ESPN College Football

Missouri's James Franklin had just 47 yards passing in the first half.

He had more than that in one drive that went 94 yards in nine plays to put Missouri up 17-10 in the third quarter.

He looked much more comfortable on that drive and has yet to throw an incompletion in the second half after throwing three interceptions in the first.

That included a pair of difficult throws, a 22-yard strike over the middle to Jerrell Jackson before a pretty, lofted ball over the top of the defense for a 25-yard score to Wes Kemp that gave the Tigers a lead.

Mizzou got a nice break on a bad long snap on a punt earlier in the quarter that set up the first touchdown, but Franklin has shown some great mental makeup in this half. It'd be easy to get discouraged after the kind of performance Franklin had in the first 30 minutes, and he did look uncomfortable before heading into the locker.

Since then, he's looked as good throwing the ball as he has all season. Certainly a welcome sight for Missouri, who's taken control of this game.

Oklahoma is one of the nation's best programs at turning a minor slight into legitimate disrespect and motivation, but Missouri receiver Jerrell Jackson gave the Sooners plenty of ammunition on Monday.

Asked by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch what made Oklahoma so tough at home, Jackson had this to say:

"I don't know what makes them so tough," he said. "Ain't nothing tough about them to me."

The Sooners' 37-game home winning streak begs to disagree, but Jackson's quote shouldn't be too surprising for a couple of reasons.

1. We've been down this road before. Before Missouri traveled to face Texas A&M at Kyle Field last year, reporters asked Jackson what he thought about the famed 12th Man in College Station. "It's going to be a wild game," Jackson said. "When we step out there, we plan on shutting them up, quick." The quote made the rounds quickly and served as fodder for delirious fans at Midnight Yell Practice the night before the game. In Jackson's defense, though, that's exactly what Missouri did, beating the Aggies 30-9 to send them to 3-3 on the year.

2. Jackson had a career game against OU last season. Jackson, a senior, is rebounding from a preseason injury, but he hauled in nine passes for 139 yards and a massive 38-yard touchdown to help Missouri take over the game in the fourth quarter. The nine catches are a career high, and his 139 yards are 3 yards short of a career high set against Iowa State. So, for Jackson, the Sooners really haven't been all that tough.

We'll see how this shakes out on Saturday, but make no mistake, his impact is very real. Oklahoma players were already quoting and retweeting his comments on Twitter, so he'd better be ready.

"Someone made himself bait with those comments . . Should of just shut his mouth," tweeted OU linebacker Travis Lewis.

Added receiver Kenny Stills, who every day goes up against OU's secondary, which refers to itself as The Sharks: "Lol Dude is shark bait..."

He's already a marked man for the No. 1 Sooners, who do have a physical bulletin board on which inflammatory comments physically are posted.

After Missouri's first drive against Arizona State, all De'Vion Moore could do was watch from the sideline with his ankle wrapped in ice.

The Tigers were down another starter -- they entered Friday night's game without six -- and a backfield with four ready running backs was reduced to one.

Two offensive linemen were sidelined, including starting center Travis Ruth with a sprained knee. All-Big 12 left tackle Elvis Fisher will miss the season after injuring his patellar tendon in fall camp.

Senior linebacker Will Ebner also missed the game after suffering a high-ankle sprain against Miami (Ohio), right before Jacquies Smith went out with a dislocated elbow. Kendial Lawrence also suffered a broken fibula, and Jerrell Jackson dressed for Friday's loss but didn't play because of a hamstring injury.

"This is my 21st year as a head coach, and I’ve been fortunate enough not to be in this situation. But we handle it around here," said coach Gary Pinkel. "Obviously, we’re a different football team than we were August 1st."

It might be a team forced to do some unconventional things in the near future to adjust. Receiver T.J. Moe gets some touches in Missouri's running game with jet sweeps and direct snaps, but that role might be a bigger one with 190-pound Henry Josey the last man left standing with any experience in the backfield.

"We’ve discussed that we can do some things with T.J. Obviously, he can do a lot of things," Pinkel said. "We’ll put plays in for him, hopefully from a preparation standpoint, just a backup."

Moe joked after Friday's loss that he could line up at running back, but Pinkel says more work will be available for 250-pound walk-on fullback Jared Culver, as well as freshman back Greg White.

"Big game, a big arena, he has not carried the football once. I did not want to [play White]. Bottom line," Pinkel said.

Missouri hosts FCS opponent Western Illinois on Saturday after suffering the Big 12's only loss through two weeks of play.

"We’re not going to have excuses. Players understand that people have got to step it up," Pinkel said. "We live with reality. The kiss of death to me is feeling sorry for ourselves or for anybody within our organization. We don’t do that here."

Ouch. Those are the losses that hurt the most for fans.

Missouri stormed back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth-quarter, but settled for a deep field-goal attempt late in the fourth quarter and -- in what's sure to be a controversial decision -- iced its own kicker.

Grant Ressel missed the 48-yard kick and the game went into overtime, where Missouri couldn't match Arizona State's touchdown and lost, 37-30.

Let's start with the nasty stuff.

THE BAD

• Argue the statistics surrounding icing kickers all you'd like. It's dubious if not counterproductive. But I've never seen a coach ice his own kicker, and unless Ressel explicitly asked for Pinkel to do it, I don't see the benefit. Additionally, Missouri went superconservative offensively once it was in field goal range, instead of fighting to get an easier attempt. Both of those decisions are ripe for second-guessing, and will be digested to no end throughout the week for the black-and-gold inclined. Outside of being embarrassingly unconventional, I don't see the huge harm of the kicker icing. I do think the Tigers needed to keep running their usual offense and ride the wave of momentum that got them there, rather than settle for a big kick from Ressel, who is usually reliable and a legitimate Lou Groza Award candidate.
• Ouch, secondary. It was out of position a lot throughout the night, and failed to make plays when it was in position several times. E.J. Gaines especially had a rough night, getting burned twice for scores by Aaron Pflugrad, who finished with eight catches for 180 yards. The secondary solidified late in the game, which was good to see, but Missouri took a huge step defensively under coordinator Dave Steckel last season. It looks like this year, with young corners, it may take a step back. There's lots of room for growth, sure, but the Tigers better do it fast. There are a lot better offenses than Arizona State waiting for the Tigers in the Big 12. Osweiler would probably be the fifth or sixth best QB in the Big 12, and he finished with 353 yards, three TDs, no turnovers and completed 24 of 32 (77 percent) passes. Not good.
• The flip side of those secondary struggles? Where was the defensive line? The Tigers are the most talented in the Big 12, but didn't look like it on Friday. It didn't reach Osweiler often, and where was top pass-rusher Brad Madison? His spin move wasn't working and he was quiet when Missouri needed him to step up. The defense was much better late when momentum turned, but Osweiler picked apart the defense for the better part of the night, in part because of the lack of pressure up front.
• Awful luck for Missouri at running back. Henry Josey was great (9 carries for 94 yards), but we'll see how long De'Vion Moore is out. He injured his ankle on the opening drive and didn't return. Missouri had four great backs to begin fall camp. Now, with starter Kendial Lawrence sidelined with a broken fibula, Moore out and Marcus Murphy likely done for the season with shoulder surgery, Josey may be leaned on a whole lot more. Those guys combined for 1,557 yards and 19 TDs last year, but two games into the season, only one is standing. Josey accounted for 437 yards, five scores and 76 carries as a freshman in 2010.
• Arizona's penalties stole the show, but Missouri was undisciplined, too. The Tigers had 11 for 114 yards, compared to Arizona State's 12 for 110 yards. Bad, bad, bad.

