MU players still believe they can reach their goals
By MIKE DeARMOND
The Kansas City Star
COLUMBIA | Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon is not a captain of the Tigers football team. But he played one at a Sunday team meeting.
“If you don’t think we can get off that plane and win, don’t get on that plane,” Weatherspoon said of Missouri’s game Saturday night at No. 1 Texas. “Don’t even come to practice this week.”
Sure, Missouri was and probably still is hurting from Saturday’s 28-23 home loss to Oklahoma State.
The defeat dropped the Tigers from No. 3 in The Associated Press poll to No. 11. Even had Mizzou beaten then-No. 17 Oklahoma State, the Tigers might have been an underdog at Texas, fresh off a 45-35 victory that cost Oklahoma the No. 1 ranking.
“Underdogs, overdogs, whatever you want to call it,” MU quarterback Chase Daniel said Monday. “It doesn’t matter to us. We’re going to prepare as much as we possibly can and overprepare more than we ever have to get ready for this game.”
Sophomore center Tim Barnes suggested the Tigers take defeat “as a wake-up call.”
“See what we have to do to get back up on top,” he said.
The Debbie Downers out there contend there is nothing Missouri can do. They say the Tigers’ shot at playing for a national championship is gone.
Now? Well, can the Tigers even win the Big 12 North? Especially if they lose at Texas and fall to 5-2 and even lower in the rankings?
“We know what’s out there for us,” said MU defensive end Stryker Sulak. “We’ve got to go down to Texas and take that game. But everything is still out there.”
Weatherspoon has heard the doomsday sentiments from those who have heaped the-end-is-near predictions on the Tigers on Internet message boards since Saturday’s loss.
Fortunately for MU fans, Weatherspoon says the tongue-wagging ignores recent history.
“I don’t know if you watched the national championship last year,” Weatherspoon said, “but the team that won it had two losses.”
Sure enough, LSU lost to what was at that time a No. 17 Kentucky team 43-37 in triple overtime on Oct. 13. LSU lost to Arkansas 50-48 in three overtimes on Nov. 23.
And yes, LSU beat Tennessee in the SEC title game and, in part because No. 1 Missouri was dominated by Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game, LSU qualified for the BCS title game, where it beat Ohio State.
Does that mean Missouri can do the same? Maybe. Maybe not.
The thing is that the Tigers — at least some of them — believe they can.
“We control our own destiny,” Weatherspoon said.
Indeed, after Texas, Missouri finishes its regular season against Colorado, Baylor, Kansas State, Iowa State and Kansas. Only KU is currently ranked, at No. 16.
If Missouri wins out and finishes 11-1, the Tigers will play in the Big 12 title game at Arrowhead Stadium. If MU loses at Texas and then wins out, the Tigers still have a good chance to win the North at 10-2.
It’s what Weatherspoon has been preaching, just as if he really were a team captain.
“Think about it, man,” Weatherspoon said. “What are the odds of somebody running the table? There are a lot of great football teams out there. A lot of great conferences and a lot of great football to be played.
“We’re playing the No. 1 team in the country. If you don’t believe in us, then you just stay home. I don’t care who you are.”
To reach Mike DeArmond, call 816-234-4353 or send e-mail to mdearmond@kcstar.com
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