El Paso, Texas ? Oregon State fans wanted a new coach after the first five games. Missouri had a perfect coach, or at least a perfect record, after six games.

Mike Riley and Gary Pinkel ended up in the same place, providing a compelling story line for the 73rd Sun Bowl today.

No. 24 Oregon State (9-4) executed a remarkable midseason turnaround, winning seven of eight. The Beavers have two signature victories, beating then-No. 3 Southern California and then replacing Hawaii in the Top 25 the week after securing the bowl bid.

“They could have folded their tent,” Riley said. “There was not one person hardly in the world outside of our wives, outside of our football building, that believed that this team could do what they’ve done. We just stayed the course.”

Missouri was 6-0 for the first time since 1973 and 7-1 for the first time since 1969. Pinkel has taken the Tigers to bowls three of the last four years, and expectations began to rise for an elite postseason assignment.

A late three-game losing streak brought the picture back into focus, although the Tigers rallied to rout Kansas in the regular-season finale and earn a bowl upgrade over their two Independence appearances.

“I think it is a good next step for the program,” athletic director Mike Alden said. “Certainly we have a long way to go on the journey, but it is the next step.”

A win over Oregon State would be the first over a ranked opponent for Missouri since 2003, although four victories this year have come against bowl teams. It would also give the school nine wins for the first time since 1969 and perhaps provide a springboard for the future. Last year’s Independence Bowl victory over South Carolina, in which Brad Smith led a comeback from a 21-point deficit, provided a nice jumping-off point for this season.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I don’t think there’s any question that you always want to finish well,” Pinkel said. “We all know the impact of last year’s win, and everybody that’s playing in bowl games wants to do the same thing.”

Riley is the first Oregon State coach to win two bowl games, the Las Vegas in 2003 and the Insight in 2004. But last year the Beavers were 5-6, and after their shaky start this season, not only fans but some players felt they were on the same road.

Two of the early losses, 42-14 at Boise State and 41-13 at home to California, were blowouts.

“We had outside sources that were kind of down talking, and coach Riley did a great job of calling some of the players in the office and telling them, ‘If you’re not with us, then get out,'” safety Sabby Piscitelli said. “He called some people out individually, and their attitude changed real quick.”

The response was gratifying for Riley. Oregon State finished third in the Pac-10 at 6-3, with a balanced offense, an aggressive defense that led the conference with 44 sacks and a knack for making big plays at the finish. The Beavers won their last two games by a total of five points, and four victories in all were secured at or near the end of the game.