I feel very happy for myself right now. Really, really happy. No doubting that. But let's just say I feel infinitely happy for the members of the 1960 Mizzou team who had been waiting 47 years for something like this. To say that KU's 24-7 1960 win still eats at them is a bit of an understatement, as exemplified by this quote from Norm Beal:
"I don't want to see Missouri massacre them. I'd like to see them beat them by one or two points so they got 47 years to look back on it. You know, paybacks are a bitch. But I want to see MU win, don't get me wrong."
Well I guess he more or less got his wish. There was no question Mizzou was the best team on the field, but KU made it just close enough that they can regret those missed FGs and dropped passes and say "What if..."
Granted, I'd have preferred a 62-0 win, but it's nice to see that the closeness of the victory pleased some Mizzou fans out there.
ESPN's Pat Forde talks about Mizzou's "four decades of disappointment" here.
Links after the 'Full Story' jump.
As always, let's start with the official recap and box score. And the KC Star game recap.
And as always, a few themes emerged...
The Better Team Won. Mizzou leaves no doubt about which team is No. 1 (Jason Whitlock).
They’re worthy of college football’s No. 1 ranking. They’re legitimate national-title contenders. And they’re ready for their rematch with Oklahoma in next weekend’s Big 12 title game.
In beating the Jayhawks 36-28, the Tigers removed much of the drama in Armageddon at Arrowhead, the most hyped, anticipated and significant game ever played inside the home of the Chiefs. Mizzou scored first, led 21-0 in the third quarter and controlled this contest from start to finish.
The victory secured the Tigers their first-ever Big 12 North crown, which gives Mizzou, 11-1, a chance to erase the lone blemish on its record, a 10-point road loss to the Sooners. If the Tigers beat Oklahoma, they’ll likely play in the BCS title game in New Orleans.
I believe they’ll knock off the Sooners.
Saturday night, the Tigers certainly looked like the most complete team in the Big 12, if not the nation.
Season of Dreams. Season of dreams rolls on (Inside Mizzou). The night belongs to Mizzou (KC Star). Doesn't get any better, does it (Joe Walljasper). Unfinished business (Stewart Mandel). Mizzou is living its impossible dream (Bryan Burwell). We showed everybody (Trib). North champs! (PowerMizzou).
Mizzou wins the big game. Kansas game lives up to hype (Missourian). Mizzou wins the Big 1 (PD).
Chase Daniel is really, really good. Daniel was the difference (Posnanski). Pinkel makes the case for Chase (missourian).
Temple comes up huge. Temple carries the load for Mizzou (KC Star).
Defense dominates just long enough. Mizzou tackled KU with a robust 'D' (Post-Dispatch). Tigers' electric 'D' zaps the Jayhawks (Bernie).
Penalties were costly. Missouri is flagged for 136 yards against Kansas (Missourian).
Strangely, no bodies thrown over the side of Arrowhead. Jayhawks, Tigers fans behave themselves (KC Star). Missouri-Kansas fans mix it up at Arrowhead (Missourian). Rival fans coexist peacefully while tailgating (KC Star).
Notes and grades. Notes (Trib), notebook (Post-Dispatch), notebook (PowerMizzou), Q&A (Trib), Report Card (Post-Dispatch), Report Card (PowerMizzou).