Mizzou strives for two-game streak

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- There's been little consistent about Gary Pinkel's season so far as a first-year coach at Missouri.

He's watched the Tigers open with a loss, come back the next week and win, then repeat the process. At 2-2, he's used two quarterbacks and three running backs, switched offensive styles for a loss to Nebraska, and marveled at a defense that at first couldn't hold a lead but blocked a field goal to seal a 41-38 triple-overtime win against Oklahoma State.

That win last week in Stillwater, Okla., is the game the Tigers said they need to steady their course heading into today's game against 3-1 Iowa State.

"This is a huge confidence boost that we needed," center A.J. Ricker said. "I can't even think about how I would feel if we had lost that game. I think we would be much worse off and our season wouldn't look too good."

The latest change is the emergence of Zain Gilmore, the Tigers' No. 1 running back who had dropped behind Zack Abron and freshman Tyrone Roberson. But after unexpectedly entering the game in the first quarter against Oklahoma State, Gilmore ran for 107 yards on 22 carries.

He had had just 36 yards so far this season.

"We don't care what you did last season or whenever, it's what you do in practice," Pinkel said. "Initially he was disappointed. I think kids go through a lot of things, a lot of different emotional issues when they get moved down. We put it all on him. If you want to play in games you go out there in practice and show us."

Gilmore is back onto the two deep, but as he proved last week that's hardly an indicator of who is going to play under Pinkel.

"What we'll do is we'll have a rotation planned before the game, but if one guy has the hot hand we'll keep him in, whether it be Zack or Zain or whoever," Pinkel said.

There's no doubt who'll be running for Iowa State. Last year against Missouri, Ennis Haywood ran for 214 yards on 33 carries. It's been more of the same this season, as Haywood's 114.5 yards per game is the second best in the Big 12.

He's on pace to again run for 1,000 yards this season, which would extend the Cyclones' streak to seven straight years with a 1,000-yard rusher.

Pinkel does, at least, look set on Kirk Farmer at quarterback, whose performance against the Cowboys ended whatever remained of a quarterback controversy with backup Darius Outlaw. Farmer completed 20 of 33 throws for a career-high 247 yards and three scores against Oklahoma State.

It was just the sixth start of Farmer's career, which has been beset by injury. The first came two years ago against Iowa State, when a broken leg ended his season.

"I remember staying in touch with him after he broke his leg," Cyclones coach Dan McCarney said. "I felt terrible because it happened right in front of me and our bench. It was a clean tackle. I called him a number of times after he went to the hospital and got out of the hospital. My heart broke watching him get hurt.

"I don't want him to have a great night against the Cyclones, but I really wish him well in his career."

McCarney has set the Iowa State program on a winning path, with the only recent interruption a 48-14 loss last week at Nebraska. Before then, the Cyclones dating to last season had won of their past six games and 12 of their past 15.

But after Missouri, Iowa State faces three Top 25 teams in its last six games, plus a regular-season finale against rival Iowa.

"The season will go on whatever happens," McCarney said. "We've got six more opportunities after that. You look at our schedule: Some more Top 10 teams, Top 20 teams, we're going to play. We've got some great challenges ahead."