Mizzou, Kansas enjoy rare success

DALLAS -- Missouri or Kansas have finished at the bottom of the Big 12 North Division standings in each of the past four seasons.

The perennial cellar-dwellers haven't had a chance yet this season to improve their conference standing -- that won't happen until they play their Big 12 opener against each other Sept. 27. But they are having some early success.

Missouri is 3-0 for the first time since 1981. The Tigers are also ranked 23rd, their first appearance in The Associated Press Top 25 poll since the final poll of the 1998 season when they were 21st after going 8-5 with a win at the Insight.com Bowl.

Kansas (2-1) has already matched its win total from last season with consecutive wins, scoring more than 40 points in wins over Mountain West Conference teams UNLV and Wyoming, after an eight-game losing streak.

The next step for Tigers coach Gary Pinkel and Kansas coach Mark Mangino is to see how their teams handle their good fortune.

"It's important to have a quick start. There were some things we wanted to accomplish ... teach our players how to win," said Pinkel, who is in his third season. "I've been there before, our players haven't. The big thing we have to do is deal with the psychology of how to handle winning. ... Will the work ethic be the same? Will the mental prep be the same? I have to make the right moves."

Missouri followed its 1998 success by finishing last in the six-team North Division in 1999 and 2000, and fifth the last two seasons, ahead of only Kansas.

The Tigers, who followed a season-opening win over Illinois with consecutive wins over Division I-AA teams, play Saturday against Middle Tennessee State (0-3).

After its first consecutive wins since 2000, Kansas plays Division I-AA Jacksonville State, a game that Mangino said Monday that his team won't take for granted.

"We've worked so hard to get to this point and I don't think our kids want to jeopardize that," said Mangino, in his second season. "They've had a taste of losing, and it's very bitter. I think they enjoy the sweetness of winning. Winning feels good, you want to keep that feeling as long as you can."

Kansas has never finished in the upper half of the division standings, its best showing fourth place (5-7, 3-5 Big 12) in 1999.

The Jayhawks were 2-10 in their first season under Mangino, winless in the conference and serving as the victim for the end of Baylor's 29-game Big 12 losing streak. They entered 2003 with seven straight losses, so Mangino is ecstatic about two straight wins.

"It helps our kids develop that confidence," Mangino said. "We can talk about confidence and all of those things, but nothing builds confidence like winning. We know our toughest games are still ahead."

Happy to run

Oklahoma State have 3,000-yard passer Josh Fields and Big 12 receiving record holder Rashaun Woods back from last season. But the Cowboys are gaining more yards running the ball than passing it.

The Cowboys have averaged 398 total yards a game, 228 rushing and 170 passing.

"What teams are doing, they're paying so much attention to our passing attack that our running lanes are wide open," said Oklahoma State coach Les Miles. "If people keep playing as far off as that, we look forward to running the ball."

Tatum Bell (143 yards and four TDs) and Seymore Shaw (107 yards and a TD) both ran for more than 100 yards in a 42-3 win over Southwest Missouri State on Saturday night.

Bell, a 1,000-yard rusher a season ago, is the Big 12's top runner at 148.3 yards per game and seven TDs. Woods is still sixth in the Big 12 with 17 catches for 270 yards.

Hurricane watch

After having last weekend off, Texas Tech and Texas A&M both are preparing for the games on the East Coast, which is bracing for Hurricane Isabel.

The Aggies are scheduled to play Thursday night at eighth-ranked Virginia Tech. Texas Tech is supposed to play at North Carolina State on Saturday.

Forecasters have said the hurricane could hit anywhere from North Carolina to New Jersey Thursday or Friday with sustained wind of up to 130 mph.

"We can't worry too much about that. We have to get ready to play the game," said A&M coach Dennis Franchione.

Quick hits

Oklahoma LB Lance Mitchell was scheduled for an MRI on his injured left knee. After Saturday's win over Fresno State, coach Bob Stoops said the injury looked severe. "We're still sort of holding out hope. He had virtually no swelling and no soreness. We're hoping it's not quite what it seems," Stoops said Monday.

Colorado coach Gary Barnett was excited about the prospects of his defense before the season, but it has given up at least 35 points twice. "It has been a puzzle, I guess I misread them," he said.

Nebraska is 3-0 for the seventh year in a row. ... Iowa State has an open date this weekend.