Big 12 Football Report, v 1.10
by Peter Bean on Nov 5, 2008 3:57 PM CST
in Football
16 comments
The week in Big XII football.
THE RUNDOWN
- Texas Tech 39 Texas 33 [Box / Recap / Blog Coverage]
Longhorns fans are sick of talking about the details of this game, so we'll wrap the look back with a macro perspective, from Chris at Smart Football:
In the end, I'm not sure if you can really emulate Leach's offense per se. The current BYU staff has lots of ties to Leach and they are having great success and Sonny Dykes is the offensive coordinator at Arizona with mixed results. There are others. But Leach is just plain a "different" guy, so he could care less whether his offense looks like other offenses -- and in fact I'm sure he wants it to be different -- and this allows him to always push football's boundaries in ways other coaches cannot.
Maybe, but I'm not sure that's the right takeaway from Saturday's game. The Red Raiders didn't score a second half offensive touchdown until their final play; the victory in many ways was won by the defense, which scored a touchdown and, for the first time in eight years, held the Texas offense to fewer than 30 points.
So the season is long, success in football is always ephemeral, but for now, in Leach's ongoing case against the football traditionalists (Leach has a law degree), his argument against the "geometry of the game" looks pretty persuasive.
That unit will need to be good again this Saturday, when Oklahoma State and the conference's most balanced offensive attack visit Lubbock. The Cowboys this year average 273 yards rushing (5.7 ypc) and 238 yards passing (Zac Robinson's 192.5 QB Rating leads the Big 12); a year ago their 49-45 win over Tech--behind 610 total yards (366 on the ground)--led to Mike Leach firing his defensive coordinator. Ruffin McNeal will have to do significantly better for Tech to get to 10-0. - Missouri 31 Baylor 28 [Box / Recap / Blog Coverage]
Baylor freshman quarterback Robert Griffin threw an interception. What a loser.
Oh, right: Saturday's pick was his first in some 200 attempts as a collegiate quarterback. Despite the streak-snapping INT, Griffin had another marvelous game, picking up 283 yards through the air on 26-35 passing, including 2 touchdowns. His 36-yard scoring strike to Jay Finley in the 4th quarter tied the game at 28, and though Missouri would subsequently kick a winning field goal, the Bears showed how much better they are under first years Griffin and Art Briles.
One might also interpret Saturday's game as another data point supporting the South Division's superiority. Not only did the Division's 5th or 6th best team nearly take down the North's top team, but the Tigers lost in Columbia to Oklahoma State and were throttled in Austin. Other data points include Tech's 42-point beatdown of Kansas and Oklahoma's dismantling of Nebraska (don't click through the jump, Huskers fans). Even the Aggies are on a two-game winning streak, courtesy of Iowa State and Colorado.
- Oklahoma 62 Nebraska 28 [Box / Recap / Blog Coverage]
Fact #1: At the end of the first quarter, Oklahoma led this game 35-0.
Fact #2: There are no typos in Fact #1.
Peruse the recap, box score, or blog coverage if you need more. - Kansas 52 Kansas State 21 [Box / Recap / Blog Coverage]
The Jayhawks win their third straight Governor's Cup, yes, but the big victors may have been KSU fans, who from the loss received the good news today that Ron Prince will be stepping down as head coach. You gotta give a little to get a little, right?
Though Ronaldinho has been a favorite punching bag of this column in 2008, let the record show that Mr. Prince walks away a perfect 2-0 against the Longhorns, and joins Stephen McGee as a 2006-07 nemesis who will disappear before revenge can be had. He can hold that particular banner high, I suppose. - Texas A&M 24 Colorado 17 [Box / Recap / Blog Coverage]
It took him a half to get going, but Jerrod Johnson heard the rooster's call in time to wake up and lead the Farmers to victory over the tailspinning Buffaloes. Johnson's touchdown strikes of 32, 59, and 10 yards highlighted a 21-0 third quarter run by the Aggies, enough to propel the Agros to their second-straight conference win. With Oklahoma coming to town this Saturday, the winning streak likely ends at two, but the Fightin' Farmers need to stay sharp, their battle with Baylor for "fourth best team in Texas" looming a week later in Waco. - Oklahoma State 59 Iowa State 17 [Box / Recap / Blog Coverage]
The Cowboys averaged 10.5 yards per play, which... wow. If Texas Tech is at all less than fully prepared for Mike Gundy's high-flying offense, the Cowboys will light up the Red Raiders for 49 again. For Texas fans, this game is now enormously important, of course; assuming the Longhorns can take care of Baylor Saturday morning, it's gonna be fun to spend the evening watching another potential classic in Lubbock. Go Pokes!
