David Ash, Texas quarterback
McClatchy Tribune

Bowl positioning comes down to final week and three games

By Krista Pirtle
Sports Writer

With the removal of the Big 12 championship game after the exit of Colorado and Nebraska, this final week of games will decide which team earns the automatic BCS bid. Although only six teams are playing this week, all of them have earned bowl bids, making each matchup important for the Big 12 standings and potential bowl positions.

No. 22 Texas (7-4, 4-4) at No. 17 Baylor (8-3, 5-3)

Solid offense meets solid defense.

While the Baylor offense leads the Texas offense by a landslide, the opposite can be said for the Texas defense. The only ground where the two stand evenly is the rush game with senior Terrance Ganaway for Baylor and freshman Malcolm Brown from Texas.

Ganaway stepped up in big ways for Baylor last week, rushing for 4 yards short of a school record with 246 total. Texas’ Brown only rushed for 44 yards, but the Texas A&M front line does not usually offer holes big enough to run through.

The player that was highlighted in the Thanksgiving game was senior kicker Justin Tucker, who hit the game winning field goal from 40 yards out. For Baylor, sophomore kicker Aaron Jones has been hit or miss throughout the season. What matters is that he usually hits when the team most needs it.

On the Texas side of the game, the Longhorns need to figure out their offense. Brown might have some openings to run through but Texas should look to attack the secondary for success against Baylor. This will mean the Longhorns will need confidence in the pocket, something that sophomore Case McCoy has more of.

For the Bears, the defense needs to continue to improve. The line has done well penetrating the offensive line to sack the quarterback, and the cornerbacks have played with more passion later in the season and have read the offense well. Linebackers need to get more knowledge of who they’re facing in order to fill the gaps and make the tackle. As for the safeties, the speed and effort is there. They just need to have confidence in what they know about their opponent.

If Baylor wins, the Bears will secure a finish in the top four of the Big 12. If Texas wins, the Longhorns will be in a three-way tie for fourth with Baylor and Missouri.

No. 10 Oklahoma (9-2, 6-2) at No. 3 Oklahoma State (10-1, 7-1)

The Big 12 doesn’t have a conference championship game this year, but this matchup is most definitely the deciding factor of who the conference champion will be.

If Oklahoma wins, the Sooners should take hold of the title, making Oklahoma State second and Kansas State third. If Oklahoma State wins, the Cowboys could have a shot at the National Championship while Kansas State should finish second and Oklahoma will come in third.

This matchup features two high- profile quarterbacks in Oklahoma’s junior Landry Jones and Oklahoma State’s senior Brandon Weeden. Offensively, with the Sooners’ loss of senior wide receiver Ryan Broyles, they have struggled to find a true threat through the air. For the Cowboys, junior wide receiver Justin Blackmon provides a deadly target down the field.

On the opposite side of the ball, Oklahoma prevails over Oklahoma State. In the red zone, the Sooners have found more success in the past at 90 percent compared to the Cowboys’ 87.

For the Cowboys to find success defensively, they must blitz often to force Jones to move around in the pocket. Once he is forced in motion he is not as good as when his feet are confidently set.

For the Sooner defense, pressure is needed on Weeden, who has 12 interceptions on the season. Oklahoma has pulled in 13 interceptions in 2011. Oklahoma State beats that number by 10.

This game will most definitely be a shootout as both defenses try to slow down the prolific power offenses.

As long as the Cowboys can shut down Jones and the Sooner offense, they should be begging at the gates of the Superdome.

Iowa State (6-5, 3-5) at No. 11 Kansas State (9-2, 6-2)

The Wildcats should come away this weekend with a victory, ensuring them a top three finish in the conference and 10 wins for the season, the first time in eight years.

After a shaky start to the season, Kansas State rose beyond expectations, thanks to its junior quarterback Collin Klein.

Klein has rushed for 1,013 yards on the season and passed for 1,587. Individually he is responsible for 36 of Kansas State’s touchdowns.

As for Iowa State, the Cyclones should be happy they are bowl eligible. With a mid-season switch at quarterback from junior Steele Jantz to freshman Jared Barnett, Iowa State has put up a better fight against its opponents.

This fight, however, probably will not sustain a victory for the Cyclones against such a destructive offensive presence as Klein.

Missouri (7-5, 5-4)

The Tigers ended their season with a 3-game winning streak, including last week’s 24-10 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks at Arrowhead Stadium. Sophomore quarterback James Franklin threw for 187 yards and two touchdowns but also had three interceptions.

The game was Missouri’s final Big 12 matchup, as the Tigers will be heading to the SEC next season. Missouri currently ranks fourth in the Big 12, with its final position depending on whether Texas wins or loses against Baylor.

Texas A&M (6-6, 4-5)

The Aggies ended their final Big 12 season on a sour note, losing four of their last five games.

Last week, Texas A&M hosted the last Lone Star Showdown for the near future, losing to the Longhorns 27-25 on a last-second field goal.

Junior quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw for 224 yards and two touchdowns but also had three picks. Senior receiver Jeff Fuller had 107 receiving yards and a touchdown in the losing effort.

What began as a season with high hopes, as the Aggies were ranked in the top 10, has ended in mediocrity.

The Aggies will play one more game this season, as their blowout victory over Kansas two weeks ago made them bowl-eligible. They currently rank seventh in the Big 12, but could move down to eighth if Iowa State pulls an upset against Kansas State.

Texas Tech (5-7, 2-7)

The Red Raiders had their chance to become bowl eligible Saturday at Cowboys Stadium but were unable to out-score the RG3-less Baylor Bears, losing 66-42.

The loss was the last of a five-game streak for Texas Tech.

Junior quarterback Seth Doege threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns as well as two interceptions. His main target was sophomore Eric Ward had 151 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

Texas Tech ended the season ranked seventh in passing yards but 118th in points allowed.

Kansas (2-10, 0-9)

Rejoice Jayhawks fans; football season has come to a close and the main focus can now switch to basketball. After beating its first two nonconference opponents, Kansas lost its remaining 10 games, many by double-digit differences.

Its final loss was at the hands of rival Missouri 24-10. The only touchdown of the game for Kansas came on an interception return.

Head coach Turner Gill has been fired, giving the Jayhawks a clean slate for next season.

Weeden
Associated Press

Baylor, Oklahoma play on ABC; other teams seek bowl eligibility

By Krista Pirtle
Sports Writer

The Big 12 is on the national television stage once again as No. 22 Baylor battles No. 5 Oklahoma at 7 p.m. on ABC in Waco. Other things at stake for conference teams include bowl eligibility and national title game aspirations.

No. 2 Oklahoma State (10-0)

The Cowboys went to work against Texas Tech in Lubbock last weekend, dominating in a 66-6 victory.

Senior quarterback Brandon Weeden continued to impress as he threw for 423 yards and five touchdowns.

