Tigers Fulfill Role of Spoiler

With a kick and a pick, Missouri knocked Iowa State out of the Big 12 Conference championship game.

Adam Crossett kicked a 25-yard field goal in overtime to give Missouri the lead and A.J. Kincade intercepted a pass in the end zone to clinch a 17-14 victory Saturday for the Tigers.

Missouri’s victory means that Colorado will play No. 2 Oklahoma on Saturday in the Big 12 championship game at Kansas City, Mo.

The Cyclones, 6-5 and 5-4 in the Big 12, finished in a tie with the Buffaloes for first place in the North Division. But because Colorado defeated Iowa State, 19-14, on Oct. 16, the Buffaloes advanced to the title game.

“It makes you want to throw up,” Iowa State linebacker Erik Anderson said. “It’s a sick feeling. We fought all day. There wasn’t any lack of effort or lack of intensity or passion. Everyone came to play, everyone came to win.

“There’s a lot sick guys in the locker room right now.”

Making enough plays to salvage a sweet ending to a disappointing season, Missouri (5-6, 3-5) broke a five-game losing streak and kept Iowa State from winning the North Division title outright.

“It’s been a very difficult five or six weeks and the football team has worked very hard,” Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel said.

Iowa State can take consolation in that it is expected to get a bowl bid for the fourth time in five years. But the Cyclones, whose last football championship came in 1912, could have been playing for a spot in a bowl championship series game had they won.

Iowa State had its chances. Bret Culbertson missed a 24-yard field-goal attempt that could have won it in regulation.

Then on a third-down play from the three in overtime and the Cyclones trailing by three, Kincade intercepted a pass from Bret Meyer in the end zone.

“I didn’t even hear the [defensive] call,” Kincade said. “I just said, ‘I’ll stick with this man, just go with him.’ The ball was up. I just had an opportunity to make the best of it.”