Week 3, 2015 Season: No. 14 Missouri at No. 3 Notre Dame

My first play-by-play of what went down between Mizzou and Notre Dame in South Bend.

Overall, I'd say it went rather well. Definitely some things I can improve on, but I liked it. Quality sounded well, and this is the beginning, I think.

Enjoy!

http://dannyj215.podomatic.com/entry/2013-08-23T16_49_18-07_00

Where do we go from here? New idea in Mizzou Dynasty

So I've been thinking of ways I can make the Mizzou Dynasty more exciting. What did I come up with?

Listen here.

http://dannyw21.podbean.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/podpress_backend.php?podPressPlayerAutoPlay=yes&standalone=yes&action=showplayer&pbid=0&b=629770&id=4897467&filename=http://dannyw21.podbean.com/mf/play/8kxpw/Update.mp3

Yes, you can listen to this one.

Season 2: What did we miss? 2014 SEC Champs?

There came a point where I just got tired of  the constant blogs. I wanted to so bad, because there's a lot of stuff that went on since the last post that should be noted.

A 7-0 start. A quarterback change. Numerous down-to-the-wire finishes.

And an SEC Championship.

Yes, in just two seasons at Missouri, the Tigers have climbed to the top of the SEC, in perhaps one of the more thrilling comebacks and finishes in the history of conference championship games.

More on that in just a minute.

But this year's Missouri team was on a roll. The Tigers jumped out to a 7-0 start and were sitting atop the SEC East halfway through the year.

Well, it should've been 6-1. The Tigers traveled to the Carrier Dome to take on Syracuse for the most ridiculous game of all time.

The Orange led 41-14 near the end of the third quarter when head coach Calvin Smith had enough of sophomore quarterback Maty Mauk's terrible throwing ability. The defense couldn't stop quarterback John Kinder, who threw for 512 yards (yes, you read that right) and five touchdowns.

Smith put in junior quarterback Corbin Berkstresser to light a spark. Back-to-back touchdowns cut the lead to 41-28 early in the fourth quarter, but Syracuse answered immediately with a touchdown of their own. Then the Tigers responded, and held the Orange to a field goal to make it 51-35 with 3:43 to go.

Berkstresser hit Sean Culkin for a 19-yard touchdown to cut the lead to eight after the two-point conversion. After getting a rare stop on defense, Berkstresser found Bud Sasser for an 8-yard touchdown to cut the lead to two, but the 2-point conversion was no good.

Then came the onside kick, which bounced much further than it should've. But Mizzou recovered it, drove down to field goal range and stole a victory, 52-51.

Smith named Berkstresser the starting quarterback. Even though the Tigers lost to South Carolina the following week, the offense was more in rhythm than with Mauk and his 11-touchdown, 15-interception half season.

Berkstresser was named the Tigers' new captain and threw 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions the rest of the way.

Week 13 was the biggest game in Missouri's three years in the SEC. A matchup with No. 17 Florida with the winner going to the SEC Championship against Texas A&M.

Down 26-20 with 2:51 left, Mizzou marched down with ease, as Henry Josey scored the eventual game-winning touchdown with 1:20 to go.

Mizzou won 27-26, and before they could stamp its ticket to Atlanta to play Texas A&M, they had to play on Senior Day ... against Texas A&M. Johnny Manziel dominated, as the now-senior went on to win his second Heisman Trophy with the Aggies. Again, this is a videogame.

The Aggies won 55-45 at Faurot Field, and the rematch was set in Atlanta. Texas A&M went into the game ranked No. 1 in the country, and the only way Mizzou was getting a BCS berth was it had to beat these same Aggies.

Now, for the recap of the greatest SEC Championship Game of all time.

2014 SEC Championship

FINAL

No. 9 Missouri - 49
No. 1 Texas A&M - 48



TOP PERFORMERS
Berkstresser (Mizz): 28-of-40, 480 yards, 6 TD, 5 INT
Manziel (A&M): 22-of-34, 202 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT

Josey (Mizz):  21 carries, 127 yards
Williams (A&M): 14 carries, 105 yards, 1 TD

Green-Beckham (Mizz): 9 catches, 203 yards, 2 TD
Larson (Mizz): 8 catches, 119 yards, 2 TD
Reese (Mizz): 6 catches, 113 yards
Sasser (Mizz): 3 catches, 35 yards, 2 TD


RECAP

In two years, head coach Calvin Smith has done the impossible. Missouri is the king of the SEC.

And just like the Tigers have done the last two seasons, they didn't make it easy on themselves.

Down by 17 points with 4:39 remaining in what head coach Calvin Smith called the greatest conference championship game of all time, junior Corbin Berkstresser threw three touchdowns, including the game winner to receiver Bud Sasser with one second remaining as the Tigers won their first ever SEC Championship, 49-48 over Texas A&M.

"Am I allowed to cry?" Smith said. "If I can, I'm about to ball like a little baby. That was awesome."

The Tigers were able to do what no one predicted they'd do at the beginning of the year, or let alone this season. They got a fair shot at the SEC title against the same Texas A&M team that ran them out of Faurot Field two weeks before.

It was deja vu for about three and a half quarters.

The Aggies took a 45-28 lead with 4:39 to go on Johnny Manziel's second touchdown pass of the game. Berkstresser, who threw five interceptions on Saturday, was still in the game at quarterback for the Tigers.

"I told him after the first two picks that he needed to stay calm," Smith said. "Then after the next three, I just said, 'F*** it. Let's wing it.' Boy, did Corbin wing it."

An Aggies field goal gave Texas A&M some insurance, but Berkstresser threw two touchdown passes in two minutes to cut the lead to 48-42. After a failed onside kick, the Aggies recovered and decided to put the game away on a 56-yard field goal with less than a minute to go.

But the kick was far off to the right, and Missouri took over at the 39-yard line with no timeouts and less than a minute to go.

"I almost damn near had a heart attack when they brought out the kicking team," Berkstresser said. "I was praying for another chance, and I was going to give it to my guys."

With no timeouts, Berkstresser led the Tigers down the field in a fury, and with one second to go, hit Sasser on a slant route in the end zone to cap off the improbable comeback.

Berkstresser finished the day with seven total touchdowns (six passing and one rushing) to go along with those seven interceptions. But the junior quarterback who was given the job for this very reason said he could care less about the picks.

"It doesn't matter," he said. "We're SEC Champs, and we knocked off the best team in college football. I'm happy with that alone."

The Tigers jumped to No. 3 in the latest BCS rankings. It's a tale of 'What could've been' if the outcome was the same on Senior Day. Nevertheless, the win also knocked the Aggies from No. 1 to No. 4.

Which means, for the second year in a row, the Tigers played spoilers in the Aggies' quest for a big-time game. Last year it was a BCS bowl, Now, the National Championship.

And for the first time in program history, the Tigers will represent their conference as an automatic qualifier in a BCS game. Mizzou's reward is a date in the Allstate Sugar Bowl against No. 7 Arizona.

The Aggies, meanwhile, will play in the Fiesta Bowl against the Mountain West's champions, San Diego State.

"It's rare to play spoiler so much, no matter where you're at," Smith said. "Our biggest rivals have been shafted the last two years. I almost feel sorry for them."

The Wildcats are 10-2 heading into the Sugar Bowl, but the strength of schedule they possess is nowhere near good enough for BCS consideration. They did beat six bowl-eligible teams, but the only ranked team Arizona played was a 46-42 loss to Pac-12 champion USC.

Rich Rodriguez will lead his squad into New Orleans with sophomore quarterback Anu Solomon at the helm and his group of senior wide receivers, and senior running back Ka'Deem Carey.

"I'm just proud of what we've all done here in two years," Smith said. "Our goal when we came here was to make this program as successful as can be, and make players want to come here. I think we've done that. Now it's time to finish the job."


Notable Bowl Games

As I looked through the bowl schedule, my first word was ... "Huh???"

Yours will be, too.


MAACO Bowl Las Vegas
Stanford vs. Fresno State

GoDaddy.com Bowl
Ohio vs. No. 13 Notre Dame

Chick-fil-A Bowl
No. 18 South Carolina vs. No. 22 Clemson
(Rematch of final game of regular season. Gamecocks took down No. 4 Tigers, knocked them out of BCS contention. Clemson lost ACC Title game.)

Outback Bowl
No. 10 Ole Miss vs. No. 14 Michigan

Capital One Bowl
No. 15 Florida vs. No. 20 Wisconsin

Rose Bowl
No. 5 Oklahoma (At-Large) vs. No. 12 USC (AQ)
(Classic-style bowl rematch)

Fiesta Bowl
No. 4 Texas A&M (At-Large) vs. No. 19 San Diego State (AQ)

Orange Bowl
No. 11 Georgia Tech (AQ) vs. No. 6 Louisiana Lafayette (At-Large)
(Yes, you read that right. The Rajun' Cajuns are in a BCS game.)

BCS National Championship
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 2 Ohio State

Season 2, Weeks 1-3: Tigers in the top-15 at 3-0

Mizzou quarterback Maty Mauk. Photo by Danny Webster - Playstation 3.

This is no fluke. The headline you see is actually real. Missouri is 3-0.

But perhaps more shocking to the fact that the Tigers are among the nation's unbeaten is that they're ranked in the top-15 for the first time since the Bush administration.

After three games against three quality opponents, Mizzou is sitting at No. 13 in the country. First at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, taking down No. 12 Kansas State, 24-6. As you can tell from the picture, Maty Mauk got the start at quarterback for the Tigers, and he played well in his first collegiate start with two touchdown passes.

More importantly, this new-look defense in the 3-4 scheme has been impressive up to this point. It's a defense that has a new attitude, forcing turnovers at a much faster rate than a year ago. Thanks to the play of Mauk and this defense, in particular, Mizzou is No. 13 in the country after three games.

Here's a rundown.