Both senior wide receiver Josh Cooper and junior wide receiver Justin Blackmon surpassed 100 receiving yards with 106 and 103 respectively.

Friday, Oklahoma State travels to Ames, Iowa, to take on Iowa State. A victory would clinch at least a share of the Big 12 title for the Cowboys.

A matchup against instate rival Oklahoma on Dec. 3 could tempt OSU to look beyond this weekend’s matchup. But with a bye week between now and the game against the Sooners, OSU should capitalize on the opportunity to practice in game situations.

No. 5 Oklahoma (8-1)

The Sooners come off a bye week ready to finish out its conference schedule without senior wide receiver Ryan Broyles.

Because Stanford and Boise State were defeated last weekend, Oklahoma has re-entered the conversation for the national championship. All the Sooners have to do is end their season 3-0 against Baylor, Iowa State and Oklahoma State.

Before two weeks ago, this might not have seemed to difficult a task, but without Broyles, things look different. However, Oklahoma has depth.

After the week off, Oklahoma should be prepared for the end of conference play.

No. 13 Kansas State (8-2)

The Wildcats edged out Texas A&M last weekend through four overtimes, 53-50, in Manhattan, Kan.

Junior quarterback Collin Klein continued to impress with his running game rather than his arm. Klein threw for 28 yards and a touchdown, while his feet brought him 103 yards and five touchdowns.

This weekend, Kansas State travels to Austin to take on Texas.

Offensively, Klein should continue to dominate on the ground. Defensively, the Wildcats should look to defend the run game as the Longhorns’ passing is not a big threat.

No. 22 Baylor (6-3)

After a 31-30 win at Kansas in an unforeseen overtime, the Bears are bowl eligible for the second straight season, the first time since the 1991 and 1992 seasons. Junior quarterback Robert Griffin III led the attack in the air and on the ground with 312 passing yards with three touchdowns and 103 yards rushing with a touchdown.

Sophomore wide receiver Tevin Reese continued to lead the way for the Baylor receivers with 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The Bears better step it up from last week’s performance as Oklahoma comes to town. Baylor has never defeated Oklahoma.

With Broyles out, this could be the season, but the Bears have to play defense and finish their offensive drives.

No 23 Texas (6-3)

The Longhorns were upset on the road last weekend by Missouri, 17-5.

Freshman quarterback David Ash continued to throw more interceptions than touchdowns with one interception and no touchdown passes against the Tigers.

This weekend against Kansas State, Texas needs to focus on two big issues: containing the Wildcats’ quarterback and making something happen offensively through the air.

Yes, Texas is bowl eligible, but more is expected of it as the conference season comes to a close.

Iowa State (5-4)

Fresh off a bye week, the Cyclones look to stun Oklahoma State in Ames on Friday.

Iowa State has improved its ground game, rushing for 619 yards in the last two games.

The Cyclones rank second in the conference with 217.3 passing yards allowed per game. Oklahoma State’s Weeden will definitely put the secondary to the test, though.

Unfortunately for the Cyclones, OSU has only strengthened since the beginning of the season, with few imperfections visible to the eye of the average fan.

Kansas (2-8)

After blowing a 24-3 lead in the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Jayhawks took the defeat by Baylor last weekend in Lawrence, Kan.

Kansas’ pass game was shut down as sophomore quarterback Jordan Webb threw for only 108 yards with a single touchdown and three interceptions.

The ground game was what put the Jayhawks ahead with a total of 296 rush yards.

The only chance Kansas has on the road this weekend is if A&M overlooks them and becomes too confident.

Other than that, Jayhawk fans looking toward basketball season are still upset about the 10-point loss to Kentucky at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

Missouri (5-5)

The Tigers came back from a road loss at Baylor to upset Texas.

Sophomore quarterback James Franklin threw for 186 yards with 74 of them to junior wide receiver T.J. Moe, but none of his passes resulted in a touchdown.

Franklin’s feet got Missouri one touchdown while junior running back Kendial Lawrence added another and 106 yards.

Missouri returns home this weekend to host the unpredictable Red Raiders, who haven’t been on their A-game since the big upset over Oklahoma.

If Texas Tech continues to get run over through four quarters, the Tigers could very well be bowl eligible.

Texas A&M (5-5)

Through four overtimes, the Aggies fell short to Missouri.

Senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw for only 210 yards, a trio of touchdowns and an interception.

The loss of junior running back Christine Michael presented senior running back Cyrus Gray with more opportunities as he accumulated 218 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Despite preseason hype, A&M has yet to be bowl eligible. That will probably happen this weekend as it hosts Kansas.

If the Aggies aren’t careful, though, the Jayhawks could pull an upset in College Station.

Texas Tech (5-5)

With its only score coming in the beginning of the third quarter, Texas Tech got humiliated at home 66-6 by Oklahoma State.

Junior quarterback Seth Doege threw for only 169 yards and an interception on the evening.

With only two games left in conference play, the Red Raiders need to get a win to see the light of a bowl game.

If its current sloppy state has become the style of play, Texas Tech might miss bowl eligibility for the first time since 2000. The Red Raiders travel to Columbia, Mo. to face Missouri at 2:30 p.m. on ABC.

STILLWATER, Okla. — Robert Griffin III gave Baylor plenty of chances against No. 3 Oklahoma State.

The Bears missed every one.

In a frustrating first half, Griffin led the offense deep into Cowboys territory on five straight drives, and not one resulted in points.

The result was a 59-24 blowout loss that was more lopsided on the scoreboard than it was on the field. Coach Art Briles found just the right word to describe it.

“Sickening comes to mind because you know how important it is to punch it in in that situation,” he said. “It’s not like you are going to pitch a shutout game against them but you certainly better match scores when you have opportunities and we didn’t.”

The Bears (4-3, 1-3 Big 12) were stuffed on fourth-and-1 twice, including on the goal line on their opening drive, and Justin Gilbert picked off one of Griffin’s passes in the end zone on third-and-goal from the 5. Aaron Jones also continued his struggles, missing a 48-yard field goal.

“The score is crazy,” running back Terrance Ganaway said. “It looks lopsided but … if we don’t have any turnovers and finish in the red zone, it’s a whole new ballgame. That’s what we have to work on. We have to make sure we’re taking care of the ball and playing smart.”

Griffin threw for 425 yards to end up 5 shy of his career best set last week. In a matchup of two of the nation’s top three offenses, the Bears’ second-ranked attack outgained Oklahoma State’s third-ranked unit 622-601 but the scoreboard was lopsided the opposite way.

The Bears got inside the Oklahoma State 35-yard line on each of their first five drives and then found a way to give the ball back without getting any points.

Baylor didn’t get into the end zone until the first play of the fourth quarter, when Ganaway’s 18-yard scamper made it 49-10.

