Columbia, Mo. ? Ken Flajole clearly recalls that something was fishy. On two counts.

No. 24 Missouri and Colorado meet at 6 tonight in their Big 12 opener on the 20th anniversary of the infamous fifth-down victory, which denied a huge upset bid by the Tigers and propelled the Buffaloes to their only national championship.

Flajole, the St. Louis Rams’ defensive coordinator, was an assistant coach at Missouri in 1990 and believes there were two bad calls, one for the extra down and one giving Buffs’ quarterback Charles Johnson a touchdown from the 1.

Flajole said he “had an inkling” that Colorado was getting an extra down. He was certain, especially after watching the school’s replay, that it shouldn’t have been ruled a touchdown.

“So, that’s the untold story on the deal,” Flajole said. “It’s fifth down, but was he really even in on fifth down?”

That’s about it for juicy controversy. Ask those preparing for this year’s Big 12 North showdown and you’ll get no opinion.

“I’ve heard a lot of people talking about the anniversary,” Missouri wide receiver T.J. Moe said. “But I wasn’t even alive for that, so I don’t care.”

Colorado (3-1) has needed a lot more than an extra down the last few years against Missouri (4-0). The Tigers have won four straight in the series, the last three by a combined score of 149-27.

That recent history is also judged irrelevant, at least by Missouri.

“I think any team in any division you can say that what happened last year doesn’t matter,” tailback De’Vion Moore said. “They’ve improved in every aspect of the game. We aren’t taking them lightly.”