D.J. Monroe has a new job.

"D.J. spent all fall camp as a wide receiver. There are certain things in the passing game that just haven't clicked for him."

Any time the Longhorns (3-2 overall, 1-1 in the Big 12 heading into this week's game at Nebraska) were going to pass, Monroe — who has 11 carries for 130 yards this season — had to come out of the game.

The reason: Monroe switched to tailback before the UCLA game. He's only been back there two weeks.

Really? We hadn't given that much thought this season. Texas needs a playmaker at running back.

Mack Brown has handled Nebraska since 1998.

Texas coach Mack Brown needs something to turn around a season teetering on collapse.

How about the Nebraska Cornhuskers?

The Nebraska-Texas games have always come down to just a few plays.

What stings about the Nebraska-Texas series since the inception of the Big 12 – UT leads in 8-1 – is that, with startling regularity, the games boiled down to a play or two.

 

The ones the Longhorns made. The ones the Huskers didn’t. That Texas – deemed a flash-and-glam bunch by any number of NU fans - mustered up some resolve or toughness that Nebraska couldn’t quite grasp.

Too late. You don't want to make Nebraska mad.

"We took a critical look at ourselves, watched the films, just came out and practiced with a vengeance and got after it," junior defensive tackle Jared Crick said. "It translated to the game, and I think if we keep doing that, and see how good we can be when we execute, we can only improve from there."

The Omaha World is getting to know Texas. You'll love the photo.

Chip Brown on Nebraska and Texas.

The Batt headline sums up the Aggie-Pig game:

Aggie offense stalls in 24-17 Southwest Classic loss

No more excuses, Mike.

In year one, Dennis Franchione left the talent cupboard bare. In year two, the team was young. In year three, well … there are no excuses left. And there are no moral victories to take solace in.

Key Aggie questions even The Great Karnak doesn't know.

CAN JERROD JOHNSON AVOID TURNOVERS?

The Pokes and the Cornhuskers have QBs.

Among first-year starting quarterbacks in the Big 12, they represent opposite ends of the age spectrum.

Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden, who shares the NCAA lead in touchdown passes (18), will celebrate his 27th birthday Thursday. Nebraska's Taylor Martinez, a redshirt freshman who leads the nation in rushing touchdowns (12), made his first college start as a teenager before turning 20 on Sept. 15.

Ft. Worth is not going to be happy about this. But then the Texas Poll is all they really care about.

Kansas State may get a recruiting boost thanks to the Manhattan airport.

Like all Wildcats coaches, whenever he needed to get to recruiting hot spots, the trip started by boarding a plane at Kansas City International Airport. The journey required four hours of driving between his home and KCI, at least an hour to park and get through airport security, and sometimes even a night’s stay at a hotel. It was an inconvenient process that K-State coaches grumbled about every recruiting season.

"Our running joke was that we drove it so many times we could put our cars on cruise control and they would find their way to the airport," Underwood said. "It was part of the job, and something you had to do."

The North

In case you haven't heard, the Cornhuskers have a QB.

Iowa State lost to Utah 68-27. At least Cyclone coach Paul Rhodes still has his sense of humor:

The 10th-ranked Utes hung a 68-27 beating on the Cyclones like none other in Ames.

It was the most points scored against Iowa State at home since the Cyclones started playing football in 1892. The previous high was 63, by Oklahoma in 1946 and Iowa in 1997.

"The oddsmakers missed this one," Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads said of the Utes being just a six-point favorite. "Some days you get the unexpected."

Missouri shut out the Buffs. (The photo says it all.) From SB Nation/Kansas City :

And, for a final thought, I'll submit without comment what the Tigers Lair group of the Missouri student section spelled out with painted chests: "Be careful next year CU. The Pac-10 doesn't allow fifth downs."

Kansas State just opened up their QB competition again.

The South

Red Raiders win! Tech beat Baylor 45-38.

Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville and his players are in agreement on one point: They’re a quality team.

"It feels good to get ... No, it feels great to get back on the winning track," Tuberville said. "We’ve had a much better team than what showed the last couple of weeks."

The Pokes beat Louisiana-Lafayette 54-28.

Brandon Weeden threw five touchdown passes, three of which ignited a second-half rally that boosted No. 22 Oklahoma State to a 54-28 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette on Friday night at Lafayette, La.

The BCS is a mess. Again.

Boise State projected as No. 1 in the BCS standings.

The SEC isn't what everyone thought it was.

On Sunday morning, SEC fans awoke to a new, unexpected reality. For the first time since November 1, 2008, neither Alabama nor Florida is the No. 1 team in the country. For the first time since September 20 of that year, neither team sits atop its respective division, having been replaced by LSU in the West and South Carolina in the East

Is the USC program on a downhill slide?

No entity -- except for the NCAA -- has been more deflating to USC's self-image than Jim Harbaugh's troops. In 2007, the unranked Cardinal shocked the mighty Trojans. Last year, Stanford again beat USC on its home turf, destroying the Trojans, 55-21. The trend continued Saturday and the Stanford fans finally got to rush their own field to celebrate.

"To beat a great team like USC three out of four years," Harbaugh said. "I couldn't be more proud."

And finally...

We are playing Nebraska. In Lincoln. You need something cute to look at.