No. 7 Texas is wary of improved Mizzou

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- With four games to go and his team still in the hunt for a major bowl bid, Texas coach Mack Brown isn't overlooking Missouri.

"This is a dangerous week," Brown said as his No. 7 Longhorns (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) prepared to play Missouri today at Faurot Field. "Missouri is good."

The Tigers (3-3 overall, 2-2 Big 12) are certainly improved. After opening the season with two losses in their first three games, the Tigers have won two of three against Big 12 opponents, losing only to No. 2 Nebraska.

Texas' only loss came to top-ranked Oklahoma. They average margin of victory in their six wins: 31 points. They're coming off a 41-7 win over Colorado.

As for the Missouri game, "I told the team that this is the beginning, not the end," Brown said. "This is a four-week season. I told them they needed to play as good as they can, to be as good of a team as they can be for the next four games."

The Longhorns have played well on the road in Brown's three seasons. Texas is 2-0 in road games this season and has won five in a row on the road. The Longhorns are 10-5 under Brown on the road.

The matchup to watch today will be Texas cornerback Quentin Jammer and Missouri wide receiver Justin Gage. Gage holds a height advantage -- he's 6-5 to Jammer's 6-1 -- but Jammer has 38.5-inch leaping ability.

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said Gage's most recent effort, catching 11 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown in Missouri's 38-34 win over Kansas last Saturday, is only the tip of the junior's talent.

"I've said this before and I'll say it again, I think we're only seen a glimpse of what he is capable of," Pinkel said. "Quarterbacks find playmakers, and Justin has shown that he's able to do that for us."

Texas has three talented sophomore receivers -- Roy Williams, B.J. Johnson and Sloan Thomas -- to go with quarterback Chris Simms, who has completed 134 of 229 passes for 1,551 yards.

Williams has 37 catches for 407 yards and four touchdowns. "Williams is like Gage, he can make plays from all over the field," Pinkel said. "He can make times anytime from anywhere."

Johnson has 28 catches for 345 yards, and Sloan 17 catches for 244 yards.

The Texas defense is good, too. The Longhorns are ranked No. 5 nationally in defense and are one of three teams to rank in the top 20 in the five major defensive categories.

Brown isn't impressed by what the team has done so far.

"Now we go play," he said. "The season starts now."