Latest BCS Rankings: Mizzou @ #6

[JCShutout]

Mizzou also beat Illinois, who beat Ohio State and is one of the best schools in the Big Ten this year. That's not a HUGE victory, but it's certainly a reputable one. After all, the Illini are ranked 19th in the BCS.

OU played Miami, which on the surface isn't impressive, except they embarrassed the crap out of them.

As for Mizzou, I wouldn't be one bit surprised to see them defeat both KU and OU. That lead they had that you reference, Ben, wasn't just in the 2nd half. It was in the 4th quarter. But if I was a bettin' man, I wouldn't bet on them winning both games. I've come to respect KU after their conference wins.

The bottom line is that if Mizzou wants to reach the national title game, they have:

-beat the #3 team in the country
-beat the #4 team in the country

And then they have to beat the #1 team in the country to win the NC. It's awesome that they're in that position but that's a tall order for any school.

I think that ranking is about right for Illinois, and really their win over Ohio State was a bit over their heads. Mizzou did beat them, but it wasn't by a huge margin, and it was at a neutral site.

All I'm really saying is that Mizzou is good. Top 10 good. And they'll certainly deserve a spot in the championship if they win out. I'm just not sure they're really #1 or #2 good. But maybe they are.

--P--

I think that's a fair assesment. They might just be a product of being a top 10 is a crazy season of upsets. Ether way, I'll take it!

how cool would that be for Missouri? Nobody could say they didn't deserve it after taking down the top three.

++

[JL21]

Look, they may not beat Kansas STATE this weekend..

If they win out they deserve to play for the N.C., especially with Oregon's loss last night..

I just don't see them winning out, and in fact, the only team I think that has a legit shot to win out in the Big 12 is Oklahoma...and again....it's not because I don't want Missouri to go to the NC...I hate Oklahoma with a passion (Bob Stoops spurning Iowa..his alma mater...to coach Oklahoma) and I'd rather see Mizzou go then Kansas...

I don't know. I'd think that Mizzou has as good a shot as anyone in the Big XII. OU is probably more talented, I certainly won't debate that. But the gap isn't so large that I'd write off Mizzou. You can't forget that Mizzou was actually beating OU in the 4th quarter, in Norman no less.

Not one of them has an easy road. KU plays ISU, who played both OU and Mizzou really tough. Mizzou's got the KSU boogie man in their way. OU plays Tech on the road and OSU in a huge rivalry game. Neither of those teams are anything to sneeze at, especially since it'd make OSU's year to knock OU out of a potential BCS title game. And of course, MU and KU will have to play each other.

[AlwaysBeClosing]

Look, they may not beat Kansas STATE this weekend..

If they win out they deserve to play for the N.C., especially with Oregon's loss last night..

I just don't see them winning out, and in fact, the only team I think that has a legit shot to win out in the Big 12 is Oklahoma...and again....it's not because I don't want Missouri to go to the NC...I hate Oklahoma with a passion (Bob Stoops spurning Iowa..his alma mater...to coach Oklahoma) and I'd rather see Mizzou go then Kansas...

I don't know. I'd think that Mizzou has as good a shot as anyone in the Big XII. OU is probably more talented, I certainly won't debate that. But the gap isn't so large that I'd write off Mizzou. You can't forget that Mizzou was actually beating OU in the 4th quarter, in Norman no less.

Not one of them has an easy road. KU plays ISU, who played both OU and Mizzou really tough. Mizzou's got the KSU boogie man in their way. OU plays Tech on the road and OSU in a huge rivalry game. Neither of those teams are anything to sneeze at, especially since it'd make OSU's year to knock OU out of a potential BCS title game. And of course, MU and KU will have to play each other.

That's why I have to laugh at the people saying that whoever wins the Big 12 Championship game is going to play for the National Title...

There is a LOT of football left to be played before anyone can state that..

[ThatGuy]

The Big 12 Championship game could be #1 vs #2 and the big 12 champion favored to win the NC.

If LSU wins the SEC, I see them being favored in the title game by just about everyone.

[ThatGuy]

That's why I have to laugh at the people saying that whoever wins the Big 12 Championship game is going to play for the National Title...

There is a LOT of football left to be played before anyone can state that..

True, but it's not like there's something wrong with speculating. It's very possible that it'll happen.

[JL21]

That's why I have to laugh at the people saying that whoever wins the Big 12 Championship game is going to play for the National Title...

There is a LOT of football left to be played before anyone can state that..

Well... considering that the Big XII has three contenders (two, I guess, if you want to figure that the loser of the MU/KU game is no longer a contender), isn't it most likely that the winner of the Big XII championship game will be playing for the national title? There are four scenarios:

Scenario 1:
MU wins out and OU wins out. In that case, the winner of the Big XII title game would be in the NC.

Scenario 2:
KU wins out, OU wins out, and in that case, the winner of the " " ".

Scenario 3:
KU wins out, OU doesn't win out, but OU wins the Big XII title game against KU. That's one scenario where the winner wouldn't be in the NC.

Scenario 4:
MU wins out, OU doesn't win out, but OU " " ".

If OU wins their last two games, and Mizzou/KU don't trip up this weekend, then the winner of the Big XII championship game is going to play for the NC. It's going to take an upset for it NOT to happen.

[AlwaysBeClosing]

More scenarios:

Kansas loses this weekend, Mizzou wins, Kansas beats Mizzou and Oklahoma (debateable on whether a one loss Kansas team will go over a one loss WVU team...those are two big wins to end the season that Kansas would have)

Mizzou loses this weekend, beats Kansas, beats Oklahoma (2 loss Mizzou, 2 loss Oklahoma, 1 loss Kansas)

You're right, it has to take an upset for the Big 12 Champ. game not to be a play in game for the NC....but I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see an upset seeing as how this entire season has gone

[AlwaysBeClosing]

That's why I have to laugh at the people saying that whoever wins the Big 12 Championship game is going to play for the National Title...

There is a LOT of football left to be played before anyone can state that..

True, but it's not like there's something wrong with speculating. It's very possible that it'll happen.

Right, I have no problem with people speculating and looking ahead..

That being said, I've read in multiple spots on multiple forums that people are guaranteeing a Big 12 team in the NC game...which is up in the air at this point

[lukethedrifter]

I think Mizzou will be okay this weekend in Manhattan. If not, then Pinkel's not much of a coach because how hard is it to explain to your guys that you have a 3 game playoff to get to the BCS Championship game. Lose any of them, including this weekend and you are out.

I'm not saying that K State won't play the Tigers tough- heck, they might beat Mizzou- but if they come out flat as if they couldn't get up for the game then Mr Pinkel and his players have issues.

[ThatGuy]

I think Mizzou will be okay this weekend in Manhattan. If not, then Pinkel's not much of a coach because how hard is it to explain to your guys that you have a 3 game playoff to get to the BCS Championship game. Lose any of them, including this weekend and you are out.

I'm not saying that K State won't play the Tigers tough- heck, they might beat Mizzou- but if they come out flat as if they couldn't get up for the game then Mr Pinkel and his players have issues.

This is pretty much how I see it. Missouri's football team has never had a better reason to be pumped up, so if they can't get ready for a K-State squad that got manhandled by a team they embarrassed, they don't deserve to be mentioned in the national title discussion. I know history isn't on their side, but history wouldn't have predicted Mizzou being 9-1 and #5 in the standings, either.

Bottom line? The Tigers need to get rowdy. Time to show everyone why they're in the hunt for a title.