Buster and CMan's Top 25 - Week 9

AP Top 25:

1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Florida State
4. Ohio State
5. Baylor
6. Stanford
7. Miami (FL)
8. Auburn
9. Clemson
10. Missouri
11. LSU
12. Texas A&M
13. Oklahoma
14. South Carolina
15. Texas Tech
16. Fresno State
17. UCLA
18. Oklahoma State
19. UCF
20. Louisville
21. Northern Illinois
22. Wisconsin
23. Michigan
24. Michigan State
25. Arizona State

CMan's Top 25:

1. Alabama
2. Florida State
3. Oregon
4. Ohio State
5. Baylor
6. Stanford
7. Miami (FL)
8. Missouri
9. Clemson
10. Auburn
11. Texas A&M
12. Oklahoma
13. LSU
14. Fresno State
15. South Carolina
16. Texas Tech
17. UCLA
18. Oklahoma State
19. UCF
20. Northern Illinois
21. Louisville
22. Michigan
23. Michigan State
24. Wisconsin
25. Arizona State

Buster's Top 25:

1.Alabama
2.Oregon
3.Florida St.
4.Baylor
5.Ohio St.
6.Stanford
7.Missouri
8.Miami
9.Clemson
10.Auburn
11.Texas A&M
12.Oklahoma
13.LSU
14.South Carolina
15.Fresno St.
16.Texas Tech
17.Oklahoma St.
18.UCLA
19.Northern Illinois
20.UCF
21.Louisville
22.Michigan St.
24.Michigan
25.Arizona St.

Vote Craig Hofeld as Oklahoma Football Player of the Week!

Hey Sooner fans, I am up for the Oklahoma player of the week! Voting ends today at 4:00PM! I am currently in second place by 50 votes! We are making a final push. So please go vote for me here at newsok.com, by going to sports, then to high school, then hitting the "Vote for Player of the Week" link.

Thanks!

CMan's Big 12 Power Rankings - Week 9

POWER RANKINGS

#1. Baylor Bears (4-0, 7-0)

Last Week - Beat Kansas 59-14

Baylor continued it's torrid scoring by dismantling Kansas in Lawrence this weekend. The Bears did not get to 70 but they did put 59 on the Jayhawks. Baylor lead 38-0 at the half and put it on cruise control in the second half. The Bears look stout and haven't been challenged yet this season but their strength of schedule is nothing to be proud of. Baylor has not played a top 25 team or even a top tier Big 12 team yet. That schedule starts in two weeks when 4 of its last 5 teams are ranked.

Up next: Bye

#2. Oklahoma Sooners (4-1, 7-1)

Last Week - Beat Texas Tech 38-30

the Sooners dispatched previously unbeaten and 10th ranked Texas Tech Saturday. Oklahoma showed spunk and resiliency fighting off the Red Raiders all day and coming from behind twice. After a horrid start to the game which saw the Sooners fall behind again, the offense came to life. Oklahoma used a balanced attack and strong defense to pull out the win. The Sooners did take a hit though as fullback Trey Millard suffered a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season.

Up next: Bye

#3. Texas Longhorns (4-0, 5-2)

Last Week - Beat TCU 30-7

Ok, so they beat another opponent. I'm still not ready to crown them Big 12 champs. Texas beat the Horned Frogs in Fort Worth spoiling the return of quarterback Casey Pachall. The fact that TCU only scored 7 is not what bothers me. Switching quarterbacks is never a good thing, and expecting Pachall to be accurate in his first game back is crazy. What bothers me is that TCU gave up 30 points to the Longhorns and a lot was due to the passing of Case McCoy. Texas used the long ball to score and get in to scoring position. Someone better beat the Horns or I am going to have to admit the win against OU wasn't a fluke.

Up Next: Kansas

#4. Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-1, 7-1)

Last Week - Lost at Oklahoma 38-30

Texas Tech lost at Oklahoma but they didn't play that bad. They threw for 388 yards and put a total of 460 on the Sooner defense. They also pulled a couple of trick plays on OU. Kingsbury has the team believing in themselves and the loss Saturday will hurt, but shouldn't shake their belief that they are a good team. And they are. Tech should finish the season with no more than 3 losses. Not bad for a young head coach that first met Bob Stoops as a Quarterback playing against the Sooners. Tech is good and they will only get better.

Up Next: at Texas Tech

#5. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-1, 6-1)

Last Week - Beat Iowa State 58-27

The Cowboys win in Ames looks more impressive than it was. The Pokes went in to the half only leading 28-20. The biggest difference for the Pokes was running back Desmond Roland who ran for 219 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Cowboy passing game continued to be suspect as Clint Chelf only managed 10 completions on 26 passes for 78 yards. The running game will not produce at that level against stiffer competition unless it can be complimented by a passing game. The Pokes still have some work to do to get back in the top tier of the Big 12.

Up Next: At Texas Tech

#6. Kansas State Wildcats (1-3, 3-4)

Last Week - Beat West Virginia 35-12

The Wildcats made good use of their bye week bye returning to the field and beating West Virginia. KSU took and early 7-0 lead but fell behind 9-7 at the half and then 12-7 early in the 3rd. However, the Wildcats scored the next 28 points and kept the Mountaineers off the scoreboard the rest of the game. It was a win for Kansas State but, it was at home,  and against the reeling Mountaineers. Not a marquee win by any stretch.

Up Next: Iowa State

#7. TCU Horned Frogs (1-4, 3-5)

Last Week: Lost to Texas 30-7

The Horned frogs are not accustomed to losing under Gary Patterson yet, that's all they are doing lately. They have a decent defense and if they had a reliable quarterback they might have only 1 loss, LSU. It is becoming clear that the switch to the Big 12 has hurt TCU. Prior to joining, they were dominant in their conference and played their toughest game at the start of the season in their non conference schedule. In the Big 12 there is no time to rest as your opponents are usually tougher and ranked as the season progresses. TCU will likely finish this season with a losing conference record for the second straight year.

Up Next: West Virginia

#8. West Virginia Mountaineers (1-4, 3-5)

Last Week - Lost at KSU 35-17

Dana Holgerson probably wishes this season was over so he can look for his next job. This once proud program has taken a serious turn down under Holgerson and it doesn't look like its going to get better. This team has no identity and is losing any motivation as each game ends. If the players have not given up by now, another loss will likely insure a losing season and guarantee the Mountaineers will be watching bowl games from home.

Up Next: At Texas Christian

#9. Iowa State Cyclones (0-4, 1-6)

Last Week - Lost to Oklahoma State 58-27

The Cyclones have one more loss than the Jayhawks but I believe they are a tougher team than KU. The Cyclones loss to Texas might have sealed their fate this season. A win and they might have gained the needed momentum to compete. The manner in which the game was taken from them surely had to hurt mentally. I'm not saying they would be a top ten team but they are competitive and play with a lot of emotion. As it is, this season will likely cost a good coach his job.