THE GOOD

• What a difference a week makes for James Franklin. He's going to be sporadic all year, but he's going to improve fast, too. He had some awful throws, yes, but he had a lot more good ones, and kept Missouri alive with a handful of high-pressure passes in big positions. It's a loss, and he didn't make a play in OT when Mizzou needed it most, but you've got to feel good about the future behind Franklin. His mechanics looked better, he was more accurate, and did a decent job of running when he needed to. Very good signs.
• Missouri needed more receivers to show up and help out T.J. Moe and Michael Egnew with a banged-up Jerrell Jackson in uniform, and they answered. Marcus Lucas had a huge catch in the fourth quarter to get the Tigers into scoring position, and finished with four catches for 87 yards. L'Damian Washington also had a big catch in traffic on a beautiful throw from Franklin to cut the lead to 30-23 in the fourth quarter. He finished with three catches for 39 yards. Six different receivers had at least two receptions, and Josey caught two for 51 yards. All good things for Missouri's offense.
• The offensive line looked rough late in the game, but without left tackle Elvis Fisher and center Travis Ruth, the patchwork line had a pretty good game, especially against a good front seven. Vontaze Burfict wasn't running wild, which is a nice start. The offensive line didn't play so well in overtime, but Franklin had room to operate for most of the game and wasn't rushed too often. Not great, but good. Like Franklin, they'll get better as they move along without Fisher for the season and whenever Ruth returns from his sprained knee.

Let's take a little look around the markets across the Big 12 after one week of games.

Rising: All of Baylor's everything

With Friday night's win over No. 14 TCU, Baylor jumped from a team that didn't receive a single vote in either poll to begin the season, to No. 20 in the media poll and No. 26 in the coaches poll. Who says moving games to Friday nights is a bad idea? It paid off huge for Baylor. After the win, quarterback Robert Griffin III made the short trip up I-35 to Cowboys Stadium for an appearance on "College GameDay" Saturday morning. The Bears were also named the Fiesta Bowl's national team of the week. Is there a hotter team after Week 1? And how much of that fire would be doused if the Bears had played on Saturday afternoon?

Falling: Missouri's outlook

Maybe more than it should, but the Tigers were unimpressive offensively, even if the blame for it fell too heavily on first-time starter James Franklin's shoulders at quarterback. But the fact remains: Missouri's offense isn't very explosive, and won't be more explosive with the loss of its biggest home-run hitter, Kendial Lawrence. Lawrence raced for a 71-yard touchdown against Texas Tech last year. He broke his fibula on Saturday, and the Tigers will be without defensive end Jacquies Smith, linebacker Will Ebner, left tackle Elvis Fisher, center Travis Ruth and wide receiver Jerrell Jackson when they play Arizona State on Friday. All were starters.

Rising: Darrin Moore

I'm not going to use the "M-C" word about the Texas Tech senior who was a junior college transfer, but was Saturday night the beginning of something huge? I wouldn't rule it out. How many players in the country can rack up 12 catches, 221 yards and a touchdown against anyone? Yeah, it was against Texas State, but Justin Blackmon had eight catches for 125 yards and three touchdowns against Washington State last year. At 6-foot-4, and 214 pounds, keep an eye on Moore.

Falling: Skepticism around Texas' return to prominence

Count me among those that is starting to become a believer. I don't think BYU will be as good as I thought they'd be this offseason, but I'm starting to come around on the Longhorns this year. I thought they'd have more success running the ball than most people thought, but the emergence of Jaxon Shipley is a huge deal for them, and gives Garrett Gilbert even more help. So, here's my pledge, Texas: Beat BYU, and you're in my top 25. Blow them out? In my top 20.

A few teams across the Big 12 updated their depth charts in preparation for the season. Here's what you ought to know.

KANSAS STATE

• Bill Snyder's depth chart for the team's game notes heading into next week's game against Eastern Kentucky? A work of art.
• Snyder said he'll be releasing the depth chart tomorrow. More later on the Wildcats.

OKLAHOMA

• Oklahoma didn't have any huge surprises, but the biggest news: Jamell Fleming has officially reclaimed his spot above Gabe Lynn at the boundary corner spot, despite missing all of spring practice after leaving the university.
• Three true freshmen also broke the lineup. Kameel Jackson will back up Trey Franks at receiver, and recently added linebacker Kellen Jones is a co-backup with Jaydan Bird behind Tom Wort at middle linebacker. Nila Kasitati is a co-backup behind Tyler Evans at right guard.
• Doubt the committee approach at running back? Brennan Clay, Dominique Whaley and Roy Finch are all co-starters at the position. Finch is listed last on that group, but we'll see how carries are distributed in Week 1 vs. Tulsa. Whaley is a walk-on who has had big days in the spring game the past two seasons.
• Ronnell Lewis is listed as the starter at defensive end, but the university has yet to officially clarify his eligibility status. Kenny Stills is likely suspended for Saturday's game after an offseason arrest, but he's listed as the starter at receiver.

