By AP/KWMU
Kansas City, Mo. – Missouri football is one victory away from playing for its first national championship, after beating number-two Kansas Saturday night 36-28 in the biggest game in either program's histories.
Tigers' quarterback Chase Daniel threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns, completing 40 of 49 passes
The win brings both schools to 11-1 on the season but gives Mizzou the Big 12 North championship. The Tigers will pay for the Big 12 championship next weekend in San Antonio against Oklahoma, the only team they've lost to this season. A victory there will almost certainly propel Missouri into the national championship game on January 7th.
Todd Reesing's 5-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Henry with 2:03 drew the Jayhawks within six points. After Kansas got the ball back, Lorenzo Williams sacked Reesing in the end zone for a safety with 12 seconds left.
The game drew 80,537, the second-biggest crowd in the 35-year history of Arrowhead Stadium.
The Tigers, who had never won 11 games in a season, should become No. 1 in the Associated Press poll for the first time since 1960 and figure to be no worse than No. 2 in the Bowl Championship Series standings.
On Friday, No. 1 LSU lost 50-48 in three overtimes to Arkansas. No. 4 West Virginia bombed No. 20 Connecticut 66-21 earlier Saturday and figures to move up at least one spot the BCS standings to second. West Virginia finishes its season against Pittsburgh next week.
Kansas came into the game second nationally averaging almost 46 points a game but fell behind 21-0 before Reesing finally got the Jayhawks into the end zone. Scott Webb missed two field goals in the second quarter for the Jayhawks, who have been an even bigger surprise than Missouri up to this point and were gunning for what would have been their first national championship as well.
In what had been billed as a Heisman Trophy subplot in the 116th meeting of the rivals, Daniel was the star. He went 40-for-49 with no interceptions and outplayed his Kansas counterpart.
Reesing had thrown a school-record 205 straight passes without an interception but was picked off twice, each one leading to a Missouri touchdown. He finished 28-of-49 for 349 yards and two touchdowns.
Temple rushed for 98 yards for Missouri, which did not break into the national rankings until reaching No. 25 after the third week. Danario Alexander caught eight passes for 117 yards, including a 16-yard gain on third-and-14 with 6:46 to play after Reesing's touchdown pass to Dexton Fields pulled Kansas to 31-21.
A moment later, Jeff Wolfert kicked his second field goal, a 43-yarder, for a 34-21 lead with 3:31 to go.
Daniel managed to avoid turnovers but the Tigers were flagged 14 times for 144 yards.