WEEK 10 AWARDS
BEST WIN: TEXAS TECH, OVER TEXAS Biggest win of the week? Yes. But also biggest win in program history. Congratulations to the Red Raiders. A win this Saturday and they'll win this award again.
WORST LOSS: KANSAS STATE, TO KANSAS Colorado gets a reprise since Ron Prince's 31-point loss to a state rival wound up costing him his job.
TOP PERFORMER, OFFENSE (TEAM): OKLAHOMA STATE Ten and a half yards per play? Really? Against a BCS opponent? Forget Iowa State's suckitude--that's just obscene.
BUM STEER, OFFENSE (TEAM): COLORADO The worst offense in the conference lays another egg. To A&M. Oof.
TOP PERFORMER, OFFENSE (INDIVIDUAL): GRAHAM HARRELL AND MICHAEL CRABTREE, TEXAS TECH For his part, Harrell was nearly perfect, making one tough throw after another, including the game winner. And Crabtree? Curtis Brown made him work for it all game, but when it mattered most the nation's best receiver made an absolutely incredible play--not just making the catch, but staying in bounds, able to turn up field to score. Ugh.
BUM STEER, OFFENSE (INDIVIDUAL): TYLER HANSEN, COLORADO HThe Colorado quarterback's final line? 11-23, 89 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT.
PB'S POWER RANKINGS
Last ranking in parentheses.
1. Texas (1) - Staying in the top spot after a loss? For now, yeah. Credit to the Red Raiders for Saturday's win, but the disastrous first quarter and vastly improved second half was enough to convince me the Longhorns deserve this spot for now. The emergence of Malcolm Williams and Fozzy Whittaker make this team better down the stretch.
2. Oklahoma State (2) - Prove it time once more for the Cowboys, who if they win in Lubbock on Saturday might deserve the top spot in these rankings.
3. Texas Tech (4) - This is going to piss off Red Raiders fans, but I'll urge patience: Win this week and up you go. Win again in two weeks and you'll be alone atop these rankings. Cool? Cool.
4. Oklahoma (3) - The Sooners are enjoying the soft stretch of their schedule, before the Tech-OSU showdowns to end the year. Sam Bradford is just phenomenal.
5. Missouri (5) - A narrow win in Waco isn't what Mizzou fans wanted to see as the team tries to regroup for a run at a BCS Bowl, but... Baylor's improved. The Tigers will take it.
6. Kansas (7) - One of college football's most inconsistent teams, looking great one week and mediocre the next. They need to win in Lincoln to stay alive for the North title.
7. Nebraska (6) - Playing the Big 12 South sucks this year.
8. Baylor (8) - Likely losses Texas and Tech await, but a home win over A&M would be an impressive notch on Griffin's and Briles' first-year belts.
9. Kansas State (10) - Good night, Prince.
10. Texas A&M (11) - Movin' on up!
11. Colorado (9) - Total. Disaster.
12. Iowa State (12) - Could they win in Boulder on Saturday? The ultimate cripple fight awaits.
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You have us rated...
…entirely too high.
We'll carry the banner high!
Bring On The Cats
by TB on Nov 5, 2008 4:26 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
You have us rated...
…entirely too high.
Well, one spot too high, anyway.
by jc25 on Nov 5, 2008 4:28 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
My only argument
would be that OSU’s signature win is Missouri and Texas Tech’s signature win is Texas. Right now, Texas Tech’s win is looking like the better win (although OSU’s win was on the road). Agreed that Texas has more quality wins than any other team in the conference, perhaps the country.
Go Raiders . . .
Double-T Nation
by Seth C on Nov 5, 2008 4:38 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Not a resume rank
For that, see my blog poll ballot, in which I have Tech at #2.
