Big 12 Wrap: Week Eight
This was a great week for the Big 12, mainly because the two best teams in the best football conference in the country met for their annual battle in Dallas. With no further intro, here are the games:
Oklahoma 35, Texas 24
The two quarterbacks struggled in this game, but part of that was surely attributable to two really good defenses. But Oklahoma answered with an innovative game plan that featured 5-6 Quentin Griffin, and sprang him for 248 yards rushing. The Sooner defense completely shut down UT's star running back, Cedric Benson, and Lance Mitchell, Teddy Lehman, Andre Woolfolk, and Tommie Harris came up big for the Sooners (as predicted). And the Sooner special teams dominated their UT counterparts. Overall, the Sooners outplayed and outcoached the Longhorns, leaving Chris Simms and Mack Brown (whose overly conservative game plan didn't help his team) befuddled for the third straight year. Next week, UT will try to avoid being outcoached again at Kansas State, and Oklahoma has to deal with Iowa State, whose quarterback Seneca Wallace is the sort who has given the Stoops/Venables defense difficulties this year.
Iowa State 31, Texas Tech 17
Mike Leach's teams don't play defense, and they don't stress special teams. Thus, Texas Tech can only beat quality opponents when Kliff Kingsbury and the offense play a nearly perfect game. In this one, Kingsbury was good, but not great, and the offense fumbled the ball away three times. That proved too much against a quality team. Iowa State's Seneca Wallace had another nice game, and is the sort of quarterback who has given Oklahoma -- the next opponent -- fits this year.
Kansas State 44, Oklahoma State 7
Last year, Oklahoma State upset Oklahoma in Norman. Last week, OSU nearly beat Texas in Austin. But Les Miles can't get his teams to play to that level every week, and this week was an example of this inconsistency. OSU never challenged Kansas State, which only gave up 2.1 yards per carry on the ground and picked off OSU's quarterbacks four times. Bill Snyder's team may be catching Texas at a good time next week in Manhattan, after the post-Red River Shootout hangover.
Colorado 53, Kansas 29
The major weakness of Gary Barnett's teams at Colorado is they have been inconsistent on defense. Unlike Mike Leach's squads, they occasionally put a good game together, but it's the exception, not the rule. On offense, Colorado has plenty of playmakers, but any team that gives up 29 points and 400+ yards to hapless Kansas needs to improve defensively if it wants to challenge for a Big 12 Championship.
Nebraska 24, Missouri 13
Nebraska, on the other hand, stresses defense, but their defense has deteriorated since the retirement of Charlie McBride several years ago. This game could prove a turning point for the post-McBride blackshirts. The game was close at the half (14-13), but Nebraska's defense completely shut down Mizzou in the second half, allowing only two first downs (one of those on a penalty). Mizzou shredded the best defense in the conference last week, so there may be some hope in Lincoln after a disappointing start.
Texas A&M 41, Baylor 0
What is the best remedy to a tough home loss in the Big 12? Playing Baylor or Kansas, of course! Baylor's quarterbacks tossed 4 interceptions and threw for only 103 yards while completing only 13 of 32 passes. The A&M defense is good, and the Baylor offense is terrible. I don't see how Kevin Steele can survive as Baylor's head man beyond this season. A&M can still be a factor in the Big 12 South, as it has winnable road games (Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas -- although that will be a hard one) and tough teams at home in friendly College Station (Nebraska, Oklahoma, Mizzou).
(Update) Pardon my self-indulgence, but the Chron's wrap isn't NEARLY as entertaining as what we offer here! And unlike Jerome Solomon, I write this stuff myself! :) Strangely, Mr. Solomon is quick to criticize Mack Brown, but he doesn't criticize himself for predicing the Longhorns would win easily.
(10-14-02 Update) I nearly forgot this. Kirk Bohls wrote the following last week:
Without Benson, Texas loses a distinct advantage over Oklahoma, which has three good backs and should rely more on its best back, Kejuan Jones.I am SICK TO DEATH of football writers constantly telling Bob Stoops that Quentin Griffin isn't his best back. Look, the guy had nearly 250 yards against an allegedly great defense this week. He's been the best running back at OU since he stepped on the campus, and he keeps on proving it. What else do people want from the guy?!
(10-15-02 Update) Alex Whitlock offers a (quite reasonable) Longhorns' perspective on the current state of affairs. I think he's right to point out that whatever Mack Brown's perceived faults may be, he's brought consistent excitement and winning to Austin that had been missing for some years.
[Posted at 22:00 CST on 10/13/02] [Link]