Up Next: At Kansas State

#10. Kansas Jayhawks (0-4, 2-5)

Last Week - Lost to Baylor 59-14

It's a good thing the Jayhawks can play basketball, otherwise there would be nothing to do in Lawrence in the fall, winter and spring. Losing to Baylor this season is not a shame, everyone has. Giving up 59 to Baylor at home, including 38 in the first half alone, is a shame. Kansas will likely go 0-9 for the second straight season in the conference. In this era of limited scholarships and football parity, no conference wins in two years is unacceptable at any program.

CMan's OU Pregame - Texas Tech

 #17 Oklahoma            vs               #10 Texas Tech

 

                  (6-1, 3-1)                                                                                            (7-0, 4-0)

        Unbeaten and 10th Ranked  Texas Tech visits #17 Oklahoma this Saturday in Norman. The Red Raiders have had a honeymoon start to the inaugural season of former Tech quarterback and new head coach Kliff Kingsbury. The Sooners must end the Red Raider win streak if they hope to have any chance of competing for the Big 12 championship this season.

Kingsbury has successfully repaired any broken connections to the Tech program brought on by the Tommy Tubberville era. Kingsbury was brought to college station by Tech legend Spike Dykes and played for controversial coach Mike Leach. Kingsbury has also surrounded him self with former Tech players on his coaching staff. He has the Red Raiders believing in themselves as a team. His offense is reminiscent of the type run by Leach and his team plays defense unlike the teams during the Leach era.

The big downside for Tech is they have only played one ranked opponent. TCU came in to the game ranked #24 and has since drooped out of the Top 25. Aside from the Horned frogs, Tech has played the bottom feeders of the Big 12 and a non conference schedule most teams should have swept through. The Sooners present Techs first quality opponent of the year and its in Norman.

Tech brings in the #1 passing offense in the Big 12 averaging 416 yards a game. Oklahoma counters with the Big 12 leading pass defense giving up only 150 yards per game. The rushing stats are flipped. Oklahoma is second in the league rushing gaining 228 yards per game while Tech is 3rd in the conference at run defense allowing only 123 per game. the Red Raiders score 41 points per game and allow 18, the Sooners score 30 and allow 17. Overall Oklahoma leads the Big 12 in total defense allowing 293 yard per game, Texas Tech is second in the conference in total offense gaining over 548 yards a game. Ironically, Texas Tech is 5th in total defense and the Sooners are 5th in total offense.

The edge for the game should go to Oklahoma, especially playing at home where Bob Stoops coached teams don't often lose. If the Sooners have a glaring weakness its the inconsistent offense. If Blake Bell has a good game OU should win comfortably. If not, well it could be a long day in Norman. For Tech, the biggest question is how they will play against the strongest opponent they have faced all year. The Sooner defense has the potential to force teams to second question their ability.

Oklahoma can not afford to let Tech start fast like they did Texas and Kansas. They must cover well enough in the secondary to allow the defensive ends to  apply significant pressure on the quarterback and not allow him to set and throw. Defensively, the Sooners need a start like the Notre Dame game. A forced turnover or a quick defensive score will set a tone that will be difficult for Tech to recover from mentally. OU must also keep the pressure up all game. Tech has the ability to come back in the second half. The Sooners must also get the run game going early and often. Oklahoma must wear out the Tech defense and keep the Red Raiders offense cold and watching from the sidelines.

This game will hinge on the team that has the most energy after the first few series. Oklahoma must defeat Texas Tech mentally to win the game. For Tech, a win in Norman gives them credibility and could propel them to at least a share of the Big 12 Championship. A win for the Sooners and only Baylor stands between them and a share of their 9th Big 12 championship.

The Sooners are favored by 8,  in part because of the lack of power in Techs schedule and the game being played in Norman. I am not sure the Sooners will cover but they should win the game. Tech will score but they won't get near their average of 40. If the Sooners can't get their offense rolling, they will find themselves in a defensive battle. That's not a bad thing for OU.

CMan's prediction:  OU wins 27-20

Buster's bet:             OU wins 38-34

Oklahoma Sooners mid-season report card :

          
         We have passed the midway point of the Sooner football season. The Sooners sit at 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big 12 conference. The lone loss came in the Cotton Bowl against unranked Texas. A loss to the Longhorns in any season is tough for OU fans to stomach. A loss against an unranked and inferior Texas squad is an insult. With seven games in the books its time to take a look at how the Sooners have graded out thus far in the 2013 season.



Offense: C-

The Sooner offense has been this seasons biggest disappointment. The quarterback controversy was just the tip of the iceberg. The Sooner passing game has been one of the best in the nation starting with Josh Heupel in 1999. OU typically sits at the top of the offensive rankings in the big 12 and in the top 10 nationally. The 2013 Sooners rank eighth in the Big 12 (10 teams) in pass offense ahead of only TCU and Kansas. OU has thrown for 13 touchdowns and 6 interceptions while completing only 59% of their passes and averaging an uncharacteristic 194 passing yards per game. Nationally OU ranks 90th in pass offense and 62nd in scoring offense. in the Big 12 Oklahoma ranks sixth in scoring offense  at 30 points per game and they are also sixth in 3rd down conversions at 39.4%.

The only reason that OU doesn't have a lower grade on offense is the running game. The Sooners are second in the Big 12 in rushing offense with a 228 yard average per game. Nationally, OU is ranked 18th. The problem in the run game for the Sooners is they have only scored 8 rushing touchdowns in seven games putting them on a pace to score half as many rushing TD's as they did in 2012 and 2011.

Then there are the quarterbacks. Trevor Knight showed signs of brilliance with his feet in the first two games but he couldn't hit the side of a barn with a pass. A knee injury forced the insertion of Junior Blake Bell as the starter. Bell started with a bang throwing for 400+ against Tulsa. However, as Dean Blevins told Al Eschbach after the game, "You could have thrown for 200 against the Tulsa pass defense". Bell was good at Notre Dame, but was fronted a 14 point lead by the OU defense. Bell started to slide against TCU and fell flat at Texas and in the first quarter at KU.  Bell looks increasingly uncomfortable with his decision making leading to "happy feet" and he is a far different quarterback playing from behind than he is with a lead. Blake ranks between 5-7 in the Big 12 in QB statistics. Nationally Bell ranks 52nd.

Despite the obvious weaknesses, OU does lead the Big 12 in time of possession at 32:18.


Defense: A

I might of graded the defense a B because they have been inconsistent. However, they are leaps and bounds ahead of where they have been the last few years. The Sooners are giving up a hundred yards less this year than last (293 vs 398). The lead the Big 12 in total defense and pass defense. They are second in scoring defense and 5th in rush defense. The scoring defense has improved from 25 points per game in 2012 to only 17 this season. OU is ranked 9th nationally in scoring defense. OU seems to be better conditioned as well. They are stronger in the 2nd half than in the first. If not for the defense, the season might look very different right now.

The loss of defensive starters Cory Nelson at linebacker and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips make the defense weaker, especially against the run. We will see how defensive coordinator Mike Stoops adjusts his defense to adapt.



The biggest improvement on defense this year has got to be attitude. OU has rediscovered the defensive swagger they have been missing for several years. The Sooners defensive energy has been at a high level all year, except for the Texas game.