--PB--
by Peter Bean on Nov 5, 2008 4:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Robert Griffin
I watched the Connecticut game back in September, wanting to get some read on this new Baylor team, and I have to say I’ve enjoyed following Robert Griffin ever since. Don’t get me wrong, he’ll never be VY physically and the overall team still has a lot of loose ends (really bad protection from the OL), but I’m glad you mentioned him. Griffin’s getting better at making his reads and trying to progress to the second receiver instead of just pulling it down and scrambling or taking a sack if nothing’s open initially. Mizzou took away the run, and he did well through the air…especially as a true Freshman who isn’t getting much protection. Anyway, he’s fast, but more importantly he takes good angels and is elusive. More than anything though, even watching him two months ago it was already his team. Really inspiring to see what he’s done for that team. It’s going to be fun to watch him next year, especially if he can stop running to the sideline to get every single play. If they could go no huddle, up-tempo and he works on speeding up his reads they’re going to win some more games in the Big 12. (But then again, there’s really no place to go but up).
by KevinJ on Nov 5, 2008 5:17 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
What happened last week?
I’ve forgotten already. I think we forfeited.
Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!
Corn Nation!
by corn blight on Nov 5, 2008 8:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Re: Tech offense. Texas defense is phenomenal. But we did gain around 150 more offensive yards than any other team that has played Texas this year and lost some points due to what was, in my opinion, a phantom PI call against Crabtree + a horrible dropped pass by Ed Britton. The Texas defense should receive exactly as much credit for stopping us on Crabtree’s PI and Britton’s drop as the Tech defense should receive for [insert mickey mouse offensive penalty you guys don’t agree with] + Jordan Shipley’s sure-touchdown drop. And when I say “exactly as much credit” I mean zero.
Re: Rankings, I’m not at all uncomfortable with the way you planted the Big 12 South. I still count Texas as the best team in the Big 12. Tech might be the 3rd best team in the division. We might not. (We might be worse.) But assuming that we’re better right now than Oklahoma and assuming we’re worse right now than Oklahoma State and assuming Baylor is the 8th best team in the twelve team conference, and these are your assumptions not mine, then I don’t understand why:
This is going to piss off Red Raiders fans, but I’ll urge patience: Win this week and up you go. Win again in two weeks and you’ll be alone atop these rankings.
If we win this week it would stand to reason that we’re the best team in the Big 12, presuming your conference rankings are accurate. If but probably not when the third best team in the conference — that has already played and beaten the first best team in the conference — beats the second best team in the conference, and the first best team in the conference bolsters its resume with a win over one of the worst teams in the conference, then the third best team in the conference should probably jump to numero uno. In simpler terms: If Tech beats OSU and Texas, and those are the two best teams in the Big 12, it’s difficult to understand why or how a team that’s beaten the two alleged best teams in the conference and has not lost to anyone else could fail to be the best team in the conference.
I say all this because I don’t think we can win in Norman but I’d love to be the best in the Big 12 south, if only for a fleeting moment.
by Skin Patrol on Nov 5, 2008 11:57 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Fair enough
And winning again this week, I’d have a hard time keeping you off the top line.
Tech’s legit. So are Texas, OU, and OSU. The Big 12 is enormously exciting this year, and especially these last 4 weeks:
1) Texas at Texas Tech. (Boo)
2) OSU at Tech
3) Tech at OU
4) OU at OSU
What a final four-week stretch.
--PB--
by Peter Bean on Nov 6, 2008 12:00 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Also depends what happens.
If we beat Oklahoma State in spite of their outgaining us by 300 yards but because we win freak turnover battle 5-0 and victory by 2 points and you guys beat Baylor 70-0 then I think there’s not much of an issue claiming Texas as numero uno, still, presuming your above rankings are accurate (which is really just to say there is a possible result this week whereby the things I say are wrong AND your ranking is sensible).
Pete let me ask you this… [Scratch. I just wrote out like a two page scenario where I thought we could win the tie-breaker if we beat OU and Baylor but not OSU and they win out whereby maybe we’d be ahead in the BCS rankings but it seemed to implausible to me even when I added likewise implausible events such as Nevada winning out over all foes including Boise State. Texas Tech simply cannot win a three-team tie breaker in Big 12 where it comes down to BCS ranking because whenever/wherever Tech loses, we will be penalized psychologically for being the last team to drop. For Tech to make the Big 12 champeenship we need either a) to win out or b) face a two-team tie breaker with Texas.
by Skin Patrol on Nov 6, 2008 12:15 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
Tech’s problem in that regard is two-fold:
1) They’ll be losing later than Texas. (Perhaps dumb, but we’re talking about dumb voters.)
