Just Win
I'm pretty predictable overall; at this point, you probably know what I'm going to say to a certain extent. But I'm still going to say it: for those irked by how much Mizzou struggled in this game (both on Rock M, at the stadium, on other sites, etc.) ... just win, baby. This was one of the silliest, most ridiculous college football weekends in a long time. Iowa State (a team that lost to Missouri by five touchdowns) beat Oklahoma State (a team that beat Missouri by three touchdowns). Baylor beat Oklahoma for the first time in their history. Clemson got smoked by N.C. State. Georgia barely beat Kentucky. Oregon lost at home to USC. A ranked Southern Miss team lost to a putrid UAB squad. Furman led Florida by double digits for a healthy chunk of their game yesterday. Florida State lost at home to Virginia. Games don't always make sense, and teams don't always play their best.
For all their struggles, Mizzou won. They rebounded, they showed even more fortitude and resiliency than they had in a season full of fortitude and resiliency, they played without both their father figure and their best player, and they overcame a double-digit deficit yet again. Heading into this season, Mizzou had overcome a two-touchdown deficit to win just nine times. They've done it twice in the last month.
Links:
MUtigers.com: Franklin Leads Tigers to Victory Over Red Raiders, 31-27
MUtigers.com: Mizzou/Texas Tech Post-Game Notes
MUtigers.com: Mizzou/Texas Tech Post-Game Quotes
The Trib: MU bounces back from rough week, another deficit to top Tech
The Trib: Win emotional one for contrite Tigers
The Missourian: Missouri football grabs emotional victory over Texas Tech 31-27
The Missourian: Missouri football seniors slow down to select rock after exhausting win, week
The Missourian: PHOTO GALLERY: Missouri fans enjoy last home game
The Missourian: PHOTO GALLERY: Missouri won against Texas Tech 31-27
Post-Dispatch: Tigers rally to beat Texas Tech
Post-Dispatch: Gamble pays off for Mizzou
Post-Dispatch (Bryan Burwell): Mizzou's Franklin shows his stuff against Texas Tech
KC Star: After tough week, Missouri celebrates 31-27 win over Texas Tech
PowerMizzou: An emotional win
PowerMizzou: Sunday Grade Card
PowerMizzou: The Sideline View
Fox Sports MW: Missouri rallies to beat Texas Tech 31-27
Dallas Morning News: Tommy Tuberville on Missouri loss: "This is a screwed up night"
We Are Mizzou: 2011 Senior Day
GET YOUR ASS DOWN, MICHAEL SAM
@Dave_Matter
Dave Matter After the INT, Michael Sam said he heard Dave Steckel's voice: "I heard it in the back of my head: 'Get your ass down, Michael Sam!' "
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Nice daily double for Michael Sam, providing both the play of the game and the quote of the day. (Check out Matter's Twitter feed through most of yesterday's game, by the way -- there's more gold from Sam and just some great tidbits in general. But you probably already knew this.)
Links:
Dallas Morning News: Texas Tech's first turnover costs Red Raiders in 31-27 loss
PowerMizzou: PMTV-HD: Michael Sam
Hello There, Marcus Lucas
From the Trib article below:
Sophomore quarterback James Franklin only connected with Marcus Lucas once in the first three quarters, but he wasn’t shy about firing in direction of the lanky 6-foot-5 sophomore when the outcome of the game was in the balance in the fourth.
Lucas made a diving catch on a low and wide throw into the middle of the end zone with 12:03 left. The play was reviewed and upheld as the Tigers cut the deficit to 27-24.
Franklin also looked Lucas’ way three times on Missouri’s final scoring drive. The pair hooked up on back-to-back gains of 13 and 22 yards as the Tigers moved the ball across midfield and down to the Texas Tech 22-yard line.
Marcus Lucas has had an odd sophomore season. He is fourth on the team with 22 receptions, third with 361 yards and tied for first with four touchdowns. It feels like almost every single one of his catches has come with Mizzou trying to fight off a late-game deficit -- he had huge games in the comebacks against Arizona State, Texas A&M and Baylor, for instance. And with Mizzou desperately in need of some plays late yesterday, there he was again, catching three fourth-quarter passes and a touchdown. I think we're really going to enjoy the next two years of Franklin-to-Lucas.
Links:
The Trib: GAME NOTES: Missouri 31, Texas Tech 27
The Field Claims More Victims
From the DTN link below:
I had family things that kept me busy almost all day yesterday, so I got up early and watched the game this morning. I knew the outcome, but son of a son, I didn't know that WR Alex Torres, RB DeAndre Washington and LG Lonnie Edwards all went down with significant knee injuries (box scores don't tell you that). If anyone says that this is a conditioning thing, I'm pretty sure that I'll ban you just because. Missouri needs to invest in a new field with all of that SEC money as the current field is a disgrace to whoever Faurot is. And no, I'm not blaming the loss on injuries, but they sure as heck didn't help.
Honestly, in the flow of the game I didn't completely notice what these players actually injured, just that they were down and then they were off the field. If they were indeed all knee injuries, then ... I don't know what to think. That's a lot of knee injuries in a two-week span, but ... again, if the turf is indeed to blame, then am I just forgetting all the similar injuries that happened in the first four Mizzou home games? I once again acknowledge that the turf is tired and about to receive an upgrade, but I can't imagine turf just goes from fine to awful just like that. There is still an incredible amount of flukiness going on here, but I'm glad the turf is getting an upgrade soon regardless ... just in case.
Links:
Double-T Nation: Texas Tech 27, Missouri 31 | Sports Depression Continues