Six Big 12 teams rank in this week’s NCAA RPI top 60 with seven teams in the top 70. Complete with game analysis, bowl predictions and conference observations. Kansas comes to Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday, so if you’re OSU, the main goal is to avoid any injuries and shake off a few rust before traveling to face Texas Tech in two weeks. Bevo XIV, the Texas mascot since 2005, died on Thursday of cancer. I was genuinely saddened to hear the news given the iconic status of the Longhorn to the Big 12. I am sure that he will be replaced by the time that Texas rolls into Waco later in the season though. Tech’s offense just couldn’t seem to click though even with a 3-score lead. More sloppy play, but Kansas was hanging in there.
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Kansas State’s next opponent can relate. In the two losses Texas did have a chance to win, against Cal and Oklahoma State, the Horns combined to have three turnovers and 26 penalties (though officiating in the Oklahoma State game was noticeably horrible).
After passing out at the finish line in a win against Kansas, Tech has the opportunity to grab a huge win at home against Oklahoma.
It just goes to show that in this league any given day can generate an unexpected result. Heisman hopefuls have also manifested in TCU QB Trevone Boykin and WR Josh Doctson as well as WR Corey Coleman at #2 Baylor (6-0, 3-0). The Sooners are still fourth though, until someone ahead of them loses a game. This of course had a lot to do with the Iowa State offense, but no need to split hairs.
Baylor is ranked No. 1 in the country for points per game, at 64, while sitting second in rushing yards per game, at 348.7. Ultimately the superior athletes of TCU, particularly on the offensive side of the ball allowed the Frogs to pull away. The defense also stiffened, holding Iowa State scoreless in the final 3 quarters, even without the services of safety Denzel Johnson who was ejected for targeting.
Carlton: TCU simply because the game is in Norman. He rushed for five touchdowns with 440 total yards on the ground. “So, you’ve got to be ready for a team that’s going to be ready to come and play – a team that’s mentally and physically tough”.
The Bears notched another beat down last week when they hosted West Virginia. I think Texas is playing better and will get my vote in this tilt… “I felt like you could feel that energy and that spirit in our guys coming out against TCU, and I don’t know that we ever had it against OU”. More importantly, his teammates look up to him.
Speaking of the Longhorns (2-4, 1-2), they’ll welcome the Wildcats on Saturday. “I can not remember being a part of a game like this since 1989 in the first year that we were here”. “We got a little banged up”. Oklahoma made a big statement and is trying to prove that that the game against Texas was a rivalry-aberration, not a true measure of their team. And the turnout from Texas fans could be worse than normal due to the weather – student attendance has been poor this season and there were already 14,000 tickets remaining for the game earlier in the week.
KANSAS STATE (3-3, 0-3): Before that lopsided loss at home, the Wildcats had blown halftime leads in back-to-back losses – after winning 49 consecutive games when ahead at the break.
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Quarterback Seth Russell has been one of the main headliners for the Bears this season – passing for 1907 yards and 27 touchdowns with a 93.0 QBR.
