The daily Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1916-1917, 1916-10-23

standard, though the invaders dex-
terity at the open game nearly put
the ball across the goal line. The re-
suit means that the relative standing
of the teams in the conference will be
a tumble, whereas a decisive victory
for either team might have carried it
on to a more successful season.
The Kansas Aggies showed poor
form in their game with the Normals
and were a distinct disappointment
after their great work against Ne
braska. They must improve if they
are to down the weak Jayhawkers
next Saturday.
Nebraska's Play Saturday
Endangers Valley Title.
The Nebraska-Oregon Aggie contest
at Portland was of importance as
showing the relative strength of Mis-
souri, Valley and Pacific Coast teams,
but due allowance must be made for
the Oregon team, which is by no
means as strong in its neighborhood
as Nebraska is here. The work of
the Cornhuskers showed great i'm
provement over last week and indi-
Gates that they will have little trouble
driving their way to another Valley
championship.
In the Southwest, Missouri's next
two opponents fought it out, and Tex
as had little trouble in winning,
though the victory was not so clean
as it might have been. Oklahoma's
fumbles were costly, coupled with
some good forward passing on the
part of the Longhorns, they were
enough to defeat the SoOners. Whether
the Oklahomans can come back
against the Tigers next Saturday at
Norman depends largely on the condi-
ton of their ends, Montgomery and
Fields, both of whom were out of the
game against Texas.
In all three of the big Nine"
games, calculations were badly upset.
Ohio rallied in the last few minutes
of play and took a game from the
strong Illinois eleven, who were ex-
pecting to challenge Minnesota for the
title. Chicago lost to Northwestern for
the first time in fifteen years, and
Iowa surprised everyone by running
over Purdue. This leaves Wisconsin
as the only team with chance against
the veterans at Minnesota, who con-
tinued their wild career by running
rough-shod over South Dakota.
Tie Game With Ames
Disappointing to Tigers.
Saturdays tie game with Ames
rankles more in the heart of the Tiger
fan than a defeat. The fact that
Missouri outplayed the northerners
throughout the contest and had sew
eral chances both to score. touch
downs and to kick field goals makes
the game all the worse from the Mis-
souri, point of view.
The failure to put the ball across
the goal line can not fairly be
ascribed to the backfield, for the backs
are notoriously light and can hardly
be expected to shoot through the lines
for three-yard gains when near the
opponents goal line.
Lack of Punch Offsets
Ground. Gaining Ability.
In two games the Tigers have rush.
ed the ball approximately 500 yards,
in addition to gaining so yards by for
ward passes, yet they have scored only
two touchdowns and those on quarter
back plays directly through center
Nebraska scored two touchdowns and
a place kick Saturday and actually
rushed the ball fewer yards than did
Missouri. Ames, against Kansas,
The others were far behind.
Coming back to the figures in Sat-
urday's contest, we find that Rider
again led the Tiger backs in ground
gained, though this time Pittam and
Mcmillan were close behind Each of
these men gained about seventy yards.
rushed the ball fewer yards than did
Missouri Saturday and scored two
touchdowns. Against Missouri Ames
rushed the ball only about half the
distance, yet with half minute more
to play would undoubtedly have de-
feated the Tigers. No wonder the
fans ask what is the matter with the
team when it shows such reversal of
form near the goal and cannot defeat