Mizzou Gameday in Boulder, Colorado:
Who: Missouri Tigers (4-3, 0-3 Big 12) vs. Colorado Buffaloes (2-5, 1-2)
Where: Folsom Field (Capacity 53,613)
When: 12:30 p.m. CT
Line: Missouri by 4.0
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VS. |
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Radio: Tiger Radio Network (Mike "To The House" Kelly, John Kadlec, Chris Gervino)
TV: FSN HD (Bill Land, Gary Reasons, Emily Jones)
Weather: Hourly Forecast
Online trackers: CSTV, ESPN
Game Notes: Missouri | Colorado
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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. This team needs a win in the worst way. Here's to hoping they'll leave Folsom Field looking like it did in 2007. It's homecoming at Colorado, so we're anxiously waiting on word as to whether or not The Rabid Goldfish will be in town.
Fight Tigers!
And as always with road games, live blog after the jump.
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12:32 - Alright, this day couldn't have started any better. I've got Sub Shop sausage & kraut in my belly, a pint of Flat Branch Pumpkin Ale next to me, and DAVE LAPHAM ISN'T CALLING THIS GAME!!!!1!!!!!!!!!!!! I just cannot tell you how excited I am about that. I had resigned myself to having to hear him for three hours, and alas it was not to be. Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. If Mizzou comes out as pumped as I am right now, they will be up 24-0 after the first quarter.
12:39 - And there goes Ralphie...I did enjoy Lorenzo Williams complaining yesterday about Ralphie leaving dumps around the visitors' locker room.
First Quarter
12:40 - Opening kickoff to Mizzou...touchback. In Boulder? Shocking.
12:41 - First play: a slant to Jared Perry. A little high, but good coverage...incomplete. We've already started better than we did two years ago, I think.
12:42 - After an 8-yard run by D-Wash, Mizzou's first third down is a makeable one...and...D-WASH!!!! Fantastic blocking on the slow-developing run, and D-Wash gets to the Mizzou 45. Nice. If Mizzou runs well, Mizzou wins.
12:43 - Gabbert's second pass is dropped by Danario...not really what you want to see. I bet second down is a handoff...
12:43 - ...yep. Little room for Kendial Lawrence, and it's 3rd-and-10.
12:44 - First third-and-long of the game...no pressure whatsoever on Gabbert, and he finds Danario for a first down. Nice. CU rushed only four, but Danario still found room.
12:44 - Play-fake bomb to Wes Kemp, who was majorly pushed out of bounds...not sure the ball was catchable, but hey, first down at the CU 27.
12:45 - Wildcat! D-Wash takes the direct snap for two yards.
12:46 - Hey, hey! Pass to De'Vion Moore, and it's first down at the 13. Let's see if Mizzou can execute a bit better in the red zone than they have so far this season...
12:47 - Nice! Slant to Perry, who spins his way to the 1! First-and-goal...
12:47 - Ooh...handoff to D-Wash, who ALMOST drags a tackler for three yards into the endzone...second and about an inch...
12:48 - Easy. D-Wash walks in for the touchdown. PAT is perfect, just like the drive. 7-0. Washington with 5 carries for 30 yards on the drive.
12:51 - Grant Ressel to kickoff thanks to General Mills' suspension...and it's only to the 10. Nice return by a nice returner, Demetrius Sumler, out to CU's 35.
12:52 - Ooh...nice catch by Jake Behrens on a rollout, and a couple of spin moves for some extra yards, but he's dogpiled at the end. Second-and-3.
12:53 - First run of the game for Rodney Stewart, and he cuts by Jasper Simmons in the backfield and gets the first down. He's not particularly fast, but he's short and super-agile, so you can't just grasp at him. CU to midfield.
12:54 - Well...we know all about Tyler Hansen's escapability already. Bobbled the snap and avoided about four guys before throwing out of bounds.
12:54 - Good play-calling so far, taking advantage of Mizzou's escapability. Dump-off to Sumler for another 7 yards or so...third-and-3...
12:55 - ...pass broken up nicely by Will Ebner. Little bit of contact, but no call...CU to punt (maybe).
