Who: No. 14 Missouri Tigers (6-2, 2-2) at Baylor Bears (3-5, 1-3)
Where: Floyd Casey Stadium (Capacity 50,000)
When: 2:00 p.m. CDT
Line: Missouri by 21.0
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Radio: Tiger Radio Network (Mike "To The House" Kelly, John Kadlec, Chris Gervino)
TV: None
Weather: Hourly Forecast
Online trackers: CSTV, ESPN
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. No more speculation: it's finally time to listen to Kelly and Kadlec try to describe the exploits of Robert Hot Tub Griffin.
Fight Tigers... Rock, Flag and Eagle!
Today's pump-up video? Sorry, Beef, but we've got to know who we're fighting...
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Mizzou-Baylor Liveblog
2:02 - We're looking liiiiiiiiive at...the radio. Mike Kelly and John Kadlec will be our eyes and ears for this one, which is always a bit alarming. We'll see how this goes. And as always, Mike Kelly Drinking Game rules are on.
2:03 - We get to listen to the cointoss! EXCITEMENT! Ref: "Before I turn the mic on, do you guys have any questions?" Um, pretty sure you already turned your mic on, chief.
2:05 - Mizzou to receive. Here we go! Maclin returns the kickoff to the 35.
2:06 - First down #1 for Mizzou. Mizzou to midfield.
2:07 - Kadlec: "I think Baylor's pass defense might be very vulnerable." John, I think you may be right.
2:07 - First down #2. Mizzou inside BU's 40.
2:08 - First down #3. Danario with a catch over the middle, then gets hit hard (so I hear). Mizzou to the 24.
2:09 - Third-and-5 for Mizzou, their first 3rd down of the game. Pass complete to Saunders, who gets it inside BU's 5.
2:10 - Kadlec says "Chase Daniels." We're adding that to the drinking game, so...DRINK!
2:11 - Fade route to Coffman, touchdown. How many times has that happened in the last four years? Actually, they're going to review it.
2:13 - Still reviewing...
2:14 - Touchdown! PAT good. 7-0 Mizzou. Handshakes all around.
2:15 - Baylor returns the kickoff to the 33, though the crowd had me worried that he had broken it for a TD. Guess they're desperate for excitement.
2:16 - First down Baylor near midfield. Two plays, zero Hot Tub Griffin III rushes. I feel gypped.
2:17 - First down Baylor on a QB plunge. The scripted plays are working, but we'll see what happens in Q2.
2:18 - Griffin flushed from the pocket, scrambles for a first down, but there are flags down. Ooh, a chop block. That's 15 yards. 1st-and-25.
2:19 - 3rd-and-17. Griffin is sacked by BRIAN COULTER!!! It seems to be falling into place for "God" Coulter. That's a good sign, especially for 2009.
2:25 - And we're back. And Mizzou's already well inside Baylor territory after a nice Derrick Washington run.
2:26 - Daniel finds a wide-open Tommy Saunders for a touchdown. Seven plays, 80 yards. The 2:30 ABC game hasn't even started yet, and it's 14-0 Mizzou.
2:28 - They shouldn't be allowed to run radio commercials with Mizzou game footage...during a damn game. A commercial just started with Mike Kelly saying "INTERCEPTED BY MISSOURI...10...5...TOUCHDOWN", and I was all sorts of confused.
2:31 - Baylor with the ball...they move it to their 40 after a nice Jay Finley run.
2:31 - Griffin rolls right and finds a receiver over the middle for a 21-yard game. Baylor back in Mizzou territory.
2:32 - Baylor to the Mizzou 27. As we said in the BTBS preview, BU's best offensive quarter is Q1.
2:33 - Baylor with three bubble screens on this drive so far. Reminiscent of Mizzou 2002. Mobile QB, lots of bubbles...only for Baylor: no Justin Gage.
2:35 - Another motion penalty on Baylor, and it's 3rd-and-16. Penalties are DESTROYING Baylor right now. Griffin "bellies back" (DRINK!) and gets caught on the scramble by Jacquies Smith, but Smith is going to get called for a horse collar.
2:35 - Yup, horse collar. First down Baylor. (And Kelly said "bellied back" again in describing the play, so DRINK! again.)
2:36 - Fumbled exchange for Baylor = cheap turnover deep in Mizzou territory. Ziggy Hood recovers the fumble. That's why bad teams are bad teams.
2:39 - And Mizzou has already moved the ball to their 45.
