Missouri played a role in a slew of upsets in the SEC last week, when the Tigers beat Florida, Auburn beat Texas A&M, Tennessee beat South Carolina, Ole Miss beat LSU and Vanderbilt beat Georgia.
The unexpected SEC results - as well as Central Florida beating Louisville, Florida State beating Clemson and Stanford beating UCLA - helped Missouri jump from No. 14 to No. 5 in The Associated Press poll.
It’s the Tigers’ highest ranking since they were No. 3 during the 2008 season when they opened 5-0.
Missouri also is No. 5 in the first Bowl Championship Series standings released Sunday night.
But Tigers senior receiver L’Damian Washington said the Tigers know they must continue to gain respect coming off a 5-7 season in their SEC debut.
“I think there’s still going to be a little bit of doubt,” Washington said of Missouri’s national perception after the Florida game. “We don’t care.
“Step 8 is next week. This was Step 7. It’s a 12-step process.”
Streaky series
Alabama will be going for its seventh consecutive victory over Tennessee after the Vols won seven in a row from 1995 to 2001.
Not coincidentally, the Crimson Tide’s latest winning streak in the series began when Nick Saban took over as Alabama’s coach.
Butch Davis is the fourth Tennessee coach to try and stop the losing streak to Saban’s Tide after Phillip Fulmer, Lane Kiffin and Derek Dooley couldn’t make it happen.
Gus celebrates
Auburn Coach Gus Malzahn is known for his reserved personality, but he couldn’t help but get excited after the Tigers won 45-41 at Texas A&M last week.
Malzahn could be heard saying “How about that?” repeatedly as the final seconds ticked down to the end the game.
“It was just ‘How about that?’ We did it. We beat a really good team on the road,” Malzahn said this week. “It was more about happiness for our players and how far they’ve come.
“For them to find a way to win on the road like we did, that was more or less what I meant.”
‘Hopeful’ for Manziel
Usually when coaches discuss injuries, they talk about players being probable, questionable or doubtful for the game.
Texas A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin offered a new injury term when asked about Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel’s status for Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt after he injured his shoulder against Auburn last week.
Sumlin said he’s listing Manziel as “hopeful” this week for the Vanderbilt game.
If Manziel doesn’t start, then junior Matt Joeckel or true freshman Kenny Hill would replace him.
Joeckel started the season opener against Rice when Manziel was suspended for the first half.
Joeckel completed 14 of 19 passes for 190 yards before Manziel took over in the second half.
“We feel confident in both of those guys,” A&M offensive coordinator Clarence McKinney said. “It’s a different team when Johnny’s out there, and it’s a different team when those guys are out there.
“Matt knows the offense. He’s been in it two years, and we feel like he can operate it. Kenny’s really, really talented, and we feel like if he’s out there he can make plays for us as well.”Namath weighs in Joe Namath, the former Alabama quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Fame member, wondered aloud this week what Tide start safety Vinnie Sunseri was doing playing on special teams against Arkansas when he suffered a season-ending knee injury.
“He’s a general out on the field,” Namath said on his podcast. “He got his injury in the first quarter covering a kickoff. I’m saying to myself, ‘What is he doing on the field covering a kickoff?’
“He is so important to that defensive unit and the college team Alabama, they not only have 80-plus players dressed out, they have 80-plus good players dressed out. You would think they would have someone covering the kickoff.”Shaw available
South Carolina backup quarterback Dylan Thompson will start at Missouri on Saturday, but Gamecocks Coach Steve Spurrier said Connor Shaw could play if needed.
Shaw, who is 22-5 as the Gamecocks’ starter, sustained a knee injury at Tennessee last week and isn’t getting many practice snaps.
Earlier this season Shaw suffered a sprained shoulder, but stayed in the lineup.
“He’s going to say he can play, but I feel like let’s give Dylan a shot and see what happens,” Spurrier said. “I think it’s time we let Dylan see what he can do and go from there.
“Dylan is ready. I don’t think Connor is going to be 100 percent, but he loves to play.”Cooper bouncing back
Alabama sophomore receiver Amari Cooper lit up Tennesssee for 7 catches for 162 yards and 2 touchdowns last season. He may be ready for another big game against the Volunteers on Saturday after catching his first touchdown pass of the season against Arkansas last week.