WEEK 1 - Missouri 24, No. 12 Kansas State 6

This was the beginning of it all. Head coach Calvin Smith knew the minute this game ended that he had a great team together.

Plus, it answered some needed-to-know questions.

Mauk's first start consisted of 248 yards and two touchdowns, and the redshirt sophomore didn't turn the ball over in his first start. Whether the decision to start him over Corbin Berkstresser is a good one will remain to be seen.

"This was a good first test for him," Smith said. "I liked how he was poised throughout the game and didn't lose his confidence. To be young and to do things like that is awesome."

Running back Henry Josey continued his late-season dominance from last year, running for 132 yards and a touchdown for the Tigers. He may be the one who's adapted the best to this pro-style offense, using his quickness and power to run in-between the tackles.

This was the first chance to get a look at the new-look defense as well, and David Johnson made a great interception late in the second quarter, tip-toeing down the sideline for a 36-yard return. Mauk hit tight end Sean Culkin for a 32-yard touchdown to give Mizzou a two-possession lead.

"Points off turnovers, or just turnovers in general, were a problem last year," Smith said. "That was a big-time play from a guy who can make big-time plays."

WEEK 2 - No. 24 Missouri 30, LSU 27

Last year, Missouri lost to LSU because of not forcing a crucial turnover late in the game.

This time, the Tigers did just that. Duron Singleton forced a fumble on LSU receiver Odell Beckman at the 3-yard line with the ball going into the back of the endzone. The ruling was a touchback, and despite Mauk's rough day throwing the ball, Mizzou avenged last year's loss to LSU.

Mauk threw an interception on the first play of the game after not committing a turnover in Week 1, and threw three on the day.

After the Tigers took a 30-27 lead with 1:15 to go, LSU drove down the field behind the arm of quarterback Stephen Rivers. With 40 seconds left, Rivers found Beckham wide open down the left sideline and made the catch at the Missouri 3-yard line, but Singleton jarred the ball loose and went into the back of the endzone to give the Tigers an improbable win.

"Karma is funny, isn't it?" Smith said. "That was an awesome game."

Mauk threw for 229 yards and a touchdown despite those three interceptions, and Josey had another terrific day on the ground, running for 142 yards and a touchdown.

WEEK 3 - No. 20 Missouri 30, No. 21 Auburn 20

It was, officially, the first home game of the year for Missouri as they took on an Auburn team that beat two teams in the top-15 to begin the year.

The Tigers went up 20-0 at halftime despite another struggling performance by Mauk, throwing another three interceptions on the day. Dorial Green-Beckham finally broke through the century mark despite his quarterback's struggles, catching six passes for 119 yards with a long reception of 43 yards.

But it was the Tigers' defense that was dominant. Mizzou got to Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall three times and picked him off twice by Johnson and Singleton.

That's all you need to know from this one. It was never that close.

Now it's on to the next four games. Mizzou gets one more at home against Toledo, then plays the next three on the road. The Tigers play at Vanderbilt, at No. 17 Georgia and at Syracuse before returning home to face a struggling South Carolina team that is winless on the year.

Through four weeks of the 2014 season, every team in the SEC East has lost, except for one. Yeah, you guessed it. Missouri. The Tigers are in first place in the division a quarter into the season. Mark that down in your calendars.

Meanwhile, keep an eye on the SEC West. Alabama, Texas A&M, Mississippi State and (holy crap) Ole Miss is ranked in the top-25. Only the Crimson Tide and Aggies are undefeated thus far. Mizzou doesn't face Alabama this year, but they do get Johnny Football for another year.

This has been your update. Let's see how far Mizzou goes with this.

Season 2: What's next for Mizzou? The NCAA?

Breaking away from the recaps/previews, etc. for a brief moment, time to loosen up with this.

Season 1 finished up rather quickly. So quick, in fact, that I realized how much time I have on my hands this summer. Which is a good thing. I dished out a recap for each game of Season 1 of the Calvin Smith Era in Missouri, and the Tigers went 7-6 and lost in the Gator Bowl.

Many, many questions heading into Season 2. The Tigers are switching to a pro-style offense, and a 3-4 base defense. A total of 14 seniors graduated, four were drafted in the NFL. There are plenty of holes heading into 2014, where the Tigers are projected to finish fourth in the SEC East.

The playmaking core from a year ago is back. Dorial Green-Beckham is back after his record-breaking sophomore season as a preseason All-American, and Henry Josey is back for his senior season along with backup Marcus Murphy. The offensive line has an average weight of 310 pounds who will protect the quarterback.

But, who will be the Missouri quarterback in 2014?

James Franklin was the nation's leader in passing a year ago, and now with the Tigers switching to a new offense, every factor needs to be taken into consideration. The top two on the depth chart are junior Corbin Berkstresser and redshirt sophomore Maty Mauk.

Both excelled in spring practices throwing the ball, which is what Smith wants. Both guys, though, are about even. Mauk has the running ability in his game, but Berkstresser has the better arm. Smith told me that he doesn't want to split time, so whatever decision he makes, it'll be a season-long decision, unless mentioned otherwise.

As for the defense, more questions than the offense. Andrew Wilson is gone. EJ Gaines is gone. Randy Ponder is gone. The senior leadership is gone, and this defense is projected to struggle as much as it did last year, if not more.

Moving to a 3-4 defense called for some decisions that players wouldn't normally feel comfortable with. One of them was figuring out what to do with All-American selection and Nagurski Award winner Kony Ealy, whether to leave him as a defensive end or a pass-rushing linebacker. For now, Ealy will stay up front.

Defensive tackles Lucas Vincent and Matt Hoch have fought for playing time as the lone DT, and Smith likes the progression Vincent has made, and he'll get the start. As for linebackers, sophomore Torey Boozer is the left outside rusher. All-American selection Darvin Ruise has moved to middle linebacker and will team with sophomore Donavin Newsom. Junior Kentrell Brothers will be on the opposite side of Boozer.

The secondary is weak, but it has a capable leader: All-American safety Braylon Webb, who had a terrific season for Mizzou last year.

Did you catch all that? Good. Now to the fun stuff.


NEW CONFERENCE REACHES AQ STATUS
The NCAA decided to give only five conferences (Big 12, Big Ten, ACC, SEC and Pac-12) automatic qualifying status for a BCS game. Sadly, the playoff isn't in this game. Can next year get here soon enough?

Nevertheless, for the 2014 season, the NCAA has decided to make a bold move in regards to AQ status. For the first time, after a stellar season from multiple teams a year ago, the Mountain West Conference will be the sixth team who will qualify for a BCS game.

Which means, whomever wins the conference championship game, that team will be qualified for either one of the five bowl games. No pre-determined bowl has been set for now. Boise State reached the Sugar Bowl as an at-large bid last year, but was blown out by South Carolina. With the emergence of Fresno State and Utah State, the Mountain West is projected to be much stronger.


MIZZOU's 2014 SCHEDULE
Ready for this? How about a schedule with an A+ rating and a neutral site game for the first of the year?

Week 1 - BYE
9/6 - vs. No. 13 Kansas State (at AT&T Stadium)
9/13 - at No. 11 LSU
9/20 - vs. Auburn
9/27 - vs. Toledo
10/4 - at Vanderbilt
10/11 - at No. 12 Georgia
10/18 - at Syracuse
10/25 - vs. No. 10 South Carolina
11/1 - vs. Kentucky
11/8 - at Tennessee
11/15 - BYE
11/22 - vs. No. 22 Florida
11/29 vs. No. 9 Texas A&M

Yeah. This schedule is not for the weak.

Season 2 is coming soon. Recaps won't be as frequent, but it's all good. This should be fun.

Season 1, Gator Bowl: Turnovers Trip Tigers Against Michigan State

Mizzou quarterback James Franklin throws his fifth interception of the game in the fourth quarter of the Tigers' loss in the Gator Bowl. Photo by Danny Webster - Playstation 3.

FINAL
No. 9 Michigan State (10-3) 31
No. 25 Missouri (7-6) 21

TOP PERFORMERS
Franklin (Mizz): 21-of-29, 351 yards, 3 TD, 5 INT
Maxwell (MSU): 16-of-22, 238 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT

Langford (MSU): 24 carries, 131 yards, 1 TD
Josey (Mizz): 13 carries, 70 yards

Green-Beckham (Mizz): 12 catches, 244 yards, 3 TD
Fowler (MSU): 4 catches, 70 yards, 1 TD

Drummond (MSU): 6 tackles, 2 INT
Webb (Mizz): 7 tackles, 1 FF
Gaines (Mizz): 4 tackles, 1 INT


RECAP
James Franklin went out swinging. He just struck out two times more than need be.

The senior quarterback threw five interceptions in his final game as Missouri quarterback with Missouri losing 31-21 to Michigan State in the Gator Bowl. And usually for someone who is always willing to talk to the media after the game, Franklin was at a loss for words, towel over his head and everything.

"I did terrible," he said. "That's all I can say."

Every question was answered that same way, with that same answer. Franklin threw for over 300 yards for the first time in over a month, but he hurt his team the most by throwing three interceptions in the first half. The Spartans took a 21-7 lead into halftime, in a game that Mizzou had control of from the opening snap.

Franklin hit Dorial Green-Beckham for the first touchdown of the day halfway through the first quarter to give Mizzou a 7-0 lead. Michigan State answered right back when Andrew Maxwell took the option to the left side and ran in for a 16-yard touchdown to tie the game.

After that, Franklin came unraveled.

The nation's leading passer was throwing passes that he knew he shouldn't have tried to make. On back-to-back Missouri plays in the second quarter, he threw two interceptions, both to Spartans defensive back Kurtis Drummond.

"I didn't see the field the way I thought I did," he said.

It wasn't until the fourth quarter before Michigan State finally took advantage of Missouri's shocking six-turnover day. Franklin with his five picks, and Green-Beckham fumbling just as he was about to cross the goal line for a touchdown to cut into the 21-14 Spartans lead.

