Tigers bring a healthy Temple into rematch with OU

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Tony Temple watched top-ranked Missouri's only loss of the year from his couch, nervously text-messaging teammates and even leaving telephone messages to let them know he was with them in spirit.

"I was like 'OK, keep going,' knowing they're not going to see it," Temple said Monday. "It was a hard thing. I was letting them know I was happy for them and to keep it going."

Temple, the feature back on a surprising 11-1 team, was left behind for a 41-31 loss at Oklahoma (10-2) in mid-October because of a sprained ankle. Now he can expend all that nervous energy on the field in the rematch Saturday night.

A shot at the national title is the prize and the rest of the team knows Temple, somewhat overshadowed in a pass-happy attack, can be the player who turns the tide in the rematch.

"Having Tony back is great," coach Gary Pinkel said. "We never came out of that game saying we wished we had Tony Temple. We don't do that around here, and other players I thought went in and did a good job.

Missouri running back Tony Temple was pushed out of bounds by Kansas State's Bryan Baldwin during the Tigers' 49-32 win earlier this month. Temple, Missouri's leading rusher, sat out the Tigers' only loss this season due to a sprained ankle. (CHARLIE RIEDEL ~ Associated Press)

"But Tony, he can make a huge impact. There's no question he makes us a better team."

Temple rushed for 1,063 yards last year and was on the verge of being named Sun Bowl MVP off a 194-yard effort before Oregon State rallied in the final minute for a 35-34 victory. This year he's missed virtually all of three games with a sprained ankle and has 732 yards, a 4.9-yard average and eight touchdowns, but has been back in stride lately.

On senior day, Temple ran for 141 yards in a victory over Texas A&M. He was an effective complement to the Tigers' high-potency passing offense in the victory that propelled the program to No. 1, rushing for 98 yards in Saturday's 36-28 victory over Kansas.

The common denominator in those games was an emotional overload. His grandmother's funeral was held hours after the Texas A&M game in his hometown of Kansas City, and the combination of playing archrival Kansas and beating the Jayhawks at the Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium were motivating factors.

Quarterback Chase Daniel noticed from the start that Temple's intensity level was sky high, and he vows to take matters into his own hands the next time Temple doesn't look ready to rumble.

"I saw the look in his eyes, and if I don't see it in his eyes before games now I'm going to smack him upside the head and make sure he gets it," Daniel said. "When he's on, there's not a better running back in the country."

Missouri has a pair of capable backups in Jimmy Jackson (292 yards, seven touchdowns) and freshman Derrick Washington (187 yards, 5.5-yard average), plus all-purpose threat Jeremy Maclin is the second-leading rusher with 309 yards, a 7.4-yard average and four touchdowns.

Still, without Temple at Oklahoma, Missouri was held to 57 yards rushing. The Tigers outgained Oklahoma 418-384 in total yards and led 24-23 in the fourth quarter of the first meeting before being undone by mistakes.

Missouri had four turnovers in that loss, and has totaled only five turnovers in the six games since then with no giveaways in each of the last two. Players are excited about this second chance, along with the trappings a victory would bring.

The celebration after the Kansas victory was short, given what lay ahead.

"You should have seen our locker room," Temple said. "Yeah, we were excited, but people were talking about Oklahoma already."

Temple also has been thinking of what he needs to do to avoid getting abused by Daniel.

"I've got to get ready myself, and I will," he said. "When I'm upset, I'm just in a different zone. I try to make myself get upset even if it's something like just getting tackled."