12:56 - They do indeed punt, and...whut? Carl Gettis calls fair catch, but three guys (including a Mizzou guy) run into him, and the ball rolls out of bounds after CU almost recovers. Seems like there would have been SOME sort of flag on somebody, CU or MU, but I guess not. Mizzou ball.
1:00 - And Mizzou's second possession starts with another nice D-Wash run...2nd-and-4...
1:01 - Quick pass to Danario for a yard sets up 3rd-and-3...and...wow...Gabbert looks off the linebacker PERFECTLY, and Danario gets wide open on a slant and jogs 70 yards for a touchdown. 14-0. Just an absolutely perfect start for Mizzou, and I cannot understate how well Gabbert did on reading, looking off, and lobbing a perfect pass. 14-0.
1:04 - And Ressel's second kickoff goes into the endzone BARELY before going out of bounds. Nice.
1:05 - GOOD GOD I LOVE WILL EBNER. Hansen doesn't see him coming, and he forcefully removes Hansen from the ball...Mizzou recovers inside the 10. First-and-goal...guess Mizzou WAS as fired up at game time as I was...
1:06 - After a short wildcat run for D-Wash, Gabbert's back at QB, and De'Vion Moore gets rocked for no gain. Third-and-goal from the 5...
1:07 - Okay, first of all, I TOTALLY called the screen to Perry, which was what they ran...unfortunately for Colorado, they not only held Perry, but swung him to the ground as the ball was in the air. Can't do that, even close to the line of scrimmage. First-and-goal Mizzou.
1:08 - D-Wash for two yards...almost does something very stupid and reaches for the goal line as he's getting hit, but he pulls it back in...2nd down from the 1...oh wait...fourth down apparently...the hold wasn't an automatic first down? Where was I on that?
1:09 - More nice run defense from Colorado, as B.J. Beatty stuffs Washington on (apparently) fourth down. Still confused by that, but whatever...Colorado ball at the 2.
1:11 - Welcome to 2009, Kenji Jackson! Kenji STICKS Rodney Stewart after a 2-yard gain. Two more yards for Stewart on second down (Spoon hits him, and there are enough Mizzou fans in the house to make an audible "SPOOOOOOOOOOON" chant), and it's third-and-6.
1:12 - Ouch. Terrible quick pass by Hansen, and CU will be punting from their endzone.
1:13 - Gettis fields a returnable punt and makes a pretty nice return, and it's first down Mizzou from the CU 34.
1:14 - First play of Mizzou's fourth possession...and WOW was there a humongous hole for De'Vion Moore, who goes for 31 yards...tripped up right before the endzone. First-and-goal from the 3...
1:15 - Touchdown, Danario. Play fake, and Gabbert finds him wide open on the cross. Danario: 4 catches, 87 yards, 2 TDs. Congrats on that goal line stand, Colorado...it staved off the inevitable for about two minutes. Mizzou 21, Colorado 0, 2:40 left in Q1. Oh yeah, and it's Homecoming for Colorado. Not the best time to lay an egg when you're trying to save your job, Hawk.
1:17 - Another decent kick by Ressel, but it's returned to the 35.
1:17 - Hey, Rodney Stewart? Don't run backwards to get away from Aldon Smith. It won't work. That's an 8-yard loss.
1:18 - Credit where it's due: very nice play by Tyler Hansen. He avoids Jacquies Smith in the backfield and gets some NICE blocking downfield...30-yard run, and CU's got first down at the MU 43.
1:19 - After another nothing gain by Stewart, CU's left guard jumps. That's 2nd-and-15...watch for Hansen scrambling again. It's their best option.
1:20 - A little screen gets some of the yards back, and CU will start the second quarter with 3rd-and-8. Just about a perfect first quarter from Mizzou.
Second Quarter
1:22 - Hey, hey! It's Brian Coulter! Mizzou starts the second quarter with a third-down sack, and CU will punt. Andrew Gachkar ALMOST trips over the punt as it's rolling, but he doesn't. Mizzou to start from their 16.
1:24 - WOW. Blaine Gabbert throws the ball WAY behind Jerrell Jackson, and he leaps, reaches backwards, and makes a RIDICULOUS one-handed catch. If anybody at ESPN is paying attention to this game, that's a Top 10 play at the end of the day.
1:24 - D-Wash goes untouched into the secondary once again, and it's first down at the 35.
1:25 - After a short run by Kendial Lawrence, Jordan Palmgren jumps, and it's 2nd-and-12...
1:26 - ...and it's 13 yards to Alexander. That's five catches for 100 yards. In 3.25 games away from Faurot this year, Danario has 33 catches, 582 yards, 5 TDs. IN THIRTEEN QUARTERS.
1:27 - Hey, hey! It's Wes Kemp making a tough grab for a first down! Now both of the guys with the killer drops against OSU have made high-degree-of-difficulty catches. Meanwhile, Gary Reasons has now mentioned CU's lack of blitzing about 17 times now. He's baffled, and while this strategy clearly isn't working, it did work earlier in the year,
1:27 - Wow...D-Wash is going to have 100 yards of his own by halftime...that's another 25 yards. Mizzou to CU's 17.
1:28 - First poor decision of the day by Gabbert. He gets a little too confident about his ankle and tries to absolutely rifle a ball to Perry in the endzone, but two CU guys were there to break it up. He's now 9-for-12 for 137 yards.
1:29 - Wow, nice INT by Jimmy Smith. Attempted slant to Perry, and he jumps in front and picks it off. I actually don't think that was a terrible decision by Gabbert, just a great play by Smith.
1:30 - Okay, on replay it was at least a bit of a bad decision.
1:30 - Hee hee...I really wish we could play Colorado every week. Hansen fumbles the snap, and Jacquies recovers. Colorado just pees down their legs when they play us. The CU defense has made a couple of lovely red zone stops just to keep the score at 21-0, and the offense is just god-awful.
1:31 - More nice defense by CU, stuffing two Mizzou runs. Third-and-goal from the 11...
1:32 - CU actually does blitz, and Gabbert misfires to Andrew Jones. Ressel to an attempt a FG...
1:32 - ...and it's perfect. 24-0.
1:36 - Another nice kickoff, and Trey Hobson upends the returner inside the 20...oh, and there was an illegal block. CU will start inside their 10. By the way...total yards: Mizzou 249, Colorado 30. Seriously, can we schedule them for a non-conference game a year too? Maybe two?
1:39 - Wow. Team picture in the endzone, and Hansen doesn't have a chance. Zaviar Gooden and Dominique Hamilton miss him, but Jarrell Harrison wraps him up for the safety. Make that Mizzou 249, Colorado 24 in total yards. 26-0. This is almost embarrassing to watch. Almost. As ghtd36 just put it in the comments, "I'm starting to feel bad. Like dominating the Special Olympics." CU's a better team than this...I think...but...oy.
1:42 - Funny comment from Ralphie Report: "What's Hawkins' pitch to the recruits after the game? 'As you can see, we need your help desperately.'"
1:43 - Ha...Jon Gissinger muffs the pooched free kick, but Zaviar Gooden recovers. Mizzou ball at their 40. A good couple of plays for him.
1:44 - Another short run for De'Vion Moore...CU seems to have shored up their run defense a bit, though the damage has already been done.
1:44 - After a slant to Perry gets about 9 yards, it's third-and-1...oh, nevermind, they somehow gave Perry the first down. And then Moore picks up 10 yards for another first down at the CU 40...
1:45 - Whoops. Delay of game...or not...timeout Mizzou. And we'll have our 17th commercial break of the second quarter after about two in the first.
1:49 - Nothing doing for Kendial Lawrence on first down...looked like he almost ran into Gabbert on the handoff...oh yeah, and there are 6:00 left in the 2nd quarter...haven't mentioned that in a while...
1:49 - Another easy pitch-and-catch to Danario for another first down...Mizzou to the 26...
1:50 - QB run by Gabbert (?), who actually shows a smidge of agility on the ankle. I don't like the playcall, but Gabbert did look fine on it...and about 17 Mizzou players were waiting there to help him up...
1:50 - After Lawrence is stuffed again, it's third-and-8 for Mizzou...and nice pass defense by CU again on a pass to Jackson. Mizzou will try a field goal from 41 yards...
