16Oklahoma State 28 - 23 8Missouri
Final
  for this game

Missouri hosts Oklahoma State in battle of unbeatens

Oct 11, 2008 - 10:14 AM (17) Oklahoma State (5-0) at (2) Missouri (5-0), 8:00 pm EDT

COLUMBIA, Missouri (Ticker) -- Five teams remain perfect in the Big 12 Conference. But after this week, that number will be pared by at least two because there are a pair of matchups involving unbeaten schools.

One is the annual Red River Rivalry game between No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 5 Texas, while the other has second-ranked Missouri hosting No. 17 Oklahoma State.

So far, Missouri (5-0, 1-0 Big 12 North) has been unstoppable, and the Tigers are coming off a 52-17 drubbing of Nebraska.

Heisman Trophy hopeful Chase Daniel threw three touchdown passes and Derrick Washington rushed for 139 yards and three scores as the Tigers won in Lincoln for the first time since 1978.

The Tigers moved up one spot in the coaches' poll, switching places with defending national champion Louisiana State.

Missouri's goal is to get points on every possession, and the Tigers almost did that against Nebraska, scoring on eight of their 10 possessions.

Missouri has scored at least 42 points in all five games and is second in the Football Bowl Subdivision, averaging 53.4 points per outing.

The Big 12, where defense is optional, features five of the top six scoring teams in the FBS. Two of them will be on display in Columbia, as Oklahoma State checks into the game averaging 52.6 points - good for third in the FBS.

Oklahoma State (5-0, 1-0 Big 12 South) is coming off a 52-28 victory over Texas A&M, setting a school record by surpassing 50 points for the fourth straight game.

Zac Robinson threw three touchdown passes - all to Dez Bryant, but the Cowboys also got some help from the defense, which forced five first-half turnovers. Ugo Chinasa and Patrick Lavine each scored on interception returns.

"I was really, really proud of the defense," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. "One of the things I talked about in the locker room was that there has been so much talk go on outside of our building about the offense outscoring everybody. They wonder if the defense can hold up."

But the Cowboys' defense will have its work cut out against a Missouri team that is averaging 568 yards per game.

Daniel is facing Oklahoma State for the first time, as the teams have not met since Missouri posted a 38-31 victory here in 2005.

While he gets less fanfare than his counterpart, Robinson (third in the FBS) is actually ranked ahead of Daniel (fifth) in passing efficiency.






Related News