Big 12 Light

College Football Live revealed its pre-season top 25 poll. How did the Big XII teams fare?

1. Oklahoma
9. Oklahoma State
11. Texas A&M
20. Texas
23. Missouri

I wholeheartedly agree with OSU’s and A&M’s rankings. Both ended the season with a ton of hype. Oklahoma State finished the regular season with a close shoot out with OU, and A&M went on an improbable but amazing run after three mid-season back-to-back losses. While I would have ranked Mizzou higher, I understand why the voters put them at the bottom of this list. Blaine Gabbert is a significant loss, but I expect to see Mizzou climb the ranks early in the season. Oh, and Texas just got a pity invite to this party.

Oklahoma’s No. 1 spot surprised me. Last season, the Sooners were solid but not exactly spectacular. With messy play against a less-than-mediocre Texas squad, with losses to Mizzou and A&M, and with an incredibly anti-climatic bowl game against UConn, the Oklahoma 2010 season didn’t exactly leave an exciting impression on me. Of course, the Sooners should be a top 10 team, but No. 1? I don’t buy it.

Texas Tech has a problem with skeletons in closets. Last year, the son of ESPN commentator Craig James was literally kept in a closet. Technically a shed but you get the point. Now, the NCAA is accusing the football coaching staff of sending approximately 234 text messages to 45 prospective student-athletes.

These violations may be residual dust bunnies from spring cleaning of the closets in Lubbock last year. The football violations occurred between August 2007 and February 2009, which falls during the Mike Leach coaching era. Nothing released as of yet specifies which coaches sent the text messages and if those coaches were acting of their own volition. But Mike Leach was the head coach at the time. Even if he had no knowledge of it, this was still the staff he hired and trusted to coach and recruit for his team. He also set tone and environment for his team and staff. Don’t get me wrong, Mike Leach is a great coach, who instituted a fearsome passing attack and built up the Texas Tech program to national prominence. But did he or his staff do it in a legitimate and fair way? Apparently not.

Texas Tech isn’t alone. Cam Newton and Auburn came under scrutiny for allegations that Newton’s father sought money in exchange for his son playing for a major-college team. Ohio State landed in the limelight of NCAA rule violators when it was discovered that five players, including quarterback Terrelle Pryor, sold their Big Ten championship rings and other apparel.

Newton was cleared due to insufficient evidence that he knew of his father’s actions. The Ohio State players are suspended for the first five games of next season. Penalties for Texas Tech could include two years probation, recruiting restrictions and scholarship reductions.

The real losers in this situation are the fans. Seeing a talented, Heisman-winning player like Cam Newton tainted by controversy disillusions fans and kills the magic of watching him play. We’ll never know how much Cam Newton really knew about his father’s deeds. The shady business of all these players and coaches does a disservice to their fan base. It’s hard to have blind love for your team when they are accused of cheating the system.

Ohio State’s situation may reveal a solution. Athletic director Gene Smith and coach Jim Tressel said the players’ education of NCAA bylaws was lacking during the time when players committed the violations. Smith said the rules were made clearer after the players sold their merchandise. The NCAA should have an extensive and standardized education program that all schools must participate in. It’s more difficult to follow the rules if you don’t know what they are, so making sure players and coaches are fully aware of the rules and bylaws is an important step.

It’s not a cure-all though. There will still be coaches and players who knowingly break the rules. So schools should be encouraged to self-report violators. That’s certainly a difficult task when turning in a successful coach or player who contributes to a program that brings in millions of dollars could be extremely detrimental to the team and the school. But it could help to give out personal sanctions versus team sanctions. These issues will never be fully exterminated, but they can be curbed through better education programs and individual sanctions.

The Aggies came back from three devastating mid-season losses to stake a claim to the Big XII South title. Of course, they had to share it with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. While they didn’t get the BCS bid, the Aggies still landed in a very respectable game, the AT&T Cotton Bowl, against SEC opponent LSU.

During the conference meltdown this summer, A&M flirted openly with the SEC. For one very chaotic and controversial weekend, it looked as if they might split for the east. But we all know how this ends. Commissioner Dan Beebe saved the conference and his job with some quick behind-closed-doors deals. During the regular season, A&M faced an SEC team, No. 11 Arkansas, and they lost 24-17. Now, the Aggies get a second chance see how they fare against a team from the south east.

Since shuffling QBs, A&M has been on a six-game hot streak, knocking Nebraska and Oklahoma out of the top ten the following week. They capped the season with a win against rival Texas in front of a crowd split much more evenly than one would expect in Austin. Basically, the fighting Aggies are fired up.

All that momentum could come to a grinding halt Friday evening when the Aggies face the Tiger defense. LSU is eight in total defense, tied for ninth in scoring defense and 10th against the pass, allowing only 165.8 yards by air per game. That’s almost half of what the Aggies usually post. The Tiger’s ground game is on par with A&M, both averaging roughly 170 yards a game, and LSU severely lags behind the Aggies on the passing game, using two quarterbacks who combined for 1,826 yards and six touchdowns.

Ryan Tannehill put up almost as many yards and TDs in only six games that the two LSU quarterbacks combined for all season. In the end, it will come down to the LSU defense. If they can keep the Aggies out of the end zone and give their offense time to score, then the Tigers can hand A&M their second SEC loss of the season. But that’s easier said than done with Tannehill in the pocket and with the renewed momentum of the fighting Aggies.

