Head Ball Coach Can't Believe South Carolina Lost To Mizzou

Early in the fourth quarter South Carolina wide receiver Pharoh Cooper caught a 23 yard touchdown
pass from Dylan Thompson to give the Gamecocks at 20-7 lead at home.



Though the 'Cocks nailed the extra point head coach Steve Spurrier's gut said go for two.

'I messed up on the two-point conversion, should have gone for it." Spurrier said.  "I wasn’t even thinking about it until I looked up and saw it was 20-7. I had something in my mind that 16-7 might be real good the way our defense was playing. All of a sudden Pharoh [Cooper] caught that [the touchdown pass] and nobody even on the bench thought about it [going for two points]. I looked up and said you know what we should have gone for two, too late now. That was a mistake on my part."

That's because Mizzou scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to stun South Carolina 21-20 leaving the head ball coach sick at his stomach.



"It was a tough night for us."  Spurrier said.

Meanwhile Gary Pinkel was thrilled.

"When things got tough, we just stayed positive." Pinkel said. "Big win for us."

It's big because Mizzou is the only team in the SEC East that's undefeated in conference play.

"We just have got to focus on getting better and the confidence level that you gain for something like this is significant."  Pinkel said.  "We’ve got to be a lot better football team. We’ve got to use this to make us better, not use this to make us feel good.”

Strange Moves: Reports Surface Frank Haith to Leave Mizzou for Tulsa

It's not often coaches leave a "Power" conference to move backwards.

But that's exactly what soon-to-be former Missouri head basketball coach Frank Haith appears to be doing. Multiple reports say Haith will leave the SEC East Division Tigers and replace Danny Manning at Conference USA's Tulsa.

There are conflicting reports as to why Haith would step down. CBSSports.com cites a source saying he bailed after a disappointing 2013-14 season where the fanbase seemingly turned on him for that and a team that had some off the court issues. That same source said if he tanked with the Tigers this season, Haith would be done.

Read the CBSSports.com story RIGHT HERE

The departure of Haith raises more eyebrows in the perception of SEC Basketball. It comes on the heels of Cuonzo Martin leaving Tennessee for the University of California and Tony Barbee being let go at Auburn. And the question by some is "All these coaches are black". In the SEC, it's a legitimate question.

But there's some explanation as well. Barbee did little to nothing at Auburn during his tenure there. Haith struggled at Missouri, but the reason behind him leaving can only be explained by him. As for Martin, that's the one we and many others question. Tennessee made it to this years Sweet16 in the NCAA Tournament and despite a "Non-Dominant" regular season, the Vols were a tough out in the SEC Tournament and the team nobody wanted to face in the NCAA's. Yet Martin had to endure a "Fire Cuonzo Martin" website and a petition with 30,000 signatures calling for his removal in Knoxville.

But what about Haith?

Time will tell. Could he be running? Could he be tired of being questioned at Missouri? Could Mizzou be headed for trouble? All legitimate questions. All because a coach left the green pastures of the SEC for the less green pastures of Conference USA. And for all the questions, there aren't a whole lot of answers.

What sayeth you?

Another Music Video From Mizzou's Fifth Down - SEC Bound

Our friends from Missouri Fifth Down have another song related to the Tigers entry into the SEC.  This one goes country.

Did you pick up the reference to Mizzou’s success against SEC teams from nearly 50 years ago.  I wonder if their fathers were alive when Missouri defeated Florida 20-18 in the 1966 Sugar Bowl.  By the way the head ball coach threw for 352 yards and 2 touchdowns in that one.

Then they refer to the Alabama – Missouri game at Faurot Field in Columbia in 1978.  Yes Mizzou “wasn’t that bad” but the Crimson Tide defeated the Tigers 38-20 en route to a national championship.

In fairness Mizzou wasn’t that bad in ’78.  That team finished 8-4 and featured Kellen Winslow, James Wilder and Phil Bradley and ended the season 15^th ranked nationally.

The Crimson Tide return to Columbia October 13^th.  Things will be different.