Before that, it was one failure after another. The Bears snapped the ball 14 times inside the 5-yard line before finally getting into the end zone for Griffin’s 1-yard sneak for the final score.

“We’re certainly working on that phase of our game like everybody, but when you get down in the red zone, the field gets smaller and everything happens at a faster pace and yards are tougher,” Briles said.

Joseph Randle set career-highs by running for 152 yards and four touchdowns and Justin Blackmon matched his career best with 13 catches for 172 yards and two scores to lead the Cowboys’ offense.

Brodrick Brown recovered two fumbles, and Daytawion Lowe and Gilbert had interceptions as the Cowboys (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) forced five turnovers.

That’s nothing new for the Pokes.

OSU came into the game ranked 103rd in the nation in yards allowed — easily the worst of the eight remaining undefeated teams — but has consistently found ways to get critical stops when needed. The Pokes lead the nation in turnover margin and added to their Bowl Subdivision lead in interceptions by picking off their 16th and 17th of the season.

Glasco Martin also fumbled inside the 1-yard line in the third quarter, setting up Oklahoma State’s second 99-yard touchdown drive of the game.

“They didn’t want to give anything up,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “We talk to them all the time about fighting right ’til the end.”

The Cowboys started a season with eight straight wins for only the second time in school history. The other time was in 1945, when they finished the season 9-0, won the Sugar Bowl and were ranked fifth in the final poll.

“It’s a sweet feat,” said quarterback Brandon Weeden, who had 274 yards passing and three touchdowns without any interceptions.

“But last year we were talking about winning 11 games and how exciting that was, and we’re not there yet. We’ve still got a lot left on our plate.”

To start the game, Griffin drove the Bears 68 yards with relative ease to set up first-and-goal at the 2. Three running plays later, they had only made it to the 1 and Briles decided to give it to Ganaway once more.

“For us, it’s just pride right there. There’s no space to worry about. It’s just you versus that guy in front of you,” OSU safety Markelle Martin said.

“So for us, it’s that battle that you want every day. You don’t have to worry about nothing else, just you and the guy in front of you.”

The Cowboys, who’ve been hearing the increasing noise that they can’t win a BCS title with a 100th-ranked defense, won that battle over and over again.

“We wanted to go out and prove that we are a good defense,” Martin said. “I think that fire was lit and we all shined and had fun.”

Randle, who also scored four total touchdowns last week, ran for TDs from 2, 62 and 7 yards as the Cowboys built up a 35-0 halftime lead. He then followed Brown’s 47-yard fumble return by scoring from 7 yards out early in the third quarter.

Blackmon, an All-American last season, returned after missing the second half of last week’s game with a head injury to catch TD passes from 2 and 8 yards. Weeden’s other scoring pass was an 18-yarder to fullback Kye Staley, who had given up the game entirely after a serious knee injury and got into the end zone for the first time in his comeback.

Terrance Williams caught eight passes for a career-high 154 yards, including a 72-yard fourth-quarter touchdown, and Kendall Wright had 117 yards on 11 receptions as Baylor lost in Stillwater for the 10th straight time and fell to 1-15 against OSU in Big 12 play.

No. 5 freshman receiver Antwan Goodley runs with the ball during the Bears’ last game, at Texas A&M. The team has high hopes for winning on the road this week against Oklahoma State.
Ambika Singh | Lariat Photographer

By Daniel Wallace
Staff Writer

The Bears will look to do something this weekend on the football field they have not done since 1939. That feat would be coming out of Stillwater, Okla. with a victory. The Bears (4-2, 1-2), will battle the No. 3 overall ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-0, 4-0) at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla.

The Bears have had an extra week to prepare for the explosive Cowboys, as they are coming off their second bye week of the season. According to head coach Art Briles, the bye week came at an ideal time during the season.

“We’re ready to get back and put our trade to work,” he said. “The bye week came at a really good time for us, from a mental standpoint and physically.”

During the bye week, the Bears’ offense focused on red zone and first down efficiency.

Junior quarterback Robert Griffin III said the extra week off helped him relax without the stress of playing a football game.

He said he is confident that both sides of the ball will work together this week to knock off the number three team in the nation.

“I’m looking forward to seeing us play well, as a team, not just as an offense and going out and getting a victory,” Griffin said. “There’s no doubt in my mind we can beat them.”

On the defensive side, the Bears’ emphasized making stops on third downs, and also made a personnel switch, which saw junior cornerback Chance Casey move to the safety position.

Briles said the reason for the change was to add more depth and quickness at the position and thought it fit Casey’s skill level very well.

Griffin said he is excited about the added speed to the secondary and the improvement Casey’s move brings to the team.

“It’s good to have him back there,” Griffin said. “Hopefully he gets comfortable and can help us in this game immediately and we’ll feel his impact because they like to spread it put and throw it around a lot. You need guys at safety that can cover like him.”

Oklahoma State’s high-octane offense is lead by senior quarterback Brandon Weeden and junior wide receiver Justin Blackmon. Briles said he has been impressed by Weeden’s maturity level and his spot-on throws during the ballgame.

“He’s real accurate with the football. He’s not a panic guy. That comes from maturity and the experience he has had with his athletic career,” Briles said, “They protect him well schematically. He gets the ball out of his hands; they don’t ask him to do things he does not feel comfortable doing. They run the ball well enough to keep pressure off him.”

Briles added what impresses him the most about Blackmon is that he does his job and goes onto the next play. He also described him as a hustler who works hard and is self-motivated.

Weeden and Blackmon have hooked up for eight scores in seven games, and Weeden has thrown 11 more touchdowns to receivers not named Blackmon, piling up 2,436 yards.

The Cowboys’ electric Weeden-to-Blackmon combination does not worry sophomore safety, K.J. Morton, who will have his hands full covering Blackmon and the rest of the Cowboys’ speedy receivers.

Morton said he is excited to showcase his skills against an offense known for piling up yards and scoring multiple touchdowns.

“I know that I will have a challenge but I love a challenge,” he said. “That’s why I came to Baylor, to get to play those type of receivers. I’m very excited and I’m staying up late and doing all the extra stuff that I can do to be well-prepared for this game.”

Senior running back Terrance Ganaway said great teams win on the road and the Bears’ consider themselves a great team. He, along with senior wide receiver Kendall Wright, is confident in the defensive unit’s plan to stop the Cowboys’ offense and believes the Bears’ can come out on top.

“With the season we have going, we can beat anybody,” Wright said. “All we have to do is cover every play. I think we can go to Stillwater and beat them this year.”

Baylor’s high-powered offense has been well-documented as well, and Robert Griffin III will continue his pursuit of the Heisman Trophy on Saturday. He will receive help in the running game as Baylor is the only FBS school averaging 300 yards passing and 200 yards rushing.

The battle in Stillwater will kick off at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and will be televised nationally on ABC.