Christmas is over, and the pile of bows and torn-up wrapping paper is cleaned up. Just in time to kick back with a cold beer for all the Big XII bowl games. Some teams are happy with their bowl game; some are not. But now it's time to put all that behind. Remember, some teams are totally left out (yes, UT, I'm talking to you).

No. 12 Missouri vs. Iowa
Insight Bowl
10 p.m. ET, December 28

After a big win against Oklahoma, Missouri fell twice to Nebraska and to Texas Tech. But the Tigers finished strong with three solid wins. Blaine Gabbert led the charge, completing 62 percent of his passes for over 2,700 yards and 15 touchdowns. Iowa, on the other hand, lost its last three games and two key players. Wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos tested positive for cocaine and marijuana. Leading rusher Adam Robinson failed to comply with team expectations and policies. Robinson carried the ball 203 times for 941 yards and 10 TDs. Without Robinson and Johnson-Koulianos, Iowa will have a hard time scoring. While the Hawkeye defense won't make it easy, Gabbert will find the end zone enough times to give the win to Missouri.

Illinois vs. Baylor
Texas Bowl
6 p.m. ET, December 29

Baylor finally did it. With their first winning season since 1995, the Bears return to the bowl scene and an easily winnable game. Illinois QB Nathan Scheelhaase completed 57 percent of his passes for 1583 yards. Robert Griffin III doubled Scheelhaase's yardage. Griffin completed 66 percent of his passes for 3195 yards. In addition to throwing 21 TD passes, Griffin ran the ball into the end zone himself eight times throughout the season. Protecting this dual-threat is going to be key for the Bears offensive line. And the Bears defense should watch out for Mikel Leshoure. He gashed Northwestern for more than 330 yards and is poised to be a major thorn in the Bears's paw. Keys for the Baylor defense: Neutralize Leshoure and contain Scheelhaase, who has run for 815 yards and four touchdowns. Keys for the Baylor offense: Let Griffin loose. That's it.

No. 14 Oklahoma State vs. Arizona
Valero Alamo Bowl
9:15 p.m. ET, December 29

The Cowboys were in the hunt for a Big XII title but lost the three-way tie-breaker. Now, they head to San Antonio to face an opponent the Cowboys have a lot in common with. Arizona is coming off a devastating loss to in-state rival Arizona State. Oklahoma State lost an exciting shootout against in-state rival Oklahoma. Both teams regularly rack up over 300 yards by air. Both teams have commanding quarterbacks in Nick Foles and Brandon Weedon. But the Cowboys have the edge because of running back Kendall Hunter and wide receiver Justin Blackmon. Both players racked up more than 1,500 yards and more than 15 touchdowns each throughout the season. With these tools, Weedon will be able to take apart the Arizona defense easily.

Kansas State vs. Syracuse
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
3:20 p.m. ET, December 30

The Wildcats started out strong but started their downhill stumble with a blowout loss against Nebraska. After that, Kansas State only managed to win three matches, against Baylor, Texas and North Texas. The Wildcats would love to end their season on a high note with a win, but Syracuse won't make it that easy. The run game of each time takes center stage. Syracuse running back Delone Carter carried the ball 204 times for 1,035 yards. Wildcat running back Daniel Thomas carried the ball 276 times for 1,495 yards. These two power running backs will face off in Yankee Stadium, hoping for a home run and not a strike out.

Nebraska vs. Washington
Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl
10 p.m. ET, December 30

The Huskers are probably the most disappointed team in the Big XII. Their season started out like a wildfire. The Huskers blew out opponents in the first five weeks, and then Texas came to Lincoln and stunned the Huskers. After that loss, Nebraska kept rolling and winning, until another team from Texas halted them. One more loss against Oklahoma in the Big XII Championship game was the final nail in the coffin, leaving Nebraska in bowl game against an opponent the Huskers have already beaten earlier in the season. In fact, the Cornhuskers beat Washington 56-21 in the third week of the season. This may be the most anti-climatic bowl game of the all. Although Washington will be out for revenge, Nebraska definitely holds the advantage in this game.

Northwestern vs. Texas Tech
Ticketcity Bowl
12 p.m. ET, January 1

The Red Raiders face off against my school, Northwestern. The Wildcats haven't won a bowl game since 1949, a trivia fact sports announcer have enjoyed beating to death the past two years as Northwestern pushed Missouri and Auburn into overtime. And this won't be their year. Texas Tech has been inconsistent all year, beating No. 12 Missouri but losing to unranked Iowa State. And it's not a deficiency in the quarterback position or the trademark Red Raider passing game. QB Taylor Potts completed 66 percent of his passes for 3,357 yards, 31 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Tech averages over 300 passing yards per game. With all that success, the Red Raiders still lost five games. Some chemistry, some magic was missing. Northwestern knows all about that. Without QB Dan Persa, the Wildcats gave up 118 points in two games and were outscored by an average 34 points in those last two games. Although backup QB Evan Watkins has had a month to work in the offense, Texas Tech will have no problems with the Wildcats.

