:Ohio St. Buckeyes vs. Clemson Tigers

I would like to see Bama v Oklahoma and Stanford v Michigan. The NC might be real interesting this year but has the blowout potential first half will tell the tail... We will know tonight though who goes where.

[Quillback]

come on, if a teams runs 90% of their plays on the ground, don't you stop the run first? It is not rocket science. A 3 man front defensive line? I think Mizzou was "told" to lose this one. You can't be that stupid not to stuff the run.

What has me scratching my head is Mizzou comes out in the 3rd quarter, first series they are on defence, and has a couple of linebackers on the line of scrimmage. They shut down Auburn that series. But after that they revert to a 3 or 4 man front with the linebackers playing 5 yards off the line of scrimmage. What the heck? And how many times do you watch the guard opposite where the run is going, pull to the other side and block the linebacker and seal the end of the line? Can't the defence read that guard and figure out what is coming? Mizzou's defence looked totally unprepared.

[KCRIVERRAT]

Heck guys, we couldn't have stopped the LAMAR Tigers from dropping that many rushing yards on us yesterday with the defense we played.

Look... maybe it WOULDN'T have made a difference if we'd stacked the line showing 7 or 8 guys up front but we'll never know because THEY NEVER TRIED IT! When you're getting shredded by the run game the LAST thing you do is go to a 3-4 defense from a 4-3. Just because you're "showing" a stacked line doesn't mean you rush everybody. Blitz different linebackers while dropping the others, have the corners play press coverage, bring a corner blitz, bring a safety blitz etc., etc. Jeez, Auburn attempted just eleven passes the whole game. We never gave it a shot to attempt them to resort to their weakness, the passing game. Mizzou never forced them to adjust their offense. Going to a 3-4 to stop the run was plain-butt dumb on Pinkel and Steckel's part BUT... in-game, or even half-time adjustments are simply not this coaching staff's strength (i.e. "see South Carolina game"). Oh... and I'll state the obvious... players have to MAKE PLAYS TOO!

Still a good season. Looks kinda like we're heading to the Capital One Bowl against Wisconsin on New Years Day. Guess what THEY do well on offense?

[KCRIVERRAT]

No way Oklahoma goes to a BCS game...

[KCRIVERRAT]

No way Oklahoma goes to a BCS game...

Whoops! Sorry F&F... looks like I might have to retract that statement.

Also, Mizzou might end up in the Cotton Bowl against Okie St.