Times have changed. Back in the 1960s, the University of Missouri was all about football. In fact, in 1960, Mizzou stood 10-0 and #1 in the nation. All it had to do was beat arch-rival Kansas. Didn't happen, though. KU spanked the Tigers 23-7. Funny thing about that, though--the loss that became a win on paper when years later KU had to forfeit for some reason or another (rules violations, I suppose). In any case, MU finished with a #5 ranking--its best ever.

This week, Missouri is 7-1 and stands proudly at #9, its best ranking this late in the season since it finished at #6 in the polls after the 1969 season. Who's #8 this week? Kansas. In four weeks, the two teams play each other in Kansas City. The arguments are already raging.

The likelihood, of course, is that each team will lose at least once before that game. Mizzou plays at Colorado and Kansas State and has Texas A&M at home. Colorado is the most likely loss, but all three games are dangerous.

Kansas has a easier schedule, with home games against Nebraska and Iowa State and a tough road trip to Oklahoma State. That game in Stillwater looms as the most serious test, but again, all three should be tough.

That said, it's fun to think of a Missouri-Kansas game as possibly launching one of the teams into the national title hunt. Given the spate of upsets this year and the already-high rankings of the two teams, it's hard to imagine that the winner of the Big 12 Championship game (which should feature the MU-KU winner) won't be in the BCS Championship game.

When I was in school, Mizzou was awful. During my five years of undergraduate study, the Tigers won a total of 17 games. In 2007 and 2007 (so far) they've won 15. With the exception of my freshman year in 1987, when the team went 5-6 and lost heartbreakers at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, they were never in any sort of bowl contention during my time in school. The games were great fun, of course--I was right there at the goal line for the infamous "Fifth Down" game against Colorado. But we usually lost. Luckily, we were students and we prepared accordingly. Heavy drinking before the slaughter dulled the pain nicely.

Back then, students had to buy football season tickets if they wanted basketball season tickets. And you had to have basketball tickets, because those Tigers were fierce. They averaged 23 wins a year and made the Top 10 their second home. You had to have basketball tickets, so you ponied up for the football.

Now it's reversed. The basketball team is middle-of-the-pack (though not nearly as downtrodden as football in my time) and the football team is cruising.

You might think I'm a bit too nutty about all this alma mater athletics. Not really. I like Gary Pinkel, the current MU football coach, not only because he wins (which is, if fact, a good reason to like a coach) but also because his players don't end up in jail every weekend. A good portion of them actually graduate. In short, the program isn't an embarrassment.

And, yeah, it's fun to see the team win.

Due to circumstances beyond my control (and to the consternation of my parents, who graduated from Kansas State), I grew up a KU fan. I hesitated (if only for a moment) before deciding on Mizzou for higher schoolin' because I knew I would have to switch allegiances and root for the Tigers and against my beloved Jayhawks. I didn't know if I could do that.

In truth, it took about three minutes at MU to feel good about my betrayal. Those KU punks were spoiled crybabies, whiners who didn't know good basketball (or football) if it hit them in the face. And anyway, they lived in Kansas. And we all know what's the matter with Kansas.

There are some MU fans who are rooting for KU to lose before our meeting Thanksgiving week. I'm not. Missouri and Kansas have met exactly once when both teams were ranked. In 1973, MU was 19th and KU 20th. KU won 14-13 in Lawrence. It would be great if both teams were in the Top 5, playing in Kansas City for a chance at a chance for the national title.

But even if that doesn't come to pass, it'll be a mean and nasty game. No matter. The Tigers will rule. 'Cause, y'know, those Kansas fans are crybabies, who don't know anything about football. And, of course, they live in Kansas.

'Nuff sed.

Jon Worley lived in Missouri for nine years--and Kansas for seven.