The Sports Corner

2008 Alamo Bowl Preview

Missouri 9-4 (5-3) vs. Northwestern 9-3 (5-3)

Monday, December 29, 5 p.m. PST.

Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas. 

Big 12 North #1 vs. Big 10 #4 (tie)

Coaches: Gary Pinkel (58-41) vs. Pat Fitzgerald (19-17)

Quarterbacks: Chase Daniel vs. CJ Bacher

The line: Missouri -13.5

Payout: $2.25 million

If Northwestern wins this game, it will be only the second time in school history that they have recorded 10 wins in a season. It would also be only the second bowl win in the school’s history. There hasn’t been much to cheer about in Evanston and thanks to a stacked upper tier in the Big 12, they find themselves playing maybe the best 9-win team in the country. As good as this season has been for the Wildcats, they only beat two bowl-bound teams (Iowa and Minnesota) and now they have run into a buzz saw in Missouri. However, as bowl games often go, the winner is often the team who wants to be there more. And Northwestern might be that team.

Missouri has been to a bowl game in each of Chase Daniel’s four seasons now. With a win in the Cotton Bowl last year there were big expectations for 2008, and as Daniel’s Missouri teams usually do, they folded their tent in big games. First there was the stunning loss to Oklahoma State, followed up by having their asses handed to them by Texas. And to wrap up the season in typical Missouri fashion, they lost a nail-biter to an inferior opponent in Kansas and then let Oklahoma spot 62 points on their defense in the Big 12 title game. 

Turns out the only bowl teams Missouri beat this year were Nebraska and Buffalo. Somewhere, someone is giving them a pity clap. Way to go team!

Unless they win this game, a game they should by all means dominate, the entire Daniel legacy at Missouri is tarnished. Over the past four years, Missouri has never beat Texas (0-1), never beat Oklahoma (0-4), never won a Big 12 title (0-2 both to OU), went 1-1 against Oklahoma State, and went 2-2 against Kansas. A loss here to Northwestern and all anyone will remember from the past four years is those blown opportunities. 

Northwestern is coming into this game with injuries galore. Star running back Tyrell Sutton is currently rehabbing a broken wrist and is questionable. Right now Sutton needs only 21 yards to move into second place on the school’s all-time rushing list. They had already lost linebacker Malcolm Arrington, defensive tackle Corbin Brown and running back Omar Conteh for the season. 

But this is their first bowl game since the 2005 Sun Bowl, and the freshmen from that team will remember what it felt like to lose to UCLA in that game after being up by three scores. 

Without Sutton the pressure is placed squarely on quarterback CJ Bacher. Bacher has had great protection this year. Despite throwing 365 passes, he was only sacked nine times. Strangely, none of his linemen received all-conference honours, although guard Keegan Kennedy was listed as a Big 10 honourable mention pick. Missouri has a great pass rush in Stryker Sulak, Ziggy Hood and Tommy Chavis, all of whom come from Texas, so expect them to be fired up for this game. 

Missouri doesn’t come into this game as healthy as they would like to be either. Free safety William Moore, projected as a first round pick in the upcoming draft, is expected to be healthy after injuring his ribs the week of the Big 12 title game, but starting corner Castine Bridges had season-ending surgery on his right knee. They don’t have the injury problems Northwestern has but defensive backs are going to be a necessity in this game and Bridges is a huge loss.

Northwestern’s secondary will have their hands full with Missou receiver Jeremy Maclin, who’s probably the most explosive player in the country. Up front though they should be able to get to Daniel and force him into mistakes (as he’s been prone to do in big games). Their secondary will have to take advantage. The best of the bunch are corner Sherrick McManis, safeties Brendan Smith and Brad Phillips. They can’t give up any big plays or they risk falling too far behind.

If they do fall behind, CJ Bacher will have to open it up and he’s been known to make a mistake or two himself, having thrown 33 interceptions and 33 TDs in the past two years. That’s where a (healthy?) player like William Moore can deliver the final blow. 

There’s isn’t much of a reason to pick against Missouri - just look at the spread, 13.5!!! jesus - except for how much they really want to play this game. Northwestern does, and I have a feeling Sutton finds his way onto the field, makes a big play or two and finishes his career with a win.

Northwestern shocks the world, 33-31.