1:51 - ...oh wow. WOW. WOW WOW WOW. Fake field goal pitch to JACQUIES SMITH, who makes a HELLACIOUS move and goes in for the touchdown. Sign him up for tight end! People are always saying Pinkel doesn't stick the dagger into opponents...well a touchdown pass from a walk-on receiver to a defensive end for a touchdown is, uhh, quite the dagger. 33-0. Mizzou has now scored the last 139 points in this series.
1:55 - Another nice kickoff and an incompletion, and it's 2nd-and-10 for CU from the 22...and hey, it's a complete pass! Riar Geer makes his first appearance of the game...13 yards.
1:56 - Hansen goes deep for Simas, and it's broken up, but there's a flag. Rutland interfered. First down CU at the Mizzou...uhh...no idea. Fox is TERRIBLE with yardlines...44. Mizzou 44. 2:38 left in the half.
1:58 - Reverse to Andre Simmons for a first down. CU is finally moving the ball. I'm sure I jinxed Mizzou with the whole "139 points in a row" thing, but...well...I was almost attempting a jinx. This has been almost uncomfortable to watch.
2:00 - Another first down for CU, to the 18...1:35 left...and after a short run, they call timeout with 1:27 left.
2:01 - By the way, I don't love Gary Reasons, but I just cannot say enough how much better he is than Dave Lapham. There's absolutely no telling what Lapham would be saying right now in such a blowout...
2:02 - Helluva pass breakup by Rutland, and it sets up 3rd-and-8...and Rutland makes the sack! Nice. Fourth-and-23 with 1:13 left, and CU calls timeout...just kick the field goal, Dan. End the points streak.
2:03 - Aric Goodman in to try a 48-yarder...and it's good! The streak is over! All sorts of Bronx cheers from the crowd...33-3. I'm totally okay with jinxing the points streak.
2:05 - Nice kick coverage by CU, and Simmons is tackled before the 20. I assume we'll see a "run once or twice, and if you get a first down, go for points" strategy here...
2:05 - Nope. Just downing the ball. That's fine too. On to halftime...
Third Quarter
2:28 - And we're back...okay kickoff by Ressel is returned to the 40 by a big white guy. Weird.
2:28 - Rollout by Hansen, who finds a wide-open Scotty McKnight for 30 yards...okay...not the best response by Mizzou here, though obviously it won't affect the BTBS stats, as this game stopped being "close" after the safety.
2:30 - Short pass to Geer, followed by a handoff to Rodney "another short gain by" Stewart, and it's 3rd-and-6 from the Mizzou 26...
2:30 - ...and a slant to McKnight gets another first down. Here's where CU ends up with a respectable yardage total and Tim Griffin starts talking about their "offensive growth." Did that sound bitter? Good.
2:32 - Okay, I just got distracted looking at other scores...apparently CU has it first-and-goal now. Always better to be zoning out because your team's up 30 instead of down 30, I guess.
2:32 - Touchdown, Rodney Stewart. First TD against Mizzou since their first possession of the 2007 game. 33-10 after the PAT barely sneaks in. Another TD by CU, and this gets back into "close" territory...unfortunately, this does mean that Gabbert will be playing for a while longer today...
2:36 - Alright, first drive of the second half for Mizzou...starting at the 21...Gabbert rolls right and is tripped up for a yard...he gets up with no trouble, which is all I care about...
2:37 - CB blitz, and Jalil Brown BARELY trips D-Wash up as he was running through another large hole...almost the perfect playcall. Third-and-6...
2:38 - Weird. Gabbert underthrows Jackson, and Benjamin Burney is talking smack to Jackson big-time, as if a) he had anything to do with that incompletion, and b) this game's competitive.
2:39 - All out rush on the punt, but Jake Harry gets off a decent kick. No return. The announcer says "Flags are thrown, and we'll be back after this." Wait--what the hell were the flags? I think it was a facemask, but...?
2:42 - Hello, Aldon Smith. He gets Mizzou's fifth sack of the day, basically by knocking Hansen down with a hand. A 13-yard loss.
