COLUMBIA, Mo. — Among the items in Missouri’s meeting room is a November 2007 Sports Illustrated cover trumpeting the football team’s brief stay at No. 1.
Glory dashed, of course, by Oklahoma.
The Tigers are 6-0 for only the fifth time in school history, lead the Big 12 North and are coming off an eyeopening showing at Texas A&M, particularly on defense - long a weak spot at the school. They are battle tested by San Diego State and Illinois, and head into tonight’s Big 12 showdown at home against the Sooners as only a three-point underdog. They are ranked No. 18 by The Associated Press and are 11th in the BCS standings.
But this is Oklahoma, also 6-0 and atop the Big 12 South, and these are the Tigers.
“I’ve played them a lot of games, and it’s always a lot of smack talking and we’ve come out on the winning side of it,” Sooners linebacker Travis Lewis said. “But it’s going to be a big game. [ESPN] Gameday is down there, it’s down at their stadium - the ’Zou - and we’re ready. We’re excited.”
Oklahoma, No. 3 in the AP poll and No. 1 in the BCS standings, already has a pair of victories against ranked teams - it knocked off Texas two weeks ago and enjoyed a 52-0 romp over Iowa State last week - butit also has three victories by a touchdown or less.
It’s a profile that gives Missouri hope for finally breaking through the Sooner ceiling.
“If you look at it from their standpoint, all good things must come to an end,” Oklahoma defensivecoordinator Brent Venables said. “It’s all about the game. Every year is different. The players are different, the coaches are different, the game itself is different.
“There are a lot of things that can happen, and obviously if I’m their coaches, I’m making sure that thepast is the past.”
Missouri hasn’t beaten Oklahoma since 1998. The Sooners have won 19 of 20 overall and seven consecutive, only two of them by 10 points or fewer. They ended Missouri’s one-week run at No. 1 in the 2007 Big 12 Championship Game andsoundly spanked the Tigers again in the 2008 conference title game.
Maybe this time. Missouri players acknowledge Oklahoma’s prowess, but only grudgingly.
“I don’t feel like there’s a step to take,” said sophomore wide receiver T.J. Moe, fifth in the nation with 50 catches. “We’re 6-0, and if we keep on winning I don’t think there’s any more steps to take. I don’t consider them on a different plane than us.”
Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel has been around longer than Moe, so he knows the score. He’s 0-6 against the Sooners.
“I’m the head coach that never beat Oklahoma, so that’s the responsibility I have, and I’ve never done it,” Pinkel said. “If you want to talk in the same sentence as Oklahoma, you’ve got to be able to beat them.”
Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops has never lost to Missouri. During the Sooners’ media day, he knocked on the wooden podium for luck and said every year is different.
“Going up there to play will be a big challenge, but you have to admit a really exciting one at that,” Stoops said. “I know our players look at it that way. You’re going up there with both teams in such a strong, good position, and that’s what you want.”
Both schools are coming off perhaps their most complete performances.
Oklahoma mauled Iowa State for 672 yards and 37first downs - the school’s most since racking up 39 first downs against Missouri in the 2008 conference title mismatch - and DeMarco Murray scored three touchdowns, breaking the school career record set by Heisman Trophy winner Steve Owens in 1969.
“He’s the best in the Big 12 without question,” Pinkel said.
The Sooners have a stout defense, too. Iowa State never got past the Sooners’ 49 in the second half.
“I don’t want to say we’ve arrived or anything,” safety Jonathan Nelson said. “There’s a whole bunch of things that we can do better. Hopefully, we can do the same thing against Missouri.It’ll be a big challenge.”
Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns at Texas A&M last week. He may have found a second option beyond Moe, too, with previously unsung Wes Kemp catching two of the touchdown passes.
For the Tigers, defense may be finally catching up with the offense.
The Tigers had seven sacks at Texas A&M and their top pass rush threat, Aldon Smith, expects to be back for Oklahoma after missing three games with a broken bone in his leg.
Just in time for the big game.
“This isn’t the 2007 Oklahoma Sooners, and it’s not the 2007 Missouri Tigers,” Moe said. “We don’t care about what happened back then. We’re ready to play.”
Sports, Pages 21 on 10/23/2010