Special teams: B+

The Sooner special teams have been a surprise this season. Both kickers, Place Kicker Mike Hunnicut and punter Jed Barnett, were relative unknowns going in to the season. Hunnicutt is second in the Nation and ranked number one in the Big 12 in Field goal percent at 93.8%. He has missed only one field goal and one PAT on the season. Barnett got off to a quick start but has seen his punt average drop from a high of 46 to his current average of 41 yards per punt, 9th in the conference.

On the strength of the leg of Kicker Nick Hogdson, Oklahoma is second in the conference in Kick off coverage with a league leading 30 touchbacks and a second fewest 260 total return yards allowed.

Red Zone: C

The Sooners red zone struggles continue. Oklahoma is ranked 6th in red zone offense scoring on 84% of their chances. In 32 trips they have scored 15 touchdowns and kicked 13 field goals, a 1-1 ratio. In 2012 the Sooners had a 3-1 ratio of TD's to FG's. Too many field goals not enough touchdowns.

The Sooners red zone defense is giving up scores 86% of the time. They are ranked eighth in the Big 12 and only few scores from 10th. Top ranked Baylor only allows points 56% of the time.


Overall: B-

I could easily grade the Sooners an overall C but they are 6-1. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year. The loss of 4 year starter Landry Jones and roster full of underclassmen said it would be. The 5-0 start was a surprise. Many picked the Sooners to lose at Notre Dame and some suggested a loss against TCU was also possible. Very few predicted the loss to Texas. So, 6 wins at this point is not bad. However, they appeared dominant and in late season form after the win in South Bend but after the Texas game, the same Sooners looked lost and beatable. The first quarter melt down at KU did not restore any faith. Oklahoma finished the KU game strong, especially on defense, but games that looked winnable at the start of the season are now question marks. This weekends game against Texas Tech will tell us a lot more.

There is also the question at quarterback. The reasons that Blake Bell was passed over for Trevor Knight at the start of the season were not evident until the second half of the TCU game. Since that game they have become painfully evident. While I'm not ready to suggest that Knight should be reinserted as the starter, I do think Bob Stoops should explore some run option packages for him. It's not a wild theory, the BellDozer package was born of the same mindset in 2011. And then there is Kendall Thompson. Many close to the program thought he was the leader going in to the season until he injured his foot in fall practice. perhaps he should be given a few snaps as well. I don't mean to question Bob Stoops coaching ability, his 155 coaching wins are exactly 155 more than I have. I am suggesting that he is stubborn at times, and this is one of those times.


Oklahoma  has five regular season games left this year. They could go 5-0 as easily as they could 0-5. My guess, based on their performance to date, is that they will finish the season 4-1 with a loss at Baylor in a couple of weeks. For  the Sooners, a 10-2 record in 2013 is respectable. For Sooner fans, anything short of a championship is not acceptable. A loss to Baylor and the Sooners will probably not win the their ninth Big 12 title this year leaving a bowl championship as their only hope. Unfortunately, that's not a given this season either.

Buster and CMan's Top 25 - Week 8

AP Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Florida State
4. Ohio State
5. Missouri
6. Baylor
7. Miami (FL)
8. Stanford
9. Clemson
10. Texas Tech
11. Auburn
12. UCLA
13. LSU
14. Texas A&M
15. Fresno State
16. Virginia Tech
17. Oklahoma
18. Louisville
19. Oklahoma State
20. S. Carolina
21. UCF
22. Wisconsin
23. Northern Illinois
24. Michigan
25. Nebraska


CMan's Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Florida State
4. Ohio State
5. Missouri
6. Baylor
7. Miami (FL)
8. Texas Tech
9. Stanford
10. Clemson
11. Auburn
12. Fresno State
13. Virginia tech
14. Louisville
15. UCLA
16. Oklahoma
17. LSU
18. Oklahoma State
19. Texas A&M
20. Northern Illinois
21. S. Carolina
23. UCF
24. Michigan
25. Wisconsin

Buster's Top 25
1.Alabama
2.Oregon
3.Florida St.
4.Missouri
5.Baylor
6.Ohio St.
7.Texas Tech
8.Miami (FL)
9.Stanford
10.Clemson
11.Auburn
12.Fresno St.
13.Louisville
14.UCLA
15.Virginia Tech
16.LSU
17.Texas A&M
18.S.Carolina
19.UCF
20.Michigan
21.Wisconsin
22.Oklahoma
23.Oklahoma St.
24.Northern Illinois
25.Nebraska

CMan's Big 12 Power Rankings - Week 8

POWER RANKINGS

#1. Baylor Bears (6-0, 3-0)

Last Week - Beat Iowa State 71-7

The Bears keep rolling along. They returned to the 70+ club again this week with a 71-7 clubbing of the Cyclones. They have also moved in to the top 10 nationally. Sure, a lot of big name and top ten teams lost last week but the Bears cant be ignored by the National media any longer. Baylor will get to meet Oklahoma in two weeks and then finally, Texas Tech on November 15th. If the bears win those two, look for them to finish the regular season undefeated and ranked in the top 5.

Up next: at Kansas

#2. Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-0, 4-0)

Last Week - Beat West Virginia 37-27

The Red Raiders struggled early against the Mountaineers down 27-23 going in to the 4th quarter. Tech needed two scores in the fourth to put the game away. But, like Baylor, The Red Raiders keep winning. They too have joined the elite coming in at #10 in the latest AP top 25. The National media can't ignore Kingsbury's bunch much longer either, unless they stumble in Norman on Saturday.

Up next: At Oklahoma

#3. Oklahoma Sooners (6-1, 3-1)

Last Week - Beat Kansas 34-19

I just can't rank Texas ahead of OU until I see the Longhorns play again. Despite the Sooners falling behind the KU basketball reserves 13-0 on Saturday, I still believe the OU Texas game was a fluke win for Texas. The Sooners defense looked like an open hole in the first half against the Jayhawks and the Blake Bell offense was better at three and out than almost anything else. The second half was a different story. The Offense got rolling and the defense gave up fewer yards to the Jayhawks than their first two offensive series of the game. However, KU has done that all season. The jury is still out on Oklahoma.

Up next: Texas Tech


#4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-1, 2-1)

Last Week - Defeated TCU 24-10

Oklahoma State defeated the Horned Frogs Saturday but not before turning on the quarterback carousel again. After two bad, early interceptions, Clint Chelf replaced much maligned JW Walsh and led the Cowboys to a 24-10 win in Stillwater. The irony for Oklahoma State is that the defense is the strength of their team. They are struggling offensively and in special teams, both trademarks of Mike Gundy's success as a head coach. If he could ever get all three working at the same time the Pokes could be dominant. Uh....just kidding.

Up next: at Iowa State

#5. Texas Longhorns (4-2, 3-0)

Last week - Bye week

The Texas Longhorns got to enjoy the Red River Rivalry victory for two weeks. Good for them. They still have games left though and they include match ups with Texas Tech and Baylor. Texas didn't just get good all the sudden and I don't think the reincarnation of Greg Robinson defensive tenure will change the Longhorns future anymore than it did his last trip through Austin. I could be wrong, I don't think I am. Teams don't often go from bad to good in the middle of a season.