Connecticut vs. No. 7 Oklahoma
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
8:30 p.m. ET, January 1

Oklahoma only lost two games all season, one against Missouri and one against Texas A&M. UConn is 8-4, with two losses to non-bowling teams. The Huskies are way outmatched. Landry Jones has thrown seven times more touchdown passes than Connecticut quarterback Zach Frazer (35 to 5). UConn has a slight edge in the run game, but OU averages 200 more passing yards than Connecticut. Granted Oklahoma has a five game losing streak in BCS bowl games, but Connecticut is no Boise State. Simply put, UConn better hope for a cold front in hell to give itself a snowball's chance.

It's the end of an era. Next year, the name may stay the same (no announcement on what the lighter Big XII will be called), but there won't be 12 schools and there won't be a title game.

The Oklahoma Sooners have won more Big XII titles than any other team. This season, OU recovered from two stumbles and won an epic shoot out with in-state rivals, the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Nebraska has had its troubles during the Big XII era, but with Bo Pelini, the Cornhuskers returned to the national stage.

These teams didn't meet in the regular season, and both are two loss teams. Oklahoma fell to Missouri and Texas A&M, and Nebraska lost Texas and the Aggies. The boys in College Station must be miffed, but all teams in contention for the South and North titles played inconsistently throughout the season.

Will the veteran leadership of Bob Stoops put the Sooners on top in the final year of the Big XII, or will the Cornhuskers take the title and run?

Apparently, Blackberry Internet isn’t compatible with live blogging. All my updates were saved but just not published. So enjoy, even if it is a day late.

Got Food But No Football

5:25 p.m.

Made it to the stadium before either team arrived. Only a small crowd of Aggies awaited their team's arrival, while the Longhorn fan base came out en mass. But that should be expected. Mack Brown decreed it. Come early. Check. Be loud and stay late. Coming soon.

Now, I'm up in the 200 Club eating (a second) dinner. Great view of the field from here. Too bad only student and team managers are down there. Give it two hours and the real action will start.

Slow And Messy Start

After first quarter

A&M started the game with a fumble recovery on the kickoff. The only time either team got close to the endzone was A&M's first drive that ended in a missed field goal. That was until Garrett Gilbert hit two long passes, putting together a 66 yard drive that ended in a touchdown. That's the first touchdown given up by A&M since the Aggies played Baylor.

Finally, some life. In the Longhorn players and fans. Although burnt orange clad fans out number ones wearing maroon, the Aggie alumn have shown so much gusto it seemed like they owned the stadium. Longhorn fans took it back though as Gilbert's pass sailed toward the endzone at the end of the first quarter.

Halftime

The Longhorns should be thankful for all the breaks that have come their way. And for being tied at the half. The Aggies have nothing to be thankful for, since their mistakes have let a struggling UT offense and an only-decent Longhorn defense keep it close. Overall, a frustrating and stressful half for both sides.

On the bright side, the Fighting Aggie Band was, as always, impressive with their military-style precision. The Longhorn band did my childhood favorite performance. Texas Script. Not quite the optical allusion that A&M presents, but still pretty cool.

Endgame Analysis

The game was sloppy on both sides. The killer for the Longhorns was stupid mistakes and turnovers. A&M didn’t necessarily play well, but they avoided mental mistakes and took advantage of UT’s errors.

Longhorn faithful held onto hope until the last two minutes of the game. Gilbert and Co. were closing in on the end zone when an Aggie defender intercepted what would have been a touchdown pass. At that, the air deflated from every Longhorn in the stadium, on and off the field. Fans started filing out, players shut down, and coaches went into damage control.

Last year, Jerrod Johnson carried the entire Aggie squad on his shoulders, making a splash but certainly not a tidal wave in the Big 12. Now, he is benched in favor of Ryan Tannehill, who led the Aggies on a great comeback in conference play. Oh what a difference a year makes. Last year, Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley tore the field and opponents to shreds, making it to the National Championship game. Now, the Longhorns look only slightly better than a high school football team, relying on luck and small flashes of talent and potential to get them to the end zone. Oh what a difference a year and one NFL draft makes.

10:33 a.m.

This morning, we packed up the car at 6 a.m. and started the three hour drive from Houston to Austin. The rest of the family is slowly gathering at grandma's house, but the Thanksgiving meal is just a pregame to the main event tonight. Surely, if we start eating Thanksgiving dinner in an hour, I'll slip out of the food coma by kickoff, right?

But now,the sky doesn't look as nice as the turkey smells. Sunlight is non-existent, but the clouds aren't dark with rain, at least not yet anyway. The cloud cover casts a gray aura over the city, setting an ominous scene for the Lone Star Showdown.

And it doesn't look much better for game time. Right now, it's a muggy 72 degrees, but by 7 p.m. kickoff, the temperature will drop at least 20 degrees and the chances of rain shoot up to 50 percent. The rain may turn a heated game ugly and, depending on the score, make 100,000 burnt orange fans even more miserable. Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail will keep this blogger from the game, though I may be huddled on a cold, wet metal bleacher seat blogging from my Blackberry under a drenched poncho.

Midterms are challenging, projects are hard work, and now finals are bearing down. All the work can be overwhelming. I surely succumbed to the pressure and went MIA for a few weeks, as have some Big 12 teams. But now I’m back. Just in time for the last week of regular play, and with all the rivalry games, it’ll be a great week.

