SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Missouri State Bears will make their second and last trip, this season, into the bowl subdivision Saturday when they go to Louisville.
Last week, Terry Allen's Bears hung with 22nd ranked Kansas State for three quarters before the Wildcats scored 42 unanswered points and won 51-9.
This week they'll take on a Louisville team that beat Kentucky 32-14 in its opener.
Bears coach Terry Allen started Mizzou transer Ashton Glaser in the opener, but also used Kierra Harris.
Both will see action in Louisville.
The Bears say their experience in Manhattan will help Saturday.
"I think the experience will be a lot for us," said MSU linebacker Nate King. "We just experienced a 55,000 crowd. It was sold out, that's what they told us. You feel that energy. And you're used to it now. You're not going in there feeling antsy and the pressure in your stomach. You just feel like you can go in there and be relaxed because you've already got that out of the way.."
"We know what we need to do," said MSU lineman Randy Richards. "We know the preparation that we have to put into this week. It's going to get us even better for the weeks to come going into conference. Going into our home opener against another FCS team."
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COLUMBIA, Mo--The Mizzou Tigers will kick off Southeastern Conference play Saturday night when they host seventh ranked Georgia at Faurot Field.
It's Mizzou's first game ever as a member of the SEC.
And will be only the second meeting ever against Georgia.
In our Tiger nation report, there has been a lot of talk about just how will Mizzou stack up against SEC competition.
Tiger coach Gary Pinkel is down playing the importance, saying it's just the second game of the season.
The players on the other hand understand the significance of the contest.
"We put that SEC sign up at the beginning of winter conditioning," said Mizzou lineman Max Copeland. "And you know what we had some fire when we went to work. Because we know where we're going. It's exciting. We all have the butterflies. We're all getting itching to go. You look around at the guys and everyone's a little twitchy.."
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SPRINGFIELD, Mo--The Springfield Cardinals will open up the Texas League North division championship series Wednesday night at ONEOK Field in Tulsa.
Springfield took advantage of young and veteran players to win a franchise record 77 games this year.
The Cards and Drillers played each other 31 times and the season series is about a even as you can get it.
Tulsa leads 16-to-15.
But the Drillers have won five of the last six games played, including a three game sweep last week at Hammons Field.
But the Cards say that doesn't matter.
"You know last series was a combination of giving guys a break. And giving guys different opportunities," says Springfield manager Mike Shild. "So I really don't overreact to that series at all. The body of work against them has been pretty competitive. We've had good series and expect to have a competitive series."
"Hopefully we can make some adjustments to what they did a week ago," says Chris Swauger, Cardinals outfielder. "Like I said it's all about competing. Whoever's at their best when it counts that's who's gonna win."
Shildt has set his playoff rotation, Carlos Martinez will get the ball in game one.
11-game winner Seth Maness will pitch in the second game in Tulsa.
Then back to Springfield, lefty Kevin Siegrist starts game three.
And then Scott Gorgen and Boone Whiting.
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An in the MLB, the St. Louis Cards win over New York, 5-1. And the Royals beat Texas, 6-3.
Last week, Terry Allen's Bears hung with 22nd ranked Kansas State for three quarters before the Wildcats scored 42 unanswered points and won 51-9.
This week they'll take on a Louisville team that beat Kentucky 32-14 in its opener.
Bears coach Terry Allen started Mizzou transer Ashton Glaser in the opener, but also used Kierra Harris.
Both will see action in Louisville.
The Bears say their experience in Manhattan will help Saturday.
"I think the experience will be a lot for us," said MSU linebacker Nate King. "We just experienced a 55,000 crowd. It was sold out, that's what they told us. You feel that energy. And you're used to it now. You're not going in there feeling antsy and the pressure in your stomach. You just feel like you can go in there and be relaxed because you've already got that out of the way.."
"We know what we need to do," said MSU lineman Randy Richards. "We know the preparation that we have to put into this week. It's going to get us even better for the weeks to come going into conference. Going into our home opener against another FCS team."
----------------------------
COLUMBIA, Mo--The Mizzou Tigers will kick off Southeastern Conference play Saturday night when they host seventh ranked Georgia at Faurot Field.
It's Mizzou's first game ever as a member of the SEC.
And will be only the second meeting ever against Georgia.
In our Tiger nation report, there has been a lot of talk about just how will Mizzou stack up against SEC competition.
Tiger coach Gary Pinkel is down playing the importance, saying it's just the second game of the season.
The players on the other hand understand the significance of the contest.
"We put that SEC sign up at the beginning of winter conditioning," said Mizzou lineman Max Copeland. "And you know what we had some fire when we went to work. Because we know where we're going. It's exciting. We all have the butterflies. We're all getting itching to go. You look around at the guys and everyone's a little twitchy.."
-------------------------
SPRINGFIELD, Mo--The Springfield Cardinals will open up the Texas League North division championship series Wednesday night at ONEOK Field in Tulsa.
Springfield took advantage of young and veteran players to win a franchise record 77 games this year.
The Cards and Drillers played each other 31 times and the season series is about a even as you can get it.
Tulsa leads 16-to-15.
But the Drillers have won five of the last six games played, including a three game sweep last week at Hammons Field.
But the Cards say that doesn't matter.
"You know last series was a combination of giving guys a break. And giving guys different opportunities," says Springfield manager Mike Shild. "So I really don't overreact to that series at all. The body of work against them has been pretty competitive. We've had good series and expect to have a competitive series."
"Hopefully we can make some adjustments to what they did a week ago," says Chris Swauger, Cardinals outfielder. "Like I said it's all about competing. Whoever's at their best when it counts that's who's gonna win."
Shildt has set his playoff rotation, Carlos Martinez will get the ball in game one.
11-game winner Seth Maness will pitch in the second game in Tulsa.
Then back to Springfield, lefty Kevin Siegrist starts game three.
And then Scott Gorgen and Boone Whiting.
-----------------
An in the MLB, the St. Louis Cards win over New York, 5-1. And the Royals beat Texas, 6-3.
