Big 12 Conference Football Recap Week 9

Texas Overwhelms Oklahoma State, and Kansas State Scares Oklahoma

Nov 2, 2009

Oklahoma State couldn't keep pace in its most important home game in years, reinforcing the dearth of good teams in the league.

All this past Saturday in the Big 12 Conference confirmed was this: Some unsuspecting poor soul from the North Division will have the unenviable task of playing Texas.

The Longhorns cleared their only potential roadblock for the rest of the season, and their favorable schedule the rest of the way could guarantee them a spot in the BCS title game. Meanwhile, lump the other 11 teams together, because there’s not much in the way of depth in the Big 12.

Big Winners: Texas and Texas A&M

Texas 41, Oklahoma State 14: ABC might want to reconsider scheduling Texas in prime time. After punishing Missouri and OSU by a combined score of 82-21 under the lights, the next four games don’t look much closer. Texas A&M in the traditional season finale might test the Longhorns if they drop focus, but the talent disparity is glaring.

And that certainly showed in Stillwater, where Oklahoma State tried to make an early statement by going for it on fourth down on the opening possession inside its own 30. A missed field goal killed the drive and any hope the Pokes had to hang with Texas. Zac Robinson’s four ugly interceptions, with one returned for a score, contrasted with Colt McCoy’s economical passing performance (16 for 21, 171 yards, no interceptions). Oklahoma State suffers from the absence of Dez Bryant’s deep threat and return game when meeting a superior opponent.

Texas A&M 35, Iowa State 10: After the Cyclones thanked the heavens above for Nebraska’s eight-turnover spectacle, Texas A&M wasn’t nearly as compliant in College Station. Leading rusher Alexander Robinson returned from injury for Iowa State, but with quarterback Austen Arnaud still sidelined, backup Jerome Tiller threw two costly interceptions. One set up a touchdown, and the other snuffed out a scoring opportunity at the goal line. Suddenly, the waters for A&M aren’t so choppy as it heads to Colorado for an eminently winnable road game.

Oklahoma 42, Kansas State 30: Any doubts now as to whether Bill Snyder can still coach? Kansas State spotted the Sooners 21 points, but a feisty, strong-willed second-half flurry kept the game close and made the 84,000 in Norman edgy. It is extraordinary to watch what’s happening with Kansas State. In September, it appeared as if the Wildcats couldn’t step off the bus right. Now, in November, players are responding to fine coaching and Snyder’s sly motivational tactics. Contrary to a perpetuated narrative, Oklahoma’s defense looks imposing against Tulsa or Baylor or a death-spiraling Kansas, but quite ordinary besides.

Big Losers: Colorado and Kansas

Missouri 36, Colorado 17: When Buddy Bell managed the moribund Kansas City Royals, he famously asserted that “it can always get worse.” But can it really for Colorado? How about falling behind 33-0 at Folsom Field to a Missouri team that lost its last three? That might eclipse dropping the opener to Colorado State, which is 0-5 in the Mountain West Conference at present. The margin of victory is substantial, but the final score still doesn’t reflect how one-sided this was. MU’s Blaine Gabbert shrugged off the ankle issues with two touchdowns to Danario Alexander in the first quarter.

Texas Tech 42, Kansas 21: In “The Merv Griffin Show” episode of Seinfeld, Kramer turns to Newman and says, “We’ve officially bottomed out.” The problem for Kansas is the implosion may not be complete yet. Quarterback Todd Reesing has put in long hours at the turnover factory since coach Mark Mangino volunteered his name for Heisman consideration. Now comes word that Reesing has been nursing a groin injury since the Colorado game, and he was unceremoniously benched after fumbling a fourth-and-1 snap in the fourth quarter, which was returned for a touchdown.

Texas Tech, the beneficiary of Kansas’ charity, started redshirt freshman Seth Doege at quarterback, but running back Baron Batch was left unaccounted for, scoring four touchdowns and rushing for 123 yards. At 5-3, time ticks away on the Jayhawks with no automatic victories remaining.

Nebraska 20, Baylor 10: Nebraska secured a much-needed win, but was thoroughly unconvincing in the process. Huskers coach Bo Pelini started fan favorite Cody Green at quarterback for the first time. Refrain, however, from the comparisons to Tommie Frazier and Turner Gill until young Green pieces together a body of work. Skill intermingled with youth. His 45-yard throw to Niles Paul set up a touchdown to put Nebraska in front 20-0, yet Baylor’s Cliff Odom stepped in front of a Green pass for an easy pick-6 in the third quarter. Nebraska only managed 11 first downs while not scoring a second-half point.

Up Next: Cornhuskers and Sooners in Lincoln

Next week, it’s Kansas at Kansas State in the Sunflower Showdown, Texas A&M at Colorado, Baylor at Missouri, Oklahoma State at Iowa State and Texas going out of conference to host Central Florida. The marquee game is in Lincoln, where Nebraska squares off with Oklahoma. The Sooners routinely deflated the Huskers’ hopes in the Tom Osborne/Barry Switzer years when it once was the season finale. Between 1974-1986, Oklahoma won five out of seven meetings in Lincoln, and the Sooners won their last visit in 2005, 31-24.

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