Missouri has a shot at redemption
In a repeat matchup of last year's Big 12 Championship, the roles that Missouri and Oklahoma play have switched. This year, Missouri is looking to play the role of heartbreaker as the No. 2 Sooners are one win away from the National Championship game.
A year ago, Missouri entered the game as the No. 1 team in the nation, but fell out of a BCS bowl game completely with a 38-17 loss to Oklahoma.
The chances for Missouri winning tonight, seem to be even slimmer than last year. The Tigers are coming off a devastating loss to arch rival Kansas last week and have dropped to No. 20 in the country.
Here's what it comes down to. There's about a 95 percent chance Oklahoma will wipe the floor with the Tigers. The Sooners sophomore quarterback Sam Bradford has been nothing short of remarkable all season long. He leads the No. 1 scoring offense in the nation, averaging over 53 points per game.
But still, there is a very legitimate, yet remote, five percent chance that the Tigers pull the upset of the season tonight. This is still the same team that was considered a National Championship caliber group to start the season.
In order to win, senior quarterback Chase Daniel must be masterful. If Missouri's offense plays to its absolute greatest potential it can score on just about every drive. The Sooners passing defense is No. 98 in the country, averaging about 250 yards allowed through the air per game.
So, if the Tiger's offense plays out of its mind and goes point-for-point with Oklahoma, it's going to come down to a few lucky breaks. That means turnovers and special teams. Missouri must force a fumble, tip passes and have explosion from sophomore wide receiver Jeremy Maclin on kick returns.
This is all very unlikely, but why not hope? Stranger things have happened.
Prediction: Missouri 45, Oklahoma 52
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