North

Colorado at No. 15 Nebraska
The Buffs have lost six games and a head coach, but Colorado is on an upswing with two wins against Iowa State and Kansas State. Nebraska suffered a crushing loss in College Station, amassing 16 penalties and -145 yards. Bo Pelini’s sideline antics didn’t help either. If the Cornhuskers can put aside the distractions and if Taylor Martinez avoids injury and stays in the game, Nebraska will clinch the Big 12 North title.

No. 14 Missouri vs. Kansas
While the Tigers are certainly preparing for Saturday, Missouri is intensely interested in a Friday game too. Nebraska’s. If the Cornhuskers lose to Colorado, all Missouri has to do is win against the Jayhawks to steal the Big 12 North title out from under Nebraska’s nose. Kansas won’t put up too much of a fight for Gabbert and Co. so their fate truly lies in Colorado’s hands.

Kansas State at North Texas
The Wildcats end on an easy note against North Texas, and although they have had a mediocre season, this should be an effortless win. Kansas State won bowl eligibility by beating Texas, and right now CBSSports.com predicts the Wildcats will go to the Pinstripe Bowl in New York. And unfortunately, no matter how many points Kansas State hangs on North Texas this weekend, the Wildcats won’t climb any higher.

South

No. 13 Oklahoma at No. 9 Oklahoma State
Most years, the Cowboys play underdog, attempting to spoil the Sooners’ Thanksgiving weekend, but not this time. If Oklahoma manages an upset on Saturday, the Sooners will claw their way back to the top of the Big 12 South. But it won’t be easy, for either team. These two quarterbacks are neck-and-neck. OU’s Landry Jones has completed 67 percent of his passes for 3,479 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. OSU’s Brandon Weedon has completed 68 percent of his passes for 3, 780 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Expect an air attack of this game, with each team averaging over 300 yards per game. In a rivalry game like this, the win could go either way.

No. 17 Texas A&M at Texas
The Aggies are coming off an ugly win against Nebraska and kept up their winning streak since the quarterback swap weeks ago. Texas stopped their downhill slide with a win against Florida Atlantic. Facing the Aggies tomorrow is the Longhorn’s last chance to make bowl eligibility and avoid a losing season. That might light enough of a fire underneath the Texas team to keep the game close, but the Aggies have the momentum and the advantage in this matchup.

Growing up in Texas, this game was the event of the season, especially since it coincided with an overload of turkey and gravy. And this year, I have no time for a Thanksgiving coma. I’ll be in Austin at DKR Memorial Stadium to watch the Longhorns face the Aggies. Check back tomorrow for live blogging during the game!

Houston at Texas Tech
The Red Raiders may be ending with a non-conference game, but this one won’t be a cakewalk. The Cougars will bring the competition to Lubbock and a team similar to Tech. Both rely on a heavy passing game, averaging roughly 320 yards per game, which is bolstered by a decent ground game, averaging more than 140 yards per game as well. Houston will keep it close in the first half, but Tech will pull ahead in the third quarter and hang onto the lead.

Best football Facebook status, concerning Missouri’s loss to Nebraska: “obviously it was because the other samantha didn't put her gold shirt on fast enough. or because the refs had corn in their eyes. or because the fans were wearing corn. probably the third one.”

Fans dressed as corn are distracting. They’re like a giant yellow footballs.

North

Iowa State 28, Kansas 16
What did head coach Paul Rhoads say to his Iowa State team during halftime? Whatever it was, it worked. The Cyclones scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter. A stunned Kansas squad regained its wits in the fourth quarter, scoring a last-second touchdown to make it a more respectable loss. But the real headline here: After giving up 120 points in two consecutive blowout losses, Iowa State turned around its season with a win over No. 19 (at the time) Texas and now Kansas. One more win and the Cyclones can go bowling in December.

No. 17 Oklahoma State 24, Kansas State 14
Oklahoma State hardly missed Justin Blackmon. Yes, this is the lowest scoring game for the Cowboys, but Brandon Weedon still completed 22 of 39 attempts for nearly 300 yards and two touchdowns. Kendall Hunter became the leading national rusher with 1,174 yards, and he tied David Thompson for most career 100-yard rush games with 18 games, passing Barry Sanders. Not bad, but next, the Cowboys host a buoyed Baylor squad fresh off a win in Austin.

No. 14 Nebraska 31, No. 6 Missouri 17
All right, the Cornhuskers have finally earned my respect this season. I was hardly impressed with the first four wins of their season against Western Kentucky (now 1-7 in Sun Belt), Idaho (now 4-4 in WAC), Washington (3-5 in PAC-10) and South Dakota State (now 3-5 in MVC). It’s easy to put astronomical numbers against teams like that, but wins against No. 14 Oklahoma State and No. 6 Missouri shows this team has got chops (the loss at home against Texas seems to be a fluke, for both teams). This week, the Tigers couldn’t slow down the Cornhusker ground game, usually led by QB Taylor Martinez. But Roy Helu Jr. stepped up (and down the field), rushing for 307 of Nebraska’s 328 yards on the ground. The last four games in Nebraska’s regular season look only a little more difficult than their first four. The Cornhuskers' next challenge will come in the Big 12 Championship game.