Up next: At Texas Christian



#6. TCU Horned Frogs (3-4, 1-3)

Last Week - Lost at Oklahoma State 24-10

The Horned Frogs own the #6 spot because they look like they are more consistently competitive than West Virginia, at least on the road. Despite losing to OSU last week and being 1-3 in conference, the TCU defense is still pretty good. They just don't have an offense. Boykin is a fine runner at quarterback but he can't throw with any consistency. TCU joined the big 12 because they had beaten some good teams and thought they could hang with the big boys. It's one thing to beat OU or Texas prior to starting your conference season, its another thing when you to play them both and half a dozen other similar teams IN your conference.

Up next: Texas

#7. West Virginia Mountaineers (3-4, 1-3)

Last Week - Lost to Texas Tech 37-27

Dana Holgerson and Gary Patterson have to be wondering the same thing. What were they thinking joining the Big 12. Both programs are all but assured their first two seasons in the conference will be losing ones. Both programs came in winners and just have not gotten off the ground since joining. Holgerson came from the Big 12 so he knew what the season was like game after game. He has less of an excuse. The Mountaineers get off to good starts but can't seem to finish. The only positive for either team is the fact that KU and ISU are also in the conference.

Up next: At Kansas State

#8. Kansas State Wildcats (2-4, 0-3)

Last Week - Bye week

The Wildcats are coming off a bye week and the biggest news in the Little Apple is that they didn't lose. Bill Snyder is not used to being 0-3 in conference so the conventional wisdom say's he worked his tail, and the teams tails, off last week. If he can't get this team figured Kansas State will be lucky to beat the Cyclones and, gulp, the Jayhawks. Perhaps Snyder needs to reconsider retirement.

Up next: West Virginia

#9. Iowa State Cyclones (1-5, 0-3)

Last Week - Lost to Baylor 71-7

I know the Cyclones only have one win and the Jayhawks have 2. But Kansas doesn't get much credit for beating what amounts to Junior College teams. At least Iowa State beat Tulsa, in Tulsa. The Cyclones play hard as well. I know Baylor put 71 on them but they do that to almost everyone they play. This team should have beat Texas. Having said all that, they are only a little better than KU.

Up next: Oklahoma State

#10. Kansas Jayhawks (2-4, 0-3)

Last Week - Lost to Oklahoma 34-19

The Jayhawks followed a similar pattern last week. Take and early lead, fall behind and roll over. Its as if they want to play football but realize half way through the game that they suck. The sad fact is that KU is probably suffering from the same lack of conditioning that their head coach does. At least, that's the way they play. The Kansas Basketball team played an inter squad scrimmage on Saturday, once again, the Basketball team won, and the football team lost. There were likely more KU fans at the scrimmage than in the stands at memorial stadium. No surprise.

Up Next: Baylor (Ouch)

CMan's OU Pregame - Kansas

Oklahoma Sooners (5-1, 2-1)

Kansas Jayhawks (2-3, 0-2)











The Sooners travel to Lawrence Kansas today to take on the Jayhawks in a game that should help OU put to sleep the reminders of the  loss suffered at the hands of Rival Texas last week in Dallas.

The Sooner OU gets back to winning football the better and if you have to do it on the road there are far worse places to do it than Lawrence Kansas. The Sooners are 69-22-6 in 97 games against KU. That includes a 33-13-4 record in Lawrence. If the Sooners are frustrated, the Jayhawks can be a very comforting punching bag.

When people hear The Kansas Jayhawks they automatically think college Basketball. Oh, KU does play in almost all sports but the rumor is that the game of Basketball was created in Lawrence. When talk of Jayhawk football enters a conversation, the subject usually turns to Gale Sayers. Sayers, the Kansas Comet, is about the best thing to come out playing football at KU. Sure, Glen Mason won a couple of game and Mark Mangino did come within a whisper of a Big 12 title but few remember them. Kansas fans have always paid homage to Basketball first and, until the start of the basketball season, used the football games as a place to meet, eat and drink.

The 2013 Jayhawk team, coached by oft traveled Charlie Weis, have played good football in spurts this season. Most notably in the first quarter. In week 6 the Jayhawks led Texas Tech 10-0 after the first quarter, and lost 54-16. A week later, the Hawks were tied with TCU 10-10 at the half and lost 27-17. KU can start, but they struggle to finish. Once their opponent takes the lead, the Jayhawks tend to fold. I have a hard time imagining a different game today.

Bob Stoops Sooners are 14-0 following the Texas game. Seven of those games have come against KU. After a loss to Texas the Sooners are typically in a bad mood and are refocused. OU has outscored all opponents 37-12 following the Texas game.  In three games against the Jayhawks following a loss to Texas, the Sooners have beaten KU by and average score of 33-16. Today is not likely to be any different.

The biggest question going in to today's game is whether or not Trevor Knight or Kendall Thompson will see any time at quarterback for the Sooners. Blake Bell has struggled to lead this offense in the last two games against Texas and TCU. His throwing has not been very good and his lumbering runs are easily sniffed out by opposing defenses. The Sooners are still in position to win the Big 12 but they will have to score 30 to 50 points to beat the likes of Baylor and Texas Tech. Bell has not shown that he can do that. TCU and Texas took away the run and dared the Sooners to beat them in the air. TCU almost beat OU and Texas did. A one dimensional OU team will not win games against equal opponents. Blake Bells inability to run effectively makes OU one dimensional.

Bell has also not played well coming from behind. If Texas does not take a 10-3 lead on the pick 6 thrown by Bell early, the Texas game might have ended differently. After the last two weeks, I wonder how the Notre Dame game would have gone had the OU defense not given Bell and the offense a 14 point lead. After all, the defensive scores and the two point conversion were the difference in that game.

I am not advocating a quarterback change by any stretch. Bell has proven to be a solid gamer. And, this is only his fifth start. It would be interesting to see what the added dimension of a running quarterback like Knight or Thompson would bring. OU is still in the hunt for a Big 12 Championship, I just think this is a good time to take a look at all of our options.

The Sooners should win this game even if the Jayhawks jump on them early. But I don't see the Bell led offense putting up more than 28 points unless OU establishes the run effectively and early. If not, It could be a long day for the Sooners. However, with the 14-0 record they are bringing in following the Texas game I am hard pressed to pick against the Sooners.

Somewhere I can hear Barry Switzer saying "Run baby Run"!