Despite that fumble, DGB broke the single-season school record with 16 touchdown receptions, and also set the single-game record of 244 receiving yards in the losing effort.

This year's Biletnikoff Award winner will have a tough decision to make at the end of this season on whether he feels he should go pro now, or wait one more year. Head coach Calvin Smith has tried to preach Green-Beckham the idea of dominating in a new offense next year.

"Whatever he decides to do, he will be successful," Smith said. "After today, I wish he could stay at Mizzou for life. But he can go be dominant now in the NFL if that's what he wants. We'll talk about that in a few weeks."

There's a lot of uncertainty heading into next year for the Tigers. But they far exceeded expectations this year by winning three games against teams ranked in the top-15 and finished the regular season ranked in the top-25.

Changes are also brewing in terms of coaching philosophy for Smith. He's stated multiple times that he'll be switching to a pro-style offense and a 3-4 defense next year. What that means for the new batch of recruits remains to be seen, but him deciding to keep the same philosophy for one more year paid off.

The next task is to actually implement what he really wants to do next year, and hope it pans out better than a 7-6 season.

"I'm already thinking big next year," Smith said. "We did a lot of great things this year. But people are moving on. It'll be a new Missouri team next year, a lot younger. It's a challenge. We'll be ready."


NOTABLE BOWL GAMES (Rankings based off final polls)

MAACO Bowl Las Vegas
Colorado 24, Utah State 3

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
USC 19, No. 24 Louisville 14

Chick-fil-A Bowl
No. 16 Georgia 26, North Carolina 21

Outback Bowl
No. 13 Texas A&M 29, No. 20 Wisconsin

Rose Bowl
No. 2 Virginia Tech 28, Arizona 11

Fiesta Bowl
No. 3 Nebraska 37, No. 9 Notre Dame 17

Sugar Bowl
No. 14 South Carolina 49, No. 12 Boise State 13

Orange Bowl
No. 5 TCU 45, Maryland 24

National Championship
No. 1 Ohio State 44, No. 4 Kansas State 10

Season 1, Gator Bowl: No. 25 Missouri vs. No. 9 Michigan State

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

Jan. 1

No. 25 Missouri vs. No. 9 Michigan State

In the midst of Missouri's upset over Texas A&M, head coach Calvin Smith overlooked one thing he said in his prediction of beating the Aggies a few weeks ago.

"I looked at the bowl schedule, and noticed we did knock A&M out of a BCS game," Smith said. "Mission accomplished, I suppose."

In two straight games, the Tigers played spoiler and knocked Alabama and Texas A&M out of possible berths in BCS games. The Crimson Tide are in the Cotton Bowl against Oklahoma, and the Aggies get the honor of playing Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1.

Where does that put the Tigers? They get a New Year's Day game, as well. But when Smith saw the opponent, his jaw dropped.

"I almost went into shock," he said. "No way did we think we'd play them."

Mizzou accepted a bid to play in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Jan. 1, but had to wait until late Sunday night to find out who the opponent was. It turns out that the Tigers will play the only team to have defeated Ohio State this season: No. 9 Michigan State.

Yes, the same Buckeyes who will be in the National Championship game against Kansas State in a few weeks. The Spartans knocked off No. 2 Ohio State back on Nov. 9 at home, 35-33, and were in prime position to represent the Big Ten in the BCS, as well. But the Spartans lost back-to-back road games against Nebraska and Northwestern and dropped out of the top-10 as quickly as they entered.

"Obviously, they're a tough team because they're the only ones to beat Ohio State," Smith said. "It's not like we're going to take this game lightly. Just like we did these last two. We're coming out and fighting."

The road to the postseason was much tougher for Mizzou, having to need one win against either Alabama or Texas A&M. The Tigers won both, and were awarded with a top-25 spot in the BCS rankings.

James Franklin is also rewarded with one final game as Missouri quarterback, as the senior is expected to do two things by the end of January: Graduate with honors, and bring home a trophy to Faurot Field.

"Obviously, I wish we could be in a better spot, but we're just happy to be here considering where we weren't a few weeks ago," Franklin said. "I'm going to live in the moment for this one."

This is the first time in two years that Mizzou is in a bowl game, its first in the SEC. In 2011, the Tigers beat North Carolina in the Advocare V100 Independence Bowl. The offensive MVP of that game? Franklin.

He accounted for 273 yards and three touchdowns in that game as a sophomore. But now a senior, Franklin will bring that confidence from a few years ago to Florida this time around.

"I always look back at that game as a springboard to what could've been," Franklin said. "Last year, it was a rough patch in the SEC. Now, we have that, plus bowl experience. We're not weaklings coming in."

This will be Michigan State's sixth straight bowl appearance, making a bowl game in each year of head coach Mark Dantonio's tenure. The Spartans have won their last two bowl games, but haven't made a BCS game since 1988.

MSU possesses a veteran team, nonetheless. Senior quarterback Andrew Maxwell is having a stellar season taking care of the ball, throwing 20 touchdowns to only five interceptions. Just like what the Tigers did to Johnny Manziel and Blake Sims, the defense needs to rattle Maxwell early and often.

Maxwell is just as dangerous running the football. He's the team's leader with 11 rushing touchdowns, but Mizzou has faced enough dual-threat quarterbacks this year to know what to expect.

"It seems to be nothing new," Smith said. "We know what we're getting. Their running game is on point, and perhaps more dangerous than ever before."

Changes are brewing for Missouri after this year. When Franklin and others move on, Mizzou will be embracing a new culture by switching offensive and defensive schemes. For the final time, the Tigers will play in a spread offense and a 4-3 defense.

It's a change of the times, as Smith calls it. A new era will usher in at Mizzou starting next year. But the Tigers want to get there first.

"One more game, and we can rest easy," Smith said. "Well, until recruiting and all that. That never gets old."

Season 1, Week 14: Aggies Annihilated by Now-Ranked Mizzou

Mizzou wide receiver L'Damian Washington hushes the Texas A&M crowd after a 72-yard touchdown catch gave the Tigers the lead for good. Photo by Danny Webster - Playstation 3

FINAL
No. 24 Missouri (7-5, 5-4) 35
No. 14 Texas A&M (9-3, 6-3) 23

TOP PERFORMERS
Franklin (Mizz): 14-of-19, 229 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Manziel (A&M): 17-of-21, 204 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT

Franklin (Mizz): 13 carries, 90 yards, 1 TD
Josey (Mizz): 24 carries, 143 yards, 1 TD

Washington (Mizz): 3 catches, 102 yards, 1 TD
White (Mizz): 5 catches, 56 yards, 1 TD

Gaines (Mizz): 5 tackles, 1 INT
Wilson (Mizz): 4 tackles,1 INT
Matthews (A&M) 7 tackles, 1 INT
Harris (A&M) 6 tackles, 1 FF


RECAP
Calvin Smith might as well bet on parlay cards every week.

He's good at making predictions a week ahead of games.

After Missouri shocked the world and knocked off Alabama on Senior Day, Smith made the bold claim that the Tigers would go to College Station and beat Texas A&M on the road.

Not only did the Tigers win, they dominated the second half and are now in the top-25 in the country because of it.

James Franklin accounted for four of Mizzou's five touchdowns in his final regular season game as Tigers quarterback (three passing, one rushing), and L'Damian Washington reeled in 102 yards on three catches including a 72-yard touchdown to give the now-ranked No. 24 Tigers (7-5, 5-4) their most impressive win this season over the rival Aggies, 35-23.

"Words can't express how proud I am of this team," Smith said. "Even when we were down, we never gave up. In any loss, we never looked back. And now, we're in the top-25 because of it. That's true heart right there."

Tears running down his cheek at the press conference after the game, Smith saw his senior signal caller struggle once again in the early going. Franklin fumbled on Mizzou's first possession of the game, and threw a terrible interception in the second quarter.

But just like he's done all year long, Franklin played great in the second half. He didn't turn the ball over, and threw for two big-time touchdowns to give the Tigers the lead for good. The biggest came on a 72-yard post route by Washington, where he went across the middle and the closest Aggie defender was 20 yards away.

Washington gave the 'quiet' signal to the A&M crowd, and they listened. Mizzou was down four points after, but the Aggies couldn't find the momentum. Two plays into A&M's ensuing drive, reigning Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel was picked off by EJ Gaines, and Mizzou answered with a Marcus Lucas 11-yard touchdown to take the lead into the fourth quarter.

"I feel like I haven't said this at all this year: I'm so proud of our defense," Smith said. "To keep a guy like Manziel in check all game long is something extraordinary. Picked him off twice, sacked him six times. That's a great effort."

The six sacks on Manziel were the most by the Tigers defense this year, as were the two picks. Andrew Wilson came away with the second interception with Mizzou up 11 in the fourth quarter.

It was a ho-hum day as well for Mizzou's leading receiver, Dorial Green-Beckham. He caught three passes for 45 yards, but he eclipsed the 100-catch mark on the year, and is at 101. He still needs 254 yards to break the single season record by a receiver, but he's projected around the country as the Biletnikoff winner regardless.

"I'll take that any day of the week," Green-Beckham said. "I don't care if I only come away with one catch. For us to get a win like we did today, I'll take zero in a game if I need to."

The A&M defense did a great job containing DGB on the outside, but it was Darius White and Washington picking up the slack and providing that boost for Franklin in the passing game.

Henry Josey went over the century mark for the fourth straight game, tallying 143 yards and a touchdown. He's also nearing the top-10 nation's leaders in rushing with 1,291, and only a shade over 100 yards from Heisman Finalist, LSU running back Jeremy Hill.

"You know I talk a lot about James, but what Henry has done this last month, running the football the way he has, I'm so glad he has one more year," Smith said. "With our crop of running backs coming in, they can learn so much from him. Not just as a player, but a person."

