Live Thread: Mizzou vs. Northwestern

Who: No. 25 Missouri Tigers (9-4) vs. No. 22 Northwestern Wildcats (9-3)
Where: Alamodome (Capacity 65,000)
When: 7:00 p.m. CST
Line: Missouri by 12.5

VS.

Radio: Tiger Radio Network (Mike "To The House" Kelly, John Kadlec, Chris Gervino)
TV: ESPN HD (Ron Franklin, Ed Cunningham, Jack Arute)
Weather: N/A
Online trackers: CSTV, ESPN
Northwestern Online: Lake The Posts

Make Rock M Nation your base of operations tonight and weigh in with your predictions, questions, worries, bold statements and observations by signing up for a free account. 10 wins and a hell of a send off for a special senior class are still on the table in San Antonio. What kind of performance does Mizzou have in store for the conclusion to the 2008 campaign?

Fight Tigers... Rock, Flag and Eagle!

LIVE BLOG AFTER THE JUMP.

Pre-Game

7:01 - We're looking live on the Alamo Dome, as Ron Franklin welcomes Mizzou to the field...I'd held back flashbacks of our '07 trip to the Alamo Dome until just now...ggh.  Something heartening: Lou Holtz picked Northwestern.  So we've got THAT going for us...which is nice.

7:02 - Jack Arute just interviewed Pat Fitzgerald in the tunnel as the team was ready to take the field.  Innovation, thy name is Arutey.

7:05 - Last pre-game commercial break...I'm feeling about this game exactly how I've felt since the matchup was announced.  Odds are, we win this comfortably, but..stuff happens in bowls, and stuff really happens to highly-favored Big 12 teams in the Alamo Bowl (KSU '98, UT '06)...

7:06 - Ron Franklin is shocked to know that Mizzou won the toss and elected to receive.  Apparently Ron hasn't done a Mizzou game in the last three seasons.  Not saying I wouldn't love us to defer, but...ain't gonna start now.

First Quarter

7:06 - Here we go!  Pooch kick to Jimmy Jackson, who gets next to nothing.

7:07 - First pass: off-target to Derrick Washington.

7:08 - First run: Washington goes nowhere.  The NU D-line looked good against the MU O-line on that play.  And just like that, it's 3rd-and-9.

7:08 - Pass to Coffman at the first down marker...nice spot...first down, Mizzou!  Well done...now let's try to get yards on first and/or second down this time.

7:10 - Nice screen to Maclin on first down...8 yards.  I HATE that Maclin is trying to convince me he might come back in 2009.

7:10 - First down, Tommy Saunders.  I'm not capable of mentioning Saunders without also saying "LOVE that kid!"

7:11 - Another short run on first down, followed by strong NU coverage on second down.  Third and 8.

7:12 - Daniel throws to Maclin, only Perry is standing right next to him, and Perry deflects the ball into the air, and it's picked off on the deflection.  Awesome.  NU ball at the NU 40.

7:13 - I'm having trouble calling anybody other than Nebraska "NU," but "Northwestern" is just too damn long to type.  And while I was typing that profound thought, NU got a first down.

7:14 - Ron Franklin thinks it's fourth down, but it's not.  Pay attention, Ron.  Third-and-1 from the MU 39...

7:15 - ...and NU converts easily.  NU's much more under control than MU at this point.

7:15 - William Moore totally whiffs and falls down covering Eric Peterman, and Peterman walks in from 35 yards.  Exactly the start I was looking for.  Yup.  7-0 NU.

7:18 - Well, let's see if that provided the apparently necessary kick in the ass.  They were a little disjointed on offense and stumbling around on defense.

7:19 - Another pooch kick.  Pansies.

7:20 - Another short gain for D-Wash...am really hoping they don't abandon the run.  And before I could complete that sentence, they went no-huddle to D-Wash again for a few more yards.  And like that, it's 3rd-and-4.

