MU needs one more win to be bowl eligible

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- It has been three weeks and the Missouri Tigers still aren't bowl eligible.

After winning three straight Big 12 Conference games in October, capped by the Tigers' convincing 41-24 win against Nebraska, Missouri was a win away from earning a potential postseason bid.

But back-to-back losses to Kansas and Colorado have put Missouri (5-4, 3-3 Big 12) in the position of needing to win one of its final two games to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2003 and the fourth time since 1983.

Missouri's first chance will come Saturday against Baylor (4-5, 1-5 Big 12).

Should the Tigers lose to Baylor, they have one more chance when they play at Kansas State in two weeks.

"We can make two turn into three, that's the big thing," wide receiver Sean Coffey said. "That should be everybody's focus. That's it. That's reality."

Baylor joins Missouri as one of seven Big 12 teams trying to become bowl eligible. The Bears also need to win their final two games to have the chance to play in their first bowl game since 1994.

"It would mean a lot to us as a program," Baylor coach Guy Morriss said. "We talk about it all the time. At this particular point, I think it's good to talk about it and keep them focused on that."

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, meanwhile, said he doesn't intend to talk about bowl possibilities with his team.

"You don't have to tell them anything," Pinkel said. "They know how important it is. We've talked about that. So you don't sit there and harp on it, what good is that going to do? There isn't a guy on our football team who doesn't know what's out there."

Missouri is also trying to avoid thinking about what was out there: a chance to play for the Big 12 Championship. That opportunity disappeared after Saturday's loss to Colorado.

"It's not only about the bowl security that we could have," tailback Marcus Woods said. "I flat out don't like losing."

Woods said the two-game losing streak has exposed weaknesses in Missouri's offense. The Tigers have only scored 15 points in the past two games, nine of those points coming on offense. Those numbers are considerably lower than the Tigers' 30 points-a-game average.

Kansas and Colorado also slowed Missouri's rushing attack. After rushing for 277 yards against Nebraska, Missouri had a season-low 33 yards against Kansas and 59 yards against Colorado.

"I don't think we were thinking it would be easy at all," offensive lineman Tony Palmer said. "I just think we didn't come out prepared."

Pinkel added that Missouri may have felt too much pressure heading into the Colorado game. Although, some pressure remains, the Tigers remain hopeful.

"We'd like to get a win and be comfortable," cornerback Calvin Washington said. Such comfort was also elusive last season as Missouri, which started 4-1, dropped five straight games to fall out of bowl contention.

"We're trying to move forward," Coffey said. "You have to learn from your mistakes. We still have a prize out there, and we have been thinking about that since God knows when last season."

Quarterback Brad Smith added: "As a competitor, it comes down to the heart and want-to at this point."