Tigers rise to No. 11 after rout of Nebraska

~ Missouri improved to 5-0 with a 41-6 win over the Cornhuskers.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri was playing so well, no one wanted to leave. Even if midnight was closing in.

Traffic snaked out of Faurot Field more than an hour-and-a-half after the Tigers' dominating late-night 41-6 victory over No. 25 Nebraska on Saturday. The game finished so late quarterback Chase Daniel was 20 when it started and 21 just minutes after the finish.

"I was one of the first to wish him a happy birthday," coach Gary Pinkel joked.

Yet, the vast majority of the school's first sellout crowd since 2003 stuck around to cheer the touchdown pass on a fourth-quarter fake field goal that rubbed it in against a school that once held the upper hand for decades, and to root for the reserves who closed out the school's most complete performance in recent memory.

Missouri tight end Chase Coffman catches a short pass for a touchdown during the first quarter of a football game against Nebraska on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Missouri rose to No. 11 on Sunday, the school's highest ranking in decades and up six spots from last week. Nebraska was knocked out of the Top 25.

"We lit them up tonight," Daniel said after throwing for a career-best 401 yards and two touchdowns, and running for two more scores. "It was an unbelievable atmosphere, unlike anything I've ever been in."

Missouri (5-0, 1-0 Big 12) fed off the throng of 70,049, most of them clad in yellow for a so-called "Gold Rush" game. The Tigers rang up 41 points against Nebraska (4-2, 1-1) for the third straight time at home, and held the Cornhuskers without a touchdown for the first time in the series since 1958 -- the first year on the job for legendary coach Dan Devine.

"I don't know if people realize the impact those fans have, and what it does for the emotion and enthusiasm level of the team," Pinkel said. "That was my dream when I came here, to have the stadium like that all the time.

"Obviously we haven't done that yet, but certainly we have the potential to do it."

It's not going to get easier for the Tigers, 5-0 for the second straight year. Next up is No. 10 Oklahoma on Saturday on the road.

But their confidence level could not be any higher entering the meat of the Big 12 schedule.

"A school like Nebraska doesn't score a touchdown, that's a big story, and our defense played unbelievable," Daniel said. "If our defense plays like that week in and week out or even close to that, and we keep putting up points, the sky's the limit."

Missouri was 6-0 last year before falling off, finishing at 8-5. Pinkel, now 2-15 against ranked opponents in seven seasons at the school with Nebraska the victim both times, has constantly reminded players to keep their sights set high.

"We talked about it at the beginning of the year, that if you want to make a move you've got to win some big games and beat some of the best teams," Pinkel said. "This was one. This was a test, we passed this.

"The bad news is we've got to wake up and start preparing for Oklahoma."

Nebraska, meanwhile, must pick up the pieces. The Cornhuskers entered the game averaging 36 points before Missouri's unproven defense held them without a touchdown for the first time since a 31-3 loss to Oklahoma on Nov. 13, 2004.

Missouri's four nonconference opponents averaged 25 points, seemingly setting the stage for an offensive shootout. The Tigers held up their end, totaling 606 yards. Nebraska was held to a season-low 297 yards.

"One loss is one loss," quarterback Sam Keller said. "But we got blown out and it hurts. It hurts for all of us."

Marlon Lucky had 123 yards rushing and receiving for Nebraska, held to a pair of first-half field goals by Alex Henery. Nebraska had won eight in a row against Big 12 North opponents.

Daniel set the tone from the start Saturday, going 12-for-14 for 127 yards while directing scoring drives of 80 and 79 yards before Nebraska could muster a first down.

Coach Bill Callahan said Nebraska just got out-executed.

"We had guys in position time after time after time," Callahan said. "I'm not pointing the finger and I love our players, don't get me wrong.

"I'm just giving credit to them. They made the plays, and we didn't."