A month ago, if you had asked anyone on the roster 'Should Mizzou be ranked right now if they finished the deal?', the response was always the same: "We don't think of it that way."

Now, the Tigers think of it that way.

"It just shows that people love how hard we've fought," Franklin said. "We're not going for the Sugar Bowl or anything, but to at least get some respect is something I love."

The Tigers will wait to see not only who they're playing, but what bowl game they'll be playing in. Depending on how the SEC Championship game goes, that could change everything. The Tigers will more than likely fall to fourth in the conference depending on how the LSU/South Carolina game goes.

Projections had Mizzou facing Michigan State in the Gator Bowl, but latest projections show the Tigers could be in the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Maryland on Dec. 31.

"No matter where we go, we're going to love being there," Smith said. "We played our asses off all year long to get here. Why stop now?"


NO RECRUITS THIS WEEK. NEXT POST WILL BE BOWL GAME PREVIEW.

Season 1, Week 13: Going Bowling! Mizzou Upsets Alabama In Final Seconds

Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham catches the game-winning touchdown pass with 7 seconds to go in the Tigers' 28-24 upset win over No. 9 Alabama. Photo by Danny Webster - Playstation 3.

FINAL
Missouri (6-5, 4-4) 28
No. 9 Alabama (8-3, 5-3) 24

TOP PERFORMERS
Franklin (Mizz): 15-of-20, 218 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT
Sims (Ala): 16-of-23, 210 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT

Josey (Mizz): 25 carries, 118 yards, 2 TD
Yeldon (Ala): 14 carries, 119 yards

Green-Beckham (Mizz): 6 catches, 73 yards, 1 TD
Lucas (Mizz) 3 catches, 66 yards
Norwood (Ala): 3 catches 75 yards, 1 TD
Cooper (Ala): 2 catches, 53 yards, 1 TD

Gaines (Mizz): 6 tackles, 2 INT, 1 TD
Wilson (Mizz) 7 tackles
Sunseri (Ala): 6 tackles, 2 INT
Clinton-Dix (Ala): 6 tackles


RECAP
After he threw his third interception of the game in the fourth quarter, James Franklin went back to the sidelines and hung his head.

He told his teammates that if he got another shot to win the game, he was going to do it.

"I wasn't going to leave this field this way," Franklin said. "I've given four years to this place. Only thing we could do was go after it."

They did go after it. And for the first time in three years, Missouri is going bowling.

Franklin connected with Dorial Green-Beckham on a 2-yard slant route with 6 seconds remaining to give the Tigers (6-5, 4-4) another upset victory this year by taking down No. 9 Alabama 28-24 to become bowl eligible, and giving their senior quarterback a farewell present on Senior Day.

"I still can't believe we pulled that off," Franklin said. "We beat Alabama. We beat the two-time champs."

Well, sort of. The majority of the Alabama team was there, except for linebacker C.J. Mosley and starting quarterback AJ McCarron.

Blake Sims got the start at quarterback for the Crimson Tide with McCarron out due to bruised ribs. It was clear that the offense was performing much differently than compared to Alabama's original general under center.

EJ Gaines picks off his second pass of the day and returns it for a 42-yard
touchdown in the third quarter. Photo by Danny Webster - Playstation 3.

Sims' dual-threat action propelled him to 210 yards and two touchdowns but, surprising to even Missouri head coach Calvin Smith, two interceptions by senior defensive back EJ Gaines.

Gaines' second interception came on the second play of the third quarter on 2nd and 5 when Sims misread a route by Amari Cooper and took the ball 42 yards for a Tigers touchdown and a 21-13 lead.

"It's a lot different when McCarron isn't back there," Gaines said. "[Sims] was putting the ball right in my lap on both occasions. Christmas came early for me."

Sims regained his composure on the ensuing drive and found Cooper down the left sideline for a 32-yard touchdown. A 2-point conversion tied the game at 21-21 as both teams entered the fourth quarter.

Franklin struggled for the majority of the afternoon, especially when trying to hit receivers over the middle. His third interception of the day, second by Alabama safety Vinnie Sunseri, came when Franklin tried to hit tight end Eric Waters in the endzone. The Crimson Tide took over at the 13-yard line and got to the 38-yard line of Mizzou. Cade Foster's 55-yard attempt hit off the left upright and bounced inside to give Alabama a 24-21 lead.

The Crimson Tide, surprisingly, struggled against the running game of the Tigers, as Henry Josey recorded another century-mark day, running for 118 yards and two first half touchdowns. Josey carried the ball the majority of the final drive before Mizzou was set in position to win the game at the 2-yard line.

"All I kept thinking was, 'Play smart,'" Smith said. "I told him to keep giving Henry the ball and let him go to work. Only throw it if he needed to."

Franklin only passed twice on the final drive. The second pass was the biggest, calling an audible at the line with the clock running down, and found Green-Beckham one-on-one on the outside for the game-winning touchdown.

Franklin's final game statistically will be forgotten with those three interceptions. It was the touchdown on a rather off day offensively that will be remembered for a long time at Faurot Field in the eyes of Smith.

"I've said it before: If we were close to undefeated, Franklin would be getting Heisman consideration," he said. "He's been clutch all year long. I'm going to miss him, big time."

In Smith's first season as Mizzou head coach, he's beaten two teams ranked in the top-15, including the two-time defending National Champions. He's built the resume to get the Tigers great bowl consideration, now that they've found a way to get win No. 6. Right now, the Tigers are projected to play in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1 against Michigan State.

Win No. 7 could change that in a heart beat. To do that, Mizzou will need to take on arch rival Texas A&M, who shockingly loss to LSU, and fell to No. 8 in the rankings. The Tigers have a chance to play spoiler and could possibly knock A&M out of any contention for a BCS game.

Smith's response?

"I wouldn't mind playing spoiler," Smith said. "You know what? I'll say it: We're going into College Station and we will beat Texas A&M. We're going to be in a bowl game, and we're going to knock two of our rivals out of BCS games. We will win.


RECRUITING NEWS
Missouri has locked up a running back, but not Jon Johnson just yet.

Ron Jones, a 5-11 speedster from Oklahoma, has committed to Mizzou over Big 12 schools Oklahoma State and Texas. Calvin Smith has been going after diamonds in the rough with his recruiting, and Jones has good speed with the ability to catch passes out of the backfield on 3rd down.

The main target, of course, is Johnson, who now becomes the top prospect on Mizzou's board. It was reported by ESPN on Friday that Johnson ran a 4.25 40 during his workout the other day. His speed is now on notice, and Mizzou seems to be pulling away in that chase.

Season 1, Week 11: Mizzou Feeling Blue: Tigers Lose on Last-Second Touchdown to Kentucky

Kentucky running back Josh Clemons scores the game-winning touchdown with 3 seconds left to give the Wildcats the win over Missouri. Photo by Danny Webster - Playstation 3.

FINAL
Kentucky (5-4, 2-4) 31
Missouri (5-5, 3-4) 24

TOP PERFORMERS
Smith (UK): 27-of-34, 301 yards, 1 TD
Franklin (Mizz): 24-of-28, 257 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT

Josey (Mizz): 22 carries, 134 yards, 1 TD

Green-Beckham (Mizz): 8 catches, 106 yards
Shields (UK): 8 catches, 117 yards

Ealy (Mizz): 2 sacks (New school record: 12)


RECAP
Calvin Smith has hardly ever taken the blame for a loss. He did this time.

Now, the Tigers, and Smith, must suffer the consequences and pull off an amazing upset if they wish to be in postseason play come December.

After a missed field goal gave Kentucky the ball, Maxwell Smith led a 66-yard drive that was capped off by a Josh Clemons 9-yard touchdown with 3 seconds left to give the Wildcats a shocking 31-24 victory over Missouri.

"That was all me," Smith said. "No one else to blame but me. I cost us that game with my decision making. I let everyone down."

The stage was set for another last-second Tigers win after Kentucky went 3-and-out with less than 3 minutes to go. Running back Henry Josey ran for 36 of his 134 yards on the final drive into Wildcat territory. On 3rd and 1, Josey was stopped at the 34-yard line, and Smith decided to bring out kicker Andrew Baggett for a 51-yard field goal.

The wind, slightly in favor of Mizzou, gave Smith the thought that his kicker could make another game winner, about 25 yards further back than the one he made against Tennessee.

Only this time, Baggett came up three or four yards short on his attempt, and the ball went back to Kentucky with 39 seconds to go.

"Deciding to run on 3rd and short was a good call, in my eyes," Smith said. "Maybe we should've punted because I thought Andrew had the leg to get it through."

Instead, Smith and the Wildcats drove down the field in 36 seconds. On 2nd and 10, Smith found Rashad Cunningham down the left sideline for a gain of 24 to put them at the 9-yard line. On the next play, running back Josh Clemons scampered from nine yards out to win the game.

Smith finished the day with 301 yards and a touchdown, as another no-huddle offense torched the Tigers' defense.

"He can throw the ball well," Smith said. "In our defense, that's how we've been all year. It just sucks to lose like that."

Franklin had another stellar game, passing for 257 yards and adding to his nation-leading yardage total. Dorial Green-Beckham had a quiet offensive output, catching eight passes for 106 yards but no touchdown catches for the first time this season.

The star for the second week in a row for Mizzou was Josey, eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark: A first for a Tigers running back since 1998.

Josey's back up, running back Marcus Murphy, was injured in the first quarter with a separated shoulder. He's projected to miss the rest of the regular season, but could be back in time for a bowl game. That is, if Missouri can make it.

A win would've given the Tigers bowl eligibility, but now they have to do it the hard way. They'll take the next week off with their second bye, and then it'll be Senior Day in Week 13 when Alabama comes to town.

The defending National Champions will come to Faurot Field after they try to bounce back on the road at No. 25 Mississippi State. The Crimson Tide lost to No. 10 LSU 38-16 on Saturday, knocking them out of the top-10.

