Most of the media that covers the Big 12 seems to be focused on the South Division and on who might face the Missouri Tigers in the Big 12 Championship game. The Tigers don't seem to share that focus.


“I don't even know if we're playing in it,” Gary Pinkel joked.


Pinkel, it would seem, was joking when he said that. The Tigers wrapped up a spot in the game with a win over Iowa State that clinched the North division two weeks ago. But Missouri's players insisted there is no danger of looking past Kansas to that game.


“This game is kind of one that you don't really worry about getting your team ready to play,” Pinkel said. “If you have to talk your team into playing this game, it's going to be a tough day.”


“I don't think so at all, not at all,” Brock Christopher said. “Coach Pinkel has done a great job of making sure we don't look past it and we've got enough mature competitors on this team to know we've got to take care of business.”


This game may not match last year's, which Pinkel called “the perfect storm.” That game, of course, brought national attention to the politically correct Border Showdown. The Jayhawks were ranked No. 2 in the nation, the Tigers No. 4.


“And, oh by the way, No. 1 lost two hours before our kickoff,” Pinkel said.


There was a national No. 1 ranking at stake, a division title, a spot in the championship game and a chance to play for a national title all on the line.


“Just going out and running out the tunnel and seeing the crowd split 50-50 and with everything that was at stake,” Jeremy Maclin recalled. “It was just a joy.”


So this year's matchup may not hold the same allure, at least outside of Lawrence, Columbia and Kansas City. But Missouri most certainly wants to win it.


“The fans around here, anywhere you go in town, somebody might tell you, 'Beat KU,'” Sean Weatherspoon said. “If we were 6-and-5, beating KU would probably save our season. We know what kind of game this is.”


“10-2 sounds a whole lot better than 9-3,” Maclin said.


For the Jayhawks, those numbers are 7-5 or 6-6. And the Tigers know there's a big difference in those two as well.


“I know KU's purpose this year is a little stronger to go out and basically be that piece to end Missouri's whole successful season,” William Moore said.


Just like the Tigers did a year ago to the Jayhawks, right?


“Right, right, right,” Moore said. “You know how it goes.”


Gabe DeArmond is the publisher of PowerMizzou.com. You can read more of his coverage of the Tigers online at http://missouri.rivals.com.