Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Big 12's elite better bask in the glory while they can

By B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 2, 2008 at 8:28 p.m.

Text size  

Poll

Which area major college football team has been the biggest surprise this season?


More College Sports

More stories »

If the Big 12 Conference wants to stake its claim as college football's top league, this would be the week to step to the podium.

But better do it fast, because league play begins Saturday and Southern-style cannibalism comes with it.

The Big 12 can raise that big foam finger for No. 1 (Oklahoma), then hoist other digits for Nos. 4 (Missouri), 5 (Texas), 7 (Texas Tech), 16 (Kansas) and 21 (Oklahoma State).

The half-dozen Big 12 teams ranked in The Associated Press Top 25 this week marks the first time since Sept. 22, 2002, in that poll.

Early-season strength - or in some cases cushy nonconference scheduling - was evident for the Big 12: The league finished a combined 38-10 in nonleague play, with the Sooners' average margin of victory a stunning 36.8 points in four runaways.

But Texas coach Mack Brown glimpses the future and sees the polls reflecting upcoming head-to-head Big 12 skirmishes.

Said Brown: "I think the Big 12 is going to become more like the SEC. There are going to be some real battles in the league that will hurt national rankings."

Colorado coach Dan Hawkins, meanwhile, said he knew what he was stepping into in 2006, his first season removed from Boise State: "Obviously, Kansas and Missouri have made huge strides recently. That being said, you still have the A&Ms, the Oklahomas, the Nebraskas, Texases and all of that. So pick your poison."

A capsule look at the league:

North Division

Top of the heap

* MISSOURI

Record/ranking: 4-0, No. 4.

Best win: 52-42 against then-No. 20 Illinois.

League opener: Saturday at Nebraska.

Key players: QB Chase Daniel (101-for-133 passing, 1,412 yards, 12 TDs, 1 INT), WR/KR Jeremy Maclin (26 catches, 391 yards, 4 TDs; 7 kickoff returns, 217 yards, 1 TD; 12 punt returns, 123 yards).

Super stat: Missouri is averaging a league-best 53.8 points a game.

Coach's take: "It's still about respect and preparation, and if you cheat either one of those, you won't play your best. I guarantee my players have heard it many, many times." - Gary Pinkel

* KANSAS

Record/ranking: 3-1, No. 16.

Best win: 29-0 against Louisiana Tech.

Worst loss: 37-34 against then-No. 19 South Florida.

League opener: Saturday at Iowa State.

Key players: QB Todd Reesing (126-for-179 passing, 1,405 yards, 11 TDs, 2 INTs), WR Kerry Meier (37 catches, 389 yards, 1 TD).

Super stat: Reesing has passed for 350-plus yards in his past three games.

Coach's take: "We will never truly get over the hump, in my eyes - I don't know how anybody else sees it, but in my eyes - until we're able to defeat those teams (Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech) as well." - Mark Mangino

Middle of the road

* COLORADO

Record/ranking: 3-1, unranked.

Best win: 17-14 against then-No. 21 West Virginia.

Worst loss: 39-21 against Florida State.

League opener: Saturday against No. 5 Texas.

Key players: QB Cody Hawkins (87-for-136 passing, 808 yards, 9 TDs, 4 INTs), TB Rodney Stewart (62 carries, 349 yards).

Super stat: Stewart has rushed for 100-plus yards in each of the past two games.

Coach's take: "I don't how many ways we can say it creatively, but we're going through the gauntlet. If you want to spend time handing out game balls because you beat West Virginia or having a funeral because you lost to Florida State, that's wrong. You just keep retooling and repooling and working it out." - Dan Hawkins

* NEBRASKA

Record/ranking: 3-1, unranked.

Best win: 38-7 against New Mexico State.

Worst loss: 35-30 against Virginia Tech.

League opener: Saturday against No. 4 Missouri.

Key players: QB Joe Ganz (67-for-104 passing, 997 yards, 7 TDs, 4 INTs), LB Cody Glenn (35 total tackles, 8.8 a game).

Super stat: The Cornhuskers have returned a punt, kickoff and interception for touchdowns in their first four games.

Coach's take: "I've never gone into a game making concessions. I won't start this week. We're going to play the best we possibly can and try and shut (Missouri) out." - Bo Pelini

* KANSAS STATE

Record/ranking: 3-1, unranked.

Best win: 45-37 against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Worst loss: 38-29 at Louisville.

League opener: Saturday against Texas Tech.

Key players: QB Josh Freeman (77-for-115 passing, 1,105 yards, 11 TDs, 2 INTs), WR Brandon Banks (22 catches, 463 yards, 6 TDs).

Super stat: Freeman's 6,238 yards passing are a career record at Kansas State.

Coach's take: "This is not like the NFL, where you might go to the playoffs with a 9-7 record. You don't have that many opportunities in college football, because every game matters. It would do us a lot of good to come out and play well (Saturday)." - Ron Prince

Bottom of the barrel

* IOWA STATE

Record/ranking: 2-2, unranked.

Best win: 48-28 against Kent State.

