If you’ve paid any attention to Big XII football this year, then you would know that things are heating up in the North division. The Kansas Jayhawks are off to their best start since 1909, at 8-0 overall and 4-0 in the conference, and are currently ranked eighth in the Bowl Championship Series standings.
The Jayhawks have surprised the country with their undefeated record, and things with Missouri are getting more interesting by the week. As the season begins to wind down to an eventual Border Showdown between Kansas and Missouri Stadium in Kansas City Nov. 24 at Arrowhead, the remaining schedule for each team leaves much to be debated.
While Missouri fans feel that Kansas is not worthy of its No. 8 ranking due to the Hawks’ easier schedule, KU has proven its dominance by crushing weak, non-conference teams thus far.
Mizzou football hasn’t always lived up to its potential either. But this year, the Tigers are ranked in the top 10 for the first time since 1981, and they are only being upstaged by the Jayhawks, who are ranked higher than the Tigers for the first time since 1909.
The successful season Missouri is having thus far is what Tiger fans have been waiting for. And now that it’s finally here, there is a possibility that it could be ruined by losing to the Jayhawks in the final regular-season game of the year.
The Jayhawks played their toughest game against Kansas State, when they defeated the Wildcats in Manhattan. K-State’s only loss came to Oklahoma State in a slugfest that was determined by two points in Stillwater. The Wildcats nearly beat Auburn this year, before they blew it at the end of the game.
OSU will face off against Kansas in two weeks, and they don’t have any impressive wins. They lost to Texas A&M, who lost to KU. Additionally, the Cowboys killed NU at Lincoln. And the Cornhuskers aren’t an impressive team.
Although Nebraska looked to be a tough competitor at the beginning of the season, the team has turned out to be a non-factor this year. It doesn’t help that the team just lost its starting quarterback, Sam Keller, for the year to injury.
Missouri could have a tough time at Colorado, where the Buffaloes beat Oklahoma earlier this year. They could also run into major problems against Texas A&M. Missouri’s defense has not been that spectacular all year, and, to make things worse, they lost their best defensive player, Pig Brown, for the year to an injury last week.
Missouri’s weakness all year has been stopping the run. A&M has the league’s best rushing offense. You do the math.
If A&M can establish a successful run game against Mizzou, score a lot of points on the ground and keep MU quarterback Chase Daniel off the field, then be prepared for the upset in Missouri’s home finale. Kansas shouldn’t have a problem with 1-7 Illinois State three weeks from now.
So how is it all going to turn out? I think that Kansas will run the table in its next three games and play Missouri with an 11-0 record. Missouri will lose at least one of their next three games, giving them a 9-2 record when they play Kansas.
I think that Missouri will beat Kansas in Kansas City, with the Hawks still celebrating a Big XII North Championship. However, make sure that you keep an eye on each team in the next three weeks leading up to the big showdown in Kansas City, because this season has brought new fire to the rivalry between KU and MU.
When they clash in the Border Showdown, it could be for more than just pride this year-; it could mean that the winner is crowned Big XII North Champion.