7:21 - Awesome.  Three-yard route on 3rd-and-4, and Mizzou will punt.  I'm not in the mood for us to lay a big egg here.

7:22 - But hey, at least we got a 45-yard rugby punt out of Jake Harry...that's something.  WE CAN BUILD ON THIS!!

7:23 - Sorry to throw out a Herm Edwards quote there.  I don't know what came over me.

7:25 - Arutey is telling us that winning a bowl game was one of NW'ern's season goals.  Well...I'd hope so.

7:26 - Third-and-9 for NU after two straight fantastic defensive plays...first by Jacquies Smith and Brock Christopher in stuffing a run, and then by 'Spoon deflecting a pass. 

7:27 - Wow.  The MU defense falls apart on a screen to Sutton--BOO--but then Willy Mo punches the ball loose after a 40-yard gain, and Stryker Sulak recovers.  HOORAY!  But then apparently there was a flag for offsides on Willy Mo.  BOO.  But the announcers have NO idea what's going on, so...whatever.

7:28 - Yup, offsides on Moore.  Third-and-4 for Northwestern now after Mizzou peed on themselves, bailed themselves out, then peed on themselves again.  The rare "BOO HOORAY BOO."

7:29 - NU easily converts on third-and-4, but there's ANOTHER flag.  Offsides AGAIN on Mizzou.  Sweet merciful crap.  So after all that, NU has the ball at about their 25, first-and-10.

7:31 - Two plays result in six yards for NU, but both plays could have been stopped about 3 yards earlier.  Missed tackles, missed tackles.  Third-and-4...much more manageable than third-and-10.

7:32 - And once again, NU converts easily on third down...though at least this one required a hellacious catch.  Either way, NU's got it on their 39, another first down.  Sigh.

7:33 - Right before a commercial break (injured NU O-lineman), Arutey just told us that Tyrell Sutton is "carrying the ball comfortably" in the hand with the cast...only "he's not securing the ball well."  (He dropped the ball on back-to-back carries, though neither cost the team.)  Then how do we know he's carrying it comfortably?

7:36 - 'Spoon (who's playing out of his mind...he's the only one) eats up a bubble screen, and it's third-and-7 for NU.  HAVE to stop them here.  Make a play...they've got all the momentum...

7:37 - Ron Franklin pulls a Mike Kelly ("INTERCEPTED by Brock Christopher!!   ...he dropped it."), but that's fine...NU to punt.

7:37 - Nice punt...Maclin has to call fair catch at the 15.  Thanks to the stupid offsides penalty on the "BOO HOORAY BOO" play, we lost about 35 yards of field position.

7:38 - First down, Danario Alexander.  I'd forgotten about him!  Mizzou to the 32.

7:39 - Third-and-inches after short passes to Saunders and Coffman The Nunchuk...Daniel with a pump fake and ALMOST gets sacked in the backfield...but he escapes and takes off for 15 yards.  Nice.  Whatever it takes.  Mizzou to the NU 45.

7:41 - Andrew Jones makes an appearance, and it's third-and-2...

...first down, Tommy Saunders, who tiptoes the sidelines for 12 yards on a 3-yard route.  (LOVE that kid!)  Daniel is now 10-for-13 for 71 yards...and it's been a disappointment.

7:43 - After another NU injury timeout, it's first down from the NU 25.  Maclin gets 9 yards on a quick swing pass.  And then quickly, Derrick Washington gets the first down to the NU 14.

7:44 - D-Wash is stuffed on first down...we're not giving up on the run (yet), but we're not giving up on it, which is nice.  Well...it's nice as long as it eventually starts working.

7:45 - The second quarter will start with Mizzou facing a third-and-7...but it's only 7-0 after we played a horrific first 10 minutes, so there's that...

Second Quarter

7:49 - And the second quarter starts a lot like the first.  Daniel scrambles and throws it a hair too high for Danario on the run.  Wolfert will attempt a 31-yarder.

