My team isn't so far removed from 8 loss seasons that I should be critical of a win any way you can get it. That being said, beside the fact that Missouri won last nights game in incredibly dramatic fashion, it just feels like something of a hollow victory. Yes, San Diego State was 2-0 and had put up some great numbers offensively but they are still a middle of the pack Mountain West team that should have been blown out badly last night. The Aztecs scored 2 touchdowns on runs of 75 and 94 yards that were simply the result of a running back that refused to go down. I can't pin this on anything other than 2 lapses over the course of the game. Other than that, I thought the defense played fairly well and DC Dave Steckel called a pretty darned good game. On the other side of the ball, there were some drops by receivers and some passes by Blaine Gabbert that were off target. These are college kids and I can deal with that.
However there is something at work here bigger than execution. Our offensive coordinator, one Dave Yost is seemingly in over his head right now. Things worked well last year when Danario Alexander was a threat to take any pass to the end zone. We still have a fine group of receivers, but none that is the home run threat that he is; last minute heroics by TJ Moe aside. And don't let me get started on the rushing game. The option read isn't working Dave, and how about a few more plays where the running back isn't in motion for 10 yards before we hand him the ball. Missouri has recruited some fine talent the last few years. It's your job to take advantage of their strengths and put them in a position to use them. It's not to show people that you're more creative than Dave Christensen. If what I'm hearing from a lot of fans (and donors) is representative of the Mizzou fan base, Mike Alden may be asking Coach Pinkel to make some tough choices at the end of the year.
A tough week for me prediction wise. I went 8-2 straight up but a miserable 4-6 vs the spread. For the year I'm 30-4 but a "where did the mortgage payment go" 14-15 when picking against the point spreads. I finally managed to get the kansas game right on both counts as they fell 31-16 against Southern Mississippi. I don't see anything bad about that loss on Friday night for the beaks, and God knows I looked for some. It was their first trip away from the friendly if somewhat weird confines of lawrence, and regardless of the conference they play in, southern football fans are loud and passionate.
The south teams are proving to be insanely unpredictable this year. I thought OU was preparing themselves for a national championship date in January after last weekends dismantling of Florida State, but then they allow the Falcons of the Air Force academy to mount a comeback before winning 27-24. Coach Stoops is going to earn his money this year just keeping his teams attention it appears. I fully expected Texas Tech to upset the Longwhorns in Lubbock, but UT managed a 24-14 win. Baylor plays the part of the Christians against TCU's best lions impersonation while Oklahoma State puts up 60 plus points for the 2nd time this year against a somewhat respectable Tulsa squad.
It sickens me to say this, but right now Nebraska appears to be the class of the conference after the absolutely drilled a decent Washington team on the road. I can't force myself to go anywhere further with this thought.
Colorado really surprised me with their 31-13 win over a Hawaii squad that had given USC all they wanted in week 1 and K State won Farmageddon 2.0 in much the same fashion as last year. I still believe the south will come down to Texas and OU in Dallas on October 2nd and the north will be decided in Lincoln on Halloween eve. But guys like Mike Gundy and Bill Snyder may yet make it interesting.
But that's all I have for now, so I'll see you all around Friday with my picks for next week.
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