Those of us in the OSG HQ are digging Fifth Down’s music videos.  Keep’m coming.

Rappin' Version To "Mizzou Rah". Look Out SEC, "We Are Mizzou"

Here’s three white rappers from Columbia, Missouri calling themselves “Fifth Down” with a rap song for Mizzou fans to get ready for the SEC.

Yes it’s a basketball related rap song and while Mizzou has had more success in basketball than football Tiger fans are going to have to realize football rules the roost in the SEC.

You have to admit it’s a catchy tune.  Go ahead Mizzou, bust down the door of the SEC.  You just might get it done in basketball. 

Of course Kentucky might have a say with that.

Welcome To "Big Boy" Football Texas A&M And Missouri

If you are of the school of thought that the Missouri Tigers and the Texas A&M Aggies will finally play “big boy” football as new members of the SEC head coach Gary Pinkel has a difference of opinion.

“We played in a pretty good football league ourselves.” Pinkel said Tuesday at SEC Media Days. “I’ve got a place down in Florida.  People act like we’ve been playing a bunch of high school teams.”

That pretty good football league would be the Big 12 Conference and he sees the conference in a different light.

“I think anyplace you play, any league you play in college football I think your best teams are going to be if you’re good up front on offense and defensive line.” Pinkel said.

That is very true and the reason why the SEC has won six BCS national championships in a row is their linemen are bigger and faster.  The combination of size and speed has overwhelmed non-SEC opponents who don’t see that on a regular basis.

Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin recognized that from the start.

“I think the combination of size and speed, particularly in the west, but in the SEC is the difference maker.”

And Texas A&M just happens to be playing in the SEC West.

Linebackers in the SEC have the speed and athletic ability to cover wide receivers not often seen in other conferences. Even cornerbacks are 250 pounds in the SEC for which Mizzou Wide Receiver T.J. Moe responded, “That’s what I hear — they also have prettier girls, the air is fresher and the toilet paper is thicker,”

Great one-liner and good for laughs.

The level of defense in the SEC is second to only the NFL.  That is going to be a huge adjustment for the Big 12 expats.

“In the Big 12, we saw speed, but the SEC has great defenses every single week.” Texas A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel said. “There’s a stacking defense, and the defense will be a little bit different than the Big 12 had.”

While Missouri and Texas A&M are getting flowers and welcoming gifts as new members it all will get serious on September 8^th when the Tigers and Aggies play their first SEC opponent.  That’s when it all becomes real and both programs realize what they have gotten themselves into.

Mizzou hosts Georgia for the Tigers first SEC game.  Pinkel won’t buy into the hype until after the season opener.

“It’s going to be a big game for us.” Pinkel said. “But there’s going to be a lot of big games.”

Like defending BCS Champion Alabama coming to Columbia on October 13^th and then Mizzou’s first SEC road game at South Carolina September 22^nd. 

While the Georgia game is on Mizzou and football fan’s radar screen Pinkel has things in perspective.  They are all big in the SEC.

Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin would rather talk about his season opener against Louisiana Tech in Shreveport than the Aggies home and SEC opener against Florida.

“Anybody who has seen them [Louisiana Tech] play a year ago knows that’s a good football team.” Sumlin said.

When pressed Sumlin realizes the Louisiana Tech game will be just a blimp on the radar screen.

“For us as a team or as a head coach to have your home opener at Texas A&M be an SEC game is a big deal, there’s no doubt about it.” Sumlin said.

Mark September 8^th on your calendar as the day the Missouri Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies butt heads in the SEC for the first time.  It even has the Head Ball Coach interested.

“I hope they are playing at a different hour that I can watch both of those live.” South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier said.  “I think those will be very interesting to all of us.”

According to the SEC schedule Spurrier can:

Sept. 8 East Carolina at South Carolina  SEC Network          12:21 p.m. ET / 11:21 a.m. CT

Sept. 8 Florida at Texas A&M            ESPN                             3:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. CT

Sept. 8  Georgia at Missouri               ESPN2                           7:45 p.m. ET / 6:45 p.m. CT