Texas Tech's No. 7 quarterback Seth Doege works upfield against Kansas State's Tre Walker during a college football game in Lubbock on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011.
Associated Press

Wildcats square off with Sooners in Top 10 matchup

By Krista Pirtle
Sports Writer

Baylor (4-2)

The Bears return to the gridiron Saturday to play Oklahoma State in the Cowboys’ homecoming game. Baylor entered its second bye week of the season with a loss to rival Texas A&M.

The offense never seemed to click well as the Aggie secondary was never truly attacked and the run game was shut down from every angle.

The defense, however, left much to be desired. With some changes to the lineup, like junior Chance Casey from cornerback to safety to bring speed to the secondary, hopefully things begin to click better than they have been.

The secondary will be the main focus of attack by the Cowboys with quarterback Weeden. Stopping him will be the key for Baylor.

Iowa State (3-4)

The Cyclones couldn’t keep their early momentum rolling against Texas A&M, losing 17-33.

Due to an ankle injury, junior quarterback Steele Jantz was replaced soon after the coin toss by freshman Jared Barnett who passed for 180 yards and led the rush game with 66 yards.

As a whole, the offense totaled its lowest number of yards with 305.

This week, Iowa State travels to an ecstatic Texas Tech team. The Cyclone secondary will have to step up its game against Tech quarterback Doege who favored the pass over the run in last week’s victory.

For the offense, Iowa State needs to adjust to the play calling of Barnett instead of Jantz. The stability in the offense has been shaken and is in need of some stability if it wants to win a conference game, other than against Kansas.

Kansas (2-5)

The Jayhawk offense had its best game of the season, compiling 466 yards for the evening in a 21-59 loss to in-state rival Kansas State.

After suffering back-to-back 600 yard games allowed by the defense, it shut the Kansas State offense down to 466, its lowest allowed in conference play.

Saturday the Jayhawks travel to Austin to face the Texas Longhorns. Defensively, Kansas should focus on stopping the run game that has been improved upon by Texas running back Brown.

Offensively, Kansas needs to pray for some lucky breaks against an average Texas defense.

Kansas State (7-0)

The Wildcats played their second straight game without a single turnover and recorded their highest offensive yard game all season at 466.

It’s no surprise that 261 of those yards are on the ground with 92 from junior quarterback Collin Klein.

Klein accounted for five of the Wildcat touchdowns, one in the air and four on the ground.

Saturday afternoon the Wildcats host an angry Oklahoma team, whose road record is not the best but due to last week’s upset, the Sooners will enter the stadium ready to play, not with their heads down and tails between their legs.

The key for the Wildcats is to contain the secondary attacks made by the Sooners.

On the offensive side of the ball, Kansas State needs to read the weaknesses.

Oklahoma has never been consistently dominant against the run game or in the backfield so it is up to the judgment of Klein to command his troops efficiently.

Missouri (2-5)

The Tigers remain winless in conference play and hope to find one before the Nov. 26 matchup against Kansas.

Last week the Tigers committed a season high four turnovers, a key factor in the 24-45 loss to Oklahoma State.

Sophomore quarterback James Franklin led the offense to a total of 463 offensive yards with 184 yards, a touchdown and a trio of interceptions.

Saturday Mizzou heads down to College Station to face the 12th Man of Texas A&M.

There’s not much this team can do in practice to prepare for the type of environment it will be playing in this weekend.

If the Tigers aren’t careful, Aggie quarterback Tannehill will connect with Swope multiple times for a handful of touchdowns like he did against Baylor.

Oklahoma (6-1)

Not many people would have predicted Texas Tech to hand the Sooners a loss, 38-41.

However, when receivers have popcorn butter hands and the defense seems off, it doesn’t matter the national ranking or the name on your jersey.

Oklahoma allowed 572 yards with 452 of them passing for Tech.

Vengeance will be the name of the game Saturday against Kansas State.

Last week, OU received its first loss at home, and this weekend provides the opportunity for the Sooners to return the favor to the Wildcats.

The only other game this season the Oklahoma defense allowed over 500 yards to an opponent was the close call to Missouri 38-28.

The Sooners should shake out of the funk that enveloped them last weekend and get back to playing the football they are known for.

Oklahoma State (7-0)

After a sound defeat at Missouri for the Tigers’ homecoming, 45-24, the Cowboys return to Stillwater, for their homecoming against Baylor.

Last weekend featured an average offensive game for Oklahoma State with a total of 533 offensive yards for the evening.

Senior quarterback Brandon Weeden passed for 338 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.

Junior wide receiver Justin Blackmon left the game in the second half as a precaution for concussion like symptoms.

There has been no confirmation on his status for Saturday’s game.

With a solid defense to showcase the explosiveness of its offense, the Cowboys have a good chance to hold off the threat of Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Texas (4-2)

The Longhorns rested up last weekend and prepared for the remainder of their season.

Throughout these two weeks without a game, the outlook on who will start as quarterback still has yet to be decided.

Freshman David Ash received the start in the last game against Oklahoma State while sophomore Case McCoy stood on the sidelines with a head set on.

The Jayhawks pose a miniscule offensive threat to the Texas defense and the Texas offense should be able to do pretty much whatever it wants.

For Texas this will be a game that will most likely bring the Longhorns to something that eluded them last season: bowl eligibility.

Texas A&M (5-1)

The Aggie defense stepped up its game allowing only 305 yards to Iowa State, winning in Ames 33-17.

The first quarter featured a murky Aggie team, resulting from either overlooking the competition or the travel time to Iowa.

Either way, the Aggies managed to pull it together and leave with the win.

Running backs junior Christine Michael and senior Cyrus Gray combined for 267 yards and a touchdown.

Senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw for 263 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Saturday the Aggies host Mizzou, a game that with the help of the 12th Man, should be over by the end of the first quarter, making Texas A&M bowl eligible.

Texas Tech (5-2)

No one could have seen that coming. The longest home win streak in the nation was snapped by the Red Raiders in Norman with a 41-38 victory over Oklahoma. Junior quarterback Seth Doege was on point, leading his squad to a total of 572 offensive yards.

The Tech defense allowed over 400 yards to the pass game of Oklahoma quarterback Jones.

After facing Jones’ talent, the fresh arm of Iowa State’s Steele Jantz shouldn’t bring a problem to the Red Raiders.

One thing that could hold Tech back is looking past the Cyclones to Texas next week. If they don’t take this seriously, Iowa State could upset them with a dose of their own medicine.

Landry Jones - Junior quarterback
Associated Press

Conference sees lopsided matchups and byes this weekend

By Krista Pirtle
Sports Writer

The Big 12 lacks a marquee matchup this weekend, with ranked teams facing unranked teams and two teams on bye.

3 Oklahoma (6-0, 3-0)

It was an offensive showcase in Kansas last weekend as the Sooners ran over the Jayhawks 47-17.

