<table> </table> WACO, Texas | Missouri&#8217;s Stryker Sulak doesn&#8217;t always go for the football. It just seems that way because Sulak, a defensive end, leads the nation in forced fumbles.</p><p>Five times in No. 14 Missouri&#8217;s eight games this season, Sulak has caused an opposing running back or quarterback to drop the football on the ground. In 47 career games as a Tiger, Sulak has caused 13 fumbles.</p><p>No one else is even close on the MU defense. Defensive end Ziggy Hood has caused five fumbles in 44 career games.</p><p>Sulak says he chooses when to go for the ball and when to go for the sure tackle first.</p><p>&#8220;It depends if somebody else is around,&#8221; he said of another defender. &#8220;I can go for the ball. If I miss it, somebody else can get my back.&#8221;</p><p>If he is the lone defender in the backfield or on the corner, Sulak generally will just go for the tackle. But tackling technique has a lot to do with it as well.</p><p>Generally charging from the right side of the defensive line, Sulak windmills his right arm, but not so wildly that it takes him out of position to make the tackle.</p><p>The payoff, even if Missouri does not recover the fumble, is obvious.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a loss of down no matter what,&#8221; Sulak said. &#8220;If they recover or anything. They didn&#8217;t gain any yards anyway.&#8221;</p><p>And then there is the rush of adrenaline. Like a basketball player dunking the ball or blocking a shot, or a baseball player hitting one out of the park.</p><p>&#8220;It feels great just to get the ball back for the offense,&#8221; Sulak said.</p><p>Oddly enough, Sulak remembers recovering only one of the fumbles he caused.</p><p>&#8220;It was against Nebraska, two or three years ago,&#8221; Sulak said. &#8220;I actually jumped offside just a few plays before in a critical situation and I had to make up for it.&#8221;</p><p>Knocking the ball out of the grasp of Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin this afternoon might be hard. First, Sulak has to get to Griffin, who is fast and elusive.</p><p>&#8220;He&#8217;s very athletic, and he&#8217;ll take full advantage of that if we let him out and let him get running,&#8221; Sulak said.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re going to have to contain him up front first.&#8221;</p><p><hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> <strong><span class="subhead">Other story lines</span></strong></p><p>&#8226;<strong>BOWLING FOR BEARS:</strong> Baylor has lost four of its last five games: At Connecticut, at home to Oklahoma, at Oklahoma State and Nebraska. The only victory in that string is over Iowa State. To become bowl eligible, Baylor has to win three of its next four games, and three of those are against opponents ranked in the nation&#8217;s top 14: Missouri, Texas and Texas Tech. Lose today, and the Bears probably won&#8217;t go bowling.</p><p>&#8226;<strong>THE TWO-LOSS KING:</strong> Missouri is the highest-ranked two-loss team in The Associated Press poll. Win impressively today, and the Tigers could become the highest-ranked two-loss team in the AP top 10.</p><p>&#8226;<strong>A MARK FOR MACLIN:</strong> Jeremy Maclin needs 98 yards to break Brad Smith&#8217;s all-purpose career yardage mark of 4,419 yards at Mizzou. He might get that in the first half. He comes in averaging an NCAA-best 193.25 yards a game.</p><p></div>