Worst loss: 34-31 at Nevada-Las Vegas.

League opener: Saturday against No. 16 Kansas.

Key player: QB Austen Arnaud (54-for-83 passing, 643 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs), PK Grant Mahoney (15-for-15 PATs, 7-for-11 FGs).

Super stat: The Cyclones defense has forced 13 turnovers in four games, five short of the 2007 total and tied for eighth nationally.

Coach's take: "We're here for the journey. Week in and week out, we're finding out where we're going to be, because we're playing the best. And I really wouldn't have it any other way." - Gene Chizik

South Division

Top of the heap

* OKLAHOMA

Record/ranking: 4-0, No. 1.

Best win: 35-10 against then-No. 24 Texas Christian.

League opener: Saturday at Baylor.

Key players: QB Sam Bradford (83-for-115 passing, 1,293 yards, 16 TDs, 2 INTs), RB DeMarco Murray (59 carries, 335 yards, 3 TDs).

Super stat: Bradford passed for a career- best 411 yards against TCU, becoming only the second Sooners quarterback to surpass 400.

Coach's take: "Obviously, you look at some of these other games (involving Top 25 teams) and you see what's happening. If you're not on top of your game and ready to go, you're going to get beat. I don't care who it's against." - Bob Stoops

* TEXAS

Record/ranking: 4-0, No. 5.

Best win: 52-10 against Arkansas.

League opener: Saturday at Colorado.

Key player: QB Colt McCoy (80-for-100 passing, 1,018 yards, 14 TDs, 1 INT; 34 carries, 278 yards, 4 TDs), DE Brian Orakpo (51/2 QB sacks, eight tackles for loss).

Super stat: Texas' defense has held an opponent to fewer than 20 yards rushing 18 times and fewer than 200 yards in total offense 28 times since 1990.

Coach's take: "Last year we were in all close games, and I don't think that was healthy. The 2005 team wasn't tested very much, and they played really well. What this team seems to be doing is they enjoy playing, and they enjoy each other." - Mack Brown

* TEXAS TECH

Record/ranking: 4-0, No. 7.

Best win: 49-24 against Eastern Washington.

League opener: Saturday at Kansas State.

Key player: QB Graham Harrell (120-for-186 passing, 1,573 yards, 12 TDs, 3 INTs), WR Michael Crabtree (29 catches, 457 yards, 6 TDs).

Super stat: Texas Tech is No. 1 nationally in passing offense (426.3 yards a game) and third in total offense (572.7).

Coach's take: "I don't think about (polls) either. I just think about 'can we improve and are we getting better?' " - Mike Leach

Middle of the road

* OKLAHOMA STATE

Record/ranking: 4-0, No. 21.

Best win: 56-37 against Houston.

League opener: Saturday against Texas A&M.

Key player: RB Kendall Hunter (80 carries, 618 yards, 8 TDs), QB Zac Robinson (52-for-73 passing, 849 yards, 7 TDs, 3 INTs).

Super stat: The Cowboys are the nation's top-ranked rushing offense, averaging 340.2 yards a game, with Hunter No. 3 individually (154.5).

Coach's take: "We're in league play now and I think everyone is aware that from this point on, the teams get bigger, faster, stronger and have much more depth. It's important for us to prepare well and stay focused." - Mike Gundy

Bottom of the barrel

* BAYLOR

Record/ranking: 2-2, unranked.

Best win: 45-17 against Washington State.

Worst loss: 31-28 at Connecticut.

League opener: Saturday against No. 1 Oklahoma.

Key player: QB Robert Griffin (47-for-78 passing, 756 yards, 7 TDs; 55 carries, 334 yards, 5 TDs), LB Joe Pawelek (48 tackles, 12.0 a game).

Super stat: Baylor has rushed for 100-plus yards in three consecutive games.

Coach's take: "(Oklahoma is) a very formidable opponent - very good offensively, defensively and on special teams. It will be a good test for us, no doubt." - Art Briles

* TEXAS A&M

Record/ranking: 2-2, unranked.

Best win: 28-22 at New Mexico.

Worst loss: 18-14 against Arkansas State.

League opener: Saturday at No. 21 Oklahoma State.

Key player: QB Jerrod Johnson (35-for-61 passing, 452 yards, 7 TDs, 2 INTs), LB Matt Featherston (40 tackles, 10.0 a game).

Super stat: In a 21-17 win last week, A&M limited Army to 1-for-5 passing (4 yards).

Coach's take: "There's things we can do better, there's no question about it - from everybody's perspective. We'll continue to work and evolve as an offense." - Mike Sherman

Comments

  • October 3, 2008

    12:10 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    DenverGold writes:

    The sign on the door of the CU Buffalo football team dressing room should read..."6 of the Big 12 teams in the Top 25...CU isn't one of them...WHY NOT?" I think part of the reason is the qb...I keep saying that the football team needs a real qb...an NFL-to-be player. Cody Hawkins, sorry to say, is not one of them. Coach...be kind to your son and tell him and YOURSELF the truth.