When the 2008 season began, Missouri’s Chase Daniel was the talk of the Big 12. He was the preseason offensive player of the year in the conference and among the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy.
But, much like his Tigers, Daniel was eclipsed by the competition coming out of the South Division. Despite throwing for 3,880 yards and 34 touchdowns, the likes of Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford, Texas’ Colt McCoy and Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell are now the center of discussion while Daniel and his Tigers have taken a backseat.
Daniel, though, will be back in the spotlight for at least a day when No. 20 Missouri (9-3, 5-3 Big 12) takes on No. 2 Oklahoma (11-1, 7-1) Saturday in the Big 12 Championship. The Southlake, Texas, native will not only have an opportunity to end his career with a conference title, but also shape the national title hunt.
“It just means that we reached all of our goals this year that we set out to reach,” Daniel said. “Exactly like Coach (Gary) Pinkel said, our goal from day one was to win the Big 12 North championship and play for the Big 12 Championship. And that’s exactly what we’re doing. Also, our goal is to win a Big 12 Championship. We’ve put ourselves in the position to do so. It doesn’t matter what our record is. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past. All that matters is from here on out.”
If the Tigers win, they will knock Oklahoma out of the BCS championship game.
It’s the same scenario Missouri was in last season, except the situation was reversed. The Tigers were undefeated and ranked No. 1. The ninth-ranked Sooners throttled them 38-17, ending their national title dreams.
Missouri hasn’t forgotten.
“I think any time you have an opportunity like this, it’s great,” Pinkel said. “Not many people give us a chance. This is awesome. This is what you’re in it for. I’m excited about it and my team’s excited about it. I have a great respect for them. We’ll get ready to play.”
While the Tigers were run over by the Sooners last season, they’re hoping Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium will even out whatever advantage Oklahoma comes into the game with.
“I think there should be a lot of Mizzou people,” Daniel said. “It’s in their home state and it’s two hours from Columbia. But OU travels well wherever they go. So I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s 50/50. Would I love for it to be 70/30 Mizzou? Sure.
“Does it have a chance to be that way? Yeah. It’s about the fans. I know they want to see us go out on top and this is their chance, so we hope there’s a lot of Mizzou fans out there.”
Arrowhead, which seats 77,038, has not always been kind to OU. In 2003, ranked No. 1, the Sooners fell 35-7 at the Big 12 title game against Kansas State.
Amidst controversy, OU still reached the national title game, where it lost its second straight game, to LSU at the Sugar Bowl.
But Daniel isn’t looking to play spoiler. He just wants to go out a winner.
“We’re not necessarily (playing with) a chip,” Daniel said. “We just want respect and it’s not going to be given to us so we just need to go out there and do it.”
Michael Kinney
366-3537
mkinney@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
Big 12 Championship: Daniel's redemption
- OU Sports
-
-
Sooners make winning look easy
As Oklahoma’s players locked arms around the pitching circle, coming together for what passed as a celebration following Saturday’s 7-1 NCAA Super Regional-clinching victory over Arizona, three gloves remained near second base....
-
There are no easy outs in the lineup
Looking for a gameplan to stop Oklahoma? Well, one may or may not be available, but walking two of the first three Sooners you face certainly isn’t part of it. Just ask Arizona’s Kenzie Fowler....
-
Sooners will play for Big 12 championship
OKLAHOMA CITY, — It’s been 16 years since Oklahoma won the Big 12 tournament. It’s closer now than its ever been to ending the streak. The Sooners rolled through Baylor, 7-2, on Saturday at Bricktown Ballpark to advance to the tournament’s ...
-
Sooners send five more to nationals
AUSTIN, Texas — Oklahoma track and field teams had five more individuals qualify for the NCAA Championship on Saturday evening at the NCAA West Preliminary. The men’s 4x100-meter relay team also advanced to the national semifinals....
-
OU sophomore Jao-Javanil wins NCAA golf title
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Oklahoma’s Chirapat Jao-Javanil made Oklahoma golf history Friday, becoming the first Sooner, man or woman, to win an individual NCAA national championship....
-
Pitching staff is exactly where Golloway wants it to be
When the Big 12 tournament began, Oklahoma felt like it had the pitching staff to make a deep run. Dillon Overton, Jordan John, Jonathan Gray and Damien Magnifico gave them four quality starters and a closer — Steven Okert — capable of ...
-
Sooners shut out Wildcats, need one more win for WCWS entry
Oklahoma might have scored more runs, not committed an error and starting pitcher Keilani Ricketts could have been just a little more efficient along the way....
-
Sooners send 4 more to NCAAs
AUSTIN, Texas – Oklahoma’s track and field teams added four individuals to the list of Sooners advancing to the NCAA championship Friday at the NCAA West Preliminary. In addition to the four new qualifiers, Brittany Borman advanced to the ...
-
Big 12, SEC deal breaks the mold
It is unclear what the on-the-field product of the game-for-which-there-is-not-yet-a-name will be. Indeed, all we really know is the Big 12 and SEC plan to play a game on Jan. 1, 2015 (and on every Jan. 1, thereafter) that will include ...
-
Rivalry helped shape program
For coach Patty Gasso, it goes all the way back to 1995, her first year at Oklahoma. That was when her Sooners played Arizona six times throughout the season. Those Sooners were “annihilated” in all six of those contests....
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
Sooners make winning look easy