7:50 - And Wolfert is perfect on the FG...7-3 NU.  Mizzou faltered at the end of the drive, but they got points.

7:50 - And ESPN is showing highlights of the '98 Alamo Bowl (PU-KSU).  Gee, I wonder why...

...seriously, I used to love those highlights.  Now, not so much.

7:51 - NICE tackle by Trey Hobson on the kickoff...the returner had room to run but almost ended up doing an involuntary somersault.  NU ball at the 25.

7:52 - Third-and-1 for NU after two decent runs by Tyrell Sutton.  Sutton has this weird ability to look like he's actually on the ground...only keep running.

Easy conversion on third-and-1.  Third-and-1 conversions should be easy.

7:53 - NU doing the dink-and-dunk routine well...third-and-2 after two four-yard gains.

7:54 - What the hell did I say about missed tackles?  Carl Gettis just completely whiffed, and a 4-yard gain turned into a 30-yard gain.  Awesome.  My two favorite defensive players (Gettis, Moore) have made three tremendously awful plays between them.

8:04 - And my wife just chose now to talk to me about houses for ten minutes, so I had to pause the DVR...time to catch up in a hurry....

* An attempted reverse pass is DESTROYED by Brian Coulter and Sean Weatherspoon, knocking NU out of easy FG range...

* A screen to Sutton gets almost every single yard of it back...third and short...attention, defensive coaches: THEY WILL RUN THE SCREENS EVERY TIME THEY THINK WE'RE BEING TOO AGGRESSIVE.  HOW'S ABOUT WE ADJUST TO THAT.

* Pass interference on Kenji Jackson (my OTHER favorite player) on a COMPLETELY uncatchable ball...a spot foul at the 4...

* A stuffed QB draw by CJ Bacher ('Spoon with yet another play)...

* Bacher has to throw the ball away after good coverage and pressure from 'Spoon...

* My goddamn DVR REFUSING to fast-forward correctly...god I hate Mediacom god I hate Mediacom god I hate Mediacom god I hate Mediacom god I hate Mediacom god I hate Mediaco...

* 'Spoon chasing Bacher out of bounds for no gain on third down...only there was ANOTHER GODDAMN OFFSIDES PENALTY ON BRIAN COULTER...

* An incomplete pass on the second third down, and get this...NO PENALTIES!  An NU FG = moral victory.  Just don't fake it.

* They don't fake it.  It's 10-3 NU, and I've caught up...

* Or maybe I haven't.  The Mediacom DVR just told me I was.

* Get this--they pooch kicked it again.  I'd question Pat Fitzgerald's manhood, but I think I'll pass on that one.

* And the DVR just skipped ahead five minutes for no apparent reason, and it's 4th-and-2 for Northwestern on the MU 32???  WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED??  I HATE FREAKING MEDIACOM SO FREAKING MUCH!!!!

* Okay, NU missed the FG, so now I have to go back and figure out what the hell happened.

Or not.  The DVR would just screw me again.

Okay, it just jumped backwards 5 minutes, and I see that we threw a pick.  I'm going to hit the "LIVE" button and pretend like the last 30 minutes didn't happen.  God I hate Mediacom God I hate Mediacom God I hate Mediacom God I hate Mediacom God I hate Mediacom God I hate Mediacom God I hate Mediacom God I hate Mediacom.

8:18 - Deep breath.  We're back live (I guess).  Time to calm down and watch Mizzou go drive for the tying score.

8:19 - First down, Jeremy Maclin after a short pass on first down and direct snap on second.

8:20 - First down, Tommy Saunders at midfield.  And now there's a flag down???  Ahh, Saunders was out of bounds voluntarily before catching the ball.  Because why WOULDN'T that happen?

8:21 - Third-and-3 from the MU 47...Daniel throws a slant behind Saunders, incomplete.  Oy.  This game sucks.  This last MONTH has sucked.

8:22 - But hey...it's another nice punt by Harry.  NU to start at their 10 again.

