OU football notebook

Tigers struggling to stop the run
Missouri ranks No. 36 nationally in run defense, allowing 109 yards per game, which sounds adequate.

But the statistics skew reality.

The Tigers built their run-stopping image against Murray State and Ohio, two teams which combined for fewer than 50 rushing yards.

Against non-conference opponents, Missouri allowed 1.6 yards per carry and not a single rushing touchdown.

But when they got to Big 12 play, the Tigers didn’t have such success.

Against four opponents — Colorado, Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Kansas State — the Tigers have given up 703 yards, an average of 4.7 per carry, and five TDs on the ground.

Kansas State, which lost 41-21 to Missouri last Saturday, had two backs reach 100 rushing yards. The Wildcats finished with 262 yards on the ground.

“After the turnovers, the score was lopsided, and I don’t think we played our best game,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. “Why would you not continue to play your best game?

“To sit there and say that we’ve got a great run defense would not be right either.”

⢠Going bowling: If Oklahoma defeats Missouri Saturday, the Sooners will have six wins and thus be eligible for a bowl game after the season.

While that six-win plateau might matter to some, it doesn’t mean much in the OU locker room.

“You always expect to be (bowl eligible),” OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “As a coach, I’ve been fortunate to be at places where you didn’t have to count them up and look down the road.

“That’s not what we do here.”

Venables also said he doesn’t get too wrapped up in rooting for Texas to lose so that the Sooners might have a shot at the Big 12 championship game.

“You worry about things that you can control,” he said.

⢠Fullback run game: OU sophomore fullback Dane Zaslaw says there’s no page in the Sooners’ playbook that involves the fullback