CMan's pic:  OU  24 - 14

Buster' pick: OU 31-17

Buster and CMan's Top 25: Week 7

AP Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Clemson
4. Ohio State
5. Florida State
6. LSU
7. Texas A&M
8. Louisville
9. UCLA
10. Miami (FL)
11. South Carolina
12. Baylor
13. Stanford
14. Missouri
15. Georgia
16. Texas Tech
17. Fresno State
18. Oklahoma
19. Virginia Tech
20. Washington
21. Oklahoma State
22. Florida
23. Northern Illinois
24. Auburn
25. Wisconsin

CMan's Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Oregon               
3. Clemson                   
4. Ohio State                
5. Florida State            
6. Louisville                  
7. Texas A&M              
8. LSU                           
9. UCLA                        
10. Miami (FL)  
11. Baylor  
12. S. Carolina 
13. Michigan  
14. Texas Tech 
15. Stanford  
16. Missouri 
17. Oklahoma
18. Fresno State  
19. Virginia Tech  
20. Georgia
21. Oklahoma State  
22. Washington  
23. Florida  
24. Auburn  
25. Northern Illinois  

Buster's Top 25
1.Oregon
2.Alabama
3.Clemson
4.Ohio St.
5.LSU
6.Florida St.
7.Texas A&M
8.Louisville
9.UCLA
10.S. Carolina
11.Baylor
12.Miami (FL)
13.Stanford
14.Missouri
15.Texas Tech
16.Georgia
17.Fresno St.
18.Washington
19.Virginia Tech
20.Oklahoma
21.Oklahoma St.
22.Florida
23.Auburn
24.Northern Illinois
25.Wisconsin

CMan's Big 12 Power Rankings - Week 7

POWER RANKINGS

#1. Baylor Bears (6-0, 2-0)

Last Week - Defeated KSU 35-25

Baylor takes over the top spot for the first time this season despite escaping Manhattan with a narrow (by the Bears standards) victory over KSU. The Wildcats had a 25-21 lead going in to the 4th quarter but Baylor scored 14 in the 4th to pull out the 35-25 win. I expected the Bears to be tested, just not at K-State. It looks more and more like Baylor's year. It also appears that Baylor is the only thing that will keep them from going undefeated.

Up next: Iowa State

#2. Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-0, 3-0)

Last Week - Defeated Iowa State 42-35

Tech remains unbeaten and impressive. Tech beat Iowa State this week in a game that was tied 21-21 at the half and saw both teams score 14 in the 4th quarter. The difference in the game was Tech winning the 3rd quarter 7-0. While the Red Raiders struggled against Iowa State at home, they found a way to win. With each win Tech gains confidence. It wasn't an easy win but it was a win. Good teams find a way to win. The Red Raiders are a good team.

Up next: At West Virginia

#3. Oklahoma Sooners (5-1, 2-1)

Last Week - Lost to Texas 36-20

Oklahoma threw out a clunker in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl. Going in to the game the Texas fans were selling their tickets because even they thought they were going to lose. The Sooners failed in every aspect of their game and Texas didn't. The Red River Rivalry is a game where the determining factor is often emotion. You can toss the win-loss records. This year The Longhorns were full of emotion from the kick off. The only emotion the Sooners felt was the stinging sorrow of losing to their rivals.

Up next: At Kansas

#4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-1, 1-1)

Last Week - Bye

The best news for the Pokes coming out of the bye week is that OU lost. I'm positive the Cowboy faithful were starting to wonder if things were reverting to the past, good Sooners bad Cowboys. The bad news for OSU is they play an improving TCU team Saturday. The Cowboys no longer look invincible at home. A loss this Saturday and the Pokes season will get a lot longer.

Up next: Texas Christian

#5. TCU Horned Frogs (3-3, 1-2)

Last Week - Defeated Kansas 27-17

TCU beat Kansas Saturday in a game that was tied 10-10 at the half and saw the Horned Frogs give away five turnovers. TCU put the game away, as always, with a strong second half. The Horned Frogs are improving and I believe they will continue to improve. The worst part of their schedule is done. The game at OSU is winnable with the Horned Frogs defense. From that point they can win every game left in their schedule. I wouldn't be surprised to see TCU finish with no more losses than they have right now.

Up next: At Oklahoma State

#6. Texas Longhorns (4-2, 3-0)

Last Week - Defeated Oklahoma 36-20

I didn't move the Longhorns up this week, despite beating the Sooners, because they had to win the game. The win does not make the Longhorns a better team. I think they are the same Texas team everyone thought they were before last week. Average. Remember, in 1996 John Blake finished the season with a 3-8 record at OU. One of the three wins was against Texas. The Longhorns finished 8-5 that season and won the Big 12 Championship. Mack Brown has his sights set on a Big 12 Championship this year. I think OU has a better chance of accomplishing that feat. Texas, will enjoy the bye week. Reality will strike again in two weeks.

Up next: Bye week

#7. West Virginia Mountaineers (3-3, 1-2)

Last Week - Bye

This spot is a toss up between the Mountaineers and the Wildcats. Baylor thumped WVU and struggled against the Wildcats. However, KSU still has not won a Big 12 game. The Mountaineers have been up and down this season and have yet to establish an identity. We will see if the bye week helped them get any closer. We may not know if WVU is better than KSU until the season is over. Either way, I don't see KSU or WVU getting any higher than #7 as the season progresses.

Up next: Texas Tech

#8. Kansas State Wildcats (2-4, 0-3)

Last Week - Lost to Baylor 35-25

Kansas State managed to do something no one else had accomplished this year. Keep Baylor under 70. However, it wasn't enough to win. The Wildcats may finish the season with only 2 Big 12 wins if they can beat Iowa State. That's a big if. The Wildcats play well enough but they are inconsistent and can't seem to close game strong. Bill Snyder's magic may be running out. He finished his first reign on top, he might finish this current one in the basement.

Up next: Bye week

#9. Iowa State Cyclones (1-4, 0-2)

Last Week - Lost to Texas Tech 42-35

The Cyclones are not a bad team. They hung tough with The Red Raiders on Saturday and should have beat Texas two weeks ago. That aside, they are still winless in the Big 12. They will beat some Big 12 opponents and I predict will finish the season much higher than #9. Paul Rhodes is a quality coach and would win a lot more games in a bigger program. He manages to get a great deal out of one and two star recruits. Rhodes will succeed, he just may have to leave Ames to do it.

Up next: At Baylor

#10. Kansas Jayhawks (2-3, 0-2)

Last Week - Lost to TCU 27-17

The Jayhawks are bad and should manage to go winless in the Big 12. The Jayhawks seem to play really hard in the first quarter but once they get behind, or get closer to the second half they seem to wilt. They don't put up much of a fight in the second half and are usually done by the start of the 4th quarter. Perhaps they are thinking about the Jayhawk basketball opener or the after game party. Either way, the Kansas fans will continue to treat home games as a large cocktail party while patiently awaiting the start of the basketball season.

Up next: Oklahoma

OU Postgame analysis - Texas

Oklahoma Sooners 20


Texas Longhorns   36




The 108th Red River Rivalry goes to the Texas Longhorns. Texas, a 14 point underdog, beat Oklahoma 36-20 in Dallas. The game was never close.

Texas started the game with a long drive that resulted in a field goal. The Sooners answered but Brennan Clay dropped a potential touchdown and the Sooners settled for a field goal of their own. On the Sooners next drive, Blake Bell threw his first interception of the season and Texas returned it for a touchdown to lead 10-3. The Sooners never recovered.

For the first time this season every aspect of the Sooner game was bad. The offense could never get started. When Bell missed with a pass, he missed bad. When he was on target, the receivers couldn't catch the pass. The running game was good in spots but the lack of an effective passing game and the fact that the Sooners were playing from behind all day made it easier to defend. The OU defense was horrid from the start. Texas was running up the middle like there was no one on the line. When Case McCoy needed a pass completion, he got it.  McCoy found receivers behind the OU defense on several occasions, scoring on one. If he had been a little more accurate, it could have been worse. On special teams, the Sooner kicking game was good as usual. Hunnicutt was perfect again on field goals and PAT's and Barnett averaged 46.3 yards on 6 punts,  but the Longhorns did score on a punt return.