TEXAS TECH

• Texas Tech has pair of hyped defensive linemen, and both cracked the two-deep. Leon Mackey, a juco transfer, will start at defensive end in Week 1 for the Red Raiders against Texas State. Meanwhile, former UNC signee and recently cleared true freshman Delvon Simmons will back up Kerry Hyder at defensive tackle in Chad Glasgow's 4-2-5 scheme, fresh from TCU.
• Glasgow will lean on a true freshman for one of his two linebacker spots. Blake Dees had a huge impact in the spring and solidified his starting spot during fall camp.
• Receiver Marcus Kennard, a juco transfer, looks like he'll redshirt after not showing up on the two-deep, but Darrin Moore will grab the Z receiver spot for the Red Raiders.

OKLAHOMA STATE

• The rumors have been officially proven correct at Oklahoma State: The Cowboys return all five starters on the offensive line, but juco transfer Michael Bowie has crashed the starting lineup at left tackle. He'll replace Nick Martinez, who'll back up Lane Taylor at right guard now. The Cowboys offensive line is the league's best, and clearly, Bowie's hyped arrival gives it a whole lot more than depth.
• Justin Gilbert has officially usurped Devin Hedgepeth as the corner opposite Brodrick Brown. No surprise there. Gilbert's ceiling is sky high.
• Caleb Lavey was the likely starter at the spot, but he'll officially start the year as Orie Lemon's replacement at middle linebacker, where he began spring camp.

MISSOURI

• Justin Britt replaces Elvis Fisher at left tackle. The sophomore had been inside, but the team saw him moving outside eventually. He'll take that spot now with Fisher out for the season with a torn patellar tendon.
• Hyped juco transfer Sheldon Richardson? Fifth on the depth chart no more. The recently cleared big man moved to No. 2 at defensive tackle behind Terrell Resonno.
• Center Travis Ruth is out for the opener against Miami (OH). Jayson Palmgren fills his void.
• Starting corner Kip Edwards is doubtful. Trey Hobson is listed as the starter.
• Receiver Jerrell Jackson is also doubtful. Marcus Lucas will get the nod if Jackson can't go.
• True freshman Corbin Berkstresser grabbed the No. 3 quarterback spot behind James Franklin and returning backup Jimmy Costello, who left the team and planned to join the Army, but re-joined after Tyler Gabbert's transfer.

IOWA STATE

• Iowa State made it official on paper: Steele Jantz is the starting quarterback. His backfield? Crowded, but led by Shontrelle Johnson, as expected.
• I'm not sure if it means he's playing for sure just yet, but Darius Reynolds is listed as the starter at one of the three receiver spots, despite suffering a broken toe earlier in fall camp.
• A.J. Klein, meanwhile, has moved to middle linebacker next to weak side linebacker Jake Knott. Matt Tau'fo'ou started at middle linebacker spot last year, but after suffering a broken leg, he's backing up Klein in the middle. C.J. Morgan, a freshman, takes over at strong side. I haven't seen Morgan play, but at 207 pounds vs. Klein's 243, he'd presumably offer some more, much-needed speed at the position. Jacob Lattimer? Starting at defensive end, despite a March arrest and suspension.

Moving on in our rankings of the top 10 at each position in the Big 12 entering 2011.

Here are the top 10s you've missed so far:

• Quarterbacks
• Running backs

There's no question that receiver is the strongest position for the Big 12, which has the most talent at the position of any conference in America. Considering the lack of elite talents on the defensive line and at cornerback in this league, look for these guys to put up big numbers this season.

1. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State: Blackmon's big year met a big finish, earning him the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver. He'll be the favorite again this year thanks to his quarterback's decision to return. Last season he had 111 catches for 1,782 yards and 20 touchdowns. His touchdown and yardage numbers led the nation in 2010, and he also topped our ranking of the Big 12's top 25 players in 2010.

2. Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma: Broyles lost his spot as the Big 12's top receiver, but he's still a Biletnikoff finalist and my pick as the nation's No. 2 receiver, right behind Blackmon. Broyles led the nation with 131 catches a season ago, turning them into 1,620 yards and 14 scores as a valuable piece of the Sooners' passing game, long and short. Broyles (5-foot-10, 188 pounds) doesn't have Blackmon's size (6-foot-1, 215 pounds), but what he lacks in the ability to muscle up defenders, he possesses in a feel for space and precision route-running.

3. Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M: Fuller might get more attention if he played in another league, but he's sadly a bit overlooked in the Big 12 behind Broyles and Blackmon, doomed to difficulty earning All-Big 12 first-team honors, despite being the first Texas A&M receiver to ever record a 1,000-yard season and staking a solid claim as one of college football's top five receivers. Look for Fuller to top his 1,066 yards, 72 catches and 12 scores this year.

4. T.J. Moe, Missouri: This fourth spot is close, but I went with Moe, who lacks the physical speed and strength of Kendall Wright, but has perhaps unrivaled sense for space among any receiver in the Big 12, save Broyles. Just 19 attempts separated Missouri and Baylor's passing offenses, but Moe caught 14 more passes than Wright and accounted for almost 100 more yards, catching just one fewer touchdown. You could make a case for Wright at No. 4, but I'm going with Moe for now.

5. Kendall Wright, Baylor: He's the top target for Robert Griffin III, and if Josh Gordon's suspension carries through the season opener, the Bears will need a big game from the 5-foot-10, 190-pounder to beat TCU. He's topped 50 catches and 600 yards in each of the past three seasons with constant improvement, but 2011 might be the year he finally tops the 1,000-yard mark.

6. Kenny Stills, Oklahoma: Stills is one of two sophomores on this list, and no other freshman receivers in 2010 really came close to his production. Stills showed lots of promise in spring and fall camp after enrolling early, and finished with 786 yards and five touchdowns on 61 catches, entrenching himself as the Sooners' No. 2 target and the heir apparent to Broyles, who will be a senior in 2011. Much bigger things should be ahead for Stills.

7. Ryan Swope, Texas A&M: Swope proved a huge complement to Fuller, hauling in some of the biggest catches of the season for the Aggies, including touchdowns against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. He finished with 825 yards and four touchdowns on 72 receptions, and should be poised for similar production in a similar role this season.

8. Josh Cooper, Oklahoma State: Cooper gets overlooked with the amount of talent in the Big 12, but he was a huge part of Oklahoma State's passing game last season, catching 68 passes for 736 yards and five touchdowns. He might have to hold off teammate Hubert Anyiam for touches in 2011 to remain on this list, but for now, Cooper gets some recognition for a job well done that not enough people saw.

9. Alex Torres, Texas Tech: Torres' numbers (39 rec, 481 yards, 3 TD) took a tumble in 2010, but I give him the benefit of the doubt and keep him on this list after battling through a frustrating back injury for the majority of his sophomore season. He's got tons of promise, and as long as he stays healthy, should get plenty of opportunities as a junior in 2011 after the Red Raiders lost both of their top two receivers from last season's team.

