Chat with Bob after Saturday's game here

Staff writer Bob Asmussen's chat with Kansas City Star reporter Mike De Armond

What is going on at Missouri with all of the off-the-field troubles?

The Boone County Sheriff's Office issued a bulletin that was going to be cracking down on drunk drivers. The crackdown caught assistant coach Bruce Walker, reserve linebacker Will Ebner and deep snapper and reserve tight end Beau Brinkley. As for starting tailback and captain Derrick Washington? He was charged Monday with deviate sexual assault – read no intercourse – and it looks to be a classic he said-she said no other actual witnesses case. I don't try the cases, I just write about them. MU Coach Gary Pinkel admits to being embarrassed by all the discipline issues. He also admits that is an understatement.

Has Gary Pinkel lost control?

Sure looks like it, doesn't it? Players contend not, but we just won't know until Illinois and Missouri are on the field playing for real. It is easy to say this is Football Team Gone Wild. Can Missouri prove its claim that it isn't?

Do you think the Missouri-Illinois series will resume at some point in the future?

Actually, no, unless the Big Ten does get around to welcoming the Tigers into the fold. The reason is there is absolutely no reason to play a tough nonconference foe under the BCS umbrella of control. Pinkel said as much on Monday. So welcome to cupcake city, unless St. Louis can come up with $2 million each for Missouri and Illinois to play there some more.

Did the bowl loss to Navy dampen the fans' feeling about Missouri football?

Sure. But it dampened the poll voters' ardor more, and understandably so. I can see Missouri making it into the Top 25 with an impressive victory over Illinois and another couple of high-scoring victories in the next two games. But that loss to Navy was beyond ugly.

Can Blaine Gabbert be as good as Chase Daniel?

In a word? Yes. But he doesn't have the tight ends and receivers Daniel had. He actually has a better offensive line. But on defense he doesn't have Lorenzo Williams at nose tackle either. Overall, Daniel had the better team. Gabbert, however, could wind up being the better college player.

Q. Give us your prediction for Saturday's Missouri-Illinois game.

Mizzou 34-17. I don't think the Missouri defense will shut down the Illini. But I think the Illini secondary will be really scorched by Gabbert. And, Gary Pinkel has owned Ron Zook in this series.