All the Big 12-2 Conference news that is and isn't fit to read...
And some other stuff.
Condolences to Dalton Santos and his family. [ESPN]
Dalton Santos is known for inflicting pain on kickoff coverage, but he played through some pain of his own on Saturday night.
The Texas freshman linebacker is still grieving after losing both his grandfather and grandmother last week.
His grandmother, Julia Santos, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 76. On Wednesday, her husband, Albert, passed as well. He was 83.
Slow start, but a great finish. [Inside Texas]
The final tally resembled the result most expected, although it took Texas a little longer to get there. The team is still looking for a faster start, and that becomes all the more imperative with consecutive road games at Ole Miss and Oklahoma State.
"We look to make a statement every week no matter who the opponent is," said Diggs. "We just want to go out and play our game. If we play our game, we’ll be successful."
Grades are in. [Inside Texas]
But did we learn anything? [Inside Texas]
But coaches - and fans - like to spend much more time trying to solve perceived "issues" than enjoying what went well. Especially against a team like New Mexico, who clearly did not pose any threat at all to the Longhorns on Saturday night.
The most glaring of those issues might be on defense - which is hard to imagine, considering the Lobos scored as many points as a dead man Saturday night. But if we're asked to nitpick - and we are - let's start with this: the Longhorns must figure out why they are getting off to such slow starts defensively before playing the "real" teams on the schedule.
We have a shiny and fast new toy. [AAS]
Johnson predicted to Mike Davis that the first time he accepted a handoff or caught a pass, he would induce the Longhorn band to play the school's fight song. Because he would score a touchdown.
"I was joking," a smiling Johnson said after Saturday's 45-0 Texas victory over New Mexico. "Well, not really. But I guess I was right."
So, what's up with this? [ESPN Big 12 Blog]
Oddest performance: Malcolm Brown, RB, Texas. Brown's not exactly a bell cow, but he's the featured runner for the Longhorns. Mack Brown said Malcolm Brown was healthy, but the sophomore and Longhorns leading rusher a season ago carried the ball just two times for 5 yards on Saturday. Three other players, including QB David Ash and freshman RB Johnathan Gray, had more plays called for them. What's up there?
Mack Brown is about to pass Jim Tressel in coaching wins. [San Antonio Express-News]
Texas S Kenny Vaccaro said defense didn't get cupcakes, popsicles, nothing for its shutout. "Our reward is no points."[Twitter @kbohls]
Way too early bowl predictions has Texas at the Alamo Bowl. [CBS Sports]
The Horns need to limit the Rebel's big plays. [ESPN]
The buildup begins. [Clarion Ledger]
Ole Miss, 2-0 for the first time in four seasons and receiving votes (three) in the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches' Poll for the first time since 2010, will play host to No. 14 Texas on Saturday (8:15 p.m., ESPN).
It is a game that was going to be a big one regardless - not only does Texas possess a national brand, Ole Miss has not hosted a BCS-level nonconference opponent since Missouri in 2007.
Texas is acquainted with Ole Miss QB Bo Wallace. [Inside Texas]
BO KNOWS TEXAS, AND TEXAS KNOWS BO
Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace flirted with the idea of transferring from a junior college to the Longhorns, and the Longhorns returned a bit of a flirt as well, though it never materialized last spring. Now, as the starter for 2-0 Ole Miss, he'll face the team he considered. ''He can run it, and he can throw it, and he's 6-5 and 210 pounds,'' Brown said. ''He's a handful.''
Ole Miss wants this game for the recruiting advantage. [NEMS Daily Journal]
"I think it's a little early for us to say how big a game that really is," Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. "The thing that makes it big to us is recruiting. We'll be on a national stage, and we'll have an opportunity in front of a lot of people playing at that time to showcase Ole Miss, our stadium, our fans, the atmosphere here, the Grove."
