Game capsules

By Evan Glantz and Sean Leahy

Published Sept. 4, 2009

Illinois, Sept. 5, St. Louis

The Illini come off a 5-7 season in 2008 and return two centerpieces of their offense: senior quarterback Juice Williams and junior wide receiver Arrelious Benn. Benn has drawn some All-American hype as he is dangerous both as a receiver and returner. He racked up 1,055 yards receiving last season, including 92 yards in last year's Arch Rivalry Game. Missouri is looking for its fifth-straight win over Illinois after a shoot-out 52-42 victory in 2008. Last season, both teams were ranked when they faced off. This year, with neither team ranked in the top 25, the stakes are a bit lower. If Missouri wants to open the season with a win, it must figure out how to stop Williams and Benn from getting to the end zone.

Bowling Green, Sept. 12, Columbia

In their first home game of the 2009 season, the Tigers will play host to the Bowling Green Falcons, who finished second in the Mid-American Conference last year at 6-6. The Falcons are now under the leadership of coach Dave Clawson, the former Tennessee offensive coordinator. The team returns several key players, most notably senior quarterback Tyler Sheehan who is entering his third season as the full-time starter. Last year, the Falcons ranked 60th in total offense, averaging almost 360 yards per game. Sheehan was a big reason for that success, as he threw for over 2,600 yards and added 20 touchdowns as well. Bowling Green has shown the ability to upset ranked opponents, so Missouri cannot afford to be complacent in the home opener.

Furman, Sept. 19, Columbia

This will be the first time Missouri and Furman have faced off on the gridiron. Hailing from the Southern Conference, Furman posted a 7-5 record in 2008. The Paladins have eight preseason all-conference candidates, two of whom were all-Southern Conference in 2008. Overall, Furman returns 13 starters from a team that finished 4-4 in conference last year. By the time the Paladins come into Columbia, they will be in the middle of a three-game road trip that also takes them to Chattanooga and Western Carolina. Senior quarterback Jordan Sorrells returns as the Paladins' leading passer junior Adam Mims brings his team-high 711 receiving yards from 2008. This will be Missouri's last non-conference game at Faurot Field before welcoming Big 12 foes.

Nevada, Sept. 25, Reno, Nev.

In its last game before conference play, Missouri will make a trip out west to take on the Nevada Wolf Pack in Reno. Last season, the Wolf Pack went 7-6, which included an appearance in the Humanitarian Bowl. Nevada enters the season with high hopes. It returns seven players on both offense and defense, including the 2008 Western Athletic Conference player of the year, sophomore quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The Wolf Pack also returns running backs junior Vai Taua and senior Luke Lippincott, who won the WAC rushing titles in 2007 and 2008 respectively. The Tigers could find success in Reno through the air. Last year, the Wolf Pack ranked dead last in the country against the pass, surrendering over 311 yards a game.

Nebraska, Oct. 8, Columbia

Missouri's first conference test of 2009 will be a big one. The Nebraska Cornhuskers come to Faurot Field on a Thursday night in a game to be broadcasted on ESPN. Missouri trounced the Cornhuskers 52-17 in Lincoln last season, but Nebraska went on to win six of its last eight games. Preseason picks pointed to Nebraska to win the Big 12 North. The Cornhuskers are hoping to ride momentum from 2008 into a successful 2009. Senior defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh was the media's pick as preseason conference defensive player of the year and he led all Big 12 linemen in 2008 with 76 tackles. Second-year coach Bo Pelini leads a Husker team that has lost its last three games in Columbia by a combined 69 points. Nebraska is ranked in the preseason top 25 and might be the first ranked opponent the Tigers face in 2009.

Oklahoma State, Oct. 17, Stillwater, Okla.

Judging by the preseason ranking, it appears the roles are reversed in 2009 for Missouri and Oklahoma State. Last year, the Tigers had national title hopes before suffering their first loss, a heartbreaker to the Cowboys. This season, the Cowboys come in at ninth in the AP preseason poll, and Missouri will have the chance to extract some revenge in Stillwater. Oklahoma State's offense is loaded with talent, with potential first round draft picks in junior wide receiver Dez Bryant, junior running back Kendall Hunter and senior offensive lineman Russell Okung, not to mention senior quarterback Zac Robinson, the Cowboys' all-time leader in total offense. In order to compete with Oklahoma State, the Tigers are going to need to take advantage of the Cowboy's spotty passing defense. Unless either team can shut down the other's offense, this game might end up as a shootout.

