After strong finish, Tigers await a bowl

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- After a dominating 45-7 win over Iowa State in the season finale, Missouri awaits its final destination.

The Tigers (8-4, 4-4 Big 12) are likely headed for the Dec. 31 Independence Bowl as the conference's sixth-best bowl seed. Representatives from that bowl have watched Missouri, bowl-bound for the first time in five seasons, at least four times this season.

"We'll take wherever we can go," senior offensive tackle Rob Droege said. "The bigger, the better, but we'll take whatever we can get."

Coach Gary Pinkel said his only knowledge of the bowl scenario comes from Vicki Pinkel. He's been too busy getting Missouri to this position to play the what-if game.

"If my wife wouldn't keep hammering me with them, I would have not known any of them," Pinkel said of the bowl possibilities. "For the most part, my focus has been on winning eight games."

Officials of the Independence Bowl, played in Shreveport, La., are anticipating a Missouri vs. Arkansas matchup. Those teams haven't played in 40 years.

"It's what some of the pundits project, and we'd be pretty interested," Independence executive director Glen Krupica said. "We've been surprised by people that have chosen ahead of us before, so it's pretty hard to handicap, but we think there's a good chance Missouri will be available."

The Alamo Bowl, which will be played Dec. 29 in San Antonio, also was watching Missouri on Saturday just in case. The Alamo likely will land Kansas State against a Big Ten team, but the bowl is still tracking five teams because of the possibility of an upset in the Big 12 conference championship next week in Kansas City and the BCS decision on Texas.

"I didn't come here just for the plane ride," Alamo chairman Jack Rogers said. "But you tell us what's going to happen."

The wild card: Kansas State was unhappy being at the Alamo in 1998 after losing in the Big 12 championship game. So there could be a chance that bowl could bypass the Wildcats and take Missouri instead.

"We'd be happy to have Kansas State back," Rogers said. "Their fans weren't crabby at all."

After a slow start, Missouri completed its first unbeaten season at home since 1974 and won eight games in the regular season for the first time since 1980.

Scoreless on Saturday until the final four minutes of the first half, the Tigers were unstoppable the rest of the way behind a big game from Brad Smith.

Smith had 195 yards rushing on only 17 carries with touchdowns of 19 and 61 yards. Zack Abron added the school career rushing record to the records he set earlier this season for touchdowns and scoring, and Damien Nash had two touchdowns in the second half.

Iowa State players joined a chorus of those impressed by Missouri's sophomore quarterback.

"I think he's probably one of the best I've seen," defensive end Jason Berryman said. "He has the ability to do things that other players wouldn't."

Missouri beat its opponents by an average score of 45-21 at Faurot Field, nicknamed the "Zou" by Pinkel before the season began. The string of victories at home, including the first win over Nebraska in 25 years, more than offset a 2-4 record on the road.

"You start winning, they start believing you can win at home, and that's the first step toward being a good team," Pinkel said. "We have all the stuff here and you can make it a great place to play."

Iowa State (2-10, 0-8) found that out, surrendering 484 total yards. The Cyclones' lone score came on a 62-yard pass from Waye Terry to Lane Danielsen with two seconds to go in the first half -- the longest pass reception against Missouri all year.

"They've been scoring a lot of points all year long, especially here at home," coach Dan McCarney said. "In the second half they were able to do that to us, too."

Iowa State lost its last 10 games after winning the first two and was outscored 198-24 in the last five games. But some players weren't happy to be finished.

"I'm not glad it's over," defensive end Jordan Carstens said. "I wish we could be at the beginning of the season and do things different."