2:40 - Hmm, might have to add "moves the pile" to the Mike Kelly Drinking Game as well. He's said that about 9 times today, almost all in describing runs by Derrick Washington.
2:41 - Tommy Saunders once again wide open, this time it's for 34 yards, and it's first-and-goal for Mizzou. Four catches, 74 yards for Tommy in Q1.
2:41 - Jeremy Maclin is tripped by the 8-yard line, and it's 3rd-and-goal as the first quarter ends with Mizzou up 14. Mizzou with 200 yards in Q1.
2:46 - Alright, start of 2nd quarter...3rd-and-goal...Daniel trying to go to Maclin and it's intercepted by Joe Pawelek. Alrighty.
2:47 - ANOTHER bubble screen by Baylor. Sheesh. Thomson "Bubble Screen" Omboga's really wishing he were a) about 5 years younger and b) playing for Art Briles. He'd have like 8 catches already.
2:48 - Nice run (I hear) by Hot Tub Griffin III, and Baylor's to midfield. They've moved the ball into Mizzou territory all three drives...and they're down 14-0.
2:48 - Again, Baylor getting MASSACRED by penalties...after a nice gain, they're backed up 15 yards by another personal foul...right back into their territory.
2:51 - "Hemmed in and popped out of bounds." DRINK!
2:51 - Brad Smith-Robert Griffin comparison #14 of the brodcast. DRINK (another new rule)! Meanwhile, Baylor's still moving the ball...back in the Mizzou redzone. Eventually they're going to stop killing themselves long enough to score. Am kinda wishing we'd have at least gotten 3 points on that last drive, because I feel a TD coming here.
2:53 - 3rd-and-1 inside Mizzou's 5. Kadlec: "You've gotta watch this guy, Griffin." Once again, I think you're right, John.
2:55 - Touchdown, Baylor. Hot Tub Griffin III takes it in. 14-7. This one's not over just yet.
2:58 - Another decent kickoff return by Maclin, and Mizzou's got it at their 40. I'm ready for another great kickoff return...Maclin has raised my expectations.
3:02 - Mizzou is methodically driving right back down the field. Dink, dunk, dink, dunk.
3:02 - Fumble, De'Vion Moore. Baylor ball.
3:04 - Another freaking bubble screen!
3:06 - Sack by Sean Weatherspoon! Third-and-long for Baylor.
3:06 - Big hit on "The Kendall Wright kid" (thanks, Kadlec), and a third-down completion is jarred loose. Incomplete. Baylor to punt.
3:13 - Daniel-to-Saunders-to-Coffman for a Mizzou first down, and they're clicking right along.
3:15 - Ugh. I'd forgotten that, while TV political commercials are bad and annoying, radio political commercials are HORRENDOUS AND INFURIATING. And I don't have a mute button.
3:16 - It's an Andrew Jones sighting! He's only about 220 career catches behind Chase Coffman!
3:17 - Kelly: "Two Baylor defenders there, and one comes up with a bad limb." Ohhhhhkay.
3:17 - Maclin tripped by the 14-yard line this time. Good lord. Floyd Casey Stadium hates Jeremy Maclin. 3rd-and-1 for Mizzou.
3:18 - Easy first down pass to Coffman. First-and-goal for Mizzou. Now score this time.
3:19 - Jimmy Jackson to the Baylor 2, and Baylor calls timeout. The drive has gone 12 plays, 91 yards so far.
3:21 - TD, Jimmy Jackson. Woohoo! 21-7 Mizzou, 1:26 left in the first half.
3:23 - Another Mizzou sack! This time it's Ziggy Hood doing the honors.
3:24 - Baylor forced to punt with 0:24 left. Or not? Baylor's offense still on the field on 4th-and-3. Wait, it's 3rd-and-3? What? Mike Kelly, you've got me confused. Either way, Baylor gets a first down and will be able to run out the clock on the first half.
3:26 - Halftime. Gary Pinkel stands up Chris Gervino for a halftime interview. Good times.
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3:52 - And we're back for the second half. Great comment from rpt: "Kadlec always sounds like he's being remixed by a DJ. 'I think I think Baylor came out with a good gameplan good gameplan in the first quarter'"
3:53 - Baylor attempts some trickery, and fails. RB Jeremy Sanders is sacked by Jaron Baston.
3:53 - "Popped down at the 38-yard line." DRINK!