2) They’re battling history. They’re going to be viewed as something of a “Cinderella,” though they shouldn’t be. This year will help Tech’s next run, but at least for their first breakthrough, historical skepticism will be a factor. I agree with you: Tech has to win out or get into a two-team tiebreak with Texas.
--PB--
by Peter Bean on Nov 6, 2008 1:07 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I think the nonsense
about voters penalizing recent losers is ridiculous, but I don’t know if there’s anything insane about claiming a TT team that loses to OU or OSU late in the season is worse than total resume-wise than a Texas team that lost only to TT. We can only lose to teams you’ve previously beaten and your non-con was just a bit better than ours. Also, you had Mizzou, which we didn’t.
All of Tech’s best one-loss scenarios put us at or around where Texas or OU or OSU are currently and would include losses to teams ranked at or around where Texas or OU or OSU or Tech are ranked. We’re getting dangerously close to that “all things equal” situation where all things aren’t equal, because Tech has the weakest non-con schedule amongst those teams. Throwing in the fact that if and when we do our losing, we will do it late in the season, and I’m fatalistic about a 1-loss Tech team making it to the Big 12 championship in any possible three way tie.
by Skin Patrol on Nov 6, 2008 1:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
You played two 1AA teams.
Don’t compare non conference schedules. It puts you in a very awkward arguing position.
by hornalum08 on Nov 6, 2008 4:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
You have a reading comprehension problem.
…because Tech has the weakest non-con schedule amongst those teams [in present case talking about Texas Tech, Texas, and OU].
Why would comparing (by pointing out that they don’t compare) Texas Tech’s OOC schedule to Texas’ OOC schedule, favorably towards the latter, put me in an “awkward arguing position” — what does that mean, by the way? My stated position is that Texas has a better non-conference schedule than Texas Tech, hence why I don’t think we’d win a three-way tie-breaker that rested on BCS ranking which itself relies on strength of scheduling. Does that make you feel awkward? Is that supposed to make me feel awkward? Is “arguing position” just a burdensome way of saying position?
I think what happened is you can’t read. My theory is you’re stupid.
by Skin Patrol on Nov 6, 2008 5:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
well
LSU was not penalized for losing their last home game on Senior Night last season, so the penalty for losing late really isn’t there.
by Beergut on Nov 6, 2008 10:30 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
I hope you are right.
But still, it’s hard to know ahead of time who will be punished the most for losing to who in a three way tie (OU lose to Texas, Texas lose to Tech, Tech lose to OU). Assuming it’s not entirely clear who comes out on top in that situation based on the loss alone, just looking over OU and Texas schedules I think one of them beats us. OU has the win over TCU and Texas has the win over Missouri. Unless Nevada somehow wins out the rest of their games, we don’t have anything behind us to distinguish us above either of their schedules, unless you’re considering strength of schedule.
Even if there is no psychological penalty for being the last loser (and I still think there is) we’ll probably be bumped out of the Big 12 Championship anyways, with a loss.
by Skin Patrol on Nov 6, 2008 12:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
if you all finished with one loss to each other
assuming your situation is accurate, and OU beats an undefeated Tech team, and all of you win your other games (I think both Tech and OU are going to lose to Oklahoma State, but we’ll see what happens), the tie-breaker in that case would go down to BCS ranking, per conference rules. If texas wins out, and OU wins out, texas win the Big 12 South. Right now, texas is in the driver’s seat in case of a tie with them and OU b/c of their head-to-head win.
If it comes down to three teams with 1 loss who have all lost to each other, then the winner would probably be OU, because I think they would potentially have the highest BCS ranking after wins over Okie State and Tech.
However, I don’t see it coming down to a tie without texas being in there with OU, and since they have the head-to-head win, I think the only way texas doesn’t win the Big 12 South is if Tech runs the table.
by Beergut on Nov 7, 2008 9:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
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