Missouri, Missou-rah

Missouri clinched its second consecutive Big 12 North title. Does this mean I need to stop making fun of Gary Pinkel's coaching ability? I suppose so, but I will not stop fun of him wearing a visor 24/7, including at night in a game when it probably was in the 30s. Missouri has defeated their Big 12 North opponents by 142 points this year, and we haven't gotten to Kansas yet.

Speaking of Kansas, can we call them one-year wonders yet? I feel bad for their Big 12 South gauntlet of Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Texas. Still, they lost to South Florida, who just lost their fourth Big East game yesterday by 33. Nebraska took them out. Can we finally admit for history that the selection of Kansas over Missouri for the Orange Bowl was one of the worst BCS decisions ever? OK. I feel better.

6-6 is exactly what the fighting Manginos deserve. Have fun playing Nevada in the Who Gives a Crap Bowl.

I don't know if there ever has been as much divisional discrepancy as there has between the Big 12 North and South. I think Baylor could finish third in the Big 12 North. They did lose to Nebraska. Speaking of falling from grace, Nebraska fans are going to be beyond thrilled to finish 8-4 this year. Between 1969 and 2001, Nebraska won at least nine games a year. The team will have to win out to win nine games this year. At least they're not Michigan.

I guess I was spoiled by last season and games like the 69-21 spanking of Nevada. Chase Daniel threw a ball behind his receiver and was intercepted. He was saved by a roughing the passer penalty. Later, a tipped ball was intercepted. While Daniel is going to break his school record for touchdown passes this year, the interceptions have been a lot more plentiful. He's going from Second Team All American to Big 12 Honorable Mention.

It's possible that Missouri will top last season's school-record of 558 points in next week's game against Kansas. Maybe the offense isn't so bad after all. In the four years I attended Missouri, the team scored 813 points. This year they should score more than 600. The Big 12 title game will be rough, but they're looking at a juggernaut like Cal or Arizona (both currently 6-4) in the Holiday Bowl, which is the likely destination even if the Big 12 gets two teams in the BCS. Who knows, maybe one of them will be Missouri. Watch, though, if Missouri wins the Big 12 title game, the loser will be passed over for a BCS game in favor of a team that the South champ defeated. Sound familiar?

Vanderbilt got a timely roughing the QB call to help them defeat Kentucky 31-24 last night to "clinch" their first bowl bid in 26 years. They were the BCS school with the longest bowl drought by 16 years. I'm actually amazed when a defender hits a QB after he releases the ball and there isn't a penalty.

Troy was ahead of LSU 31-3 late in the third quarter last night. LSU scored 37 straight points to win. Still, I wouldn't be popping any champagne.

It's Tennessee/Jacksonville this afternoon. My parents already got their playoff tickets. It sure seems early with seven games to go and nine weeks until a potential divisional matchup. The AFC Playbook guys picked the Titans. It's about time they got on the bandwagon. VandenBosch and Jason Jones are out, so the lack of depth could be an issue. Matt Forte ran pretty well in the first half last week then the Titans shut him down. What the heck. I'll have to pace myself to stay awake for the 4:15 start at the Don Funk Sports Bar.