Cooper, who had 59 catches for 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns as a freshman, has been slowed by a toe injury, but looked full speed against the Razorbacks.
“I felt like he got involved last week,” Tide quarterback AJ McCarron said. “He seems to be running good, playing good, so that helps us.”
Petrino back in SEC
For one week at least, Idaho Coach Paul Petrino will experience the SEC again.
Petrino, who had two stints as Arkansas’ offensive offensive coordinator, will bring the Vandals into Oxford, Miss., to play Ole Miss on Saturday night.
Idaho (1-6) is a 41-point underdog to the Rebels, who beat LSU 27-24 last week.
The point spread is reflective of the Vandals’ struggles this season, but also because they may be starting their third-string quarterback, senior Josh Davis, because of injuries to Chad Chalich and Josh McCain.
Tough choice
Missouri fans who also root for the St. Louis Cardinals will be torn about what to watch live on their televisions Saturday night.
The Tigers’ game against South Carolina will be going at the same time the Cardinals play the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 of the World Series in St. Louis.
Readying for Clowney
Missouri redshirt freshman quarterback Maty Mauk, who passed for 295 yards against Florida in his first start, is preparing to face South Carolina’s All-America defensive end Jadeveon Clowney on Saturday.
“You just have to have a feel[for Clowney],” Mauk said. “When you’re going back and you see him breaking under, you’ve got to know where you’re going to go before he gets there.”
Staying optimistic
LSU’s players are trying to stay upbeat after a 27-24 loss at Ole Miss dropped the Tigers to 5-2.
“We still have a lot to play for,” junior defensive tackle Anthony Johnson said. “We can still have a chance to make it to a big BCS game or even the national championship game if a lot of things shake out.”
After playing Furman on Saturday night, the Tigers close against No. 1 Alabama, Texas A&M and Arkansas.
SEC top to bottom
RK (PREV.) TEAM REC. (SEC) COMMENT
- (1) Alabama 7-0 (4-0) Ready to keep rolling over Vols
- (5) Missouri 7-0 (3-0) 2nd time around in SEC going well
- (8) Auburn 6-1 (3-1) Big turnaround under Gus
- (3) LSU 6-2 (3-2) Mettenberger struggles with picks at Ole Miss
- (2) Texas A&M 5-2 (2-2) Expect Manziel to play vs. Vandy
- (4) South Carolina 5-2 (3-2) Thompson to start at QB
- (9) Ole Miss 4-3 (2-3) Wins close one over LSU
- (6) Georgia 4-3 (3-2) Open date to get ready for Florida
- (10) Vanderbilt 4-3 (1-3) Gets first SEC victory over Georgia
- (11) Tennessee 4-3 (1-2) Jones gets first shot at Bama
- (7) Florida 4-3 (3-2) Injuries taking heavy toll
- (12) Mississippi State 3-3 (0-2) Looking to keep Kentucky winless in SEC
- (13) Arkansas 3-5 (0-4) Struggling in all phases
- (14) Kentucky 1-5 (0-3) MSU best shot for SEC victory
Game of the week
No. 20 South Carolina at No. 5 Missouri 6 p.m. Saturday, ESPN2
Missouri has been the SEC’s surprise team this season, rising into the top 5 nationally after beating Georgia and Florida the past two weeks. Granted, the Bulldogs and Gators have lost a lot of key players to injuries, but the Tigers beat both decisively, and defeated Florida with redshirt freshman quarterback Maty Mauk making his first start. If the Tigers can beat Steve Spurrier and the Gamecocks, Missouri will take control of the SEC East race.
By the numbers
1972◊Last time Missouri had won back-to-back games vs.
ranked teams before beating Georgia and Florida. The Tigers beat No. 6 Notre Dame and No. 8 Colorado back to back in 1972.
146.3◊Receiving yards per game average for Texas A&M’s Mike Evans.
“Overheard”
“You could tell things were different when I got back, even with some of the guys I was familiar with because they went through a tough time. It was a little Dr. Philin’ and hard work setting the bar high.”
- Auburn Coach Gus Malzahn on rebuilding confidence after the Tigers were 3-9 last season
Sports, Pages 22 on 10/24/2013