"It's all or nothing, now," Franklin said. "We're not fighting for a division title anymore. We're fighting for postseason play. And it won't be easy. But who said this season would be easy?"

Season 1, Week 10: Calling It A Comeback Again: Mizzou Comes Back From 16, Beats Tennessee

Missouri kicker Andrew Baggett kicks the game-winning 26-yard field goal with no time left of the Tigers' thrilling 20-19 win over Tennessee. Photo by Danny Webster - Playstation 3.

FINAL
Missouri (5-4, 3-3) 20
Tennessee (4-5, 1-5) 19

TOP PERFORMERS
Franklin (Mizz) - 17-of-23, 134 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Worley (Tenn) - 21-of-30, 262 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Josey (Mizz) - 28 carries, 139 yards, 1 TD

Green-Beckham (Mizz) - 11 catches, 91 yards, 1 TD
Howard (Tenn) - 3 catches, 89 yards

Ealy (Mizz) - 7 tackles, 2 sacks
Johnson (Mizz) - 4 tackles, INT
Randolph (Tenn) - 11 tackles


RECAP
Down by 16 points in the third quarter, Missouri's season and postseason hopes were on the line.

Then, the Cardiac Cats struck again. The Tigers have found life.

Thanks to two second half touchdowns to bring the lead to within two points, followed by a David Johnson interception with three minutes remaining, Andrew Baggett's 26-yard field goal with no time left capped off another incredible comeback by Mizzou as it defeated Tennessee, 20-19, on a snowy Faurot Field.

"Remember those snow angels I did in Gainesville? They were real this time," said head coach Calvin Smith. "This team is as resilient as any team I've ever coached. I've never seen anything like it."

The Tigers' comeback would've been much more sweeter had South Carolina and Georgia lost on Saturday. Both teams won, and Missou's chances at gaining ground in the SEC East were grounded for another day. But the Tigers (5-4, 3-3) are now one win away from becoming bowl eligible, thanks to another improbable comeback that saw Mizzou down by double digits at halftime.

The Vols jumped out to a 13-3 lead late in the first half, but a James Franklin interception gave the ball right back to Tennessee. That was converted into the third field goal of the half for the Volunteers to push the lead to 13.

"That was a bad read on my part," Franklin said, who had his worst passing output of the year with 134 yards. "The conditions made it even worse, but you can't use that as an excuse. I didn't have enough going for me today."

A slow-paced second half saw the Tigers do what they've struggled to do all season: control the clock and get stops on defense, primarily the latter. After the fourth Tennessee field goal, running back Henry Josey saw a lot of touches on the ensuing drive, which concluded in Mizzou's leading rusher scoring on a 6-yard touchdown to bring the lead to nine points.

Josey was quiet for the last few weeks, but has lately found his groove. He gained a game-high 139 yards and that touchdown, as the senior inches closer to 1,000 yards on the season.

"I'd like to think I do better in snow," Josey said. "That's the kind of game I needed to get my confidence going."

Neither team could pull away, nor get closer for almost an entire quarter's length of football. The Tigers tried a fourth down late in the third quarter, and while Dorial Green-Beckham looked like he had the first down, a rare fumble halted the drive and gave the ball back to Tennessee.

Green-Beckham later made up for that shocking blunder by bringing the Tigers back to within two points on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Franklin to make it a 19-17 game with 3:41 to go.

And it wouldn't take long before Mizzou had the chance to win the game. On the first play of the ensuing Vols drive, quarterback Justin Worley threw an interception to Johnson and gave the ball to Mizzou at the 34-yard line. A heavy dose of Josey got the ball to the 9-yard line in all 3:41, and Baggett's kick gave the Tigers an early Christmas present.

"I was hoping so bad to make up for that fumble," Green-Beckham said. "I wouldn't be talking to y'all right now if that were the case."

Despite the slow production in the passing game, Franklin kept his spot as the nation's leading passer, as he nears closer to 3,000 yards. Meanwhile, Green-Beckham inches closer to the school record in receiving yards set by Jeremy Maclin in 2009. He leads the nation with 1,303 yards, and tied for the lead with 84 catches.

Somehow, Smith said, no matter how bad one or the other plays, they find a way to make an imapct.

"One could be having a bad day, but the other could be ready to roll," he said. "They feed off each other so well. I'm excited for the prospect of what's to come for both of these guys after this year."

Josey only needs 104 yards before reaching 1,000, which hasn't been done by a Mizzou running back since Johnny Roland set the school record in 1998. He has three more games to get to that point, and so do his offensive counterparts.

But that's not important. What's important is Mizzou going to Lexington, Ky. next week to take on a Kentucky team that came within a few plays of knocking off No. 6 Texas A&M in Lexington. Both teams are fighting for a bowl berth at this point. A win will almost certainly get Mizzou in, but a loss would mean the Tigers have to beat either Alabama or the Aggies in the final two games of the year.

As for the thoughts of a conference title spot, still a long shot. South Carolina needs to lose to both Florida and Ole Miss, Georgia needs to lose one more game, and the Tigers somehow need to win out. If the Gamecocks beat the Gators or Rebels, then they'll represent the East in the title game.

Like Smith said last week, though, they're not focusing on that.

"We need to let the chips fall as they may," Smith said. "If we somehow get lucky, let's be lucky. If not, let's fight our tails off and end this year on a good note."


RECRUITING NEWS
Four more recruits have come aboard to Mizzou, and it's the ones they've been scouting for awhile.

Nick Larson, the athlete named at the top of Mizzou's recruiting class, has come on board to join the Tigers. the 6-foot, 180-pound Hawaiian prospect can play either side of the ball and depending on where he plays, he could start from day one.

"We've liked Nick for awhile," said Calvin Smith. "We've preached versatility, and he does it all. He'll be great wherever we put him."

Also coming on board is quarterback Damon Mitchell, a three-star prospect from Denison, Texas. There was a small chance that he could've declined the offer beacuse he wanted to be close to home. But Smith sees Mitchell at 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds as a possible Cam Newton-type quarterback.

Another athlete coming from Texas is Rich Johnson. At 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, Johnson played mostly defense in high school, and he could play any position. His strong suit, at outside linebacker, could play well for Johnson if Smith decides to switch to a 3-4 defense next year.

Finally, the second defensive back to come to Mizzou is Frank Hickman, a two-star JUCO prospect from Illinois who's very fast, and could possibly see a lot of time at safety with his zone coverage prowess.

Also, according to sources, a new four-star prospect has given indication that Mizzou could be his choice of school. Jon Johnson, from Stoors, Conn., has told people within his inner circle that he likes the thought of Smith changing his scheme next year, and that he could see himself being the featured back in the next two years.

Season 1, Week 9: Cardiac Cats Crumble, Mizzou Blocked by Gamecocks

South Carolina defensive lineman Chaz Sutton picks up a fumble on a botched option play by Missouri and returns it 70 yards for a Gamecocks touchdown in the second quarter. Photo by Danny Webster - Playstation 3.

FINAL 
No. 15 South Carolina (5-2, 4-2) 38
Missouri (4-4, 2-3) 31

TOP PERFORMERS

Franklin (Mizz) - 22-of-30, 355 yards, 2 TD
Thompson (SC) - 18-of-25, 240 yards, 3 TD

Josey (Mizz) - 16 carries, 67 yards, 1 TD
Wilds (SC) - 18 carries, 107 yards, 1 TD

Green-Beckham (Mizz) - 9 catches, 220 yards, 1 TD
Washington (Mizz) - 5 catches, 90 yards
Jones (SC) - 5 catches, 62 yards, 1 TD

Sutton (SC) - 1 Fumble Recovery, 70-yard touchdown
Clowney (SC) - 5 tackles, 3 for loss, 1 sack

Baggett (Mizz) - 3-of-3 FGM


RECAP
Down by 22 points mid-way through the third quarter, James Franklin and Dorial Green-Beckham went to work.

Big play after big play got Missouri back in the game, down seven points, within a four-minute span. It looked like another astounding comeback that was going to put Mizzou atop the SEC East with four games to go.

But that was the closest the 'Cardiac Cats' got. And now, they need some help in a big way to close the season.

Franklin had another terrific day throwing the ball with 355 yards and two touchdowns, while his counterpart Green-Beckham reeling in 220 of those yards. But the 38-31 loss that the Tigers (4-4, 2-3) suffered to No. 15 South Carolina (5-2, 4-2) was due to a plethora of things.

Head coach Calvin Smith just had to reassure that his top quarterback and wide receiver weren't the blunt of any blame.

"I swear, those two kids make my job a hell of a lot easier," he said. "Not that losing by seven makes it any better, but they got us back in this game. We just couldn't get stops when needed. Story of our season."

All in all, the Tigers played rather well by looking at the stats across the board. They outgained South Carolina 445-403, did another terrific job of converting on 3rd down opportunities going 6-of-12 and converted all four red zone opportunities.

The major difference? South Carolina made good use of its possessions, while Mizzou settled for three first half field goals by Andrew Baggett, all inside the 20-yard line. Meanwhile, Gamecocks quarterback Dylan Thompson threw three touchdown passes, who has been playing in place of Connor Shaw due to season-ending injuries.

Yet no play was bigger in the first half than with 5:29 left in the second quarter. The Tigers ran an option play with running back Henry Josey in the slot. The play was designed to pitch the ball to Josey with Franklin rolling to his right.

But Franklin was hit when he pitched the ball, and it went backwards about 10 yards before South Carolina defensive lineman Chaz Sutton picked up the ball and ran 70 yards for a backbreaking touchdown.

"That hurt," Franklin said. "That hurt me physically and emotionally. "That was an all-around bad play on my part. To think this could be a much closer game had that not happened."

With the Tigers down 22 in the third quarter, the thought of a close game wasn't relevant. Rain was coming down on the field and on the Tigers' hope to get back to contention for a spot in the conference championship game.

