End of the November curse?

I got back from vacation 13 days ago. I feel like I’ve been sick ever since. One benefit to the extended cold is that I am “forced” to sit on the couch all weekend to recuperate. All too often this season, football has been more about the stats and fantasy results than what’s happening on the field. When I watched Missouri dismantle Colorado last Saturday, the joy came back.

If this is the team that beat Oklahoma, I’m ready for my rematch. The Buffs couldn’t handle the Tigers’ spread attack, and more importantly, Missouri completely shut down Colorado’s offense. The game started in typical first-game-in-November fashion, when Chase Daniel’s slant pass to William Franklin deflected directly into a defender’s hands. CU took the ball 11 yards for the touchdown. I wasn’t too worried since Missouri scored four plays later, highlighted by a nice 72-yard completion to Franklin. A blocked punt turned into a Colorado field goal. It was 10-7.

Missouri scored 48 consecutive points. It was a dominating performance on both sides of the ball. Daniel hit long passes left and right. The play of the day was when tight end Chase Coffman hurdled a would-be tackler and went into the end zone. Coffman and Martin Rucker are guys I need to target in future rookie drafts for my dynasty teams.

If the defense continues to play at a high level, Missouri should easily notch their second ten-win season in history. In fact, if Missouri wins today, this will be their third nine-win season ever. In 1960 Missouri went 11-0, winning the Orange Bowl. There was a loss to Kansas that must have been overturned, since my source shows a W and a 7-23 result. 1969 was the last nine-win campaign (back when the regular season was ten games), and the team’s last conference championship. Finally Missouri has a team good enough that actually plays like it.