Key returnees: QB Chase Daniel, OT Colin Brown, WR Jeremy Maclin, TE Chase Coffman, LB Sean Weatherspoon, S William Moore.
Key losses: NT Lorenzo Williams, RB Tony Temple, WR Will Franklin, OL Tyler Luellen.
Top story line: It’s now or never for a senior-laden Missouri team looking to take not only that next step up, but perhaps a giant leap. Getting to the Big 12 title game is one thing: Winning it and getting a shot at the national championship game is the thing.
•“It’s tough for probably the fans to consider them a rival because they’re so used to Nebraska-Oklahoma, and I don’t know if they’ll accept anything other than that.”
| Nebraska quarterback Joe Ganz on whether Nebraska can consider Missouri a rivalry game
•“I’ll take the middle road and say I think it’s the best team Missouri probably has ever had.”
| CBS Sportsline’s Dennis Dodd, a graduate of MU’s School of Journalism
•“Not to take anything away from Martin Rucker last year, but check out this (Chase) Coffman (below). He is the best tight end in the conference. He’s the prototype of what you want at that position. And he’s got the best quarterback in the conference throwing to him.”
| Ron Franklin of ESPN/ ABC
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