Texas moved the ball at will gaining a total of 445 yards. McCoy had 190 through the air and they gained 255 on the ground. The Sooners only managed a total of 263 yards, 133 passing and 130 rushing. Blake Bell looked like a rookie. He was on the run all game and his passing numbers were horrendous. When Bell ran the ball, he was ineffective. On the other side, Case McCoy looked a lot more like older brother Colt.

The biggest difference on the field was third down conversions. The Sooners couldn't convert, Texas couldn't miss. The biggest difference in the game was emotion. I have often said that emotion is the equalizer in this series. The team that wants the game bad enough, despite records, will often win it. Texas clearly came to play. The Sooners didn't. Texas had nothing to lose. The press and general public had written them and head coach Mack Brown off. Oklahoma might well have been a victim of their own ego and perhaps put to much emphasis on the press. Either way, this was not the same OU team that won their first 5 games, at least not emotionally.

Is Texas better than OU? probably not. Is OU a top ten team? Probably not. The fact of the matter today is that Texas wanted the game more and had something to prove. The Sooners probably believed that they could come in, go through the motions and walk away winners. I stated in the pregame that Texas had talent and could win the game. Well, they do and they did. Texas outplayed Oklahoma on both sides of the ball, and frankly, they out coached the Sooners as well. Josh Heupel and Major Applewhite were 1-1 against each other as players in this series. Today, Applewhite is 1-0 as a coordinator against Heupel.


On a positive note, Bob Stoops is still 9-6 versus Mack and Brown still has a losing record against Oklahoma. This win might save Macks job for another year and that's not a bad thing either. Oklahoma has two seniors starting on defense and they will only get better. The offense couldn't get much worse, and Stoops history says it won't. The other Positive, OU plays KU next week in Lawrence. I wouldn't want to be a Jayhawk right now.

CMan's OU pregame - Texas

Oklahoma Sooners (5-0, 2-0)



Texas Longhorns   (3-2, 2-0)


The Oklahoma Sooners make their annual trek to Dallas this week to take on the Texas Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry. This years game marks the 108th in the series and the 15th time that Bob Stoops and Mack Brown will face off on opposite sidelines. A win for OU and Bob Stoops will achieve the best record against Texas as an OU coach and it will be his 10th against the Longhorns. A Texas loss and Mack Brown will likely have coached his last game in the series.

The series between Stoops and Brown has been dominated by Oklahoma. Eight of Stoops nine wins came during a 5 game streak early in the series and the Sooners current 3 game streak. Texas has never won more than 2 in a row against a Stoops coached team. When the Sooners win it is often in dominant fashion. Five of the Sooners nine wins were blowout victories by a combined average score of 56-17. The Longhorns lone blowout in the series was a 45-12 victory in their national championship season of 2005. Overall the Sooners average victory is by a score of 40-15. The Longhorns average margin of victory in five wins is 34-20. Oklahoma owns the lone shutout, beating Texas 12-0 in 2004.

Texas (3-2) has scored an average of 32 points per game and given up 28, leaving a 4 point margin. The Sooners (5-0) have scored an average of 31 but only given up an average of 13, leaving a margin of 18.The Sooners are rushing for 246 yards per game, Texas is giving up 248. The Sooners are passing for 209 and Texas is allowing 217. On the other side of the ball Texas is rushing for 192 yards per game, the Sooners are giving up 113. The Longhorns passing game is averaging 266 yards while the Sooners are only allowing 168. Oklahoma is clearly outplaying Texas on both sides of the ball this season.

In the Longhorns three victories they beat a bad New Mexico State team and the two teams currently in the bottom three of the Big 12. The two losses came to good teams. They beat who they should and couldn't beat equal or better opponents. OU hasn't been spectacular in beating their first three opponents but a road victory against Notre Dame and a tough defensive win against TCU stand out.

Texas has talent and they can win the game. But they will have to dig deep and find the necessary level of emotion and energy to match that which OU will bring to Dallas. They have not shown either thus far this season. If the Longhorns show up flat, the Sooners will eat them alive. If they can find a mental edge, the Longhorns will have a chance. Texas must also gain an early advantage on the scoreboard. If they let the Sooners open in the manner that they did at Notre Dame it will be a quite Cotton Bowl on the Longhorn side.

Having said all that, my gut tells me that this should be a convincing Sooner victory. The Texas program is, and has been in disarray for several years. Mack Brown has been grasping at straws to try and get it turned around and it just seems to get worse. Now, longtime Athletic Director, DeLoss Dodds is leaving,  and frankly, Mack is running out of friends. There is nothing in the offense or defense at Texas that scares me and the renewed fury of the OU defense should chase Case McCoy, or who ever is under center, all over the Texas backfield. Blake Bell starts his first OU-Texas game but he has not shown any fear in any of his "first" starts. The OU running game should be able to soften the Longhorn defense enough early to open up the passing lanes for Bell and his receivers. If the game goes as it should, OU should leave Dallas with a win.

I got a little cocky with my TCU pick last week and was almost embarrassed. So, I'm going to be a little more realistic. The Sooner offense should be fine tomorrow but they haven't put up points like they have in recent years. The defense is much improved but did give up 20 to Tulsa. So, here is my attempt at reality;

CMan's Pick - OU 28  Texas 17

And as a bonus this week, Buster has a pick as well. Although, he doesn't share my dose of reality. We will see who is closer tomorrow afternoon.

Busters Pick:  OU 51  Texas 17

OU Sooner's Post Game Analysis - TCU

 OKLAHOMA SOONERS:20


TCU HORNED FROGS: 17




The Sooners defeated TCU 23-20 last Saturday in what looked like it was going to be a shutout for the Sooners. Oklahoma lead 13-0 at the end of the first half. The Sooners did not give up a single first down until the third quarter. TCU clearly proved to be a second half team as they came out and put up 17 points in the second half. Before we get upset about only beating the Horned Frogs by 3, lets remember this team almost beat LSU a few weeks ago. TCU is a solid team, and will be moving up in the Big 12. Having one of the best secondaries in the Nation, and a great quarterback in Trevone Boykin, the Horned Frogs are far from a pushover team.

Lets take a look at the defense: A

The Sooner defense was looking outstanding in the first half. As I stated earlier, TCU did not get a first down until the third quarter. The defense gave up only 210 total yards. Run defense proved to be the stronghold last weekend as the Sooners only gave up 44 total yards rushing. They say defense wins championships, and with the lack of offense this year it is going to have to do just that.

*Injury: Corey Nelson out for season with torn pectoral muscle.

Offense: B

The offense was not what anyone expected it to be last Saturday. I don't think anyone expected an outstanding performance, but scoring only one touchdown in the second half just ins't what this offense is about. Lets keep in mind that TCU has one of the best secondaries in the Nation, and definitely the best in the Big 12. Blake Bell did not play horrible, TCU just simply shut down our receivers. The Sooners will not play a defense that good in the Big 12 again this season. So look out for Bell to come out slinging against Texas this weekend.