Texas, Oct. 24, Columbia

With a national title contender and Heisman trophy candidate, the expectations are high in Austin as the Longhorns feature one of the most potent offenses in college football. Senior quarterback Colt McCoy returns after leading Texas to a 12-1 campaign in 2008, including a Fiesta Bowl victory over Ohio State. Included in that win total was a 56-31 beating of Missouri on Oct. 18. If the Tigers hope to topple to the No. 2 preseason team in the country, they have to stop McCoy and his arsenal of receivers. Senior Jordan Shipley caught for 1,060 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2008 and figures to be one of McCoy's favorite targets. Texas will come into Columbia a week after facing off with Oklahoma and a week before heading to face Oklahoma State on the road -- both teams are ranked in the preseason top 10. Missouri hopes history repeats itself in this year's Homecoming, as its last win over Texas was during Homecoming '97.

Colorado, Oct. 31, Boulder, Colo.

The Tigers romped the Buffaloes last season at Faurot Field, shutting Colorado out 58-0. This year, they hope to do the same in Boulder. After finishing 5-7 and fourth in the Big 12 North, Colorado coach Dan Hawkins said he expects his team to win 10 games in 2009. The Buffaloes finished in the middle of the pack defensively in 2008, but struggled to generate much offensively. Those struggles could continue this season, as Hawkins has yet to announce a starting quarterback. Sophomore Tyler Hansen and junior Cody Hawkins have been battling throughout the summer, but the starter will be announced just before the team's opener against Colorado State. Hawkins may have faith in his team to win 10, but Missouri is one of the stronger teams standing in the way.

Baylor, Nov. 7, Columbia

Baylor was picked to finish fifth in the Big 12 South and looks to recover from a 4-8 season in 2008 that featured a four-game losing streak. One of those losses came at the hands of Missouri, who beat the Bears in Waco by a score of 31-28. One positive for Baylor in 2008 was the play of true freshman quarterback Robert Griffin. At the age of 18, Griffin exploded for 2,091 yards passing and 15 touchdowns. On defense, the Bears feature two returning All-Big 12 selections, senior linebacker Joe Pawelek and senior free safety Jordan Lake. The Tigers feature a 10-2 advantage in the all-time series against Baylor.

Kansas State, Nov. 14, Manhattan, Kan.

After a disappointing 5-7 season, the Kansas State Wildcats replaced coach Ron Prince with a familiar face, Bill Snyder, who returned to the sidelines after a three-year hiatus. A year ago, Kansas State had a potent offense but a porous defense. The team ranked 117th in the nation in total offense, surrendering over 217 rushing yards and 261 passing yards per game. Kansas State lost starting quarterback Josh Freeman to the NFL, in addition to a couple other offensive weapons. For now, junior Carson Coffman and senior transfer Grant Gregory will battle for the starting spot. Easing the transition will be senior wide receiver Brandon Banks, who won the 2008 Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year. The Tigers will have their hands full with the Wildcat offense, but should take advantage of the relatively weak defense.

Iowa State, Nov. 21, Columbia

The Cyclones are looking to get back on track after a disappointing 2008 campaign. The team limped to a 2-10 record and finished 2008 on a ten-game losing streak. To add insult to injury, Iowa State went 0-8 in the Big 12. Paul Rhoads takes over as head coach of the Cyclones, replacing the departed Gene Chizik. The Cyclones featured no preseason All-Big 12 picks but do return leading passer Austen Arnaud. The junior quarterback threw for 2,792 yards and 15 touchdowns with a 61.6 completion percentage in 2008. Missouri faces off against Iowa State after handing the Cyclones a 52-20 beating in Ames last season. Overall, the Tigers have taken five of the last six meetings against the Cyclones. If Missouri wins again this year, it will be its fourth home victory in a row over Iowa State.

Kansas, Nov. 28, Kansas City

Who could forget last year's thriller in Kansas City between these two rivals? Missouri came charging from behind to take the lead late in the game, only to watch now-senior quarterback Todd Reesing and the Jayhawks win the game on a last second touchdown pass to now-senior Kerry Meier. You can bet the Tigers are itching to return the favor to Kansas. Reesing holds many of Kansas' passing records, and is surrounded by experienced players. Last year, the offense ranked 21st overall, averaging more than 432 yards per game. Those numbers figure to stay relatively consistent with the lack of turnover on the roster. With all the experience, the Jayhawks are a favorite of some experts to win the Big 12 North. Again, the Tigers should have something to say about that when these two teams meet over Thanksgiving weekend.