COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri has reason to celebrate
Thousands ignored the obligatory public address announcement to stay off the field.
One goal post was gone, hauled off to Harpo’s, a nearby tavern, where Missouri fans would take hacksaws in hand and carve up the uprights for make-shift mementos of a rare victory over Oklahoma.
The occasion would have been every bit as memorable if the Sooners hadn’t been No. 1 in the BCS. Missouri’s convincing 36-27 victory Saturday night was only its second in 21 games against a longtime nemesis and snapped a seven-game losing streak against the Sooners dating to 1998.
The last two meetings had been especially crushing, both coming in the Big 12 championship game and one ending the Tigers’ one-week stay at No. 1 in 2007.
“You talk about it forever,” Coach Gary Pinkel said. “If you can beat Oklahoma, what would that do for your program? We did it.”
Finally.
Now, another demon exorcised in front of a sellout crowd of 71,004 mostly clad in yellow.
“You’ve just got to rise to the occasion,” Tigers quarterback Blaine Gabbert said. “This is an extremely big game for this team, this university and this state.
“We just showed them that we’re here to stay.”
Missouri is 7-0 for the first time since 1960 and the third time in school history heading into next week’s game at No. 14 Nebraska (6-1, 2-1). The Tigers have won two of the last three against the Cornhuskers.
TEXAS
Keep Austin easy
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Longhorns have turned Austin into the road trip everyone wants to make.
Not for the cool bars and live music scene. This is where teams in desperate need of a win go to get one.
UCLA did it first, smacking Texas 34-12 on Sept. 25. The Horns were back home for the first time in a month on Saturday and took a 28-21 whipping by Iowa State, a team that had been outscored 120-27 the previous two weeks.
The loss to the Cyclones was more thorough than the final score would suggest. Texas (4-3) turned the ball over four times and trailed 28-6 early in the fourth quarter to a team that ranked No. 112 in total defense and 104th in total offense.
Here comes the scary part for Texas: Baylor (6-1) comes to town next weekend.
After the loss against Iowa State, Coach Mack Brown was shaken and angry. Texas has lost consecutive home games for the first time since 1997.
“Totally unacceptable,” Brown said.
Texas probably wishes it could now play the rest of the season on the road.
“You’re asking me to wave a wand and fix it,” Brown said. “I’m fighting my guts out, trying to turn this thing around. If you need to tell (fans) we’re going to run a boot camp, go ahead.”
BOISE STATE
Steady Bronc
BOISE, Idaho — In just one minute on Labor Day night, Boise State’s Austin Pettis defined versatility.
Already combining with Titus Young to create one of the more dynamic receiving duos in the country, Pettis was the star of the No. 2 Broncos’ season-opening win over Virginia Tech.
In that short period of time, Pettis blocked a punt, caught a touchdown pass and held for an extra point. Oh, and if you need more proof of his ability, a few weeks later he threw a 6-yard touchdown pass against Oregon State.
“He is our most versatile player. He might be our best player,” Boise State Coach Chris Petersen said. “I can’t say enough good things about that guy. He’s such a great competitor, a clutch performer, and he has been for a long, long time.”
TCU
Best in Texas?
FORT WORTH — Teams from BCS conferences keep leapfrogging TCU in polls, and the Horned Frogs don’t seem to care.
One of last year’s BCS busters, TCU held steady at No. 4 on Sunday. The Horned Frogs were passed this time when Auburn jumped from a spot behind to TCU to a spot ahead after knocking off LSU in a battle of Southeastern Conference unbeatens.
“We just go out and try to play the best game we can,” safety Colin Jones said after the Horned Frogs dispatched Air Force 38-7 for their school-record 21st consecutive regular-season win Saturday night. “If we keep doing that, everything will work out.”
TCU (8-0, 4-0 Mountain West) keeps winning, but isn’t moving even though a top 5 team has lost each of the past three weeks.
So, are the Frogs the best in Texas, home to four teams from the Big 12, a BCS darling?
“I don’t know,” TCU coach Gary Patterson said. “Right now we’re trying to be the best team in the Mountain West Conference.”
AUBURN
Reved up running
AUBURN, Ala. — Cam Newton has turbocharged Auburn’s running game.
The program that produced tailbacks like Bo Jackson, Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown has never put up these kind of video gamelike numbers. The Tigers had their best performance ever against an SEC team Saturday, racking up 440 yards in a 24-17 win over No. 12 LSU.
And not even Jackson has matched Newton’s 603 yards rushing in three straight SEC games. He had 217 against LSU, formerly the SEC’s top run defense.
The result has been an 8-0 start and rise to Auburn’s highest ranking since 2006.
Auburn is now fourth nationally in rush offense at 303.3 yards per game. Gene Chizik’s Tigers have outgained the SEC’s No. 2 running team Mississippi State by nearly 600 yards.
GEORGIA
Nice recovery
A four-game losing streak had some wondering if Georgia coach Mark Richt was heading for the door after 10 seasons in Athens. Since then, the Bulldogs have won three straight against SEC East rivals, scoring more than 40 points in each. The Bulldogs play slumping