2:44 - Wow, nice. Robert Steeples on the delayed CB blitz, and he crushes Hansen, who fumbles again...Aldon Smith recovers. Mizzou ball around the CU 35. They'll review it, but I'm pretty sure it was a fumble. Not that that matters to the review official and his ten-inch computer screen. Steeples is not super in coverage yet, but he's a pretty physical dude.
2:46 - Hey, hey! Review in our favor! Fumble is upheld.
2:47 - A short run by D-Wash and a throwaway, and quickly it's third-and-6 for Mizzou as I'm typing an e-mail...and Mizzou calls timeout to avoid a delay of game.
2:51 - Wow, nice easy keeper for Gabbert, who gets the first down and goes out of bounds untouched...first down at the 15.
2:52 - Ouch...Gabbert telegraphs a pass to the outside, and it's picked off by Benjamin Burney, who takes it 78 yards for the touchdown. Actually, on replay, it was the opposite...apparently he didn't look enough before throwing it, as Burney was standing right in front of Andrew Jones. The PAT will make it 33-17...yup, 33-17. We're back in "close" range...7:02 left in Q3...let's not mess around too much here, guys.
2:56 - I'm falling behind here...Simmons almost broke a nice run on the kickoff, but was dragged down by the last guy who could get to him...Washington had a 5-yard run, and then a slant to Perry was broken up...rather big 3rd-and-5 for Mizzou...
2:57 - ...and Colorado jumps offsides! First down! Hooray!
2:58 - Another keeper by Gabbert. Stop that! Second-and-7...
2:58 - Nice tackle by Cha'Pelle Brown on a short pass to D-Wash...looked like he had gotten past Brown, but instead it's 3rd-and-7. Boo.
2:59 - Oh wow, nice diving catch by Perry for a first down. Mizzou to their 44...decent response so far from Gabbert.
3:00 - After a short run by De'Vion Moore and a false-start, Colorado blitzes, and Gabbert throws a TERRIBLE pass that should have been picked off...luckily linebackers have stone hands. Either way, it's 3rd-and-14 for Mizzou...
3:02 - ...and Gabbert's sacked for the first time of the night, I think. Jake Harry to punt. This would be a bad time for a block.
3:02 - Rugby kick is fielded by Scotty McKnight, who doesn't allow the rugby roll. CU will start at their 40. Since I apparently jinxed the hell out of Mizzou earlier, I should mention that COLORADO HAS SCORED 17 STRAIGHT POINTS IN THIS SERIES.
3:04 - Two passes, and CU's inside Mizzou's 40...wake up, guys.
3:05 - Well THAT was almost a disaster for both teams...Hansen almost gets sacked by 17 different people, then he shovels it forward to Stewart, who could have had the first down but tried for too much and got tackled...third-and-3...
3:06 - ...and Hansen runs for the first down.
3:07 - Well okay. The third quarter will come to an end with an imminent blowout having turned into a reasonably tight game. I've got to stop underestimating my own jinx capabilities.
Fourth Quarter
3:10 - Okay, here we go...CU at the 15...another short gain by Stewart, and it'll be third-and-1 for CU...
3:11 - ...and Stewart was stopped just short. Will be fourth-and-1, and I assume CU will go for it...yup...they're going for it...
3:11 - SPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!! Blows up the fourth-down run all by himself! Mizzou ball!
3:12 - Wow...Moore bounces it outside and seems to have some room, but Burney lights him up. Apparently talking smack to Jackson on that one play turned him into an all-conference player...he's been big-time since then. Of course, he probably should have been called for taunting there, but what Burney wants to do, Burney gets to do.
3:13 - After a short pass to Washington, it's 3rd-and-7 for Mizzou. A bubble screen to Danario is perfectly defended, and Mizzou will punt again. But Burney got hurt, at least...that's something.
3:15 - Harry's punt is fielded around the CU 45, and Espinoza can't get away from Spoon. That's where they'll start.
3:18 - Another nice pass to McKnight, and CU's once again inside Mizzou's 40. Either we're not anywhere near as aggressive in the second half, or CU's just a whole lot sharper. Probably both, I guess.
3:19 - Hansen scrambles away from about five Mizzou pass rushers, but he overthrows his receiver on the sideline. Second down.
3:19 - After a dropped pass by McKnight, it's 3rd-and-10...you really can't give these up to Tyler Hansen...