South

No. 25 Baylor 30, Texas 22
Baylor hadn’t had a win in Austin since 1991, and the Bears had a 12-game losing streak to the Longhorns. Not anymore. Baylor handed Texas its third straight home loss this season, a first for the boys in burnt orange since 1997. Baylor QB Robert Griffin completed 16 of 24 attempts for 219 yards and two touchdowns. Griffin even ran one TD in himself to take the lead in the beginning of the fourth, a lead the Bears would hold for the win. MVP for Texas? Justin Tucker. The Longhorn kicker scored 15 of the team’s 22 points.

No. 9 Oklahoma 43, Colorado 10
The Sooners haven’t lost a game at home since Sept. 1, 2005. That’s 35 consecutive home wins. Colorado kept it close in the first quarter, holding OU to a single field goal, but then the Sooners kicked it to overdrive, scoring 26 points before halftime and another pair of touchdowns before the game would end. Oklahoma needed a strong showing after the loss against Missouri, and this confidence booster should carry them throughout November.

Texas A&M 45, Texas Tech 27
Both teams played a little quarterback shuffle, but did it matter? Steven Sheffield replaced Taylor Potts in the fourth quarter for Tech. Sheffield led two drives that ended in TDs, which matched Potts’s results for the other three quarters combined. The Aggies started their shuffle last week against Kansas, and this week, Johnson, who holds the school record for career yards passing, watched the whole game from the sideline. In his first career start, Ryan Tannehill set a school record for one-game passing yards (449) and threw for four touchdowns. I’d chalk both QB shuffles up to successes; Tech’s success just came too late.

Quarterback questions plague A&M, Oklahoma looks to bounce the Buffs, and Missouri takes on Nebraska in a northern heavyweight smackdown. And of course, the Longhorns attempt not to embarrass themselves ... again.

North

Kansas at Iowa State
The Cyclones pulled off a big upset last week against Texas and should be ready to roll over the Jayhawks at home. In the run game, the teams are pretty even, with each averaging around 145 yards per game. Kansas has been averaging about 30 more yards per game in the air, but the real stat to pay attention to is this: Kansas 2-5, Iowa State 4-4. The Jayhawks are having a tough season, and while they might be able to keep it close, Iowa State will come away with the win.

No. 17 Oklahoma State at Kansas State
Last week, the Cowboys lost the game tp Nebraska, and this week, they lost their leading receiver. Justin Blackmon was suspended for one game after he was arrested on a DUI complaint. Blackmon has 62 catches for 1,112 yards and 14 touchdowns. Oklahoma State still has Kendall Hunter to lead the ground game, but without its key receiving component, the playing field is much more even.

No. 6 Missouri at No. 14 Nebraska
Out of the frying pan and into the fire. No rest for the weary. Take your pick of platitudes, and give it to Missouri. After knocking off No. 1 Oklahoma, the Tigers now travel to Lincoln to face the Cornhuskers. If Missouri can contain Taylor Martinez, the Tigers win. If Nebraska can put the pressure on Blaine Gabbert, Cornhuskers win. This is the game of the week, and it could go either way.

South

No. 25 Baylor at Texas
The Twilight Zone is coming to Austin. A bowl-eligible Baylor squad faces off against a struggling Texas team. Robert Griffin is good, but after an embarrassing loss at home, the Longhorns are humiliated and angry. Not a good combo for the Bears. Just ask Nebraska.

Colorado at No. 9 Oklahoma
One blemish on the Sooners’ season doesn’t mean all’s lost, and Oklahoma has the perfect stage for a gigantic bounce-back win. Home game against a 3-4 Colorado team. This game should be child’s play for Landry Jones and the Sooners.

Texas Tech at Texas A&M
These two teams have huge question marks over them. The Red Raiders have lost games they should’ve won, while still racking up monster stats. And the Aggies, well, their big question comes at who will be the signal caller. Jerrod Johnson is closing in on 2,000 yards for the season and already has 14 touchdowns. But the trouble comes with the nine interceptions. Ryan Tannehill has 180 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. But Tannehill snapped the Aggies’s three-game losing streak. Whether Texas A&M wins this one just might depend on who’s behind center.

The No. 1 Curse strikes again, and Baylor becomes bowl eligible. Welcome to week eight.

North

Texas Tech 27, Colorado 24
The third quarter belonged to the Buffs, but Tech took over during the fourth and took home the win. The Red Raiders came back from a 10-point deficit on Matt Williams’s leg. He kicked the clutch field goal with 2 minutes and 8 seconds left in the game. Colorado couldn’t get anything going on the ground. Of 32 attempts, the Buffs only got 28 rushing yards. A ground game could’ve given Colorado another dimension on offense that might’ve helped against Tech. Woulda, coulda, shoulda. Sorry, Buffs, you were close, but the Raiders won this close match.

Texas A&M 45, Kansas 10
I don’t know what’s more shocking, 130 yards in penalties or Jerrod Johnson being benched in the second quarter? Yes, the turnover-prone Johnson was a key factor in the Aggies’s three-game losing streak, but A&M wasn’t in a desperate position when Johnson was pulled from the game. He had completed 60 percent of his passes for 139 yards and no interceptions, and A&M was up 17-3. Did the A&M coaches see another meltdown on the horizon? Or were they just taking preventative measures? Either way, backup QB Ryan Tannehill led the Aggies to four more touchdowns and the win.