That's when momentum picked up. Josey took a stretch handoff to the right side and went untouched for a 27-yard touchdown. Followed by a 2-point conversion, it was a 14-point game.

After Mizzou desperately got the stop they needed, it took only two plays on the Tigers' next drive before the lead was cut to seven, when DGB beat the defensive back off the line of scrimmage on a streak route and went 71 yards for a touchdown. 31-24 Gamecocks, and the Tigers were playing the part yet again.

"There's a point in time where you know you have something special," Smith said. "We have that with Dorial. His size is astounding and it makes life tough on defense."

Mizzou had numerous chances to tie the game in the fourth quarter. Even when Brandon Wilds scored a 3-yard touchdown with 5:24 left in the game, Franklin responded with his second touchdown pass to Bud Sasser with 2:55 to go.

But the Tigers' defense couldn't get the Gamecocks off the field, running the rest of the clock for a victory that Smith said he should've had over his coaching idol, Steve Spurrier.

"We had a real chance to make a statement, and yet again, we couldn't do it," he said. "Now, forget about conference championships right now. We're fighting for a bowl game. And we have to climb real high for this one."

The good news for Mizzou is that "Hell Month" may have ended a week early. Mizzou returns home to take on a struggling Tennessee squad who is no longer ranked in the top-25, which was the premise of why the month of October was tough.

The Volunteers made headlines for starting the year 3-0 with wins against No. 7 Oregon on the road, and No. 19 Florida. Since then, they've lost four of their last five games and fell out of the polls as a result.

So, that's one good thing Smith has going for his team. But if they want to reach the conference title game, they need to win out (easier said than done), and need a lot of help.

"Right now, the goal is to finish the season strong," Smith said. "Hell Month is over. It's time to look at the big picture and see if we can finish big."


RECRUITING NEWS
Chalk up three more recruits coming to Mizzou next year.

Defendive back Jason Anderson, guard Tyrone Simmons and offensive tackle Chris Goins become the next batch of Tigers to join the den for the 2014 season. Last week, Joseph Pitts and Jerod Wiley became the first recruits for Calvin Smith.

Mizzou has decided early on to keep local with its recruiting, and Anderson is the highest-rated local prospect to sign with the Tigers. A three-star prospect from Maryland Heights, Anderson brings great speed to a secondary that needs it.

"Not only is he fast, but he can play man and zone," Smith said. "He's versatile, and that's what we need. I feel like I say that a lot, but it's true."

Simmons is another guy who Smith feels can be a gem. He's a bit undersized for the guard position at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, but he has good strength and is a decent pass blocker.

The one problem he needs to address is run blocking, where the Ballwin native struggled at during high school, but the fact that he can protect the quarterback is something worth noting.

Finally, Goins is a tackle who can play either side of the line and also brings a balance to his game with pass and run blocking. He also brings a lot of size: All 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds worth. If needed, he could switch to guard in a couple of years.

"Chris is one of those guys who I feel can contribute in a year or so," Smith said. "That mass he brings to the line is much needed, and whomever the quarterback is, will be safe knowing he's got him backing him up."

Five prospects will attend Saturday's game against Tennessee.

1) Nick Larson, ATH. Top prospect on Mizzou's board.
2) Damon Mitchell, QB. Scrambling quarterback prospect.
3) Tony Cross, WR. Four-star receiver with great athleticism.
4) Rich Johnson, ATH. Another one of Smith's gems with great speed.
5) Ron Jones, HB. Has become Mizzou's top choice at running back.

Season 1, Week 8: UPSET: Mizzou Beats No. 12 Florida in Triple Overtime

Mizzou running back Henry Josey scores the game-winning touchdown for the Tigers in the third overtime of their 51-48 upset victory over previously-ranked No. 12 Florida. Photo by Danny Webster - Playstation 3.

FINAL (3 OTs) -
Missouri (4-3, 2-2) 51
No. 12 Florida (3-3, 2-3) 48

TOP PERFORMERS
Franklin (Mizz): 28-of-39, 399 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Murphy (Fla): 23-of-29, 216 yards, 3 TD

Jones (Fla): 18 carries, 103 yards
Josey (Mizz): 27 carries, 82 yards, 2 TD

Washington (Mizz): 12 catches, 192 yards, 1 TD
Green-Beckham (Mizz): 11 catches, 163 yards, 2 TD
Dunbar (Fla): 7 catches, 52 yards, 1 TD
Burton (Fla): 4 catches, 52 yards, 1 TD

Roberson (Fla): 7 tackles, 2 INT
Watkins (Fla): 12 tackles
Gaines (Mizz): 12 tackles
Webb (Mizz): 9 tackles

RECAP
When Missouri lost to LSU earlier this year, head coach Calvin Smith looked up at the sky in disbelief.

This time, he could look up at the sky and fall on his back, doing snow angels on the sideline of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

In a game where the Tigers were once down by 18 points in the third quarter, James Franklin's 399-yard performance and L'Damian Washington's almost-200-yard performance rallied Mizzou back, and Henry Josey's 2-yard touchdown run in the third overtime capped off the unthinkable upset with Missouri defeating Florida, 51-48.

"That was the best snow angel I've ever made in 100-degree heat," Smith said. "Hell felt like paradise after that one. That was one of the best college football games I've ever been apart of."

A packed house of almost 90,000 Florida fans saw their Gators storm to an 18-point lead midway through the third quarter, and it quickly looked like the Tigers were to be dealt another humiliating conference loss. But after two first-quarter interceptions, Franklin settled into a groove behind his two favorite targets: Dorial Green-Beckham and Washington.

On 4th and goal at the 2-yard line late in the third quarter with Mizzou down 28-10, Franklin threw a fade route to DGB, and he used all of his 6-foot-5 frame to come down with the touchdown to cut the lead to 12 points after a missed 2-point conversion.

The Tigers were able to stop Florida on its next possession, and with 5:43 left, Franklin connected with Washington on a perfectly-thrown 41-yard touchdown to cut the Florida lead to 28-23.

"Those guys bail me out, week in and week out," Franklin said. "L'Damian was all over the place today catching everything I threw, and DGB is as reliable as they come. I knew if I got them the ball in the right spots, they'd deliver."

It wouldn't be long before Franklin called DGB's number again. After Florida extended the lead to eight points and Marcus Murphy returned the ensuing kickoff to the Gators' 30-yard line with less than 1:30 to go.

Two plays later, Franklin found Green-Beckham in the endzone for the second time of the second half on a 17-yard touchdown. The senior quarterback hit Washington on the 2-point conversion to tie the game at 31-31, and eventually sent it into overtime.

"Marcus hasn't been getting those lanes to make dangerous plays in the kicking game," Smith said. "He picked a great time to make something happen."

Both teams exchanged touchdowns in the first two overtimes. Tyler Murphy, who's currently the starter due to Jeff Driskel's injury, threw two touchdowns, while Franklin ran for two touchdowns to send the game to a third overtime, tied at 45-45.

The next five minutes during Florida's possession were described as the most tense moments of Smith's coaching career. With teams required to go for two in the third overtime, the Tigers needed a stop, and got it on a deflected pass by EJ Gaines in the endzone.

"That's something I never want to go through again," Smith said. "I almost puked five times during that drive."

Florida settled for the field goal, and Mizzou wasted no time marching down the field and eventually won the game with Josey's 2-yard touchdown on 2nd and goal.

Somehow, to Smith's delight, the Tigers found a way to win a road game during hell month, but they'll have to do it all again in Week 9 when they travel to take on No. 15 South Carolina. For now, Smith is happy the Tigers are sitting at 4-3 with two more wins from getting back to a bowl game.

And with the win, Mizzou is 2-2 in conference play, and have leapfrogged Florida to third in East. The Gamecocks come into this game at 3-2 in conference, and a win along with a Georgia loss to these same Gators could put Mizzou atop the East with four games to go by the end of next week.

"Never in my wildest dreams could we have imagined to be in this position," Smith said. "We control our own destiny right now in the SEC. Of course, Georgia is the only team standing in our way. But this game gave us so much confidence. We're right back in the thick of things."

RECRUITING NEWS:
The Tigers have locked up their first two recruits under head coach Calvin Smith, both JUCO players.

Outside linebacker Joseph Pitts (1-star) and offensive tackle Jerod Wiley (1-star) have committed to play for the Tigers for the 2014-15 season.

Pitts has the tools to be a successful gem for Smith's defense, which could switch to a 3-4 next year. The 6-foot-4, 239-pound linebacker from Jennings, Mo. has quality speed to chase down the ballcarrier, and was known as someone to have a good sense for how the play develops.

"He's a smart kid," Smith said. "We like his size, but especially his speed. The way he can move around like that comes naturally to him."

Wiley seems to be another gem that Smith thinks is a good project. At 6-foot-4 and 287 pounds, Wiley was one of the top-200 tackles rated in the country from Spanish Lake, Mo. He's a balanced lineman who does well in the pass and run, which is why Smith values him.

"In this conference you need to play both the run and pass," Smith said. "We're changing things up next year, and we feel he's a quality guy to bring along and groom."

Season 1, Week 7: Gurley, Bulldogs Dominate Tigers

"Hell Month" has begun, and Missouri feels like its in hell right now.

Head coach Calvin Smith has tried to motivate his guys to be ready for the start of this period of four straight ranked opponents through the month of October.

"Welcome to hell," he said. "Population: Missouri Tigers."

It was a field day for No. 14 Georgia (4-2, 3-2) on Saturday, led by Todd Gurley's 220-yard, two-touchdown performance with the Bulldogs cruising to a 38-24 victory over the Tigers (3-3, 1-2).

Add that with James Franklin throwing five interceptions during the worst game of the season thus far for Mizzou, and it was an all-around bad day on both sides of the ball. The Tigers gained more yardage than their opponent once again (456-394), but every interception by Franklin resulted in points for Georgia.

