Tigers playing with something to prove
Chase Daniel and the rest of arguably the greatest class in Missouri football history are just about an hour away from their final kickoff. The Tigers enter tonight's game as pretty heavy favorites over the Northwestern Wildcats.
There is no doubt that Missouri played tougher competition in the Big 12 all season long, compared to Northwestern who plays in the struggling Big 10 conference. The only doubt is which Missouri team will show up tonight.
At times, the Tigers looked like one of the most talented teams in the nation, like when embarrassing Nebraska and Colorado. Yet on other Saturdays they came out with no passion and got whalloped by Texas and Oklahoma.
Win or lose, 2008 will most likely go down as a disappointment for Missouri, but it needs a convincing victory over Northwestern to keep it from being humiliating.
If the Tigers play to their maximum potential, they will make it clear that Big 12 football is on a different level than Big 10. What should separate the teams is speed. Missouri's athletic ability is far superior with guys like Jeremy Maclin and Chase Coffman.
But all it takes is a few sloppy turnovers, which Daniel has been handing out recently, for things to roll Northwestern's way.
Look for the Wildcats to play tough early, but Missouri to pull away as the game goes on.
Prediction: Missouri 52, Northwestern 31