No. 11 Missouri 36, No. 1 Oklahoma 27
First Alabama, then Ohio State and now Oklahoma. Being No. 1 in the polls sucks this season. Despite the No. 1 Curse, Missouri was a formidable opponent for Oklahoma to face off against, and the Tigers started the game out right. Gahn McGaffie returned the first kickoff of the game 86 yards for a touchdown. Missouri controlled the clock, keeping the ball for over 38 minutes, and Blaine Gabbert completed 71 percent of pass attempts for 308 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. Landry Jones had two uncharacteristic interceptions, and the Sooners ground game stalled. Oklahoma’s trip to Columbia proved fatal, but at least the Tigers are enjoying a nice Homecoming.

South

Baylor 47, No. 22 Kansas State 42
The Wildcats made a late surge, scoring the last TD in the final 7 seconds of the game, but it wasn’t enough. The Baylor offense racked up almost 700 total yards, and Robert Griffin had a stellar game. He threw for 404 yards and four touchdowns, the best he’s done in any single game so far this season. With this win, Baylor is now bowl eligible and might make its first bowl game since 1995. And the Bears may just crack the top 25.

No. 16 Nebraska 51, No. 14 Oklahoma State 41
Two high-octane offenses, and both lived up to the reputation. Taylor Martinez threw five touchdown passes, and Brandon Weedon threw two touchdowns while Kendall Hunter ran in two more. The two offenses combined for more than 1,000 total yards. My question is, where were either teams’ defenses? Apparently, not on the field.

Iowa State 28, Texas 21
The Texas offense again sputtered. The Longhorns outgained the Cyclones in total yards, and they only had three penalties for 25 yards. But turnovers were killer. In addition to one lost fumble, Garrett Gilbert threw three interceptions. The game against Nebraska looks to be more of a fluke than a turning point for Texas.

Missouri prepares for its homecoming game this week, welcoming alumni and the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners. There's not enough black and gold streamers to distract Bob Stoops and Landry Jones from taking care of business.

North

Texas Tech at Colorado
Let’s hope Taylor Potts has the chops to win against Colorado, although I honestly have no idea what the recovery time is for a sprained jaw. This season, the Texas Tech QB completed 66 percent of his passes for 1,875 yards, 18 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions. The Red Raiders are the nation’s sixth best passing offense, and yet they’ve still lost three games. The losses to Texas and Oklahoma State, I guess, are understandable, but losing by two touchdowns to Iowa State? That screams inconsistent, but against this bad Buffs squad, even an inconsistent Potts should pull out the win.

Texas A&M at Kansas
Does anyone remember that Jerrod Johnson was the preseason Big 12 offensive player of the year? Maybe he could commiserate with the entire Texas team about falling from preseason grace. While Mike Sherman this week has dodged questions about whether Johnson will remain as starting QB, I’d bet he gets the job against Kansas. The Jayhawks are stumbling through the season, clinging to their win over No. 15 Georgia Tech in hopes of keeping angry fans with pitchforks at bay.

No. 1 Oklahoma at No. 11 Missouri
Congratulations, Oklahoma! You’re the No. 1 team in the nation. Now, go play the No. 11 team in the nation, which also has an unbeaten record, on its home turf, for its Homecoming game. The Tigers will certainly pose a challenge for the top-ranked Sooners. In the stats, Blaine Gabbert is almost neck-and-neck with Landry Jones for completion percentage, total yardage and touchdown passes. But Oklahoma has D.J. Murray and Ryan Broyles. Murray already has 11 touchdowns to his name this season, and Broyles averages 11.5 yards per catch. The Tigers may work some magic to keep it close, but Oklahoma will survive its first test up top the BCS.

South

No. 22 Kansas State at Baylor
This game comes down to one simple thing: Pass versus rush. The Wildcats dominate on the ground game, with their leading rusher averaging more than 5 yards per carry, but the Bears have the pass, with their leading receiver averaging more than 13 yards per catch. Kansas State has a better pass defense than Baylor’s rush defense, but this game is going to come down the intangibles. And unfortunately, Robert Griffin may not be enough of an edge to get the Bears bowl eligibility this week.

No. 16 Nebraska at No. 14 Oklahoma State
Stock the fridge with beer and pre-order the pizza for dinner, because this game will be so intense you might forget some football-watching essentials. The Cowboys remain unbeaten; Nebraska’s only blemish, a stinging loss to Texas last week. The Cornhuskers are looking to rebound with a convincing win over ranked Oklahoma State. Despite being benched in the third quarter against Texas, T-Magic is still expected to keep his starting position. But if the Cowboys manage to steal his thunder like the Longhorns did last week, Oklahoma State can extend its record to 7-0. The Cowboys have been outscoring opponents by an average of 20 points per game, and Brandon Weedon has completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for almost 2,000 yards and 19 TDs. This game may be decided on the flip of a coin.

Iowa State at No. 19 Texas
The Cyclones succeeded in topping Texas Tech two weeks ago but have since dropped two games to ranked opponents. The key to breaking this current trend: Crack the code against the Texas defense. Will Muschamp’s defense played to perfection last week, draining the magic from Taylor Martinez’s offense. Unfortunately, the Cyclones won’t even fare as well as Martinez, and the Longhorns will ride the momentum to another win.

