For the last time this season, the Mizzou Tigers will play in the confines of Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in Columbia. The Tigers will try to make it two wins in a row as they take on the Iowa State Cyclones in what is not only Senior Day, but also the annual Blackout game.A week after a disheartening loss to Baylor, the Tigers showed the season was not over as they go on the road and beat Kansas State. Senior wide receiver Danario Alexander had another amazing game as he caught 10 passes from quarterback Blaine Gabbert for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Alexander is now the leading receiver in the Big 12 Conference and is currently third in the NCAA in receiving yards and fifth in receptions.
The Mizzou defense also stepped up their game last week as they did not allow the Kansas State offense to see the endzone.
The win was the first for Gary Pinkel over Wildcats head coach Bill Snyder, and it means the Tigers will be making an appearance later this year in their fifth straight bowl game.
Iowa State comes into this game with a record of 6-5, which already makes them bowl eligible. The Cyclones are coming off a 17-10 win at home last week over Colorado.
First year head coach Paul Rhoads has turned the program around very quickly as the Cyclones won their first Big 12 Conference game this season which was their first since 2006. Iowa State is also bowl eligible for the first time since 2005. This will be the final game of the season for Iowa State.
15 Seniors will put on the Mizzou uniform for the final time at the Zou this afternoon. These seniors, Danario Alexander, Jaron Baston, Brian Coulter, Jon Gissinger, Kurtis Gregory, Levi Hamilton, Jake Harry IV, Del Howard, Andy Maples, Tanner Mills, Jared Perry, Hardy Ricks, Ryan Schleusner, Shawn Scott, and Sean Weatherspoon, have won 36 games over their time at Mizzou. They have also were part of the first team in school history to be ranked as the BCS number one team, win back to back Big 12 North titles, and play in three bowl games.
More importantly than their work on the field, off the field, each one of these seniors will graduate by May of 2010.
This will be the 102nd meeting between these two teams, with Mizzou winning the last two games. The Tigers have not lost to the Cyclones since 2006. It is important to note though, that since 2001, five of the eight games between these two schools have been decided by less than seven points.
All fans that are going to the game are encouraged to wear black. The game, which is not on television, will kick off this afternoon at 1:07.