Special Teams: A+

The kick off team again looked spectacular last weekend. TCU came in the game averaging over 30 yards per return. The Sooners held the Horned Frogs to just 18 yards. Jed Barnett averaged a low 37 yards on four punts against TCU. Michael Hunnicutt again proved to be one of the best kickers in the nation going 2-2 with a long of 39 yards.

Overall the Sooners played a great game in my opinion. They came out and took care of business to stay at a perfect record of 5-0. Now it is time to focus on the Longhorns.

Bob and Mack: 15 years across the Red River.

Bob Stoops

Mack Brown

This Saturday will mark the 108th meeting between Oklahoma and Texas in the Red River Rivalry. This game will be number 16 for Texas head coach Mack Brown and the 15th between Brown and Sooner head coach Bob Stoops. National Championships aside, the Texas game is the standard by which OU coaches are judged. Stoops has a 9-5 edge over Brown in this game and an OU victory on Saturday will give Bob 10 wins against Texas, something Sooner legends Bud Wilkinson and Barry Switzer never did.

Mack Brown will likely be coaching his last OU/Texas game this week as it looks like he will be out as Texas coach at seasons end. Browns looming departure prompted a look back at the two head coaches and what effect one has had on the other, over the last 15 years, as they have led two of the most prominent college football programs in the country.

Wins and Losses:

Overall, very little separates the two when it comes to winning and losing. Since arriving in Austin in 1998,  the Longhorns have posted a 153-45 (77%) record. During the same time frame, Oklahoma was 159-43 (79%). Pretty even. However, It gets interesting when you start to look deeper in to the seasons and time periods. For instance, head to head over the last 15 years, Stoops is 154-37 (81%) while Mack is 144-42 (77%).  But, during the decade from 2000-2009 Mack was 110-19 (85%) and Bob was 110-24 (82%). Clearly the OU National Championship in 2000 affected Mack Brown. Mack won 9 games in each of his first three seasons or, until Stoops won his National Championship in 2000. From 2001 to 2009, Texas had double digit wins every season including two seasons with 13. In 2005 the Longhorns finished 13-0 and won the National title. That same season, Oklahoma fell to 8-4.  The Longhorns reached the National title game again in 2009 but lost. Since the 2009 season, Texas is only 25-18 (58%) while the Sooners have gone 37-8 (82%). While both coaches are winners, Stoops has the edge in consistency.

Championships:

Both Coaches have a National Title. Stoops in 2000 and Brown in 2005. However, Stoops is 1-3 in BCS Championship games, Brown is 1-1. In overall bowl championships Brown has a record of 9-4 and Stoops is 7-7. Oklahoma has qualified for a bowl game in each of Stoops seasons, Texas missed qualifying in 2010 when they finished 5-7. The conference championships are no match. Oklahoma under Bob Stoops has played for 8 Big 12 titles winning 6 outright, and sharing the 2012 title with KSU. During Mack Browns tenure Texas has played for, and won, only 2 Big 12 titles.

The Red River Rivalry:

In the previous 14 years Bob Stoops is 9-5 in the OU/Texas game. Mack Brown started a year before Stoops and has a 6-9 record in the series. Stoops has a 5 game win streak in the series and a win this year will give him the last four in a row. Barry Switzer won four in a row twice. Bud Wilkinson won 5 in a row once during his tenure. Mack Brown has had three win streaks of 2.  At Oklahoma and Texas, the head coach is judged by what they do in this series. John Blake had a horrid career at OU but, despite going 3-8 in 1996, he beat Texas. Over the next two season Blake continued to improve winning 4 games in 1997 and 5 in 1998 but he lost both seasons to Texas leading to his termination in 1998 and the subsequent hiring of Bob Stoops. Mack Browns losing record against Oklahoma is an aberration in the series. The four previous Texas coaches had a combined 23-15-3 record against the Sooners and none had a losing record. You have to go back to Ed Price, Texas head coach from 1951-1956 to find a Texas coach with a losing record (1-5) against OU. A win Saturday, and Bob Stoops will have the best record of any OU head coach in the series. In Oklahoma's 9 victories under Stoops the Sooners have outscored the Longhorns by an average of 40-15 or, by 25 points per game. In the 5 victories posted by Texas the average score has been 34-20 or a differential of 14 points per game. When OU wins they are usually dominant. The Sooners under Stoops exceeded 50 points scored on four occasions and exceeded 60 three times, including the all time record score of 65-13 in 2003. The Longhorns scored 45 twice and their largest margin of victory was 45-12 in their National Championship season of 2005.

Its clear that Bob Stoops and Mack Brown are both quality coaches. Stoops is certainly more consistent and probably would have enjoyed the same success against any Texas coach. Mack Brown probably wishes John Blake had hung around a couple of more years. As for the Rivalry, the biggest difference for both coaches was the play of their quarterbacks. Mack enjoyed most of his success with Vince Young and Colt McCoy at quarterback. Had Mack not insisted on playing Chris Sims over Major Applewhite early in the series, it might have been closer. Since the departure of Colt McCoy, the Longhorns have struggled at quarterback and on defense. The lack of production on one side of the ball typically hurts the teams performance on the other side.  Bob has always focused his teams on strong quarterback play, a sound running game and a solid defense. With the exception of the Rhett Bomar era, OU has had a full stable of quality quarterbacks and has always been able to reboot at running back, often by committee. Defensively,  the Sooners have faltered in recent years. However, Bob recognized the changing game, made the necessary adjustments and the defense is again a strength of the team. Stoops has been consistent with decision making, easily admits mistakes and has adapted well to the constantly changing game. Mack's lack of ability to make sound decisions, admit bad moves and adapt to a changing era in college football has left him in the dust.

Bob and Mack have won a lot of football games and have played on the biggest of stages. despite both playing for, and winning National Championships, it is clear that their biggest stage is the Cotton Bowl. Remove or reverse the Red River Rivalry and the two head coaches are pretty even. Unfortunately, its evident that the biggest difference between Bob and Mack is how their teams fared against each other, every fall, on an October Saturday, at the Texas State Fair.

Buster and CMan's Top 25: Week 6

AP Top 25
1.Alabama (55)
2.Oregon (5)
3.Clemson
4.Ohio St.
5.Stanford
6.Florida St.
7.Georgia
8.Louisville
9.Texas A&M
10.LSU
11.UCLA
12.Oklahoma
13.Miami (FL)
14.South Carolina
15.Baylor
16.Washington
17.Florida
18.Michigan
19.Northwestern
20.Texas Tech
21.Fresno St.
22.Oklahoma St.
23.Northern Illinois
24.Virginia Tech
25.Missouri

Buster's Top 25
1.Oregon
2.Alabama
3.Clemson
4.Ohio St.
5.Stanford
6.Georgia
7.Louisville
8.Florida St.
9.Texas A&M
10.Oklahoma
11.LSU
12.UCLA
13.Baylor
14.Miami
15.South Carolina
16.Washington
17.Florida
18.Northwestern
19.Texas Tech
20.Michigan
21.Fresno St.
22.Virginia Tech
23.Missouri
24.Arizona St.
25.Oklahoma St.