The first BCS standings were released Sunday night, and six Big 12 teams made the cut.

No. 22 Kansas State, 5-1
The Wildcats’ strong showing against in-state rival Kansas inched them into the BCS top 25, but they’ve struggled a bit throughout the season. The blowout loss versus Nebraska may be understandable, but the close call against Central Florida exposed Kansas State’s weaknesses. The Wildcats have a brutal three-week stretch, including Oklahoma State, Texas and Missouri, all three of which rank higher in the BCS polls right now. It’s unlikely they will survive without at least one loss, and with that, Kansas State may just lose its ranking too.

No. 19 Texas, 4-2
The Longhorns turned a corner this weekend, beating Nebraska 20-13 and keeping the Big Red offense out of the end zone all afternoon. Texas needed this win. Not only are the Horns back in the polls after dropping off for the first time in a decade, but they gained some confidence in a defense that was supposed to be the best the school’s ever seen and in a sophomore quarterback who carried unreasonable expectations of Longhorn nation on his shoulders alone. That confidence will help carry Texas throughout the rest of the season, but coaches and players need to keep up the good strategies put to practice against Nebraska for the rest of the season to maintain a BCS ranking.

No. 16 Nebraska, 5-1
The Cornhuskers tumbled down in all poll rankings after the upset against Texas. Golden boy Taylor Martinez was taken completely out of the equation, which crippled the Nebraska offense. Was this drop too far and too harsh? Maybe not. Only one team of Nebraska’s five wins has a winning record after seven weeks of play. But the next two weeks will give the Cornhuskers a chance to claw their way back into the top 10 with games against Oklahoma State and Missouri.

No. 14 Oklahoma State, 6-0
The Cowboys had a few close calls against Troy and Texas A&M, but when a team is averaging 49.5 points per game, how can the BCS deny them a decent ranking? But now Oklahoma State is facing the toughest part of its season. The Cowboys host Nebraska next week and Oklahoma in the season closer, and they have to travel to Manhattan, Kansas, to face Kansas State and then go to Austin, Texas, to square off against the Longhorns. That’s the equivalent to taking the LSATs, MCATs, GRE and the GMAT all in a month and a half. But if the Cowboys can hold on from week to week and pass the tests, then the season closer against Oklahoma may be the determining game in who wins the Big 12 South, and maybe who takes the top of the BCS.

No. 11 Missouri, 6-0
The Tigers’ Homecoming will either be incredibly joyous and devastating. This weekend Missouri hosts Oklahoma, and so far, this Tiger squad hasn’t really been tested. The close game against San Diego State is a little worrisome, but five other blowout wins overshadow that one gaffe. Whether the Tigers pull out the win, Oklahoma will be a real wake-up call in Columbia and will give pollsters a true look at what Missouri is made of.

No. 1 Oklahoma, 6-0
While TCU and Boise State may not be happy with the BCS, as per usual, Oklahoma deserves its No. 1 ranking. The Sooners have faced teams from across the country in the preseason that brought many different looks on offense and defense than the Sooners are used to seeing in the Big 12. This has forced coaches and players to almost start from scratch each week and implement new strategies against each type of scheme. The Sooners are still posting an average of 36 points per game, which admittedly is low for this high-scoring team, but now that they have started Big 12 play, preparation for the next week’s game will be much more familiar, although not necessarily easier.

Fun Fact: A Big 12 team has won the national championship every five years after the conference’s inaugural year. Nebraska won in the 1995 season; Oklahoma won in the 2000 season; Texas won in the 2005 season. With three unbeaten teams and six total in the BCS rankings, will another Big 12 team take the crystal football in the conference’s final year? Give me your take on this and the BCS rankings.

The Cornhuskers get harvested by the Texas defense. If there was any doubt last year about the controversial one second, the Horns left plenty of time on the clock Saturday to squash critics. This win is all the more impressive when you consider Nebraska fans were literally seeing red and Texas had to travel into their heartland.

North

Baylor 31, Colorado 25
The Bears overcame a 15-10 halftime deficit, taking the lead late in the third quarter and holding on for dear life during Colorado’s late surge. The Buffs scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, and on the 19 yard line with five seconds on the clock, Colorado’s potentially game-winning pass was batted down. Baylor gets out of Boulder with only a few cuts and bruises to its ego but no major war wounds, and the Bears live to fight another day.

Kansas State 59, Kansas 7
The only good news for the Jayhawks was that they didn’t give up a special teams’ touchdown. The low point for Kansas: Just when it looked like the Jayhawks were going to get on the board for the first time in the third, Kansas RB James Sims fumbled the ball only to be recovered by Wildcat Stephen Harrison, who ran the ball 85 yards for a touchdown. Kansas finally got its touchdown in the fourth quarter, driving the ball 44 yards in 4 minutes. But alas, Kansas State rubbed salt in the wound by taking only 53 seconds and two plays to score another touchdown before the clock mercifully wound down to 0:00.

Texas 20, No. 5 Nebraska 13
Eric Hagg will be the talk of the town in Lincoln for his amazing 95-yard punt return for a touchdown. You know who won’t be talked about, at least not kindly, this week? Taylor Martinez. While he averaged around 150 rushing yards per game pre-Texas, Martinez only managed to get 21 yards on 11 carries against the Longhorns. While neither quarterback made much of the pass game, Garrett Gilbert got his feet moving a bit. He ran for 71 yards on 11 carries, which doesn’t seem impressive until you hear that his average per game in the first five of this season was a whopping three yards.