10. Mike Davis, Texas: Davis needs help from his offensive line and especially his quarterback (whoever it ends up being), but he was impressive enough to become one of the Longhorns' top receivers as just a freshman, catching 47 passes for 478 yards and a pair of touchdowns. If Texas' offense improves, look for Davis' numbers to skyrocket and flirt with 1,000 yards.

Just missed: Josh Gordon, Baylor; Jerrell Jackson, Missouri

The Big 12 might be weak at the top of the running back heap, but it's definitely not at receiver. The conference has at least three of the top five receivers in the country, and the top two. They highlight a very strong group of receivers across the league, and I continue our position rankings with receivers today.

Remember that depth plays a big part of these rankings. We'll be ranking the top 10 individuals at each position later on before the season begins.

Other position rankings:

• Quarterbacks
• Running backs

1. Oklahoma

The Sooners have the nation's No. 2 receiver, Ryan Broyles, but found a handful of others to surround him in 2010 and should have a couple more in 2011. Sophomore Kenny Stills broke Broyles' freshman receiving record and looks like a budding star. Dejuan Miller came on strong before a season-ending knee injury, but he's back. The Sooners lose Cameron Kenney, but Trey Franks had a strong freshman campaign, and freshmen Justin McCay (redshirt) and Trey Metoyer could provide even more playmakers.

2. Oklahoma State

The Cowboys boast the returning Biletnikoff Award winner and 2011 favorite, Justin Blackmon, with a great group around him, too. Slot machine Josh Cooper returns for his senior year, and fellow senior Hubert Anyiam (the team's leading receiver in 2009) is hoping to return to form after being slowed by an ankle injury in 2010. Isaiah Anderson is a shifty speedster, while Michael Harrison and Tracy Moore offer a more aerial approach to receiving.

3. Texas A&M

The Aggies have the Big 12's No. 3 receiver, Jeff Fuller, who is arguably one of the top-five in the college game. But they also have the Big 12's most experienced receiving unit, with guys who won't be surprised by anything they see in Big 12 play. Juniors Ryan Swope and Uzoma Nwachukwu are the team's second and third options, but fellow juniors Kenric McNeal and Brandal Jackson could be bigger pieces of the offense in 2011. Tight end Nehemiah Hicks should see his profile rise in his coming sophomore year.

4. Baylor

Top target Kendall Wright will likely end his career as the Bears' leading receiver for all four of his seasons on the field, and 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior Josh Gordon looks like the new Jeff Fuller. Terrance Williams, Lanear Sampson and Tevin Reese round out the Bears' top five, who all had at least 40 catches last season, and all return.

5. Missouri

Missouri still lacks a proven big-play threat, but has two pass-catchers who have some of the best hands in the game. Receiver T.J. Moe and tight end Michael Egnew won't drop many passes, and combined to catch 182 for 1,807 yards and 11 touchdowns. Wes Kemp and Jerrell Jackson bring a lot of experience and both had at least 39 catches last season. If Marcus Lucas or Rolandis Woodland can become a consistent downfield threat, Missouri will rise up these rankings by season's end.

6. Texas Tech

Tech's top two receivers, Lyle Leong and Detron Lewis, must be replaced, but the Red Raiders have a few solid candidates to do it. Junior Alex Torres will likely lead the group, but fellow junior Austin Zouzalik and seniors Jacoby Franks and Tramain Swindall will be counted on for more production. Dark horse/juco newcomer Marcus Kennard could blossom into a household name across the Big 12 by season's end.

7. Texas

Sophomore Mike Davis and redshirt freshman Darius White are loaded with potential, but two of the team's top three receivers (James Kirkendoll, John Chiles) are gone, and no Texas receiver caught more than two touchdowns last season. Malcolm Williams and Marquise Goodwin are as different as two receivers could be, but both need to break out to help whoever becomes the Longhorns quarterback next fall.

8. Kansas State

Brodrick Smith will be back this season after breaking his leg in a loss to Nebraska. But two of the team's top three receivers are gone, leaving converted quarterback Chris Harper as the leading returner, though Smith might have held that title if he'd stayed healthy. Sophomore speedster Tramaine Thompson can make plays if he gets the ball with some space.

9. Iowa State

The Cyclones will be breaking in a new quarterback this season and they will need a playmaker to step up. Tight end Collin Franklin led team in receiving last season but he is now gone. Darius Reynolds looks like a possible candidate to fill the role, although incoming slot receiver Aaron Horne might rack up a few catches in space. Darius Darks and Josh Lenz should earn some more targets too.

10. Kansas

Converted defensive back Daymond Patterson is the team's top receiver, but the team's No. 3 receiver junior Bradley McDougald, moved to safety in the middle of the season. Tight end Tim Biere is one of the Big 12's best and led the team with four touchdowns last season. Chris Omigie and D.J. Beshears have some potential, and converted quarterback Christian Matthews keeps showing up in spring games. But all three, along with the rest of the group, would benefit from some consistency at the quarterback spot.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- I hope you've enjoyed our coverage from Mizzou the past few days. If you aren't one of my most faithful readers, here's a refresher.

• Continuing the QB tradition at Mizzou
• Missouri DE Madison an unlikely star
• Tigers continue growth in secondary
• Video: QB James Franklin
• Video: WR T.J. Moe
• Notes and observations from practice

But not everything fit neatly into those stories. I've got plenty more on the Tigers from my visit to Columbia.

Quarterbacks are the focus of spring for the Tigers, but there's no doubt, it's going to be a bit of an adjustment if James Franklin wins the job. That's no guarantee, and Tyler Gabbert has come on strong this spring, but Franklin is just a completely different type of person than the fiery Chase Daniel or uber-competitive Blaine Gabbert. Not that it's necessarily a bad thing. Offensive coordinator David Yost told me he wants each new quarterback doing things his own way, and that includes his demeanor and actions off the field.

"Blaine and Chase were different, and Blaine did a good job of not just copying Chase. He took what Chase did and tried to make it fit him and how he dealt with players, getting himself ready to play," Yost said.

Franklin will have to do something similar. Tyler Gabbert, who has come on strong of late in practices, is a much more heated competitor. "Sometimes you have to calm him down because he gets very, very 'on,'" Yost said. "He wants to make every throw. It’s great to have that, but you can’t let that affect the next play, so he’s kind of learning that."