3:54 - 3rd-and-2 for Baylor. With Griffin back there they should always convert these...
...unless there's another mishandling in the backfield. Griffin falls on the ball, and it's 4th-and-4. AND THEY'RE GOING FOR IT!
3:54 - First down Hot Tub Griffin III. Oy...don't know about that call, but it worked.
3:56 - Ziggy Hood with a pass deflection AND a tackle on the same play. He batted it back to Griffin, then tackled him. Stat hog.
3:56 - 3rd-and-7 for Baylor. Baylor comes up short, but I'm sure they'll go for it on 4th-and-2.
3:57 - They do, and Griffin gets free for his first big gain of the day...no TD, but Baylor's to the Mizzou 14.
3:57 - Brad Smith reference #132.
3:59 - Baylor to the Mizzou 1. First and goal. Kadlec: "You've gotta bring in your goalline defense." Yup.
3:59 - TD, Baylor. Ballsy drive. Mizzou's first-half turnovers have allowed Baylor to keep it close. 21-14, 9:36 left in Q3.
4:02 - Maclin returns the kickoff to the 33. Again, decent. Again, not enough!
4:03 - Daniel sacked by Antonio Johnson, and the sparse crowd is into it. And I'm getting annoyed.
4:04 - Third-and-15 for Mizzou. Daniel runs for a couple yards, and Mizzou will punt. The defense hasn't yet caught their breath from Baylor's TD drive, and they'll have to go back onto the field. Not cool. But hey...at least the Flat Branch Great Pumpkin Ale is tasting good...
4:07 - A nice pass deflection by Brock Christopher, and it's 3rd-and-5 for Baylor. Come on, defense. Let's keep some breathing room here.
4:08 - William Moore with a nice stop, and it's 4th-and-inches. I'm sure they'll go for it.
4:08 - Yup. Bubble screen for a first down. Sigh.
4:09 - Here's where I really wish I could actually see what's going on. The quick-hitting strategy Baylor's using is working well, but I have no idea if it's good Baylor offense or bad Mizzou defense. Probably both, but still.
4:10 - Third-and-7 for Baylor. I'll use all caps this time. COME ON, DEFENSE.
4:10 - First down, Hot Tub Griffin III. Clipping penalty on Baylor, but it's after the first down. Or not? The ref said first down, but he was apparently lying. Third-and-12 for Baylor. Whatever. Just stop them.
4:12 - And Baylor converts on 3rd-and-12. Sweet jesus. Baylor's run about 20 plays this quarter. Mizzou: 3.
4:14 - Another first down (via Bubble Screen...drink!) to the Mizzou 18. Baylor's about to tie this freaking game.
4:15 - TD, Baylor. Baylor ties this freaking game.
4:19 - Maclin returns the kickoff to the Mizzou 24. You know what? He's done nothing today--it's time.
4:20 - First down, Maclin. That's a start. Or not. 3rd-and-1. Mike Kelly, you lied to me.
4:20 - Daniel BARELY gets the first down on a sneak. Oy.
4:21 - Nice gain by Tommy Saunders to the Baylor 47. That puts him over 100 and gets Mizzou out of a hole. They needed momentum BADLY.
4:22 - Bomb to Danario Alexander to the Baylor 12! There we go...
4:23 - Derrick Washington with a nice run to the 2...but we've got a flag, and it's an illegal block on Missouri. Wow. We're going to end up kicking a field goal, and Baylor's going to go down and score a TD.
4:24 - Alexander with another catch, and it'll be 3rd-and-11 for Mizzou as the fourth quarter starts.
4:27 - Here we go...3rd-and-11. TOUCHDOWN TO CHASE COFFMAN. Hoo boy. They're going to review it because, apparently, it was once again a high-degree-of-difficulty catch. I didn't see his foot hit the line*, so I say it was a TD.
* That's some "I'm hating that this game isn't on TV" humor right there.
4:29 - A quick replay review says Touchdown, Chase Coffman. 28-21 Mizzou. Time to exhale.
4:34 - Stryker Sulak and God Coulter combine for a huge sack, and it'll be 3rd-and-14 for Baylor! FREAKING COME ON, DEFENSE.
4:35 - Ugh. Griffin had to just throw the ball away, but Jacquies Smith nailed him afterward, and Baylor has a first down. Smith's second personal foul of the day.
4:36 - Baylor is out near midfield with another first down after we bailed them out.
4:37 - Third-and-1 for Baylor...and Griffin keeps it for 2. First down at the Mizzou 45, 12:19 left.