Junior quarterback Landry Jones threw for 363 yards and a trio of touchdowns, two of them to senior receiver Ryan Broyles who accumulated 217 yards.

The run game was just as impressive, led by junior running back Dominique Whaley with 165 yards.

The Sooners hope to repeat this offensive dominance against Texas Tech this weekend.

The Sooner defense allowed only 252 yards to Kansas; Texas Tech is more of a threat than Kansas is, however.

With the Red Raiders’ lead running back injured, Oklahoma needs to focus on secondary coverage.

Texas Tech (4-2, 1-2)

The Red Raiders are coming off of two disappointing losses, most recently a 34-41 rollercoaster to Kansas State.

Offensively, Texas Tech was on fire with a total of 580 yards.

Junior quarterback Seth Doege threw for 461 yards for a touchdown with three interceptions.

The run game was led by senior running back Aaron Crawford with 91 yards and a touchdown.

With all this firepower on offense, how did Texas Tech lose?

The team allowed 339 total yards to Kansas State.

This weekend will prove this point.

Doege has put up impressive numbers as the season has progressed, but those numbers don’t mean much when the defense allows big plays by the other team.

If the Red Raiders couldn’t contain Kansas State junior quarterback Collin Klein, then it has no hope of containing Oklahoma’s Jones.

11 Kansas State (6-0, 3-0)

The Wildcats find themselves in a surprising position: undefeated, bowl eligible and tied for first in the Big 12.

Kansas State hopes to keep this trend rolling as it faces in-state rival Kansas in the Sunflower Showdown on Saturday.

Last weekend, the Wildcats pulled off a close one against Texas Tech 41-34.

Junior quarterback Collin Klein’s stats continue to get more impressive as no one has succeeded in stopping him.

He was responsible for four touchdowns last weekend: one was in the air with his 146 passing yards while the other three were on the ground as part of his 110 rushing yards.

Surprisingly with this offensive power in Klein, the Wildcats did not score until 4:55 left in the half.

Either something wasn’t working right for Kansas State or Texas Tech was playing solid defense.

It would be a surprise if the Wildcats didn’t finish this weekend with a 7-0 record and a win against Kansas.

Kansas (2-4, 0-3)

Conference play is never easy or nice for the Jayhawks during football season.

Kansas learned why there is so much hype surrounding Oklahoma, losing to the Sooners 17-47.

Sophomore quarterback Jordan Webb couldn’t overcome the dominant Sooner defense as he threw for only 108 yards.

Other than that, there’s not much else to tell about the Jayhawks.

Its defense is still lacking in all areas, allowing 610 yards to OU.

The in-state rivalry game with Kansas State will bring a crowd.

The one positive thing for the Jayhawks last weekend was Midnight Madness, signaling the beginning of basketball season.

4 Oklahoma State (6-0, 3-0)

The Cowboys held off a determined Longhorns squad to come out on top 38-26 last weekend in Austin.

Oklahoma State was able to thrive without much help from its star quarterback senior Brandon Weeden, who passed for a season low 218 yards and a touchdown.

Sophomore cornerback Justin Gilbert helped out the offense with a kickoff return for a touchdown, the fourth of his career, setting a school record.

Offensively, the Cowboys are second in the nation.

Defensively, this team is not too shabby, forcing 17 turnovers in its last four games.

This weekend Oklahoma State travels to take on a confident Missouri team.

If the defense can shake up Missouri quarterback sophomore James Franklin, OSU should have no problem ending the weekend 7-0.

Missouri (3-3, 1-2)

Young quarterback Franklin is showing more confidence in the pocket as he led his team to a 52-17 win against the Iowa State Cyclones.

Franklin was responsible for five touchdowns: three were in the air with his 289 passing yards and another pair was found on the ground with his 84 rushing yards.

Sophomore tailback Henry Josey continues to lead his team’s ground attack as he racked up 129 yards last weekend.

It is debatable whether the 583 offensive yards were due to a growing Tiger offense or a less than exceptional Iowa State defense.

Missouri extended its home winning streak to 10. The Tigers look to make that 11 straight facing Oklahoma State this Saturday.

In order to do that, the defense needs to step up its game.

The multifaceted Cowboy offense just might be more than the Tigers can handle.

Iowa State (3-3, 0-3)

The Cyclones struggled offensively against a strengthening Missouri team last weekend 17-52.

As a whole, Iowa State recorded only 343 offensive yards on the evening.

A mere 161 passing yards by junior quarterback Steele Jantz earned him a seat on the bench during the game.

In its next game, against Texas A&M, there is a question as to whether Jantz will start or if redshirt freshman Jared Barnett will take the first snap.

This weekend’s match-up will not be a pleasant one for a Cyclone team that has allowed many sacks.

Texas A&M averages four sacks per game.

There is not much Iowa State can do, realistically, to beat the Aggies.

The Cyclones would have to spread out its offensive attack, looking to run slants into the holes of the A&M defense.

On the other side of the ball, the Cyclones’ coverage would have to improve tremendously.

The only realistic advice that can be given to Iowa State is to really warm up and stretch out its punter.

17 Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1)

The Aggies let Baylor have it last weekend in College Station, defeating the Bears soundly 55-28.

Parents of players chose a great game to attend as Texas A&M broke many school records.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw for 415 yards and a career best six touchdowns.

Wide receiver junior Ryan Swope caught for 206 of those and a career best four touchdowns.

After struggling to finish a game this season, the Aggies finally played all four quarters against Baylor.

The Aggie blitz shut down the Bears’ rushing game, allowing only 50 yards on the afternoon.

This weekend, the Aggies travel to Ames to face the Cyclones.

After the offense peaked last weekend, Texas A&M looks to improve on those numbers throughout the rest of the season.

Defensively, the secondary still leaves much to be desired and the middle of the defense needs to strengthen its coverage during blitzes.

Baylor (4-2, 1-2)

Trying to run the ball through closed lanes and screen passes for a gain of a single yard led to an upsetting loss to Texas A&M last weekend at Kyle Field 55-28.

Even with the blitz that seemed to catch the Bears’ offense off-guard, junior quarterback Robert Griffin III played past his five sacks and pass for 430 yards, a trio of touchdowns and one interception.

Junior wide receiver Terrance Williams emerged as the favorite target with 146 yards and a touchdown.

With the powerful Aggie blitz, the Bears tried to run it through the line and into the gap in midfield.

However, four big defensive linemen from A&M didn’t like that idea.

So Baylor flirted with the screen pass many times but didn’t gain much from the idea.

The Bears went deep only a handful of times against the worst passing defense in the nation.

Baylor could have gone deep all night, but slants were wide open with the Aggie blitz.

Defensively, Baylor was impressive in the first quarter, but then it all fell apart the rest of the game.

Coverage was blown and defenders failed to wrap up as it allowed 681 yards to the Aggies.

