Commentary: Farmer is the Key

Missouri was blown out three straight times to end the 199 season, by a combined total of 154-14. Yes, the Tigers will beat Western Illinois, but then they could be looking at three straight blowouts again, against Clemson, Michigan State, and Nebraska. That would mean a stretch of seven games in which Missouri was whipped six times. Let’s hope it doesn’t go that way, because it would be ugly. You hate to put pressure on one guy, but this season will ride with quarterback Kirk Farmer. He looked great in camp, and if he can keep it together when the bullets start flying for real, and make this offense go, the Tigers might be okay. If they could win one against the Big Three, that would leave them at 2-2, with their next two games at home against Oklahoma State and Kansas, both winnable. Suddenly, they could be 4-2 and looking at a possiblity of a bowl game. Or they could get trounced in those three tough games, get discouraged, lose to the Cowboys, and be 1-4 before you know it. The defense will be better. Which way the season goes depends on Farmer.