Franklin is a much more easy-going type of guy. He's nowhere near as outspoken. It'll just be different. I believe it was Rene Descartes who said, "Different strokes for different folks." Seems to fit this scenario.

"I’m not too vocal as a quarterback. As a person, I talk a lot, but once I come on the field, I’m not as vocal. It’s something I hadn’t really done in the past, so it’s something I need to adjust to," Franklin said.

Coaches have told him that sometimes his silence, especially after negative plays, can come off as bad body language, so even if his head is clear, his actions have to communicate positive messages to teammates. Sometimes his quiet demeanor meant his teammates didn't even realize who had thrown them the ball in practice.

"They’d come back and say 'Hey, nice throw James' or 'Good call,' and I’m like, 'That wasn’t me, that was Ashton or that was Tyler," Franklin said. "To me, I’m thinking, 'How could they not know?' For one, I’m just a little bit taller and my skin is like 50 shades darker. But they’re just kind of in the zone, so if I’m more vocal and demanding of them, they kind of recognize 'hey, that was me.'"

The thing is, he has to do it naturally, and managing that balance will be a key for all three quarterbacks' development. Franklin can't just turn into an animated screamer overnight. That would only come off as disingenuous and be more counterproductive than anything.

"Being more vocal will help. Not only as a quarterback, but also as a person, because it should show you leadership and you demand things out of your offense.

• You get the sense Yost could talk about Blaine Gabbert and what he's meant to the program for hours. I'm sure he could. But when it comes to influencing younger quarterbacks, it's easy to see why. "You’d go up for room check [the night before road games] and Blaine’s sitting in his bed with his iPod in and his computer on his lap watching cut-ups," Yost said. "Every week. That'd be at 11 o'clock and at meetings the next day I’d ask what he watched, and he'd tell me. I'd ask when he got to bed, and he’d say, 'Ah, it was about 1:30.'" Franklin roomed with Gabbert on the road, and his younger brother surely saw some of that.
• Passing down lessons like that is nothing new. When Blaine Gabbert came into the program, he'd spend about two hours a day during the summer as a freshman with Chase Daniel watching tape. He wasn't watching the offense by then. He was looking at the defense. "Where are they moving? Backing up? Where can I get throws? When this guy does this, this opens up," Yost said. And because of those summer film sessions, "Blaine was way ahead of where Chase was in understanding defenses at the same spot in camp their sophomore years," he said. The idea, of course, is that continues with the younger quarterbacks.
• Speaking of Gabbert, Yost loved how he blossomed into a "quarterback" after coming to Mizzou as a "thrower." "He was a tremendous, highly recruited thrower out of high school, but he bought into becoming a great quarterback," Yost said. He did it by first learning how to study film from Daniel and carrying it on once Daniel left and he became a starter. "People look and say, 'Well, his passing yards are down,'" Yost said. "But he became more of a quarterback because of how he prepared each week."
• Part of the reason for that dip was Missouri's lack of a vertical passing game in 2010, which is are of focus this spring. Tyler Gabbert has the arm strength. Yost likes Franklin's deep ball a lot. But somebody's got to catch it. I did think it was funny that Yost cited my look at explosive plays across the Big 12 in our conversation. The number of plays longer than 20 yards didn't drop much for Missouri (73 in '08, 66 in '09 and 63 in '10), but the longer plays did. "We were still getting our 20-yard plays, but instead of having Danario [Alexander] take a 20 yarder to a 60-yarder, we were getting that 24-yarder. Even when you go back to 2008 when we had Maclin, the numbers were a lot higher than last year," he said. "Anytime you can get those, it takes off so much pressure. You could feel it last year. Guys were tightening up on us. We didn’t hit a lot downfield last year, and that was more disappointing than anything. We took some shots, and there were some games when we’d be at halftime and we’ve thrown the ball downfield eight times and we’re 0-for-8. Either we could have thrown it better, could have caught it, protected better and given him a better chance, there was a multitude of things. It wasn’t just one reason. But you hit those, it changes a game."
• Jerrell Jackson and Wes Kemp have the ability to get vertical, even if they lack Alexander or Jeremy Maclin's straight-line speed. The potential is there for younger receivers such as Marcus Lucas and Wesley Leftwich, or older ones such as L'Damian Washington or Rolandis Woodland who have had modest careers thus far. But someone has to do it. Missouri has the rare opportunity to bring back every single receiver on its roster from last year, and it added Leftwich, who enrolled early and has 4.4 speed, according to Yost. But for Michael Egnew and T.J. Moe to be their most productive, someone has to stretch the defense.

Signing day is exactly a week from today, and it's time to take a look at who needs what in its 2011 class.

Some schools have addressed these with their current class. Some haven't. Others are still trying.

We'll kick things off with the artists formerly known as the Big 12 North and examine the South later today.

COLORADO

Cornerback: Jalil Brown and Jimmy Smith were pretty reliable for the Buffaloes, but both are headed to the NFL, and the Buffaloes could definitely use some depth behind their first-year starters. It's not quite as pressing of an issue considering their move to the less pass-happy Pac-12, but they still like to sling it out west.

Receiver: Colorado isn't exactly starving anywhere on offense, but receiver sticks out a bit. Toney Clemons was good, but maybe not quite what the Buffaloes hoped he'd be in 2010, but they caught a break in getting Paul Richardson back after a great freshman season. The Buffaloes need some complementary pieces around Clemons and Richardson to replace departed pass-catchers Scotty McKnight and Travon Patterson. Next year, that should be tight end Ryan Deehan and receiver Will Jefferson.

IOWA STATE

Receiver: It's been a struggle for Iowa State in recent years, but they have to get better outside to help out their quarterback. Sedrick Johnson's transfer only worsens the Cyclones depth at the position, but Jake Williams and tight end Collin Franklin, the team's leading receiver, are gone. Shontrelle Johnson looks ready to become a big factor in the offense, but the Cyclones filling the space at receiver will make it easier for Johnson to replace running back Alexander Robinson.

Safety: Both starters, David Sims and Zac Sandvig, are gone. So is the Cyclones top reserve at the position, Michael O'Connell. Sims was a top-notch talent that will be tough to replace, but Iowa State needs more depth here. They should be solid at corner with Leonard Johnson, Ter'ran Benton, Jeremy Reeves and Anthony Young, which could make the new safeties' jobs easier.