The Bears have this weekend off to rethink offensive schemes and strengthen the defense.

24 Texas (4-2, 1-2)

The Longhorns lost a battle to Oklahoma State last weekend 26-38.

Freshman quarterback David Ash played the whole game as sophomore quarterback Case McCoy stood on the sidelines with a headset.

Ash ended up throwing for 139 yards and a pair of interceptions.

Freshman running back Malcolm Brown continued to make a name for himself with two touchdowns and 135 rush yards.

Defensively, the Longhorns learned from the beating they took from the Sooners two weeks ago and seemed to have more control over the Oklahoma State offense, but that could be due to the fact that Weeden was off his game.

Texas had a trio of turnovers, a number that needs to be cut down as the team is desperate to be bowl eligible. The Longhorns have this week off to heal and reconvene for both sides of the ball.

Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma senior wide receiver
Associated Press

Baylor, A&M meet for ‘Battle;’ Longhorns hope to rebound

By Krista Pirtle
Sports Writer

Battle of the Brazos

If the rivalry wasn’t heated enough, throw in the conference realignment fiasco that took place in September.
Kyle field threatens a hostile environment for Baylor, but the Bears are ready for the Aggies.
Last year in Waco, Baylor led at the half, but the Aggies’ defense blanked the Bear offense in the second half, pulling away with a win.
This match up will definitely be offensive; the defenses will be the key factors.
Texas A&M’s zone and Baylor’s new technique will add an interesting twist to this go hard or go home battle in College Station.

20 Baylor (4-1)

After a first half plagued with unfinished drives and two fumbles, Baylor put it together and defeated Iowa State 49-26.
The Cyclone secondary’s main focus was to shut down the Bear pass game but left the middle wide open in return, leaving senior running back Terrance Ganaway plenty of room to rack up 200 yards and three touchdowns.
This week that rush game will most likely be shut down by the Aggie defensive front that has not allowed over 150 rush yards this season.
However, its zone defense offers plenty of room for slant routes by receivers and the occasional post route.

21 Texas A&M (3-2)

The Aggies were almost upset again in the second half, but they held off the resilient Texas Tech Red Raiders 45-40. That game, Texas A&M sought to mix up its offensive scheme, favoring the run game over the pass.
Offensively, A&M only acquired 393 offensive yards on the evening while allowing 523.
If Texas A&M thought Oklahoma State’s quarterback Brandon Weeden gave it problems, it isn’t ready for the explosiveness of Baylor’s Robert Griffin III.
The Aggie zone must strengthen its coverage to handle the Bears’ hurry up offense.
Texas A&M might want to play all four quarters in this game, not just the first two.

Kansas State (5-0)

Kansas State is off to its best start in 11 years, remaining undefeated this past week by holding off Missouri 24-17.
The Wildcats’ defense is improving, as it held the Tigers to 326 offensive yards.
Junior quarterback Collin Klein was the only Kansas State player to score a touchdown with three on the ground.
His arm still lacks much threat as he only threw for 126 yards and an interception.
His leading receiver was junior Chris Harper with 37 yards.
Saturday, the Wildcats must strengthen their passing threat and look to defend the Red Raiders’.

Texas Tech (4-1)

After an upsetting 45-40 loss to Texas A&M, the Red Raiders are craving the sweet taste of victory.
Unfortunately, junior running back Eric Stephens, who led Tech with 102 rush yards and a touchdown, dislocated his left knee and will be out the rest of the season.
With the promising arm of junior quarterback Seth Doege, passing has become more of a threat, but now the Tech run game could easily be scoffed at.
Tech has won the last five matchups against Kansas State.
By stopping the Wildcats’ run game and creating one of its own, the Red Raiders could hand Kansas State its first loss of the season.

Iowa State (3-2)

The Cyclones are still searching for their first conference win.
Last weekend, Baylor’s mistakes were the only things keeping them in the game the first half.
After that, Iowa State’s defensive line was dominated, resulting in a 26-19 loss.
The Cyclones succeeded in shutting down the Baylor pass game, but allowed 395 rush yards.
To beat Missouri, Iowa State must solidify its defense while cooperating offensively under the direction of quarterback Steele Jantz.

Missouri (2-3)

The Tigers are on the prowl for their first conference win after losing a close one in Manhattan to Kansas State 24-17.
Not one running back or receiver truly rose to the challenge as they all failed to reach the 100-yard mark.
However, sophomore quarterback James Franklin is getting comfortable in the pocket, throwing for 214 yards last Saturday.
To be successful against Iowa State, Missouri must stop quarterback Steele Jantz.
Offensively, the Tigers have great potential; they just need to step it up.
Franklin must establish a pass threat to spread the Cyclone defense then hand it off to a running back to attack the middle.

Kansas (2-3)

It’s right about now that Jayhawk fans are ready for basketball season.
Last weekend, the Oklahoma State Cowboys stampeded over Kansas 70-28.
Its defense adjusted to not allowing an extreme amount of rush yards like it did against Georgia Tech, but it seemed like the Jayhawks forgot about OSU quarterback Brandon Weeden.
Kansas sophomore quarterback Jordan Webb made use of his arm with 316 yards and two touchdowns.
However, four turnovers consisting of a pair of fumbles and interceptions each only added to the OSU advantage.
Saturday, the competition heightens against Oklahoma.
The Jayhawks can depend on its basketball team to get revenge in the winter.

3 Oklahoma (5-0)

The Sooners remain undefeated after slaughtering the Longhorns 55-17.
Junior quarterback Landry Jones continued to impress with 367 yards and three touchdowns.
His favored target, senior wide receiver Ryan Broyles, caught for 122 yards and a trip to the end zone.
Since head coach Bob Stoops has been there, Oklahoma is 12-0 in games immediately following the Red River Rivalry.
Plus, Kansas has the worst defense in the nation.
Since the Missouri scare earlier this season, the Sooners are sure not to overlook this competition.
This game will allow the bench to be cleared for Oklahoma and the starters to get a well-deserved break.
Oklahoma needs to have better blocking on offense and coverage on defense.
Against Kansas, these things will assuredly be worked on.

22 Texas (4-1)

If you look at Bevo now, you might see the OU logo branded on him.
Why? Well, the 55-17 defeat last weekend to the Sooners should explain.
The duo of quarterbacks, sophomore Case McCoy and freshman David Ash, could not seem to catch a break as McCoy had a fumble and Ash threw two interceptions.
The offense only recorded 259 yards on the afternoon while allowing 453 by Oklahoma.
If the Texas defense could not control the pair of Sooners Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon will prove difficult.
But Longhorn fans can rest assured that the whole nation will not watch a disaster unfold; just those subscribed to the Longhorn Network.