Someone likes the Cyclones this week. [NewsOK]
Scott Drew hasn't been all over this guy? Former Gonzaga point guard is now Baylor's starting cornerback. [Ft. Worth Star-Telegram]
Congrats are in order? The Pokes set a record in their loss to Arizona. [NewsOK]
At one point Saturday night — and early in the third quarter — a Cowboys stat watch went out.
Not for so much offense, like in recent years.
For penalties.
Mike Gundy now has to fix the mistakes. [Tulsa World]
The Jayhawk dynamic duo wasn't so dynamic. [Lawrence Journal-World]
Two games into Crist’s one season as quarterback of KU’s rebuilding football program, the Weis/Crist air attack hasn’t gotten off the ground.
All Kansas needs is a little confidence. [SB Nation]
TCU's QBs had a perfect game on Saturday. [Ft. Worth Star-Telegram]
Saturday night at Amon G. Carter Stadium, the TCU players encountered a similar situation during the Horned Frogs' 56-0 win against Grambling State. TCU starting quarterback Casey Pachall played the first half and completed all nine of his passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns.
Backup quarterback Trevone Boykin then entered the game and was 8-for-8 passing to carry the streak through the fourth quarter.
Like coach, like QB. [Washington Post]
Collin Klein has yet to show up wearing old-school Nike Cortez kicks.
He hasn’t started referring to his Kansas State teammates as "youngsters," or dug up a wind jacket from the ‘93 Copper Bowl. His hairline isn’t backpedaling, his youthful face remains without wrinkle, and he doesn’t hike his up khakis to his ribcage, at least not in public.
In many other ways, though, he’s starting to resemble his wily old coach.
I'll take Rice just to watch the band every year. Two guys ruminate on adding Rice and UTEP to the Big 12. [Big 12 United]
This week the Big 12 is the best conference. [Pre-Snap Read]
More bad press for Tech basketball coach Billy Gillespie. [ESPN]
Texas Tech leading scorer Jordan Tolbert said Monday he doesn't want to play for Billy Gillispie if the coach returns from an extended medical leave.
"I don't," Tolbert said by phone. "I don't. Maybe I would for the assistants. I haven't put that much thought into it. There is a big sense of urgency. I don't want to play for him if he comes back."
Isn't this some sort of NCAA violation? Bob Stoops signed a football for 6-year old Sterling Shepard. [NewsOK]
The state of California could lead the way in changing scholarships for student-athletes. [Business of College Sports]
A groundbreaking bill known as the Student Athlete Bill of Rights is close to becoming law in California. The California Senate and Assembly both recently passed the bill and it currently awaits Governor Jerry Brown’s signature. Brown has not publicly given any indication as to whether he intends to sign it into law.
Is the SEC really that good? [SB Nation]
The Good, The Bad, The Sanctioned
Kent State just can't win this season. [Lost Lettermen]
Those University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill athletes taking no-show classes did not violate NCAA rules? [Inside Higher Ed]
Weltschmerz
Déjà vu, Aggies? [San Antonio Express-News]
The question has made its way around Aggieland the past two days: Did Texas A&M’s 20-17 loss to Florida, when the Aggies blew a double-digit lead, "feel" like last year? Last season, the Aggies blew five large second-half leads, a big reason why Mike Sherman is now the Miami Dolphins’ offensive coordinator and not coaching A&M for a fifth season.
Some argue Saturday’s game had a different vibe to it, but I’d argue that as long as the Aggies are blowing double-digit leads and A&M fans are leaving with their heads hung after being so happy in the first half, yeah, it feels exactly like last year.
Just step back from the ledge. [Good Bull Hunting]
There was some good news for the A&M after Saturday's game. [Dallas Morning News]
Damontre Moore had three sacks for 21 yards, while Spencer Nealy added two.
"One of our big concerns was our defensive line, and I thought we did a good job," said coach Kevin Sumlin. "Really, we made some critical stops in the fourth quarter to get them to punt the ball to give us a chance to tie the game or win it."
Texas Football Karma is a bitch. [Texas Football]
Aggies are like North Korea: they rewrite history as it suits their needs. [Rant Sports]
Aggies being Aggies.
And finally...
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