The real stars of this show were the Longhorn defensive players. The Horns dominated on this front, holding the nation’s second-best rushing team (averaging 338 yards per game) to only 125 yards and cutting their total offensive yardage from a game average of 494 to only 202. Throughout the Big 12 era, Texas has dominated this series, winning nine of the last 10 meetings and going 3-0 against top-10 ranked Husker squads. Nebraska will ride off into the sunset with the Big Ten a little bruised and definitely beaten.

South

No. 6 Oklahoma 52, Iowa State 0
After this rout of the Cyclones, Oklahoma looks for a big jump in the polls, especially since two of the top five teams fell this week (No. 18 Wisconsin ambushed No. 1 Ohio State, and unranked Texas bounced No. 5 Nebraska). And with the announcement of the BCS rankings tonight, the Sooners could be looking at a No. 2 ranking, since the polls favor BCS conferences. Sorry, TCU and Boise. The game wasn’t too remarkable; OU dominates in Sooner-fashion, blowing out opponents and smothering them with over 600 total offensive yards. The small headlines: DeMarco Murray became the school’s leading TD scorer with 58 career TDs, and Landry Jones had his best game in pass efficiency, completing 30 of 34 attempts.

No. 21 Missouri 30, Texas A&M 9
At first, I thought the Aggies just had a tough game against Oklahoma State. Then, I thought Jerrod Johnson just had a bad game against Arkansas. But after three straight losses, I’m seeing a pattern. A&M is not good against competitive teams. At the beginning of the season, Johnson was hailed as a possible Heisman candidate who was going to lead this dark horse team to challenge the Big 12 heavyweights, but now they are looking like the lame horse limping around the track. The Aggies are 0-2 in Big 12 play and still have to face Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Texas.

No. 20 Oklahoma State 34, Texas Tech 17
The Cowboys broke a 66-year streak this weekend. That’s right, it’s been almost seven decades since Oklahoma State has won against the Red Raiders in Lubbock. And this time it wasn’t even close. This season, the Cowboys have a prolific offense, averaging 49.5 points per game and 361 passing yards per game. On the other hand, new head coach Tommy Tuberville and Texas Tech is still trying to find its groove. The Red Raiders are 1-3 in Big 12 play and still have A&M, Missouri and Oklahoma to face. Tough first season for Tubs.

The Wildcats started slow in the first quarter but got rolling and didn’t stop, scoring 49 combined points in the second and third quarters and ending with a 59-7 win over Kansas. At the beginning of the third quarter, Kansas was close to the Wildcats' end zone, but an interception taken back 85 yards for a touchdown killed any momentum the Jayhawks may have been building.

North

Baylor at Colorado
Colorado might keep up with Baylor in the run game, but in any other game, the Bears got the Buffs beat. Baylor is 10th in the nation in passing yards and 12th in the nation in total yards. While Tyler Hansen has thrown for 833 yards, Robert Griffin has thrown for more than double that. Griffin also has 13 touchdown passes and only 2 interceptions to his name. Colorado may keep it close in the first half, but Baylor will pull away in the second half.

Texas at No. 5 Nebraska
This is the game of the week for the nation, and for these two teams, the game of the season. After last year’s Big 12 championship, the Cornhuskers have held a grudge for nearly 10 months, and after months of hearing Nebraska fans trash talk plus back-to-back tough losses, the Longhorns are looking for a big win. Nebraska’s got the rank and stats to make one think this will be an easy win for the Cornhuskers, and it might be. But the wild card in this equation is the Longhorns’ week off. For two weeks now, the Longhorns have had nothing to focus on but Nebraska. It’s not a cure for the Longhorns’ woes, but it gives them a chance to at least even the playing field.

South

Iowa State at No. 6 Oklahoma
This game won’t even be close. The Sooners will dominate with their passing game, and as long as Landry Jones can keep his composure and avoid late game fumbles like the one that Texas almost took advantage of, the Sooners will have no problem with Iowa State.

No. 21 Missouri at Texas A&M
The Aggies are coming off two consecutive losses by a combined 10 points, and Missouri hits the road for the first time this season. Both teams have strong quarterbacks, but Jerrod Johnson edges out Blaine Gabbert in passing yards 1,486 to 1,230. Johnson also wins in number of touchdowns, 13 to 7, and in interceptions thrown, 9 to 3. This last stat indicates Texas A&M’s tendency to fall apart at certain points during the game. If Johnson and the Aggies can keep their game consistent, the Aggies should win this game. But if Texas A&M starts making mistakes, Missouri will take advantage of those and take the win with it.

No. 20 Oklahoma State at Texas Tech
This match will be defined by the air attack. The Cowboys are second in the nation in passing yards, and the Red Raiders are fourth. Also close are the quarterbacks. Brandon Weedon has 1,610 yards for 18 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, while Taylor Potts has 1,649 yards for 16 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Tech has 2 losses to OK State’s zero, one came at the hands of the Longhorns and the other came against Iowa State. While the Red Raiders will keep this one close, the Cowboys will escape another wild ride with the win.