6 Oklahoma State (5-0)

The Cowboys dominated Kansas with a 70-28 victory last weekend.
Senior quarterback Brandon Weeden recorded 288 yards with five touchdowns.
The duo of wide receivers, senior Hubert Anyiam and junior Justin Blackmon, recorded a pair of touchdowns with 85 and 84 yards respectively.
However, the question arises as to how Kansas scored 28 points.
The Cowboys play Texas next. If Oklahoma State is not careful, the Austin crowd can propel the pair of young Texas quarterbacks to make big plays.
Post routes will be most successful for the Cowboys. If OSU maintains its coverage, herding the Longhorns should be no problem.

By Krista Pirtle
Sports Writer

2 Oklahoma (3-0)

LSU bumped the Sooners from its No. 1 ranking this week, due in part to the wake-up call it received from Missouri.

The Oklahoma defense allowed 532 yards to the young Tiger offense. Its offense, however, saw some struggle, as junior quarterback Landry Jones threw two interceptions. After the first quarter, the Sooners woke up and were ready to play ball.

This week, Oklahoma takes a break from conference play to face Ball State, a sure win to boost its confidence before heading to Dallas for the Red River Rivalry next week.

5 Oklahoma State (4-0)

The Cowboys silenced Kyle Field as they narrowly defeated Texas A&M 30-29.

Despite only 46 rush yards, OSU found the hole in the Aggie zone, running slants over the middle to reach 438 receiving yards. Weeden commanded his troops diligently with 438 yards and two touchdowns. Blackmon was a favored target with 121 yards and a touchdown. Senior wide receiver Josh Cooper stepped up to catch for 123 yards.

Oklahoma State can now relax for a week after such a highly anticipated game before it hosts Kansas next week.

14 Texas A&M (2-1)

The Aggies were celebrating on Monday. Not because of their one-point loss to Oklahoma State, a game in which A&M rolled over in the second half with a total of four turnovers, three of which happened in the third quarter on consecutive drives.

No, it was celebrating its official acceptance in the SEC. Perfect timing too, as Texas A&M heads to Dallas to face SEC member Arkansas (3-1). The Razorbacks are fresh off a loss to No. 3 Alabama 38-14.

People thought the Aggies would prove their talent was worthy of the SEC against OSU. The timing and opponent will provide the perfect setting for the Aggies’ first game against an SEC opponent after their announcement of leaving the Big 12.

15 Baylor (3-0)

Baylor is looking to go 4-0 for the first time since 1991.

Last weekend, the offense showed depth and diversity with five different receivers catching for touchdowns. Robert Griffin III added to his Heisman-caliber numbers with 338 yards and six total touchdowns, five passing and one rushing, leading the offense to 673 total yards.

Nationwide, the Bears are No. 2 in yards per game with 594 and No. 3 in scoring 51 points per game. The defense will really need to step it up from the sloppy coverage last week. The only defensive gem was a 55-yard pick six by nickelback Ahmad Dixon.

Baylor has never won in Manhattan, Kan., and is looking to change that as the Bears face their first road contest of the season against Kansas State.

17 Texas (3-0)

The bitter taste of revenge is in the mouths of the Longhorns this week as Texas heads to Ames, Iowa, to take on Iowa State.

Out of the seven losses the Longhorns suffered last season, the 28-21 upset in Austin by the Cyclones stands against the others for the Longhorn. After the game, Texas head coach Mack Brown openly questioned the knowledge of his coaching staff and the passion of his players.

This year, sophomore quarterback Case McCoy is beginning to shape up like his brother Colt, who now plays for the Cleveland Browns.

The atmosphere at Iowa State should be electric as the Cyclones are hungry to beat the Horns for the second season in a row, something Mack Brown and company hope won’t happen.

Texas Tech (3-0)

The Red Raiders come into conference play off a narrow win over Nevada 35-34. The winning touchdown came with 44 seconds left in the game.

Junior quarterback Seth Doege is slowly conforming to the caliber quarterback expected at Texas Tech, as he led his team with 222 yards and 3 touchdowns, racking up 441 total yards as a whole. Texas Tech was without its leading receiver, Darrin Moore, for most of the game. Moore left early in the first quarter after he injured his left ankle and knee on a deep incompletion. His status against Kansas is still unknown.

With or without him, Texas Tech should have no problem defeating the Jayhawks to open conference play.

Iowa State (3-0)

Iowa State’s 3-0 start surprised many people. Each victory has been close; the team has won by 8 or fewer points each time.

After a bye week, the Cyclones are ready to host Texas. In order to beat the Longhorns in back to back seasons, quarterback junior Steele Jantz needs to improve upon his accuracy. If he begins this game like he did against UConn with 3 interceptions in the first 4 plays, the Longhorns will take control with no mercy.

Kansas State (3-0)

The Wildcats are coming off a huge win against the U in Miami.

After a less than impressive start to their season, that win was the perfect transition between nonconference and conference play.

The Wildcats come into this week with the No. 11 defense in the league, allowing 246 yards per game and 157 passing yards. The true defensive test will be if Kansas State can slow down Heisman-candidate Robert Griffin III.

The Wildcat offense will run out the play clock before snapping the ball to limit the amount of time the Bear offense will be on the field.

Kansas (2-1)

After an embarrassing defensive showing against Georgia Tech, allowing 604 rushing yards, the Jayhawks had a much-needed off week to reconvene before starting Big 12 play.

Entering his third season at Kansas, head coach Turner Gill , has high expectations to turn the program around, but it appears he still needs more time. As the Jayhawks enter conference play against Texas Tech this week, the chance to add to their win column becomes slim.

Missouri (2-2)

The Tigers shocked the Sooners and the nation as they lead 14-10 at the end of the first quarter last weekend.

Though it eventually lost the game, Missouri took a big step of progress in that game and now has a bye week to build upon it.

Sophomore quarterback James Franklin seems to be getting more comfortable in the pocket, a good sign for the Tigers. Will he continue to improve or will Big 12 defenses break his confidence?

STILLWATER, Okla. — Brandon Weeden connected with Justin Blackmon on two short touchdown tosses, Joseph Randle ran for two scores and No. 9 Oklahoma State used an early burst of offense to beat Arizona 37-14 on Thursday night in a rematch of last year’s Alamo Bowl.

The Cowboys (2-0) scored on their first three drives to open a 21-0 lead in the first 16½ minutes, then put it away with two scores midway through the second half.

Randle had 121 yards rushing and nine catches for 99 yards, and Blackmon had 128 yards on 12 receptions to extend his NCAA record streak to 14 straight games with at least 100 yards receiving.

Weeden finished with 397 yards passing, one less than Arizona’s Nick Foles, in a duel between the nation’s top two passers from the first week of the season. Weeden’s first 13 passes were completed before he overshot Tracy Moore on a deep ball.

The Wildcats (1-1) played without Juron Criner, who was the Pac-10’s top receiver last season and tied the school record with 11 touchdown catches. He had an appendectomy on Monday, and it’s unclear whether he’ll be able to return in time for Arizona’s home games the next two weeks against No. 6 Stanford and No. 12 Oregon.