KANSAS

Defensive line: KU is losing three of four starters on the line, including the team's only All-Big 12 talent, defensive end Jake Laptad. Turner Gill wants more speed, and this is a place to install it. Tackles that tip the scales at 320 pounds aren't too necessary in this league, but speed on the edge can go a long way in stopping the pass.

Quarterback: Neither Jordan Webb or Quinn Mecham look like long-term answers at quarterback for the Jayhawks. Mecham will be a senior, and Webb might develop into a better player as a sophomore next year, but Kansas needs other options. The Jayhawks hope Brock Berglund, the top-rated recruit in Colorado, is the solution to the problem.

KANSAS STATE

Running back: I hear your cries for Bryce Brown, Wildcats fans, but K-State can't expect to hitch their wagon to the former blue-chip recruit turned Tennessee transfer in the same way it did for Daniel Thomas. Thomas and his backup, William Powell, are gone, and the Wildcats need some depth at running back to show up.

Interior offensive linemen: K-State loses both guards and its center from an offense that produced the Big 12's leading rusher in 2010. Don't expect them to do it again in 2011 without Wade Weibert, Kenneth Mayfield and Zach Kendall, as well as Thomas and Powell, but finding some new talent behind them will help them come close.

Cornerback: David Garrett emerged as a budding star in 2010 ready for a breakout senior year in 2011, but the Wildcats lose Terrance Sweeney and Stephen Harrison, as well as safety Troy Butler. Like we've mentioned earlier, good secondaries are a must for success in the Big 12, and K-State had one of the league's worst in 2010.

MISSOURI

Receiver: Missouri has some good ones ready to suit up in 2011, namely Wes Kemp, Jerrell Jackson and T.J. Moe, but the Tigers don't have a true gamebreaker. They have some younger players in Marcus Lucas and Jimmie Hunt who they hope will develop into big-time, All-American caliber receivers, a la Jeremy Maclin and Danario Alexander. In Missouri's system, though, adding a few receivers is always a good idea. They certainly don't need any more running backs.

Defensive backs: Mizzou doesn't have any huge holes that need to be filled with recruiting, but the Tigers lose both corners, Carl Gettis and Kevin Rutland from their 2010 team. Kip Edwards and E.J. Gaines look likely to fill those roles, but the Tigers could use some depth and keep recruiting in the secondary to help add some talent around Tavon Bolden and Matt White, safeties who will replace departed Jarrell Harrison, who actually had to play some linebacker in 2010 because of injuries.

NEBRASKA

Every kind of kicker: Alex Henery, the team's punter and kicker is gone. So is kickoff specialist and lover/producer of touchbacks, Adi Kunalic. Fan favorite Henery was hardly underappreciated by the Nebraska faithful, but they'll miss him even more if the Huskers can't find a suitable placekicker and punter. Bo Pelini was reportedly after Wake Forest commit Mauro Bondi this week.

Receiver: Niles Paul and Mike McNeill are gone. The Huskers need Brandon Kinnie to come through with another good year and it'd be nice if Quincy Enunwa broke through in 2011, but Taylor Martinez needs some more help at wide out, and a couple new recruits could provide it as Martinez's passing prowess matures.

You saw my top moments and my top games on Tuesday. Then I turned it over to you guys. Plenty of good stuff. Here's what you had to say:

A hint: One game was a recurring theme.

Dan in St. Louis writes: Dave, Don't know you could leave Mizzou-Oklahoma off your best moments or best games list. It was the best college gameday turnout EVER followed by one of the best games of the season, and the post-game antics were nothing short of ridiculous. The overhead shots of a field filled with black and gold were part of every college football montage throughout the season. You can't put the Moe Miracle on your list but not this game. You just can't.

Andrew in St. Louis writes: For your top ten moments of the year, absent was anything from the Mizzou-Oklahoma game on October 23rd. One that sticks out to me is the Gahn McGaffie taking the opening kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. It was an electrifying moment for the crowd, and it led Missouri to a huge victory over the top team in the country.

Spencer in Columbia, Mo., writes: No doubt about it, OU vs. Mizzou for the 99th edition of true Homecoming!!! Largest College Gameday crowd ever, McGaffey's return on the opening kickoff, Jackson's TD catch in the fourth to seal it, rushing Faurot and carrying the goalpost to Harpo's!!!!

Josh in Kansas City writes: David, how in the world do you not put the Oklahoma-Missouri game in either your top 10 moments or top 5 games of 2010? No. 1 in the country is upset, record-breaking crowd at College Gameday, and huge leap forward for the Missouri football team?! Not to mention one heck of a game to watch! I wouldn't expect it to be number 1, but to not have an appearance in crazy!

My take: The people have spoken. The McGaffie kick return is the one moment that sticks out from that game, so it probably deserved a spot on the list. It took an already amped crowd to the next level and really made it clear early on: Missouri could win that game. And it did. The main reason I left it off the list of games is because the game itself didn't have a great finish, which most of the others on the list did. It probably deserved a spot on the moments list, but the losses to Nebraska and Texas Tech kind of eliminated Missouri's chances to have a special season, so the game sort of stands alone as a singular moment, rather than a moment that marked a turning point in a season. If you look at the other moments on the list, they each fit that criteria, minus the tip drill at Bedlam, which was just an unbelievable play.

---

Moving on...

Curtis in Washington, D.C., writes: I'd have to group the back-and-forth 92 seconds of the Bedlam Game as my "moment". It's been a long time since I yelled "YES!" and "NO!" so many times at the top of my lungs in short succession. It wasn't until OU stopped the kick returner after the Hanna TD catch that I calmed down enough to sit down and take a breath.

My take: I hear you, Curtis. As a writer who had to rewrite quite a bit of copy after every single one of those plays, I mostly just yelled (read: thought), "NO!" but it doesn't take a ton of perspective to see how fantastic that finish was.

---

Alexandra in Dallas writes: The Texas Tech-Missouri game was a pretty big deal for Tech fans. In the midst of a rebuilding year, Tech upsets #15 Missouri, while participating in the Wounded Warrior Project, during Homecoming. Easily the biggest win of the season, and the players waving the students on to the field after the game was the cherry on top. Just a special event all around.

My take: Definitely a huge win for Texas Tech. I particularly liked Taylor Potts' gesture after the win, giving a speech in honor of the Wounded Warrior Project, rather than answer questions about the game.

---

Wade in Fort Worth, Texas, writes: Top 10 moments of the season. Robert Griffin III taking a knee against Kansas State in a 47-42 victory making the Bears bowl eligible for the first time since they joined the Big 12. I know there are better teams, better plays, and better games, but ending a decade and a half of futility is quite an accomplishment.