8:22 - A first down pass is broken up by...Trey Hobson?  He's playing?  Sweet!

8:23 - Third-and-5 after a decent run by Sutton...and NW'ern gets 6 yards.  They're doing well executing the Kansas gameplan...which is what I was most scared of.  That, and us not showing up...which has ALSO happened so far.  I need a freaking beer.  No, Mediacom OWES me a beer.

8:25 - Another first down by NU...I have no idea what happened because I was too busy typing angrily.

8:26 - Another five yards for Sutton.  He's not killing us by any means (14 carries, 56 yards), but since our own offense can't do jack squat, he's exactly the kind of "play keepaway" weapon an MU opponent needs.

8:27 - Third-and-2 for NU at their 40...five yards to Rasheed Ward.  Dink, dunk, dink, dunk.  1:45 left in the half...

8:28 - Stryker Sulak OBLITERATES Bacher, and it'll be 3rd-and-21 for NU after a Mizzou timeout.  Hopefully that LIGHTS A FREAKING FIRE IN THESE GUYS.

(And hopefully we don't give up a 22-yard screen pass on the next play.)

8:31 - Alright, here we go...no screen no screen no screen no screen...

Handoff to Sutton for nada, and NU will punt with 1:15 left after MU uses its second timeout.

8:32 - GOD BLESS FREAKING JEREMY MACLIN.  A 75-yard punt return, and this game is about to be tied.  One move, and he just SMOKED down the middle of the field.  I really don't think they meant to kick it to him, but I'll get over it, huh?  10-10.

8:35 - And it looks like NU's just going to sit on the ball and take a tie to the locker rooms...

8:36 - Yup, halftime.  10-10.  It could (nay, should) be way worse.  See you in 20 minutes.

Halftime

8:39 - Last year in the Alamo Dome, Missouri seemed out of sync and had to fight and scratch and claw to tie the game right before half...and then got its doors blown off in the second half.  So here's my question: why in the HELL did I let that thought enter my head??  And why in the HELL did I have to share it??

8:55 - Alright, I've spent the last 15 minutes pounding my head against a wall to get that thought out of there.  I'm ready.

8:59 - Okay, that "Visit San Antonio" commercial didn't show a single shot of the Riverwalk at night.  I'm sorry, but I'm not going to visit San Antonio because of the "culture."  I'm just not.  I'm not that mature.  Show me the Riverwalk, and I'll think about it...

9:01 - Meanwhile, we just crossed the 25-minute mark of halftime...hello??  Some of us have to work tomorrow...

9:02 - God...now I feel old for saying that.

Third Quarter

9:04 - And we're back...finally...with some halftime stats.  Mizzou: 136 first half yards...and somehow only 17 penalty yards.  17?  How in the world is that possible?

9:05 - Here we go...Wolfert kicks off...great coverage by Hardy Ricks, and NU will start at the 20.

9:06 - Jack Arute: openly rooting for Northwestern.

Okay, maybe not, but...I'd just as soon prefer that we don't go to him on the sideline anymore.  Sorry, Arutey.  You're annoying me.

9:06 - Hey hey!  It's a penalty on Northwestern!  The first of the night...

9:07 - First down, NW'ern...Ross Lane, the "possession receiver" is killing Mizzou with possession receptions tonight...

9:08 - First down, NW'ern...Moore blitzed and failed.

9:12 - After a NW'ern timeout, it's another easy first down...NU to the MU 47.  Dink, dunk, dink, dunk.

9:13 - And Carl Gettis is absolutely roasted on a deep ball...seriously, Carl, thanks for making the trip to San Antonio.  Were you out on the Riverwalk too late last night?  The dink-dunk lulled Mizzou Gettis to sleep, and it's 17-10 NU.

No...make that 16-10.  The PAT dinks off the upright.  Moral victory!

9:17 - Hey hey, another pooch kick.