No. 12 Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones | McClatchy Tribune

By Krista Pirtle
Sports Writer

1 Oklahoma

It shocked no one that the Sooners broke open the 2011 season with a 47-14 win over Tulsa. Heisman candidate junior quarterback Landry Jones threw for 375 yards and one touchdown. His favorite target, senior wide receiver Ryan Broyles, caught 14 passes for 158 yards and one touchdown.

The big surprise for Oklahoma was the offensive presence found in junior running back Dominique Whaley, who rushed for 131 yards and 4 touchdowns. Cumulatively, the Sooners had 663 total offensive yards.

The one snag for the No. 1 team in the nation was their allowance of 400 offensive yards by Tulsa. Oklahoma has this weekend off to prepare to defend its top ranking.

7 Texas A&M

Despite all the drama with the Aggies, the fact that they have a strong football program cannot be overlooked. Texas A&M defeated the SMU Mustangs 46-14.

Senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns to junior wide receiver Ryan Swope, who led in receiving with 109 yards for one touchdown.

Senior running back Cyrus Gray lived up to his face on the cover of Texas Football Magazine with 132 rushing yards for two touchdowns.

The Aggies have a bye this weekend, which allows them time to sort through the complications of the realignment. They also could use a little strengthening for their defense as they allowed SMU to gain 347 offensive yards. If they continue to play their games with no turnovers, they could surprise some big-name organizations.

9 Oklahoma State

Even though Heisman candidate receiver Justin Blackmon didn’t find himself in the end zone against University of Louisiana at Lafayette, his 144 reception yards assisted the Cowboys to a 61-34 win. Senior quarterback Brandon Weeden threw for 388 yards; however, his three interceptions show that he still has room for improvement. Sophomore running back Joseph Randle led the way rushing for 129 yards and two touchdowns. As a whole offensively, OSU gained 666 yards. Thursday the Cowboys hosted Arizona. The battle between Wildcats quarterback senior Nick Foles and Weeden will decide the winner of this game.

20 Baylor

The Bears opened up their 2011 season with a nationally televised win over the No. 14 TCU Horned Frogs. Junior quarterback and Heisman candidate Robert Griffin III threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns.

Senior running back Terrance Ganaway led the rush with 120 yards and one touchdown and senior inside receiver Kendall Wright led with 189 yards and two touchdowns.

The defense looks to have improved since 2010; however, the unit is still not up to par with defensive coordinator Phil Bennett’s expectations. Defensive stands were made when they were needed, but the 25 points scored by TCU in the fourth quarter leaves room for improvement.

Baylor also lost 116 yards due to 11 penalties. The Bears have this weekend off before they host SFA Sept. 17 at 6 p.m.

21 Missouri

The Tigers also had a weak offensive effort; however, they were able to claim the victory over Miami of Ohio, 17-6.

Sophomore quarterback James Franklin threw for 129 yards and rushed for 72, scored 2 touchdowns but threw one interception. Franklin is a young gun in the pocket, and looks like he is still trying to find his way around. He leads his team to face Arizona State on the road Friday.

Arizona State comes off an easy victory against UC Davis. Arizona State accumulated 517 total offensive yards. Because the Tigers are on the road, Arizona State has the prime opportunity to come out on top.

24 Texas

It’s interesting how beating Rice 34-9 can earn a team the No. 24 spot in the country. Junior quarterback Garrett Gilbert looked to have improved some over the offseason as he threw for 239 yards and a touchdown.

Sophomore wide receiver Mike Davis was Gilbert’s target of the night with 115 receiving yards. This weekend, the Longhorns host BYU, who narrowly defeated Ole Miss 14-13. Offensively, BYU only totaled 208 yards, not even reaching 100 yards rushing. This matchup depends on Gilbert and both teams’ defenses. If Gilbert cannot effectively command his troops, the Longhorns will fall down to a resilient BYU. These two will face 6 p.m. Saturday.

Texas Tech

Texas Tech entered the 2011 season with a 50-10 dominant performance over Texas State. Junior quarterback Seth Doege threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns, proving his talent in the pocket. Tech’s offense consisted of 348 passing yards and 157 rushing yards.

Junior wide receiver Darrin Moore caught 12 passes for 221 yards and one touchdown while junior running back Eric Stephens rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Whether this reveals the talent of the Red Raiders’ receivers or the weakness of Texas State’s secondary is debatable.

Tech, as well, is off for the weekend. This will allow the Red Raiders time to spread their offense. As they expand their targets offensively, they will threaten at more than one angle and can become more intimidating.

Kansas State

Despite five turnovers, the Wildcats managed to pull out a victory over Eastern Kentucky, 10-7, last weekend. Four fumbles and an interception showed a less than impressive offensive performance by Kansas State. It is not clear whether this performance was a one-time fluke or a preview of what the season will look like.

Junior quarterback Collin Klein threw for 128 yards, 61 of them to junior wide receiver Chris Harper. Sophomore running back John Hubert rushed for a total of 91 yards.

The Wildcats did not score until the fourth quarter, hitting a field goal with 10:11 left and finally a touchdown with 1:39 left to take the lead. Kansas State needs this bye week to strengthen its offense and get ready to play the remainder of the season.

Kansas

The Jayhawks brought in the 2011 season with a decisive victory over McNeese State, 42-24.

Sophomore quarterback Jordan Webb threw for 146 yards and three touchdowns while sophomore running back James Sims led the rushing game with 104 yards and one touchdown, and freshman wide receiver JaCorey Shepherd led the team in receiving with 107 yards and two touchdowns.

Kansas favored the run game over the pass, acquiring 301 yards rushing and only 146 passing, totaling 447 yards for the evening. This large number is impressive, but they allowed 420 yards to McNeese. The Jayhawks need to step up their game defensively if they have any hopes of containing Northern Illinois, who beat Army 49-26 last weekend.

This game is the second game in a row at home for Kansas, but Northern Illinois has the offensive potential to beat the Jayhawks on their own turf 6 p.m. Saturday.

Iowa State

Iowa State won a close one with Northern Iowa, 20-19. The Cyclones accumulated 328 offensive yards on the night but gave up 385.

Junior quarterback Steele Jantz led the team in passing and rushing yards with 187 and 80, respectively, scoring three touchdowns but throwing three interceptions.

Receiving yards were slim as junior wide receiver Aaron Horne led the receivers with 69 yards. To win more games, Iowa State will need to expand its offensive threats. Jantz appears to be their lone weapon, and one-dimensional teams can be easily stopped.

Defensively, the team needs to get stronger and faster. This defense will not be able to contain in-state rival Iowa, who defeated Tennessee Tech 34-7. That matchup will be 11 a.m. Saturday. Only half the Big 12 is in action this weekend.