"I'm disgusted with myself," Franklin said. "To have the season like I've had and to throw it all away with a game like that is absolutely pitiful. We had the chance to hang tough with a good team, and I screwed it up. Simple as that."

Franklin completed 20-of-36 passes for 299 yards, but the majority of those yards came late in the game with the Tigers attempting a furious comeback down 21 points. Dorial Green-Beckham had another solid outing with nine catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns, but he was quiet for the majority of the first half with only three catches.

The 105 yards is the lowest output of the season for DGB, who continues to climb the nation's leaderboard in each receiving category and make a case for the Biletnikoff Award.

Despite a rough day for Franklin, Mizzou found its groove in the running game with Henry Josey rushing for 137 yards on 25 carries. The Tigers have struggled over the last few games running the ball with Josey, but Mizzou's offensive line did well in making running lanes.

"He's not the fastest, but he's one of the smartest," Smith said about his running back. "He knows when things are coming to him and how effective he can be when he's patient. When he's on, we're just as good of a football team."

Meanwhile, in terms of the Bulldogs' dominant running game, the hype surrounding Aaron Murray quickly shifted over to Gurley with his breakaway speed and prowess to find the endzone. The SEC's fourth leading rusher is up to 638 yards on 36 carries less than the conference's leader, Jeff Scott of Ole Miss.

Murray played well, going 15-of-20 for 188 yards, but the sophomore Gurley stole the show with the highest output from an SEC running back this season.

"That kid has wheels," Franklin said. "Just watching him from the sidelines, it was insane to realize he's a sophomore. He may be 6-1 and weighs 232, but he's got speed on him."

And now, it's time to hit the road for "Hell Month" when the Tigers travel to Gainesville, Fla. to take on No. 12 Florida. The good news for Mizzou? The Gators are banged up, and in an important way.

Florida will be without quarterback Jeff Driskel for the next two weeks with an abdominal tear, left guard Max Garcia with a broken wrist and sophomore defensive end Jonathan Bullard is out with a dislocated ankle.

Driskel suffered that abdominal tear on Nov. 28 in a 31-28 win over Kentucky. Junior quarterback Tyler Murphy started the last two games for the Gators in a 34-6 win over Arkansas, and a 31-26 loss to LSU.

"No matter who's at quarterback, we need to come out ready to roll," Smith said. "We need to somehow win. That's all.

Season 1, Week 6: Franklin struggles, but Tigers come back from 13 down in second half to beat Vandy

Missouri safety Braylon Webb forces a crucial fumble late in the fourth quarter to put the Tigers in position to increase their lead. Photo by Danny Webster - Playstation 3.

FINAL - Missouri 28 (3-2, 1-1), Vanderbilt 20 (2-4, 1-3)

TOP PERFORMERS

QB Franklin (Mizz): 20-of-30, 298 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
QB Carta-Samuels (Vandy): 22-of-35, 294 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

WR Green-Beckham (Mizz): 7 catches, 147 yards, 1 TD
WR Washington (Mizz): 5 catches, 59 yards, 1 TD
WR Lucas (Mizz): 3 catches, 57 yards

S Webb (Mizz): 5 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FF

RECAP
Defense has been the laughingstock at Missouri this year. Braylon Webb made sure that changed.

The junior safety has been quiet in every defensive category other than tackling, but Webb forced  an Austyn Carta-Samuels fumble with just over a minute to seal a 13-point Tigers comeback by defeating Vanderbilt (2-4, 1-3), 28-20.

"Defense has been a joke this year," Webb said. "We had to change that. Luckily, I made a few plays for us to win and that's all that mattered."

Missouri's offense has claimed the role of 'tone setter' through the first four games of this season. Yet even the hottest quarterbacks have to cool off at some point, which is what happened to Tigers quarterback James Franklin.

One week after dazzling the Arkansas State defense, Franklin got off to a rocky start by throwing two first-half interceptions. Add that with the running game getting off to a difficult start, and the Tigers were down 17-7 at halftime.

Then, Webb stepped up in the locker room.

"I told them that I was done having that pompous ass Carta-Samuels play like he's good," he said. "He's been talking smack all week and he was walking around like he was the Heisman winner. He was making bad throws, we just couldn't make up for those mistakes. We had to."

Carta-Samuels had made headlines this week saying that he was going to "dominate that Missouri Baby Tiger defense." He had almost 200 yards passing in the first half, but was bound to make a mistake at some point. Four passes were dropped by Missouri defensive backs, two by EJ Gaines.

The opportunities were there for the Tigers to realize they could get back in the game. Once the second half started and the Commodores took a 20-7 lead with just over five minutes to play, Webb made his play on 3rd and 11 to intercept a terribly-thrown pass.

Four plays later, Franklin found his favorite target, Dorial Green-Beckham, for a 5-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 20-14. Green-Beckham had another stellar game, catching seven passes for 147 yards and a touchdown, as he continues to climb the top of the NCAA leaderboards.

"That was the turning point," said head coach Calvin Smith on the interception. "After we realized we could capitalize on a turnover, we had all the momentum in the world. I was a man who felt younger than 40 ... 3."

The Tigers defense got into a groove and didn't allow a single point the rest of the way. It took almost the entire fourth quarter for Mizzou to finally capitalize on chances when Franklin hit L'Damian Washington for a 19-yard touchdown with 3:06 remaining to give the Tigers the lead.

Vandy's final chance to win the game was thwarted when Carta-Samuels was hit by Webb and the ball jarred loose, recovered by linebacker Andrew Wilson to the 11-yard line. Running back Henry Josey scored from 5 yards out  with 1:10 left to ice the game.

"That was a message to him," Webb said about the hit on Vanderbilt's quarterback. "Come into our house and see what happens."

Time to celebrate in the Missouri locker room will be short lived, because Hell Month has arrived. The Tigers could play four ranked teams throughout the entire month of October, two at home and two on the road.

The first of four will be at home when No. 16 Georgia comes to town. But the Bulldogs have managed to get by without the services of quarterback Aaron Murray due to injury. Murray will be in uniform and ready to go next week.

The senior quarterback and projected No. 1 overall pick in next April's NFL Draft saw his Bulldogs go 2-1 in his absence with an overtime loss to Arkansas on Sept. 21. He was injured during the opening week loss to No. 21 South Carolina, and junior Hutson Mason played well.

Murray returned to the lineup in Saturday's 45-28 beatdown of No. 25 Tennessee, going 24-of-36 for 322 yards and four touchdowns.

"We've got the projected No. 1 overall pick coming in," Smith said. "We know the challenge. I called this Hell Month for a reason. And he's healthy now, too. We've got to be ready. It's time."

Season 1, Week 5: Tigers Claw Wolves, Franklin Plays Superb

Missouri quarterback James Franklin runs in a seven-yard touchdown in the third quarter for his fourth touchdown of the day. Photo by Danny Webster - Playstation 3.

FINAL - Missouri 34 (2-2, 0-1) , Arkansas State 20 (3-2, 1-0)

TOP PERFORMERS

QB Franklin (Mizz): 27-of-33, 347 yards, 3 TDs, 1 rush TD
QB Kennedy (Ark. St.): 20-of-25, 214 yards, 1 TD

HB Oku: 12 carries, 110 yards
HB Josey: 25 carries, 80 yards

WR Green-Beckham (Mizz): 10 catches, 163 yards, 1 TD
WR Washington (Mizz): 5 catches, 75 yards
WR McCants (Ark. St.): 7 catches, 90 yards


Head coach Calvin Smith channeled his inner Dennis Green after Missouri lost last week, saying the Tigers wouldn't let Arkansas State off the hook.

From the opening drive, the Tigers didn't, thanks to James Franklin.

Being the most prolific quarterback in the SEC up until this point, Franklin completed 27-of-33 passes for a season-high 347 yards and accounted for all four touchdowns as Missouri (2-2, 0-1) finished off its non-conference schedule by defeating Arkansas State (3-2, 1-0) 34-20.

"This has been the most efficient this offense has been since I've gotten here," Franklin said. "I don't know what it is, but it's been about as easy throwing the ball this year as it's ever been."

Franklin isn't getting any Heisman consideration, at least not yet, for his play on a 2-2 football team. Yet, he's playing well enough to get that consideration. He's now 12th in the country in passing yards with 1,118 while completing a staggering 80 percent of his passes on 97 attempts.

His passer rating is still the best in the conference at 211.9, and fourth in the SEC with 12 touchdown passes to only three interceptions. It's an understatement for Franklin to say that passing has become so easy to this Tigers offense, knowing this team is a few plays away from being 4-0.

So why is it that way?

"I think the playmakers we have make my job so much easier," Franklin said. "When you've got guys like DGB leading the nation in receiving and Wash making plays, and even other guys who can start with any other team, my job is easy."

Dorial Green-Beckham has indeed been the main reason why Franklin has gotten so much attention. He's third in the nation with 37 catches and trails only Craig Wernick for the nation's lead in receiving yards and yards per game, but has produced in one less game.

DGB caught his fifth touchdown of the year in the first quarter on a 33-yard comeback route where he went untouched to give Mizzou a 14-3 lead.

"It's been a great year," he said. "I just use my size and know that I can use it to my advantage. I know James is putting the ball where he needs to, and I just do what I can after."

The Tigers went up against another no-huddle offense one week after the Hoosiers ran them out of the building in the rain. Red Wolves quarterback Alex Kennedy picked apart the struggling Mizzou defense by completing 75 percent of his passes.

Mizzou made a few goal line stands to hold Arkansas State to field goals in the first and third quarters, but it's essential that the Tigers' defense is the weak link of the chain a quarter of the way through the season.

"It's been agonizing," Smith said. "Luckily, we've found ways to get stops when needed, but in reality, we haven't found ways to remain consistent up front. How we only gave up 20 points the last two weeks is shocking."

The Tigers outgained the Red Wolves 445-338 although Mizzou ran 21 more plays than Arkansas State. The recurring theme has been teams finding ways to get their yards in bulks, and running the no-huddle against Mizzou has been effective.

