NOW COMES THE REAL TEST FOR MIZZOU

Tigers must prove that last season was not a fluke.

By any standards, 1997 was a glorious season for University of Missouri football.

The once-proud program that produced so many great teams over the years had suffered through 13 straight losing seasons and there didn't really appear to be any relief in sight.

But then came last year's breakthrough, when the Tigers went 7-5 and made their first bowl appearance since 1983.

That performance got Missouri fans extremely excited about the state's only Division I-A football program -- and no doubt increased expectations for the future.

Which means that the 1998 season -- which opens Saturday when Bowling Green visits Columbia -- holds special significance.

This year -- and Mizzou head coach Larry Smith has candidly acknowledged it -- is when the Tigers need to have another successful campaign to begin showing that they were not simply one-season wonders.

The opportunity to succeed this year certainly appears to be there because the Tigers return 16 starters, including spectacular quarterback Corby Jones, who has had to deal with the recent death of his father, Mizzou assistant coach Curtis Jones.

But the schedule certainly won't allow for many sub-par performances. Included on the slate are big road tests against Ohio State, Nebraska, Texas A&M and Texas Tech, along with formidable home matchups against Kansas State, Colorado, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Can the Tigers put together a strong season and earn a second straight bowl berth?

They certainly can. But whether they do remains to be seen.

* While Mizzou will be looking to continue its resurgence, SEMO's football team will be looking to turn around its recent slide.

The Indians have had three straight losing seasons and just one winning record in seven years since moving up to the Division I-AA level.

SEMO, 4-7 a year ago, will hope to get off to a big start Thursday night when Division II Truman State comes to Houck Stadium for the season opener.

* This week also marks the opening of the area high school football season, with every local squad slated to see action Friday night.

On paper at least, it should be an interesting season. Jackson dominated the local Class 5A ranks since moving up from 4A two years ago but the Indians lost a host of key players from last season's sensational 11-1 squad. That should make the 5A race wide open.

Among some of the smaller schools, optimism is running extremely high in Scott City, which returns many of its key players and is expected to be a 2A power.

St. Vincent in 1A is also expected to be a major contender.

Some of the bigger matches for opening week feature Cape Central hosting Columbia Hickman, Jackson hosting Sikeston and Scott City entertaining Malden.

* Sports Illustrated says the St. Louis Rams will go just 2-14 this season.

I don't look for the Rams to be very good, but I just can't see them having that bad of a record.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian