Insight Bowl may be next for MU

By VAHE GREGORIAN
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

KANSAS CITY - Between Oklahoma State's loss to Oklahoma on Saturday and Mizzou's victory over Kansas, the range of bowl possibilities for the Tigers seems to be narrowing with signs pointing to the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz.

The Cowboys would have had an outside chance of a Bowl Championship Series game with a victory over the Sooners, a development that could have left MU with a long-shot chance at the Cotton Bowl.

But logic now suggests OSU (9-3) will end up there because Big 12 North champion Nebraska is playing at the Cotton Bowl's new site, Cowboys Stadium, in the Big 12 title game next week.

It's uncertain whether Cotton Bowl officials would want the Cornhuskers back just weeks later, particularly if it's after a harsh loss to third-ranked Texas - a strong favorite in the game and expected to then play in the BCS title game.

If Nebraska falls as expected, then the next three bowls affiliated with the Big 12 in order are the Holiday, Alamo and Sun, which seem most likely to pick among Nebraska (9-3), Texas Tech (8-4) and Oklahoma (7-5).

After that, it's the Insight - which figures to be choosing among Mizzou (8-4), Iowa State (6-6) and Texas A&M (6-6).

Wherever MU ends up, it will be playing in its school-record fifth straight bowl.

Mangino's Swan Song?

Between Saturday's seventh straight loss, to end the season, and the ongoing internal investigation of Kansas coach Mark Mangino's conduct, his job clearly is in jeopardy.

But after MU's 41-39 victory at Arrowhead Stadium, Mangino said he expects to return next season.

Asked if he regretted the way he'd treated some players, the matter at the crux of the investigation, Mangino countered by saying some people had told him he's one of the most pleasant people to deal with in college football.

Of Kansas' performance, MU coach Gary Pinkel said, "With all they've been through ... they really, really battled, and that says an awful lot about Mark."

Tiger tales

MU receiver Danario Alexander had 15 catches for 233 yards. With 27 more yards last week, it would have been his fourth straight 200-yard game. He had 10 catches for 203 yards in the second half.

"I told him to take over the football game," quarterback Blaine Gabbert said.

- Kansas' Dezmon Briscoe actually had more yards than Alexander, with 242, but his day was diminished by two fumbles, both recovered by MU's Carl Gettis.

- MU punter Jake Harry averaged 49.4 yards on five kicks and three times put Kansas inside its 3-yard line, a fact Mangino said "made all the difference in the game."

- Freshman defensive end Aldon Smith tied MU's single-season record with his 11th sack.