Buffs try to work out kinks before showdown with MU

OKLAHOMA CITY --With a showdown looming against Missouri for the Big 12 North lead, Colorado's seniors called a team meeting Monday to get started fixing what went wrong in a narrow victory at Kansas State in time to face the Tigers this week.

The 25th-ranked Buffaloes (6-2, 4-1) can take a commanding two-game lead in the North with a win against Missouri (5-3, 3-2) in Boulder on Saturday. But the Tigers can pull even with the Buffaloes with a win and put themselves in control of the division because of the tiebreaker.

"I think we've all known all along that this was going to be a big game from the get-go," Colorado coach Gary Barnett said Monday on the Big 12 coaches conference call. "We're well aware of what this game means."

While Missouri can control its own destiny with a win, the Tigers would be nearly eliminated from the race with a loss.

"When you have a game like that, I think obviously everyone realizes the importance of the game and where we're at, and we can't afford another loss," Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. "But I also think you've still got to focus on playing well."

"I don't think you can be worried about that. I think you just have to just focus on playing your best game. Some will draw motivation from that, which is fine, but it still boils down to being focused to play your best."

Barnett said the key to the game for the Buffaloes will be stopping Tigers quarterback Brad Smith, the Big 12's leading rusher with 112.9 yards per game. Smith was held to a season-low 38 yards in a 13-3 loss Saturday at Kansas. His previous low of 39 yards came two weeks earlier in a 27-24 overtime win against Iowa State.

But Barnett said Iowa State and Kansas used different defenses, and there is no script to containing Smith.

"There was no scheme in either one of those two games that was the difference in the game," Barnett said. "What happened was people tackled. They didn't let him get out and break a long play. They made tackles, they made plays. That's what it comes down to.

"It's so complicated, it's simple. You must tackle the guy. You've got to get the posse around him and get as many people to the ball as you can. That's the secret."

Barnett said he considers Smith one of the top college football players in the country, and he thinks Missouri -- his alma mater -- is using him the right way.

"With what they're doing right now with no huddle, 95-plus plays a game. They're doing just what they should do," Barnett said. "They give him the chance to have his hands on the ball 95 times a game. ... Shoot, man, that's smart football. Put the ball in his hands."

---

"THE VERDICT" ON INSTANT REPLAY: Within a span of three plays, Texas Tech came out on the positive end of two reviews in a 28-0 shutout at Baylor on Saturday, the team's first road shutout in Big 12 play.

Replays appeared to show Baylor receiver Dominique Zeigler catching a touchdown pass from Shawn Bell and getting his right foot in bounds before his left foot hit out of bounds, but the review upheld an official's call that Zeigler was out of bounds.

After a roughing the passer call on a made field goal by Ryan Havens, Baylor's Paul Mosley was stuffed on a fourth-and-goal play from the 2-yard line. The play was reviewed and confirmed Mosley didn't get in.

Baylor coach Guy Morriss said he had been a proponent of instant replay, but now he's not so sure.

"I have second thoughts about it," Morriss said. "I thought the whole initial point was to get the call right, and I can't ever seem to understand what's reviewable and what's not reviewable."

Asked whether he planned to contact the Big 12 Conference about the reviewed plays, Morriss said: "Oh yeah, we'll call 'em. I would like to talk to 'em."

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said he considers himself a proponent of instant replay, but still thinks there are plays that should be reviewed that aren't, and vice versa.

To explain his thoughts better, he quoted the movie "The Verdict," and a line from Paul Newman: "'The justice system doesn't give you justice, it gives you a shot at justice,"' Leach said. "And that's about what instant replay does."

---

EXTRA POINTS: Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said the return of Adrian Peterson meant more to the Sooners than just the 146 rushing yards and two touchdowns he had in a 31-24 win at Nebraska on Saturday. There was a psychological factor, too. "He's a tremendous player, and he has incredible talent that everyone speaks of -- his strength, his speed and all -- but what I love about him ... is how tough and competitive he is. He is a boost in the huddle, and the players know how tough and strong and competitive he is," Stoops said. "When he's in there, things are different." ... Nebraska has won 36 games in a row against Kansas heading into this week's game in Lawrence, but Huskers coach Bill Callahan said he didn't intend to mention the streak to his players. "Once the ball is snapped and teed off and kicked off, I don't think anybody's thinking about anything like that," Callahan said. "We're really focused in on doing the best we can." ... Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said starting quarterback Bobby Reid could return to practice this week after missing the past two games win a foot injury he suffered against Missouri on Oct. 8. "Hopefully, we won't have to go back to square one. ... There is some truth that he's lost a lot of what would be valuable reps in the last three weeks because when you're a freshman, the playing experience you get from playing in a game, you can't replace." The Cowboys have a bye week before playing Texas Tech on Nov. 12.

---

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Texas quarterback Vince Young and Iowa State receiver Todd Blythe were selected as the co-offensive players of the week after record-setting performances in their teams' wins last week. Young set a Texas record with 506 yards of total offense in the Longhorns' 47-28 win at Oklahoma State. He was 15-of-30 passing for 239 yards and two TDs and also had 21 carries for 267 yards and two TDs. Blythe set an Iowa State record with four touchdown passes in the Cyclones' 42-14 win at Texas A&M. Texas Tech safety Dwayne Slay, who had 18 tackles in the Red Raiders' 28-0 win over Baylor, was the defensive player of the week and Colorado's Mason Crosby was the selection on special teams after hitting a 50-yard field goal with 6 seconds left to give the Buffaloes a 23-20 win at Kansas State.