CMan's Top 25

1. Oregon
2. Alabama
3. Clemson
4. Louisville
5. Ohio State
6. Stanford
7. Georgia
8. Florida State
9. Texas A&M
10. Oklahoma
11. LSU
12. Washington
13. UCLA
14. Baylor
15. S. Carolina
16. Miami (FL)
17. Northwestern
18. Michigan
19. Florida
20. Texas Tech
21. Fresno St.
22. Arizona State
23. Missouri
24. Virginia Tech
25. Oklahoma St.

CMan's Big 12 Power Rankings - Week 6

POWER RANKINGS

#1. Oklahoma Sooners (5-0, 2-0)

Last Week - Beat TCU 20-17

The Sooners defeated TCU Saturday in a game that reminded fans of the Pre Big 12 Horned Frogs. The defense that was the Horned Frogs identity in the late half of the 2000's returned to Owen Field. However, The Sooners made enough plays, when they needed them, to win the game. The OU defense was stout all game but especially in the first half allowing only 16 yards to TCU including zero first downs and negative rushing yards. As for the offense, it sputtered most of the day under the TCU pressure and stingy secondary but Blake Bell proved again that he is a gamer using his feet to secure two first downs late and secure victory for OU.

Up next: Texas

#2. Baylor Bears (4-0, 1-0)

Last Week - Defeated WVU 73-42

Baylor is good. The Bears finally played a team that, on paper, should give them a game. West Virginia gave them a game of sorts scoring 42 points, but Baylor still scored 73 on them and gained over 850 total yards. Baylor's offense is scary good and scary fast. In the first quarter alone last night they had scoring drives of 32, 4 and 8 seconds. The bears had identical 28-7 scores in the first and second quarters to lead 56-14 at half. If that's not enough, Baylor has given up 65 total points in four games, albeit most of them yesterday. Giving up points matters little when you can score 70 per game.

Up next: At Kansas State

#3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-0, 2-0)

Last Week - Defeated Kansas 54-16

Reality looked as if it was going to rear its ugly head for the Red Raiders on Saturday. They were on the road in Lawrence and the Jayhawks had just ended the first quartet with a 10 - 0 lead. As it turns out, Texas Tech was just not awake yet. Kansas would not score again till late in the 4th and the Red Raiders would score 56 in between. Texas Tech may not be a premier team but they are a good team. They play good enough offense to score and their defense is much better than it was during the Leach era. The more I watch this team, the more convinced I am that their first challenge will come in three weeks when they face OU in Norman.

Up next: At Iowa State

#4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-1, 1-1)

Last Week - Defeated Kansas State 33-29

The Pokes are falling fast. The loss at West Virginia seemed to most, a fluke. Most were convinced that the Cowboys would bounce back big at home against the average Wildcats. The only bounces came in the form of KSU turnovers. The Pokes needed the 5 turnovers and the fourth quarter to put away the Wildcats in Stillwater. KSU was in position to win the game and effectively gave the game to OSU. The Cowboys played well enough defensively but the stout, quick strike offense that has been the standard at OSU for the last few years apparently graduated. Had this game been in Manhattan, the Pokes might be 0-2 in conference. The loss to West Virginia looks worse considering what Baylor did to the Mountaineers last night. TCU looms in two weeks. The Cowboys better get some things figured out in a hurry.

Up Next: Bye week

#5. TCU Horned Frogs (2-3, 0-2)

Last week - Lost to Oklahoma 20-17

TCU played about as well as anyone has in Norman Saturday. The old Horned Frog defense showed up again and Gary Patterson pulled a couple of trick plays on the Sooners that changed the flow of the game in the second half. Still, a loss is a loss. I doubt the Horned Frogs are celebrating any moral victories this morning. The good news is that, despite the 0-2 conference start, TCU will probably finish with a winning conference record. If the Horned Frogs can figure out how to play the first half with the same intensity as they do the second half, they will be hard to beat. However, as long as they play in the Big 12, the 12-1 seasons they used to enjoy aren't likely to return.

Up next: Kansas

#6. Texas Longhorns (3-2, 2-0)

Last Week - Defeated Iowa State 31-30

The Longhorns needed a hail Mary at the end of the first half and the referees in the fourth quarter to pull out a 1 point victory in Ames Iowa Thursday night. The Longhorns 2-0 conference record is built on the backs of two bottom tier Big 12 teams that, frankly, they were lucky to beat. Texas is an average football team at best and really lacks any identity or energy. Texas and Oklahoma enter the Red River Rivalry with wins. However, OU is not happy with the level of play in their win against TCU at home, Texas was just glad to get out of Iowa with a win. The Longhorns look like a .500 team. I'd be surprised if they didn't finish the season with a .500 record.

Up next: Oklahoma

#7. West Virginia Mountaineers (3-3, 1-2)

Last Week: Lost to Baylor 73-42

I don't know what is worse, the WVU loss to Baylor giving up 73 points or the fact that Maryland, who beat WVU 30-0,  lost to Florida State 63-0. Either way, the Mountaineers have got to be one of the most inconsistent teams in college football. The only positive that WVU can take out of the loss to Baylor is that they scored 42 points which will win most games, just not against Baylor. The Mountaineers are tough to figure out. They play good teams tough but falter against average teams. The good news for the Mountaineers is they don't have to play next week. West Virginia will likely end the season with a losing record, and without Dana Holgerson. They, like TCU, probably regret joining the Big 12.

Up next: Bye week

#8. Kansas State Wildcats (2-3, 0-2)

Last Week - Lost to Oklahoma State 33-29

The Wildcats are not a good team but they could easily be 2-0 in the conference. The losses to Texas and Oklahoma State, both on the road, were winnable. In fact, they led late in both games. unfortunately this probably says more about the state of Texas and OSU. The Wildcats will likely have problems against better teams. The game against Baylor will tell us a lot. This Wildcats squad is lacking the discipline and key skill players that they have had in the past. They likely belong in the lower half of the Big 12 and will probably spend the rest of the season there.

Up next: Baylor

#9. Iowa State Cyclones (1-3, 0-1)

Last Week - Lost to Texas 31-30

Iowa State played hard on Thursday night in Ames and, by all rights, deserved a victory over Texas. The Cyclones led late in the fourth and though they had stopped the Longhorns with a goal lie fumble. The only people that didn't see the fumble were the referees. The Cyclones have played hard during Paul Rhodes tenure and will win more than one game this year. This team has the ability and the energy to upset teams. They have done it the last few years and should again this year. This coming Saturday might be their chance.

Up next: at Texas Tech

#10. Kansas Jayhawks (2-2, 0-1)

Last Week - Lost to Texas Tech 56-16

The Jayhawks played real college football Saturday for about 1 quarter. Kansas jumped out to a 10-0 lead over Tech in the first quarter and then realized who they were. The subsequently gave up 56 points before they got back on the board by then, the game was over. On a positive note, the Jayhawks scheduled the game at 11:00 Am so that their fans could get some rest so they could attend the Kansas Jayhawks annual midnight start to the Basketball season. Kansas will play the remainder of the football schedule, very few will notice.

Up next: at TCU