9:18 - Ugh...Chase Daniel with a gorgeous play fake and had Jared Perry WIDE open...and overthrew him.

9:19 - Third-and-1 after a nice Maclin run...first down, Maclin on a quick slant.  Mizzou to midfield.

9:20 - Hee hee...god I love Chase Coffman.  Daniel just ran a fake option and threw across the field and short to Coffman, who had no business catching that for a first down.

9:21 - It's a Jerrell Jackson sighting!  First down to the NU 24!

9:21 - Wait, you can hand the ball off?  You don't have to throw it?  Who knew??  D-Wash has to fight hard for 3 yards...they've done well against him tonight, so I shouldn't be too snarky...

9:22 - Third-and-3 from the NU 17...two-yard pass to Jared Perry.  Ugh.

9:23 - We're going for it on fourth-and-1...HUGE momentum play here...it's a VERY predictable QB draw, but it works.  Whew.  First down from the NU 11.

9:24 - First down: D-Wash is stuffed again...VERY nice job by NW'ern against the run...

9:24 - Second down: Nice catch by Perry in the endzone, but his feet were out.  Replay shows that one might have been in, but we're not reviewing it, so it doesn't matter...

9:25 - Third down: Slant route to Danario Alexander for the TD!  Wolfert makes the PAT despite a MASSIVE "He's never missed a PAT" jinx attempt by Ron Franklin.  17-16 Mizzou, 7:20 left in Q3.  Come on, defense!!

9:27 - Quick favor: can somebody find the FreeCreditReport.com guy and shoot him dead for me?  Thx.

9:29 - Decent return by Northwestern on the kickoff, and a flag comes down about 15 seconds after the whistle, as both teams are running off the field.  Holding on NU?  I mean, I like it, but a dude threw his flag after the play was well over because somebody had held 2 minutes previous?  Weird.  First and 10, NU, from their 17...

9:30 - 'Spoon eats up an option to Sutton, and then a NU WR drops a sideline pass, and it's 3rd-and-8.  COME ON, DEFENSE!!

9:31 - Oh wow...Rasheed Ward juggles the ball, avoids a big hit from Kenji (because he was suddenly going for a pick), and gathers the pass for a first down at the NU 40.  Bad luck there.  Bad luck, and yet another 3rd-down conversion for NW'ern.

9:33 - And quickly, it's 3rd-and-8 again.  The first and second down defense has gotten better, but it doesn't matter if you give up the third-down conversion.

9:34 - Intercepted by Brock Christopher!!!  Hooray!  And...NO FLAGS!  Double hooray!  MU ball on the NU 30!

9:35 - Two short gains, and it's third-and-5 for Mizzou.  Lovely diving catch by Maclin in the endzone, but he was clearly out of bounds.  Good coverage + slightly off-target pass.  Blown opportunity by Mizzou there.

9:37 - Wolfert splits the uprights with a 43-yarder, and it's 20-16, but...we dropped a dagger there.

9:38 - Oy...almost a nice kick return there by NU, but Tru Vaughns made a lovely play.  NU to start at their 30, and I really need a TV timeout so I can go pee...I'm afraid to pause the DVR again.  Never thought I'd be asking for a TV timeout...

9:39 - Nice defense again, forcing an incomplete pass and short run by Sutton.  Third-and-long yet again...another stop, please.  Doesn't have to be another INT, just a stop.

9:40 - ZIGGY!  Ziggy Hood with the sack, and NU will punt...

9:42 - They kick it to Maclin again, but he can't break free.  And there's a VERY lame block-in-the-back flag.  The dude was on the ground, and a Mizzou guy landed on top of his "back"...weak.  Very weak.  And sweet jesus, we're STILL not taking a commercial break...think my wife would notice if I peed in my sweats?

9:43 - End around to Maclin, and there are about 17 flags thrown...lemme guess...hold?  Double hold?  We're reverting to our first-half form here.  I'd rather not rely on the defense to win this one (not that they haven't done an oustanding job the last two drives...).

