You think they would have learned after the first loss how to beat OU the second time around.
In addition, it’s hard to justify a team playing for the National Championship if they can’t even win their own conference. Maybe if Missouri was a one loss team you could make a case, but two losses no way.
If Missouri took care of their business, they would have been in the national championship picture. Simple as that. Both Ohio State and LSU backed into the National Championship game - nobody is arguing that point. Every team in front of them was given a fair shot to solidify their chance, they just couldn’t get the job done.
If Missouri/USC/OU/ won the game they needed to win, LSU fans would have nothing to complain about
“it’s hard to justify a team playing for the National Championship if they can’t even win their own conference”
In a sense, I agree. Mizzou won the big 12 North. They didn’t close the deal for the Conference Championship, which they lost at a neutral site. They Won at Nebraska (then ranked)Mizzou beat Kansas State (then ranked) Missouri won at Kansas (ranked #2) finished 7-1 in conference (best in the big 12) all in all beating 6 ranked teams. I am not sure where the other BCS contenders were at against ranked teams. But I know several lost to unranked teams. something Missouri did not do.
All in all, it also appears that the Big 12 is the strongest conference overall in ranking with 4 teams finishing in the top 10 final rankings and Texas Tech finishing 23rd. Missouri finished 4th, the highest non BCS team. They shut down the running game of Arkansas (who beat LSU) and turned out a record rushing yard performance themselves. Incidently, Running Back Tony Temple, was injured and did not play Oklahoma the first time.
We can argue conference rankings till we are blue. But the fact is, Missouri finished 4th in the final rankings, the highest non BCS team. And the only non BCS team whose loss was to a ranked team, with the exception of Hawaii, who was disappointing out of their element.