My take: Certainly a worthy member of the list. But what about RG3 getting engaged a couple hours later? Where's that on your list, Wade?

---

Nick in Omaha, Neb., writes: Best moment, besides the remarkable Bedlam game, I would say it was Roy Helu Jr's 307 rushing yards against a great Mizzou team. 3 huge rushing breaks, with touchdowns on each. Best in my opinion.

My take: That first-quarter spurt certainly was glorious for the Huskers. What an unbelievable 15 minutes of football. Arguably the best of the year from any team in the Big 12.

---

Rob in Catania, Sicily (Navy) writes: As a die-hard Sooner, I am proud to say we won the most Big XII Championships and this last one could not have been any better. I respect Nebraska and their tradition and they played hard. I'm sad to see them leave, but what a way to end a rivalry! The game started at 3 A.M. for me and I had work the next day, but there is no excuse for missing the (potentially) last OU-Nebraska. Boomer Sooner!

My take: That's pretty impressive commitment right there.

---

Acee in Oklahoma writes: I may of skimmed through the lists a little quick, but I didn't see any mention of Roy Helu Jr's 300 yard rushing day versus Missouri. Wasn't that #1 in the Husker's rich history? What about the 13-12 rematch? How the Huskers hyped up their revenge game against a skidding Longhorn team with no offense, against the Blackshirt D in Memorial Stadium? All those ":01" and "10-16-10" shirts and hoopla. A lot of crow was ate that day.

My take: All good suggestions, but I posted this one for one main reason: Can someone explain to me people's obsession with using the phrase "eating crow?" It's not funny really at all. It's so overused that it's been stripped of its meaning, of which it had little to begin with anyway, but people stick with it. Anytime anyone is wrong about something, it's immediately the first phrase that pops up. Why? Can we get some originality or at least something new? It doesn't even have to be good, perhaps feeding someone a Shut-up Sandwich with Wrong Sauce. That's awful, and it's still better than "Eat some crow!"

Thanks. I'll leave my soap box to the next ranter now.

---

Keivan in Baltimore writes: Texas extending thier win streak in Lincoln. The Husker fans were gearing up for this game for 10 months and were ready to pounce on the worst Texas team in years, and simply couldn't get it done. Hook 'em.

My take: It didn't surprise me all that much at the time, but the further we got away from that game, the more unbelievable it got.

---

Gavin in Austin, Texas, writes: When Mack decided to clear house and start from scratch after our abysmal season. Beating Nebraska was a distant second, but amusing. That's all I got.

My take: Certainly all things Texas fans liked to see.

That's a crushing loss for Missouri, who looked like it was in complete control before a mistake by the team's best player swung the game in Iowa's favor. Here's some instant analysis from the Tigers' 27-24 loss.

How the game was won: Blaine Gabbert rolled to his left and tried to loft a ball across his body to Wes Kemp, but Iowa's Micah Hyde intercepted the pass and returned it 72 yards for a touchdown to put Iowa up 27-24 and provide the final score. Iowa's offense looked lackluster in the second half, but the Hawkeyes defense gave them enough to get over the hump and close the season with a win instead of a four-game losing streak.

Turning point: The interception was a big one, but T.J. Moe made what he thought was a diving catch in Iowa territory on 4th-and-6 with Missouri trailing by three and just more than two minutes to play. More on that later.

Stat of the game: Iowa's offensive points in the game's first 20 minutes: 17. Offensive points in the final 40 minutes: three. It's really that simple for the Hawkeyes. They rolled over Missouri early on, beginning with a dominant opening drive and a 62-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, but in the second half, Iowa looked sluggish and quarterback Ricky Stanzi wasn't sharp, throwing a pair of interceptions during the 40-minute stretch after tossing just four the entire season coming into the Insight Bowl.

Player of the game: Marcus Coker, RB, Iowa. Missouri's defense will head back to Columbia with visions of the 6-foot, 230-pound Coker for quite awhile. The freshman bruised the Tigers' defense for the better part of the game and racked up an Insight Bowl-record 219 yards to go along with a pair of touchdowns.

Player of the game II: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri. Outside of his inexplicable interception, Gabbert had one of his best games ever. Iowa's defense played a soft zone for much of the game before switching to man late, but Gabbert sliced up the Hawkeyes defense for 434 yards on 41-of-57 passing with a touchdown and a pair of picks. Again, the interceptions aside, Gabbert made good decisions for the majority of the game, had lots of zip on the ball and looked as accurate as ever. Receivers Jerrell Jackson (9 rec, 129 yards) and T.J. Moe (15 rec, 152 yards) had big nights, but Gabbert's arm was the reason why. The Tigers looked downfield more than they worked the screen game, and Gabbert delivered.

Unsung hero of the game: The crowd. Conflicting black-and-gold colors made it difficult to tell who brought more, but Missouri certainly helped its "our fans don't travel" perception with an Insight Bowl record crowd of 53,453. Iowa and Missouri fans both made lengthy cross-country trips to fill Sun Devil Stadium. The past three seasons have resulted in what Missouri fans could fairly consider slights by bowl committee, but in the future, the school can point to this game as evidence to the perception's contrary.

Second guessing: The replay decision late in the fourth quarter on Moe's catch. My gut says Moe didn't have full possession of the ball as he slid out of bounds, but based on the replays provided, it didn't look like there was conclusive evidence to overturn the call. Maybe the right call in reality, but based on the way the replay rules are written, the wrong one in practice.

What it means: Missouri suffers a second consecutive disappointing bowl loss. The Tigers were only a three-point favorite, but a loss to an unranked 7-5 team when a team enters a bowl game at 10-2 and ranked No. 12 never looks good. Last year, Missouri couldn't slow Navy's option attack and dropped a 35-13 game to the Midshipmen. For Missouri, the loss could pay off in 2011. Gabbert is a pretty even-keeled player, but a it's hard to see a competitor of his caliber feeling comfortable moving to the NFL with this kind of cap on an otherwise excellent career. The smart money was probably on Gabbert staying at Missouri for his senior year, but it'd be very surprising if he left now.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Tim Barnes remembers well. He should, he was there.

Missouri's senior center had -- in the most frustrating sense -- a front-row seat to Oklahoma's dominance on the line of scrimmage in three victories over the Tigers in 2007 and 2008.

Missouri left as losers, never coming within single digits of the Sooners, who celebrated a pair of Big 12 titles and a national championship appearance at the Tigers' expense.

