(MIZFB)—No letdown for these Tigers, not last weekend. Missouri stifled Texas A&M defensively and battered them with the running game in a 27-6 win that has moved them into 13th place in both the AP and the coaches polls. Mississippi State, next weekend’s opponent is 19th and 16.
More important than that is this:
Only The Ohio State University Buckeyes have a tougher schedule ahead of them for the rest of the season than Missouri does. The gauntlet begins with Ole Miss Saturday night. The University of Mississippi is ranked ninth. After that it’s Texas, Georgia, Kentucky and Oklahoma. Only Oklahoma and Arkansas are unranked going into this weekend’s play.
Their only common opponent is Florida which won 52-28. Missouri goes in with a statistical advantage. Mississippi’s top rusher is Kewan Lacey who has only 230 yards. Quarter backs are within a yard of each other passing.
Here’s another interesting statistic: Missouri’s defense has recorded 13 sacks in the second half of the games, second best in the country. Offensively, Missouri is averaging 36 points a game, Mississippi is averaging 38.
Tiger running back Jamal Roberts became only the third SEC running back in the last two decades to rush for 200 yards or more in two straight games last weekend. He averaged better than six yards a carry. In his last two games he has gained 433 yards. His 828 yards puts him only seven yards behind the nation’s rushing leader, Dylan Riley of Boise State. He had ten runs of seven yards or more.
The only two others were Derrick Henry from Alabama. and Leonard Fournette of LSU. Fornette’s NFL career was shortened to seven years with injuries. Henry is the only player to have run for 2,000 yards in high school, college, and in the NFL.
Missouri has led the SEC in rushing three of the last five years.
(MIZHEART)—One of the University of Missouri’s top signees this year probably will never play a down for the Tigers. But he’ll be alive.
Johnnie “D. J.” Jones was diagnosed with a heart problem during freshman intake and last week suddenly was put on a transplant list. A donor heart was located within a couple of days, and was implanted in an eight-hour operation in Columbia Wednesday night.
He went to Mizzou as a four-star prospect, 161st best player in the country, and number 16 at the offensive tackle position.
(MIZBB)—The Missouri Tigers basketball team plays its first game in ten days. It’s an exhibition game in Manhattan, Kansas. There’s a pretty big problem, though.
They don’t know who will be on their roster. Two guys involved in lawsuits against the NCAA hope their eligibility for a fifth year will be granted.
The Tigers held their first Pro Day Sunday afternoon. Mark Mitchell and C. J. Gunn both took part although their lawsuits seeking eligibility for a fifth season are still in the courts.
Coach Dennis Gates wishes they had been able to decide on a fifth year as soon as last season ended but the rule that would have let them do it wasn’t made until they had moved on to pro development leagues. “My job is to make sure they’re developing and gaining the opportunity without knowing what tomorrow looks like, “said Gates.
Gunn will be in court this afternoon in Boone County asking for a permanent injunction allowing him to play this season. Mitchell had filed earlier lawsuit in Kentucky but now has one in Boone County.
(CHIEFS)—The Chiefs had a bye week last weekend. They’ll face the Chargers in the late afternoon game Sunday. The Chargers remain winless in five games. The Chiefs are 5-1).
Kansas City has brought back wide receiver Justin Watson and have signed him to their practice squad. He was with the Chiefs for three seasons, played 50 regular seasons, caught 64 passes for 1,064 yards.
(BLUES)—Hockey season has crept onto the scene while we weren’t looking. The St. Louis blues are 2-2-1 in their first five games. They play the Ottawa Senators tonight.
(CARDINALS)—We are gaining a new peculiar bird species in Missouri. Joining the St. Louis Battlehawks, whatever they are, next year will be the Ozarks Springbirds, another species John James Audubon never painted.
The Cardinals Double-A affiliate says it’s making the change to reflect “our city, our region, and our birds.” The new uniforms will look like these outfits modeled by obviously excited ballplayers. The first time the new uniforms will be used in a game that counts is next April 2.
The people behind the name change say it identifies their region, their city, and the team whose minor league system includes them.
Changing Gears:
(NASCAR)—Kyle Larson has expanded his championship points lead although he finished sixth at Charlotte. Instead of seeing his lead cut to thirty points by Christopher Bell, had Bell won, Larson nine points and is 49 points ahead with four races to go
Bell was despondent after finishing second to teammate Chase Briscoel, who picked up his second straight win and moved from sixth to fourth in the standings. Bell finished less than three-tenths of a second behind Brisco after running him down on the last lap and drawing even on the last turn when the two touched.
Bell has finished second eight time this year. NASCAR takes its show to Phoenix next weekend.
(Image credits: Roberts—Instagram; Jones— Threads; Springbirds—MLB;