SEC play begins full-time next Saturday when the Tigers play Vanderbilt before the beginning of the aforementioned "hell week" that Smith has dubbed. He's been saying that the defense has only a few weeks to get the kinks out before steam picks up.

"It's almost here," Smith said. "I've let the players know that this was coming, and it's going to hit them right in the face. We have to come out against Vandy and do damage."

The Commodores may not be ranked heading into Faurot Field, but they have something Mizzou doesn't: A win against a ranked opponent. Vanderbilt defeated No. 13 South Caroling back on Sept. 14 38-28, on the road.

Mizzou will get a chance against senior quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels, who has thrown for 246 yards per game, but Vandy's leading rusher and passer has completed only 49 percent of his passes. The Tigers need to be ready for another dual-threat quarterback if they hope for their first conference win of the year."

"The good news: Carta-Samuels can't throw," Smith said. "The bad news, he can run well. We need to be tested against these dual threats. Only way to do that? Beat them."

Season 1, Week 4: Mizzou Stuck In Rain Again, Lose to Hoosiers

Indiana wide receiver Shane Wynn catches the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter to give the Hoosiers the lead for good over Missouri. Photo taken by Danny Webster - Playstation 3.

FINAL - Indiana 20, Missouri 17

TOP PERFORMERS

QB Franklin (Mizz): 19-of-24, 284 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
QB Roberson (IU) 16-of-19, 191 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

HB Houston (IU): 20 carries, 128 yards, 1 TD
HB Josey (Mizz): 27 carries, 93 yards

WR Green-Beckham (Mizz): 11 catches, 162 yards, TD
WR Wynn (IU): 5 catches, 67 yards, TD


Whether staged or not, head coach Calvin Smith admired a giant shoe that was placed at the podium after the game.

Without hesitation, he stepped in the shoe, and complained about the odor that overtook it.

"I don't know how this got here," Smith said. "But I guess this is what they mean by the agony of defeat."

Smith was thinking of another version of defeat when he stepped inside the randomly-placed shoe for his 15-minute press conference, but the defeat he saw his Missouri (1-2, 0-1) squad take in its 20-17 loss to Indiana (4-0) was even worse, despite another strong performance on offense.

Tigers quarterback James Franklin had another efficient game throwing the football, going 19-of-24 for 284 yards and a touchdown, but his two turnovers late at the end of both halves were the eventual backbreakers for Mizzou, who lost its second straight rainy road game by three points.

Late in the first half, he misread a route ran by Dorial Green-Beckham that was picked off by an Indiana defensive back, which dashed all hopes of taking the lead into halftime. In the fourth quarter, after Hoosiers quarterback Tre Roberson hit Shane Wynn for a 29-yard touchdown, Franklin led the Tigers to midfield with just under three minutes left, and he was sacked for the fourth time and fumbled the ball.

Indiana made a field goal on the ensuing drive with 1:06 left to put the game out of reach.

"Franklin played well for us today," Smith said. "Didn't get much help from the offensive line, though. We've just got to learn how to protect the ball better in crucial situations."

Mizzou's senior signal caller has been the most efficient quarterback, stats wise, in the SEC despite having lost back-to-back games by a combined six points. He hasn't thrown more than five incompletions in a game this season.

Despite the slippery conditions, Green-Beckham was Franklin's top target once again, catching 11 passes for a season-high 162 yards and his fifth touchdown grab of the season.

DGB's size and speed has been a problem for defenses so far. He's in the conversation as being one of the top receivers in the country as a sophomore, and he's on pace to break every Mizzou wideout record.

"The game has just been coming to me," Green-Beckham said. "It's one of those times where I'm comfortable with myself and am able to make plays."

The defense struggled once again to get off the field in clutch situations. Indiana ran its patented no-huddle offense for the majority of the night, and sophomore quarterback Tre Roberson had a stellar game going 16-of-19.

Roberson's partner-in-crime, running back Stephen Houston, made life tough on the Mizzou defense thanks to his 225-pound frame. Houston propelled Indiana with 128 yards and a touchdown.

"That guy is a tank," said defensive back EJ Gaines, who had an interception in the loss. "You couldn't just take him down with guy. You literally needed a tank to take down the tank."

Bad news: The Tigers are 1-2 rather quickly. Good news: They head back home this week with a chance to split the beginning of this four-game set when they take on Arkansas State next week.

The Red Wolves (3-1, 1-0 Sun Belt) come into Faurot Stadium winning two in a row after losing a heartbreaker to Auburn on Sept. 7. A win over the Tigers will be great celebration for Arkansas State heading into the first of its bye weeks.

For Missouri, it's about trying to regain momentum before beginning SEC play full time. The Tigers know they need a win to even have hope for a successful season.

"The Hoosiers are who we thought they were," Smith said. "I'm a man. I'm 40, and at 40...3, I know we need to get a win. We're not going to crown Arkansas State just because they have a winning record and we don't. We won't let them off the hook."

Season 1, Week 3: LSU Edges Mizzou On Late Field Goal

LSU running back Jeremy Hill ran for two touchdowns in the Tigers' 34-31 victory over Missouri.
Photo by Danny Webster - Playstation 3.

FINAL - LSU 34, Missouri 31

TOP PERFORMERS
QB: Mettenberger (LSU) - 15-of-21, 248 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
QB: Franklin (Mizzou) - 15-of-20, 249 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT

HB: Hill (LSU) - 20 carries, 91 yards, 2 TD
HB: Josey (Mizzou) - 18 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD

WR: Green-Beckham (Mizzou) - 6 catches, 99 yards, 1 TD
HB: Hill (LSU) - 4 catches, 74 yards

S: Webb (Mizzou) 11 tackles, 1 TFL
S: Loston (LSU) 11 tackles, 1 TFL



With the rain pouring in Baton Rouge, head coach Calvin Smith saw the ball fly through the uprights, and all he could do was stare up at the sky.

Missouri had it. But the defense gave it away.

James Hairston's 42-yard field goal with 7 seconds left was the difference maker in a back-and-forth affair that ended in a 34-31 victory for No. 9 LSU (2-0, 1-0) over Mizzou (1-1, 0-1), in a final drive that lasted 46 seconds after the visiting Tigers tied up the game.

"We felt comfortable with where we were after that field goal," Smith said. "It just wasn't meant to be. We fought hard, but we can't give up chances like that."

Both teams exchanged points for the majority of the afternoon, and the lead wasn't larger than six points. After Mizzou tied the game at 31-31 with 53 seconds remaining, LSU stormed down the muddy field of Tiger Stadium and got to within field goal range.

Despite the great drive that started on the LSU 24-yard line, Missouri's prayers were almost answered on 3rd and 11 at the Mizzou 25-yard line: LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger decided to throw the ball towards the endzone, right at Mizzou defensive back Randy Ponder.

In perfect position to make an interception, and an even better chance to run it out of the endzone for a good return, the senior dropped what he described as a "play that I should've made."

"I cost us that game," he said. "If I make that play, not only do we get the ball back, but I had nothing but green in front of me. That could've gone for six points, and we'd be talking a different outcome."

Ponder's right. Between him and the nearest defender was about 20-25 yards of nothing but open field. He could've taken it out of the endzone to either return it for a touchdown, or get Mizzou into field goal range for its own shot to win.

Instead, Hairston was given the chance to win the game and, despite Smith icing him in the cold rain, LSU's junior kicker booted the ball right down the middle for the game-winning points.

"Randy's going to beat himself up about this one, for sure," Smith said. "Yeah, he dropped that pick, but our defense couldn't make a play until they got deep on our side of the field. You can't do that and waste chances against a good team like LSU."

For the second straight game, Mizzou had trouble defending against a mobile quarterback who can also throw. Mettenberger rebounded after his average performance against TCU by going 15-of-21 for 248 yards, and added 66 yards on the ground. LSU running back Jeremy Hill scored two of the Tigers' three rushing touchdowns, as well.

One week after going 5-for-5 on field goals against the Horned Frogs, Hairston went 4-for-5 against Mizzou, with his lone miss coming on a 55-yard attempt at the end of the half. Smith had to take the chance on icing him, even though he was on fire all day.

"Anything could have happened, but that kid has ice water in his veins," he said. "When he made that kick, I just looked up and said, 'Of course.' I wasn't surprised. You make five last week and four this week in this conference, you're pretty good."

Yet the one bright spot that Smith and the Tigers can take away from this meeting in Baton Rouge is the play of senior quarterback James Franklin, who stats wise is the most efficient quarterback in the SEC through two games.

His quarterback rating of 230 leads the conference, and his seven touchdown passes tie him for third in the conference behind fellow seniors Tyler Russell (Mississippi State), Austyn Carta-Samuels (Vanderbilt) and Connor Shaw (South Carolina), and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M).

Aiding him get to that point is the conference's third leading receiver, Dorial Green-Beckham, reeling in six catches for 99 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

"Our offense, despite everything, has been stellar," Smith said. "James and Dorial have created an awesome connection through the air, and it's fun to watch. We're only two games in. They can get better, especially Dorial being so young."

The road doesn't get easier for Mizzou, especially with them having to stay on the road for another week when the Tigers travel to Hoosier Land to take on Indiana, who comes into this game on an impressive 3-0 start, albeit with wins against Navy and Bowling Green and an FCS squad.

And once again, the Tigers will be up against a quarterback who's not great at throwing the football, but the veteran defense will need to stop sophomore quarterback Tre Roberson from making an impact on the ground.

Mizzou will have two more non-conference games before it gets into the bulk of the schedule of SEC play against numerous top-15 teams, and Smith expects his players to use these next two weeks to prepare for what he calls "the hell period."

"It's coming," he said. "Before we know it, it'll be here, and there won't be anymore hiding. If we want to be a great team, we need to win these ballgames. It doesn't get easier."