Verdict still out on Big 12 football
Michael Ashford
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
We are now two weeks into the college football season, and what do we know about the Big 12 Conference that we didn’t know at the start of training camp in early August? The answer: Not much.
Sure, the Big 12 Conference has compiled a 22-2 combined record through the early going, and yes, teams like Oklahoma (No. 3), Missouri (No. 6), Texas (No. 8) and Kansas (No. 13) have done nothing so far to discredit their lofty perches in the national polls (sorry Texas Tech, right now, you don’t look like the No. 12 team in the land).
Locally, Kansas and Kansas State both are off to 2-0 starts, but no one expected anything less. Kansas has fattened itself on Florida International and Louisiana Tech, while K-State has feasted on North Texas and Montana State.
This past weekend, for the first time in Big 12 history, all 12 teams played and won. Impressive? Sort of.
The marquee game of the weekend was Oklahoma thrashing a decent Cincinnati team while the rest of the league took it to the San Jose States, the Kent States and the UTEPs of college football. All those blowouts, save for Colorado’s squeaker over Eastern Washington at home, were basically meaningless fluff.
The answers Big 12 football fans so desperately seek will come into focus in the next few weeks, though.
It starts with Kansas’ game at No. 19 South Florida this Friday. Let’s be honest, this road game at South Florida is the first regular-season non-conference challenge the Jayhawks have faced since tangling with South Florida at home back in 2006 (A 13-7 KU victory).
If Kansas can go on the road into hostile territory and come away with a victory over a Bulls squad that plays its best football early in the season, it will answer the question as to whether or not the Jayhawks can be any sort of a sustained presence in the Big 12 North.
In Kansas State’s case, after a dreadful close to the 2007 season, the Wildcats have seemingly regained some confidence by cruising through their first two games. After taking this coming Saturday off, K-State has a road date with Louisville next Wednesday, which could measure if the Wildcats truly have found an answer for last season’s collapse.
Louisville, which lost at home to Kentucky, 27-2, to open the season, is down. If K-State is serious about making a return to its winning ways, games like the one against the Cardinals become darn-near must-wins.
As for the rest of the Big 12, we’ll see just how far Nebraska has to go under new coach Bo Pelini when Virginia Tech comes calling on Sept. 27. Colorado has a chance to make a giant leap forward when it faces West Virginia on Sept. 18 and Florida State on Sept 27 (both at home).
Texas Tech has yet to realize it has one of the best point-scoring offenses in the country, Oklahoma appears to be on another level (but it’s early), Texas is being ignored (which is scary), and Oklahoma State piles up yards like a hyperactive kid in a Lego factory.
As for Baylor, Iowa State and Texas A&M, they seem to be getting lost in a league where there are so many more interesting unknowns with even the best teams. For instance: Oklahoma is a great team, but can the Sooners win a BCS bowl? Missouri is a great team, but is the defense ready to win the Tigers a championship?
In the coming weeks leading up to Big 12 play, the 12 schools in the league will get plenty of chances to make some statements, gain some momentum and silence some critics.
As for definite answers? You’ll get them.
You’ll just have to be patient and ride out the season like the rest of us.
kingmanchief58 (anonymous) says...
Ahh yes, if my Sooners could only get that BCS hump dealt with, then we'd have something. Oh well, maybe Stoops will figure out how to keep his players attention throughout January this year and actually have them ready to play.
In KU's case, they had better find their ground game before too long. Man cannot live on strictly a passing diet. Especially when they line up against the big boys like OU and Texas.
You are right, we will have our definite answers in due time.
Nice to see you writing Mike, where's Jesse now?
September 11, 2008 at 11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )