Missouri prepares for showdown with Nebraska

The game is the first Missouri home game on a Thursday night in 17 years.

By Sean Leahy

Published Oct. 6, 2009

It's the first lesson in History of Missouri Athletics 101: Kansas tops the public enemy list.

With the vitriol stirred by the Border Showdown (also known as the Border War), the Jayhawks reign as the utmost rival of the Tigers.

But look northwest to Lincoln, Neb., and there is another program with which Missouri has been tangling for more than a century.

The next chapter in the 117-year long Missouri-Nebraska story will be written Thursday night on Faurot Field.

With the glare of a national television audience and national rankings for both squads, the stakes will be high for Missouri's 2009 Big 12 debut.

"We've always, and will always, have great respect for Nebraska," coach Gary Pinkel said. "A lot goes with that name, historically, traditionally. We've always had great respect for them and still do."

The No. 24 Tigers will look to improve to 5-0 in 2009 as the No. 21 Cornhuskers are looking to seize control of the Big 12 North with a game to be broadcast on ESPN. Kickoff is set for 8:01 p.m.

It will be the first time since Oct. 8, 1992, that Missouri has hosted a game on a Thursday night.

Although the rivalry might not be at the level of Tigers-Jayhawks, the 102 games Missouri has played against Nebraska ranks as the second-highest total Missouri has played against any opponent. The first time Missouri and Nebraska met on the football field was in 1893.

Nebraska holds a 63-36-3 all-time series lead over Missouri, but the Tigers have won the last two match-ups and the last three games played at Faurot Field.

"It may not be our biggest rivalry because of Kansas, but it's always a fierce game," junior center Tim Barnes said. "They beat us for so long, now we got a couple going on them and it's back into a good, intense rivalry."

Nebraska stands at 3-1 on the season with three blowout home victories and a narrow loss at Virginia Tech Sept. 19. The Cornhuskers were preseason picks in the Big 12 media poll to win the Big 12 North.

Missouri stands at 4-0 on the season and is coming off a bye week.

Barnes noted the advantages of the extra rest before Thursday night's showdown.

"It's always nice to have an extra day or two for a game but especially for a game like this," Barnes said. "It's kind of nice to slow down, get our preparation in so we can come into practice already a step ahead."

Senior nose tackle Jaron Baston said the Tigers defense must be ready to contend with a bruising Cornhusker attack.

"The first thing that comes to mind is how physical they are," Baston said. "They want to run it down your throat. If you can't stop it, they're going to continue to do it."

Pinkel acknowledged the prestigious Nebraska tradition, one that includes five national championships.

"I think they are one of the best teams in our league, year in and year out and one of the best teams in the country," Pinkel said. "That's incentive right there. We're going to play one of the best and you try to play your best game."