2007 Opponent Preview…Missouri
Prior to the 2006 season, some people (i.e. me) saw Iowa State, a team returning 10 offensive starters, as a major threat to the Huskers. The Cyclones had a chance in the final week of 2005 to clinch the Big 12 North, but fell to Kansas in their season finale. Still, their offense (which had given the Huskers some trouble in 2004 and 2005) looked to be good and the fact that the 2006 game was in Ames (where NU had lost two straight) gave them (me) reason to think that Iowa State could be dangerous. Those people (me again) overlooked the extensive losses on defense.
How history repeats itself.
Missouri was the closest thing to a challenger in 2006 for Big 12 North supremacy (with a 4-4 Big 12 record), but they lost their season finale to Iowa State (sound familiar?). The Tigers return eight offensive starters but only five defensive ones. The game will be played in Columbia where Nebraska has lost in their last two visits (sound familiar again?).
Yes, the Tiger offense can be formidable but also manageable. The Aggies held Missouri to 19 points, the Sooners to 10, and the Huskers to 20. Even the undermanned Cyclones held them to 16. In fact, the Tigers finished sixth in the Big 12 in scoring offense. Is that really great cause for concern?
This time around, those people (me again) won't make the same mistake. The game at Columbia should be taken seriously, but it could easily fade into a footnote the way the game in Ames did. In fact, it's not unthinkable that the Tigers (who lost four of the six games they played outside their stadium a year ago, and went 2-5 in their final seven games) could lose their opener against Illinois (who returns 20 starters) in St. Louis or at Mississippi (who returns 17 starters). So while this game might be the one that determines the outcome of the season, it could also be just another fairly easy conference win for the Huskers before the real meat of schedule begins.
7/24/2007
Mizzu, is the most overated team in the Big 12…...... I mean, I can’t believe Pinkel is still the coach there. We raid his state for talent, we beat him, everyone beats him, and he still hangs around. If he does not do something this year, I fear it might be his last.
7/24/2007
Mizzou will be a formidable opponent. Cosgrove lost us the game in 2005 in Columbia. He insisted on running the “worthless” 3-4 defense. He made Brad Smith look like the next coming of Vince Young.
7/24/2007
This is the only game that I worry over, but only because I live in Missouri. I mean, people still ask me why Matt Davison is a cheater. The sports guys are calling for Mizzou to score 40 points a game against almost all their oponents. One of them even said that Texas Tech would be one of their biggest worries because TT just might outscore them! Come On! I will say, that one of the “Big XII experts” they had on my favorite radio program said that Mizzou has a bad habit of losing big, important games that they should be winning. Unfortunately there was a “technical problem” and they lost him on the air. I do however look forward to when they have Jim Rose on their program again - they actually seem to listen to him even when they disagree with him.
7/24/2007
Mizzou would like you to think they are a power, but the fact is they are a pretender hiding behind ridiculously weak scheduling that falls apart once the ooc cupcakses are gone. Plus, Pinkel has yet to get a winning record in conference play.
This year Mizzou managed to assemble a schedule SO WEAK that they might actually be able to maintain their mirage from beginning to end.
They could beat us at home, but I don’t think they’re going to.
NU 31 Mizzou 20
7/25/2007
This will be an exceptionally tough road game. If we can pressure Daniel I see us winning this game. If not, could be a long day in MO. Daniel still has two big TE targets in Coffman and Rucker but we did a good job on them in 2006.
I’m not counting this as a ‘W’ yet.
7/25/2007
Missouri is the TX Tech of the north: when they’re ON they can scare the heck out of the best teams and have a great chance of pulling the upset. They suffer from ‘Upsy Downsy Syndrome’(another fb disease): that is, they’re inconsistent—lose to teams they shouldn’t; have never won any titles of significance, and therefore don’t have a champion’s confidence. Swagger is a clumsy step for them, they don’t know how to handle their overrating and so it will be same ol’ same ol’: NE will be favored in this game after a few bonehead losses by MO prior. NE will be rolling pretty well, Keller will be better than the Blackshirt harrassed Daniels and NE will win by 17: 34-17 Big Red, like last year.
The only significant advantage MO might have is their receiving corps. NE rules all other facets of this game.
Up your meds, ‘Pinky Dink’!
7/26/2007
This will be a tough one, I think, especially on the road. Though, Steve’s points about the MU defense are well put.
They just bring back so much on offense…I can’t imagine them being like ISU last year, despite the parallels Steve points out.
Here’s the upside for NU - our “back 7” on defense. NU has the best corps of linebackers in the conference, and the safety play should be *much* improved over the last two years. Those big TEs of Missouri will be matched against some of our most talented defenders (Ruud, Octavien, Asante, Thenarse).
7/26/2007
Ours was a different squad which lost against Mizzou in ‘05 and ‘03. That stupid swing pass to Smith in ‘03, and an ‘05 team that never really found itself defensively.
The NU defense and offense will have improved greatly since the last time they visited Columbia, and now we’ve got the confidence of our ownage of the North. We’ll squash the perpetual up and comers.
7/28/2007
Steve, 4 days later, I’m surprised your post hasn’t aroused Tiger fans like with Wake and the ‘Clones. I mean, this one has slightly more “smack”, if someone has the perception that Missouri is Nebraska’s equal, this year.
I’m a little disappointed- but, anyhoo…
To me, along with being important as a tie-breaker, it will be the most revealing game of the year. To me, this game, moreso than a must win, is a “I expect a win” game. We know the previous scenarios with Mizzou in ‘03 and ‘05 and I think this Nebraska team is just better than those. Players having another year of belief and confidence in the systems- coaches having better players to have the confidence in to utilize the entire “repertoire”, if you will. It comes together this year, as a much more formidable opponent in the Big XII title game.
7/29/2007
I agree. I was hoping this might get some more discush with Tiger fans going. It does seem that there will be a lot of interweb smackery the week of the game. That should be fun.
Again, I’m glad Corn Murderer Brad Smiff is gone. I doubt if he ever even ate a single booger on TV during his whole celebrated Mizzou career.