9:44 - First-and-15, and Daniel is picked off easily on an out route.  Jeez, Chase, look before you throw.  Momentum: gone.

9:45 - Wow...'Spoon is trying to make himself a first-round draft pick in this game.  He just gobbled up a screen pass, and it's 2nd-and-13 from the MU 27.

9:46 - Third-and-9...deep ball to Ross Lane...touchdown...I think that went through Kenji's diving hands...it's going to be challenged, but I think he got his foot down.  Kenji needed to be a half-inch taller.  Ed Cunningham is commending Fitzgerald for not going for two here, but...why in the hell would they go for two to go up 4???  Dude, that makes no sense whatsoever.

9:48 - After further review: touchdown.  23-20 after the "very smart" PAT.

9:49 - And ohmigod, they're STILL not cutting to commercial...what the hell?  I can't take it...gotta hit the pause button wish me luck...

9:51 - And I'm back.  Seriously, a solid pee right there.  I'm surprised the DVR didn't somehow figure out a way to skip ahead to the end of the game (which, at this point, wouldn't have bothered me too much).

9:52 - They actually kicked it to Maclin on the kickoff, but nothing came of it.  He was probably too shocked to run fast.

9:52 - First down, Derrick Washington.  First of the night, I believe.  And on only two rushes!  We will enter Q4 down 3.  It could be way worse, it could be way better...

Fourth Quarter

9:56 - And we start the fourth quarter with another off-target deep ball.  I don't know when Brad Smith gave Chase Daniel his deep ball, but I'd like him to give it back.

Okay, that was rude to two of Mizzou's greatest QBs...I apologize.

9:56 - After a small run by Washington, it's 3rd-and-5...ugh...

...and what the hell was that, Chase??  Daniel lobbed it out of bounds instead of, I dunno, running forward for four open yards and the first down.  Mizzou to punt.  At some point I'm going to have to put together Chase's career numbers inside and outside the state of Texas.  He's been brutal most of the night.

9:58 - But yet again, Harry uncorks a lovely punt, and NU will start at their 10 again as ESPN shows a montage of "the favorite gets upset by the underdog at the Alamo Bowl" highlights.  I never want to come back to the Alamo Bowl unless I know we're going to be the underdog.

9:59 - Third-and-4 for NU...needless to say, a huge play.  I won't say it, though, because bad things happen when I do...

9:59 - Quick slant for 6 yards.  First down, NU.  Double reverse sideways jinx: failed.

10:00 - Timeout, NW'ern.  With 12 minutes left, it's a little too early for them to be milking the clock, but they almost milked it too much there.  I think I have heartburn.

10:04 - And we're back...2nd-and-9 for NU...another Sutton run is eaten up, and it'll be 3rd-and-8.  Hopefully this "eat the clock and play ball control with a whole quarter to go" strategy will backfire big on the Wildcats.

10:05 - STRYKER AGAIN!!  BIG sack there, and NU will punt.  COME ON, OFFENSE!

10:06 - They kick to Maclin AGAIN, but he chooses the wrong lane and is down around midfield.

10:07 - Alright, so Chase Daniel has never had a "fourth-quarter comeback," and while I've explained before how stupid that stat is, he has a chance to change it right here.  This has been like the OSU game so far--while the defense has had just enough breakdowns to somewhat blame them for losing...it hasn't really been their fault.  They'd played the part of an "average defense" decently...it's the "great offense" that has disappeared again.

That's right, Chase, I'm challenging you.  Calling you out.  Questioning your manhood.  Slapping you in the face with a glove, Sheriff of Rottingham style.  You just going to sit there and take it?

10:09 - Apparently, the answer is yes.  Corey Wooton with the sack.

10:09 - It's The Nunchuk!  Coffman with the first down to the NU 37.

10:10 - What in the HELL was that?  A double-reverse to Jared Perry?  Has anything good EVER happened when Jared Perry got the ball in the backfield?  Good christ...3rd-and-15.

