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James Franklin didn't give himself a high grade for his debut performance as Missouri's quarterback.
Earning a better mark in his next game could prove even tougher.
Franklin and the 21st-ranked Tigers play at Arizona State on Friday night and face arguably one of their biggest challenges in trying to extend a regular-season non-conference winning streak to 23 games.
Missouri's three previous quarterbacks, all currently in the NFL, set the bar high for Franklin before last week's home game against Miami of Ohio. The sophomore finished 17 of 26 for 129 yards and had a team-best 72 on the ground, including a 5-yard TD that opened the scoring in a 17-6 win.
"There's things that I'm worried about and things that I'm focused on that I didn't do so well," he said. "I'll give (my performance) a C-minus, being positive."
Franklin's interception in the third quarter set up Miami's only score, but he helped put away the game with a 10-yard TD pass to Marcus Lucas early in the fourth. E.J. Gaines' interception in the end zone also allowed the Tigers (1-0) to escape the 90-degree heat with a victory.
Missouri barely outgained the defending MAC champs, 291-270, and committed nine penalties for 81 yards.
"I thought we just made more first-game mistakes than we've had for a long time," coach Gary Pinkel said. "We have to get better, and we've got to do it pretty fast."
The impetus for that speedy improvement is the trip to Tempe, Ariz., site of an Insight Bowl loss to Iowa in December. The Tigers will try for a better result there against a Sun Devils team that just missed cracking the Top 25.
"If you want to be good, you have to win games on the road," Pinkel said. "We all know that, so that's the challenge we have."
Arizona State (1-0) is also coming off a dominating performance and has an extra day to prepare for its first home game against Missouri since 1989.
The Sun Devils racked up 517 yards in a 48-14 victory over UC Davis last Thursday, and highly touted linebacker Vontaze Burfict had three of his team's five sacks. Brock Osweiler completed 19 of 26 passes for 262 yards and two TDs to Aaron Pflugrad in his first home start, and Cameron Marshall - last season's leading rusher - scored a pair of touchdowns.
"You can learn a little bit in a game like we had last week but not a lot," coach Dennis Erickson said Monday. "(The game against Missouri) will be big to find out where we're at. There's no question about it. "
Erickson's team might have to learn about itself without starting right tackle Aderious Simmons, who is dealing with a sprained ankle. Fellow senior Dan Knapp is expected to take over Simmons' spot on the line.
The Sun Devils have already lost starting cornerback Omar Bolden (torn ACL), linebacker Brandon Magee (Achilles) and wide receiver T.J. Simpson (knee). Safety Ezekiel Bishop is likely done for the season after suffering a knee injury last week, and Deantre Lewis, the second-leading rusher in 2010, still hasn't returned after being wounded in the leg in a random shooting in February.
Missouri is also dealing with its share of injuries with defensive end Jacquies Smith dislocating his elbow and linebacker Will Ebner spraining his ankle during Saturday's win.
"(Smith) might be out for a while, so we're going to miss him," Pinkel said. "I feel so bad for Will because he's such a great kid and he's been through so much."
Center Travis Ruth (Achilles), tight end Eric Waters (hamstring), and wide receivers Jerrell Jackson (hamstring) and Gahn McGaffie (sprained knee) will also likely sit out. Left tackle Elvis Fisher is lost for the season after rupturing a tendon in his left leg.
Cornerback Kip Edwards, however, is expected to return after missing the opener with a hamstring injury. He is one of two returning starters to the secondary.
"We are going to get Kip Edwards back, which is going to be really good," Pinkel said.
Missouri holds a 3-2 series lead, winning the most recent meeting in 1990. Arizona State has prevailed in two of the three meetings in Tempe.