"They pretty much handled us up front," Barnes said.

The quiet flights home from Norman and later San Antonio in 2007. A year later, the bus from Kansas City.

There wasn't much silence in Columbia, Mo., on Saturday night and into Sunday morning, following the Tigers' 36-27 win over No. 1 Oklahoma -- and there won't be in this midwestern college town for some time.

The Tigers' linemen on both sides of the ball are to thank.

"Our ability to run the football for 178 yards was huge. The offensive line played very, very well," said Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, who earned his first-ever win over Oklahoma and the program's first-ever win over a No. 1 team.

Blaine Gabbert completed 30 of 42 passes for 300 yards and a touchdown. Why? Well, it was obvious.

"He got a lot of time to throw," Pinkel said.

Way more than Chase Daniel got. The holes were bigger than the ones former backs Tony Temple and Derrick Washington tried to fit through. These Tigers won, and they did it by imposing their will on two Sooner lines filled with piles of recruiting stars that couldn't do anything about it.

This was a win over a No. 1 team, and it was a win over one of the Big 12 bullies that have tormented the Tigers, beating Pinkel 11 consecutive times before tonight.

It was a win for the program, and those players from the recent past were there to celebrate. Former receiver Tommy Saunders smiled amidst the sea of students on the turf, looking for someone to hug. Former linebacker Brock Christopher found one of his old teammates, defensive lineman Bart Coslet, and welcomed him with a huge, congratulatory hug.

There's no ceiling for Mizzou anymore. It left Faurot Field with the students carrying the goalposts to Harpo's downtown, celebrating through the steady rain. Players like Saunders, Washington, Christopher, Daniel and Temple helped Missouri reach that ceiling.

A new generation of players like Gabbert, Aldon Smith, T.J. Moe, Jerrell Jackson and Henry Josey helped shatter it.

"We wanted to come out there and prove to everyone that this year," Barnes said, "it was going to be a little different."

Message received. The defense held the Sooners to just 99 yards rushing.

Missouri knew this would be different early. The first time a Tiger touched the ball, Gahn McGaffie raced into the end zone on an 86-yard kickoff return. The first run from scrimmage: 20 yards by De'Vion Moore, longer than any other carry by a tailback in any of those three games in which Missouri failed to take its next big step as a program.

"We have a lot more experience and guys are getting better," Barnes said. "We wanted it so bad. I know for the linemen, it's just a little different for us."

It's different for Mizzou as a whole now, too, and Gabbert left no doubt as to what "it" was.

"I give all the credit in the world to our offensive line. They did an extremely good job winning the battle in the trenches," he said, "and that's why we were successful tonight."

The defensive line played just as well, pressuring the Sooners and hurrying Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones.

The only thing the Missouri defense seemed to do wrong all night was fail to take an interception return into the end zone, a pick only created by Aldon Smith's pressure on Jones. Smith tipped the ball to himself and had to settle for a 58-yard return into Oklahoma territory, swinging the game's momentum and setting up a touchdown that put Missouri ahead 14-7 early.

"We'll talk about that later," Gabbert said of the return with a wide smile.

Pinkel couldn't help but crack a joke at the weaving return, too: "He's always talking about playing tight end," he said.

Smith's return to the field -- one he later said he had to make against the No. 1 Sooners -- from a broken fibula, helped spur a line that disrupted Oklahoma's passing attack, limiting them to just 60 yards passing in the second half after 248 in the first. None of Jones' final seven passes found their receivers; one found Missouri linebacker Zaviar Gooden deep in Oklahoma territory, which set up a field goal that put Missouri up 29-21.

"Our defensive line did really, really well, and that tempo of offense is very, very difficult," Pinkel said of the Sooners' high-speed attack. "When you win games like this, generally you go to the line of scrimmage and that tells the story."

It was a different ending this time for the Tigers, a story in Missouri's history that will be retold for decades. But after Saturday's celebration late into the night, they'll wake up on Sunday knowing that what happened on Faurot Field on Oct. 23, 2010, is exactly that: history. And that story's ending has yet to be written.

"We play Nebraska next week," Pinkel said. "This isn't the national championship."

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri's big 36-27 win should vault them inside or near the top 5, and gives them sole possession of first place in the North, and with this win against Nebraska's loss last week, the Tigers are the favorite to win the division and the Big 12.

How the game was won: Missouri pressured Landry Jones for the entire night, and kept the Sooners from ever getting in a rhythm offensively. On the other side, the Tigers protected Blaine Gabbert and ran the ball well the entire night, far out rushing the Sooners.

Turning point: Down 26-21, Oklahoma's Jones was picked off by a diving Zaviar Gooden to give Missouri the ball in the red zone with a big lead. It turned that into three points after a successful hook-and-ladder for a first down and added a touchdown on the next drive to take a 36-21 lead in the fourth quarter.

Stat of the game: Missouri's 178 rushing yards. Without those, the Tigers would have been one-dimensional as they were in past games against the Sooners and likely have faced a different fate.

Player of the game: Missouri's linemen. As noted above, pressure on Jones forced turnovers on defense. A dominant performance allowed a handful of guys to make plays on offense, like Jerrell Jackson, who caught eight passes for 134 yards and a touchdown.

Second guessing: A pair of two-point conversion decisions by both coaches. Oklahoma's Bob Stoops one-upped Gary Pinkel with an attempt when his team was down by nine points. The Sooners failed and didn't extend the game.

What Oklahoma learned: It still can't play on the road or in the fourth quarter. All five losses came away from home last year, and the same is true of the Sooners' loss this year.

What Missouri learned: Let's keep it simple. The Tigers are the best team in the Big 12.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- This has to look familiar to the Oklahoma faithful.

Missouri took a 29-21 lead early in the fourth quarter after executing a hook-and-ladder a la Boise State in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl to set up a field goal that put them up eight.

Blaine Gabbert threw a pass to the flats to Michael Egnew, who pitched it to Kendial Lawrence. The crowd (and the cannon at Faurot Field) thought he'd run it in for a touchdown, but officials ruled him out of bounds.

If only Chris Petersen had called the play. It would have had to have worked, right?

The Tigers got the first down, but the offense stalled from there, and a failed two-point conversion on Missouri's previous touchdown, a 39-yard score by Jerrell Jackson, has kept the game a one-possession affair.

Zaviar Gooden intercepted Landry Jones' first pass after Missouri's first touchdown of the quarter to set up the second.