10:11 - Wow.  Daniel has a wide-open Saunders deep down the sideline and misses him by about 15 yards.  That almost went into the damn third row.  Mizzou to punt with 9:20 left.  I take back the glove slap, Chase.  I didn't mean it.

10:12 - And ANOTHER great punt by Jake Harry...downed at the 1 by Tommy Saunders (love that kid).  Good: Harry, 'Spoon, Maclin, Saunders, Danario, Christopher, Ziggy, Stryker.  Bad: everybody else.

10:14 - Okay, defense, apparently it's on you to win this one.

10:15 - First down from the 1...and it's a false start.  First down from the 0.5.  QB sneak by Bacher for about a yard.

10:16 - The cameras are following Chase around on the sideline.  This is his moment, for better or worse.

10:16 - Nice pass by Bacher to Peterman for 13 yards...first down, NU.  Still plenty of time (8:15) to go, but that was at least a slight missed opportunity.

10:17 - Jack Arute: impressed to death by Northwestern.  Go figure.

10:18 - WOW...'Spoon almost had a pick six, but it was a complete pass...to be called by a holding call.  Okie dokie.  2nd-and-17 from the 8...watch the screen!!

10:19 - What the...?  Bacher was CRUSHED in the endzone and looked like he was throwing the ball away, only Sutton caught it and advanced upfield...

...and there was ANOTHER holding penalty.  Sheesh.  2nd-and-21 from the 4.

10:20 - Nice hard run by Sutton up the middle, and NU will have a very makeable third-and-4.  Dammit.  This drive has been one huge tease so far.  Nobody likes a tease.

10:21 - Good god, I can't take this...slant route to Ward, and I THOUGHT Willy Mo had picked it off, but Ward dropped it, and NU will (FINALLY) punt.

10:21 - Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.  The rugby punt looked like it hit the back of a Mizzou guy, but Maclin fell on the ball around midfield.

10:23 - Chase Daniel...paging Chase Daniel...paging the Golden Watermelon Balls of Fury...

10:24 - Decent run by Chase on first down.  Mizzou into NU territory.

10:25 - Reverse to Maclin for a first down.  This is our version of dink-and-dunk.

10:26 - Oy...out route to Saunders is way off target again.  Two steps forward, one step back.

10:26 - Good god...deep route to Maclin is way off target AGAIN, but we're lucky it wasn't picked off.  Third-and-10.  Man oh man, Chase...PLEASE make a play here.

10:27 - GOD BLESS THE FLYING NUNCHUK.  Pass to Coffman is off-target as well, but he caught it anyway.  He always does.  First down at the NU 25.

10:28 - Pressure on Daniel again on first down, and he throws it away.  Meanwhile, NU's best pass rusher--Wootten--went down with no contact.  The announcers are already totally convinced it's a blown-out knee.  I hope it's not severe, but I obviously wouldn't mind if he were out for the next four minutes.

10:29 - Just saw the replay...yeah, that looked bad.  Godspeed to that kid.

10:30 - Little for D-Wash on 2nd-and-10...

10:31 - 3rd-and-8 from the 22...surprise handoff to D-Wash for about 4.  I assume Wolfert will come on here for a 37-yard FG with 3:00 left...can't watch...

10:32 - BANG.  Wolfert's kick is true, and it's 23-23 with 2:49 left.

10:33 - Ed Cunningham just mentioned that Wolfert is now officially the most accurate place-kicker (FGs and PATs) in NCAA history.  Neat.  Can he play pass defense on this next drive?

10:34 - Wolfert's kick is into the endzone for a touchback.  I'll take it.

10:35 - Two short plays, and it's 3rd-and-4 (or a long 3) for NU with 2:17 left.