...and Kevin Rutland picks off a rollout pass! Nice! Illegal block by Gettis, and Mizzou will start deep in their territory again, but they have the ball.
3:21 - WOW...D-Wash gets hit after about five yards and drags the pile seven yards for a first down. Eighteen carries, 99 yards for #24...
3:22 - D-Wash with a short run, followed by a slant to Perry for a first down. Perry looks slow to get up, but Fox cut to a KU-Tech update, so I'm not sure if I was just imagining that or not.
3:23 - Oh, nevermind. Perry was two yards short of the first, and Mizzou got stuffed on third down. Mizzou to punt. Awesome. 9:10 left...
3:23 - Interesting. Jake Harry's punt takes a terrible bounce for Mizzou, and McKnight actually fields the ball and returns for a couple of yards. CU will start around their 40 again...they have just killed us in field position in the second half. Lucky for us, we were up 30 when the half started.
3:26 - Alright, defense. Apparently you're going to have to keep making stops here, as the offense has been nonexistant since the fake field goal. First play of this drive is well-covered, and Hansen throws the ball away.
3:27 - After a short slant to McKnight sets up 3rd-and-8, Aldon Smith blocks Hansen's third-down pass. Nice job, D. CU to punt. Smith leads the team in blocked shots...might be the best shot-blocker on campus not named Keith Ramsey.
3:31 - Two non-existent runs by D-Wash set up a VERY quick 3rd-and-...oh, nevermind. Mizzou got called for holding and Colorado actually accepted the penalty for some reason instead of trying to get the ball back sooner. 2nd-and-18...instead of 3rd-and 10.
3:32 - A slant to Alexander gets some good yards, and now it's only 3rd-and-7 for Mizzou, plus they get to kill another 30 seconds...bad decision-making by Colorado...heh, and now CU jumps offsides. 3rd-and-2.
3:30 - And Gabbert throws a 100-mph fastball to Perry, who can't corral it. Mizzou to punt. But hey, they got to kill another 30-45 seconds off the clock, so that's a win...
3:34 - Nice. Harry's punt goes over the head of the up man, then bounces over the return man's head. Great punt. CU ball at their 18 with six minutes left...
3:38 - They just showed Jerrell Jackson's first-half one-handed grab again...just amazing...
3:38 - An incompletion and a short pass to Simas, and it's third-and-6 from the CU 22...nice pressure from Mizzou, and Hansen finds McKnight short of the first down. They pretty much have to go for it here on 4th-and-a-long-1...
3:39 - ...QB sneak gets the first down easily, but I don't think CU was set. Nope. Illegal formation. 4th-and-6...
3:40 - Okay, a stop here ends the game...4th-and-6...yes! Baston drops into coverage and bats down a pass. He's mad he didn't pick it off, but it doesn't matter. Mizzou ball at the CU 22, 4:27 left.
3:41 - I'll say this: CU's a pretty good tackling team. De'Vion Moore almost broke a nice run but was wrapped up for only two yards. CU timeout, 4:17 left.
3:43 - Oy...no gain for D-Wash. Third-and-12. Timeout CU, 4:10 left. I assume we'll run it again, then try the field goal. CU's defense has been lights out against the run in the second half.
3:44 - Yeah, you know Gabbert's feeling better. He kept it and made a nice move to get about 8 yards on third-and-long. CU uses its final timeout with 4:02 left. Mizzou will try a field goal to ice the game for sure.
3:45 - Ressel = money. A perfect field goal makes it 36-17 with 3:57 left. Ballgame.
3:48 - Man oh man, Aldon Smith with another sack. He's going to be so good...nevermind, he's ALREADY good...
3:49 - Fourth-and-8 for Colorado...hee hee, Aldon Smith with a sack. He's just been ridiculous the last two weeks. Mizzou ball, 2:48 left.
3:49 - Not that it matters, but that was a really big-time run from De'Vion Moore...dragging the pile just like Derrick Washington did earlier. Tick...tick...tick...
3:50 - ...aaaaaaaand that's about it. Nice win. Not exactly how we thought it would play out after going up 36-17, but I think we'd have all taken a 19-point win at the beginning of the day.