4:38 - First down to the Mizzou 29. Oy. Have I mentioned how killer those two Jacquies penalties have been? Love that kid, but he's not having a game to remember.
4:40 - Illegal block makes it 2nd-and-17 for Baylor...and then Jay Finley takes a swing pass 37 yards for the TD. This is why I hate listening to Mizzou games on the radio. If it's on the radio, that means we're probably playing a crappy team...and we're probably not winning like we should be. 28-28. I'm having Iowa State 2006 flashbacks right now.
4:43 - Maclin with another ho-hum return. Seriously, our defense is the reason this game is tied, but anytime he wants to make a play, I won't complain. Do something, Maclin.
4:45 - Third-and-1 for Mizzou. Huge play, and I'm not brimming with confidence. My cynical jinx pays off, as Chase Coffman gets a first down.
4:46 - High pass, and Chase Coffman can't haul it in...he tips it to Jordan Lake for the interception. Wow. I don't know what to say, other than Sean Weatherspoon, or William Moore, or Carl Gettis, or Stryker Sulak, or Ziggy Hood...SOMEBODY needs to make a play, and right now.
4:47 - Third-and-4 for Baylor from the MU 46. Four-down territory, I'm sure, but this is still obviously a big play. SOMEBODY MAKE A FREAKING PLAY.
4:48 - Loss of two for Baylor. Somebody made a play, but Mike Kelly doesn't know who. Baylor will go for it on 4th-and-6. For the first time all game, I'm not annoyed, but nervous.
4:49 - False start on Baylor. 4th-and-11. Surely they'll punt it now.
4:49 - They do. Fair catch by Maclin at the Mizzou 9. Mizzou dodged a bullet, but it's still a tie game. It was clear that Baylor needed turnovers to keep them in this game, and they've gotten them. The 3-1 turnover differential is why the game is tied.
4:51 - 19-yard gain for Jared Perry, and he's "popped out of bounds." DRINK!
4:52 - 16-yard run for Daniel, and they're to near midfield. Under 6 minutes to play.
4:52 - Good god...Baylor's Tim Atchison dropped what would have been another pick. Seriously, why the hell does Chase Daniel play like crap in the state of Texas??
4:53 - Third-and-5 for Mizzou from near midfield. I'd say "huge play for Mizzou", but...duh.
4:53 - Quick out to Maclin for the first down.
4:54 - Good GOD this is driving me crazy...Jimmy Jackson dropped a pitch, but it bounced right back to him, and he gained 9 yards. Playing with fire.
4:55 - Short gain for Jackson, and they'll measure...first down, Mizzou! Four minutes left.
4:57 - Another first down, this one by Saunders to the 20. 3:18 left...
4:58 - Maclin with a 3-yard gain, and Baylor calls timeout with 2:40 left. I've REALLY got to pee...
5:01 - Bladder empty, and Mizzou will have a 3rd-and-5 from the Baylor 15. Baylor calls their second timeout. 2:38 left. I'm assuming Mike Kelly was lying to me, and there wasn't actually 2:40 left after the last play. Surely that play took more than 2 seconds. But I'm babbling.
5:02 - ANOTHER near-pick, this time by Jordan Lake. Good god. Wolfert will have to kick a field goal. Gag me.
5:03 - WOW. Baylor decides to ice Wolfert by using their last timeout??? Dumb. I don't think icing actually works. I mean, Wolfert might miss this, but I'm doubting it will have had anything to do with icing the kicker. Just think it's a waste of a timeout, but I can't complain that Baylor has no TO's left.
5:04 - Wolfert splits the uprights. 31-28, 2:31 left. Mizzou kills 4 minutes, 3 Baylor timeouts, and 70 yards.
5:05 - GOD I HATE LISTENING ON THE RADIO. Baylor fumbled on the kickoff, and Mike Kelly went nuts, so I assumed we recovered it. We did not. Baylor ball at their 21.
5:06 - Griffin sacked by God Coulter and Jaron Baston...3rd-and-9 from the Baylor 22. Maybe not a sack, but whatever. Short gain. I can't breathe.
5:07 - BROCK CHRISTOPHER WITH THE INTERCEPTION. BALLGAME. BINGO. EVERYBODY EXHALE.
5:08 - Victory formation on first down...
5:08 - Victory formation on second down...
5:09 - Victory formation on third down...ballgame. Whew.