10:36 - Bad pass, and NU will have to punt with 1:45 left!  Whew.  GREAT coverage there, and Bacher had to thread the needle (and couldn't).  Punt is downed at the 34.  1:32 left.  Come on, Chase.  Come on, Chase.  Come on, Chase.  Come on, Chase.  Come on, Chase.  Come on, Chase.  And Wolfert.

10:37 - Chase scrambles for 9 yards...and doesn't fumble!  Clock ticking...

10:37 - Coffman to the NU 48.  First down.  0:59 left...

10:38 - Saunders to the 41, and Mizzou will call their first timeout with 0:47 left.

10:39 - Pass to Danario for 3 yards, but I do believe there was a face mask...

...yes!  Face mask!  Hooray!  First down at the NU 23.  DON'T FUMBLE.

10:40 - QB draw, and Mizzou will let the clock tick down.  We're so confident in Wolfert that we're setting him up for a freaking 40-yarder.

10:41 - Timeout, Mizzou, with 0:15 left.  I should probably try to breathe at some point.

10:42 - Okay, here we go...or nevermind.  Daniel out here again to line the kick up better.  And now we'll take another timeout with 0:03 left.

10:43 - Timeout, Northwestern.  Predictable freeze call right there.  Franklin's annoyed with the "wait until the last possible milisecond, then call timeout" ploy, and I concur...but it's part of the game.

10:44 - Okay, here we go for real...here comes Wolfert for a 44-yarder...

...

...he missed it.  Sent it out right, and it never came back.  The "he's the most accurate place-kicker ever" jinx finally worked.  Overtime.  Sigh.

10:45 - Now's a good time to mention that a) I feel very sorry for myself right now, and b) this season has NOT gone like I wanted it to.

Now's also a good time mention that I hate sports and have no idea why I follow it as religiously as I do.  It just hasn't paid off.  Wah wah wah, bitch bitch bitch, moan moan moan.

10:49 - Coin toss a-comin'...NW'ern wins the toss and will put Mizzou on offense.  Awesome.

10:50 - Alright, boys...score a TD, and the coin toss doesn't really matter.

10:51 - First down: Maclin for 9 yards.  Or...11 yards.  Good spot.  First down.

10:51 - First down from the 14: Washington for 3.  Still can't find big room to run.

10:52 - Second down from the 11: Washington for 4.  He was caught in the backfield but made something out of nothing.

10:52 - Third-and-3...can't breathe...TD, Jeremy Maclin on the slant route!  Daniel bobbled the snap and almost didn't secure it before shot-putting it to Maclin!  30-23, Mizzou.

10:54 - I've been drinking so much beer and water this game that I'm going to have to get up about 13 times to pee.  Just thought I'd share.  ...Northwestern ball!

10:54 - First down: Bacher on the option keeper for 5 yards.

10:55 - Second down: slant route to Peterman for a first-and-goal from the 9.  Sulak had the pressure, and the pass was a bit behind the receiver, but it was a good catch.

10:55 - First-and-goal: 'Spoon eats up Bacher, and he has to throw it away.

10:56 - Second-and-goal: Keeper by Bacher for about a yard and a half to the 8.

10:56 - Third-and-goal: BIG-TIME BLITZ...'Spoon and Willy Mo eat up Bacher and force a fumble.  NW'ern recovers, but at the 32...they're reviewing whether it was a fumble or not, but it was a fumble.  No doubt.

10:58 - After further review: it was a fumble.  Like I said.

10:57 - Okay, here we go...fourth-and-ballgame.  Please, for the love of god, end this game here.  Mini-hail mary is...

...

...broken up by Willy Mo!  Ballgame!  30-23!  Just like we drew it up!  Chase Daniel has his fourth-quarter comeback, Mizzou has 30 wins in three years, and the seniors go out with a win.  How it happened now officially doesn't matter.

11:02 - In the postgame interview, Jack Arute tries to make Gary Pinkel cry by bringing up the Aaron O'Neal wristband, but Pinkel doesn't bite.  Good for Gary.

11:03 - WWWWHHHEEEEWWW.