After a three-game losing streak to open Big 12 play, it was good to see Missouri (5-3, 1-3 in Big 12 games) get back on track with a 36-17 win at Colorado last Saturday.
Yes, Colorado has struggled, and the second half saw a Colorado comeback that put Tiger fans on edge. However, Missouri dominated the first half, rolling to a 33-0 lead, and any Big 12 road win in big, regardless of the opponent. Even the very successful Chase Daniel notched a career 6-5 record as a starter at quarterback for Missouri in Big 12 road games.
Another positive sign was the great play of the Missouri receivers, led by the explosive Danario Alexander and his eight catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

Also, quarterback Blaine Gabbert and his bum ankle looked much better. Colorado’s defense doesn’t pursue like Nebraska’s or Texas’ (huge understatement alert), but it was still encouraging to see Gabbert take off on a 16-yard run to pick up a first down.
Credit also goes to the Tiger defense, which shut down Colorado’s second half rally attempt with a big fourth down stop when linebacker Sean Weatherspoon slipped off a blocker to drop the Colorado running back behind the line of scrimmage. The defense held Colorado to negative 14 yards rushing. The defense’s play helped Missouri outgain the Buffaloes 400-176 in total yards.
The win was nice, but also expected. Missouri seems to be a team that simply beats the bad teams and loses to the good ones. Missouri has lost to three teams with a combined record of 19-5. The Tigers have won against an FCS school and four other teams with a combined record of 12-20.

When I discussed this tendency with a friend, he said, “Sounds like a recipe for mediocrity.” That’s very true, although mediocrity may get it done in the wild and crazy (translation: not too great) Big 12 North Division. Taking care of business against the bad teams may be the key to winning the North. However, equally crucial will be Missouri’s performance against other teams that seem mediocre or that we’re still unsure how good they are.
Missouri’s games at Kansas State and against Kansas in Kansas City, and perhaps even against Iowa State at home, could finally help solve the Rubik’s cube that is the Big 12 North. The quality of each team seems to change with each week. We’re now after Halloween and the division still lacks a clear favorite.
First, though, Missouri faces Baylor at home this week (1 p.m., no TV). On the surface, Baylor appears to be one of those bad teams Missouri beats. The Bears are 0-4 in Big 12 play and 3-5 overall. They lost star quarterback Robert Griffin for the season due to injury, but they can be scrappy. In this year’s Big 12, every game seems up for grabs, but this is still a great chance for Missouri to build some momentum for the stretch run.