Scott Sewell-US PRESSWIRE
Perhaps guilty of an early malaise in a rivalry game, Bill Snyder’s team looked asleep during the first half of their tilt with Kansas. After intermission, John Hubert rushed for 4 touchdowns though and 56-16 sounds a lot better on the Manhattan bar scene. In two weeks, Big 12 supremacy is on the line in Morgantown. Think the purple sorcerer might be harping on the trap that is waiting in Ames, Iowa next Saturday?
Paul Rhoads’ squad forced five turnovers against TCU and there’s really no reason to delve into any more of the statistics. Besting the Horned Frogs without their starting quarterback, in Fort Worth, might not impress nationally but I’ve become enamored with Iowa State’s ability to pummel these types of games. Show a sliver of vulnerability and the Cyclones rip open your wound, dump a bucket of salt in it and laugh hysterically.
So this Charlie Weis/Dayne Crist reboot is going swimmingly, right? I liken it to Hollywood unnecessarily remaking all manner of movies, devoid of any originality. Another Red Dawn? You deserve every interception and 16/27 performance Jayhawks athletic department.
Casey Pachall needs actual help and I can recognize that but in this space, I appreciate him giving me another joke outlet because the drug stuff was starting to burn out. Trevone Boykin is in an unenviable spot for his age but he’s raw and athletic enough for the Horned Frogs to scare a team or two later in the fall. Still, TCU is a turnover machine and until Gary Patterson announces a defined punishment for Pachall, the Horned Frogs won’t earn respect on or off the field.
Dana Holgorsen’s offensive outfit is running at near ludicrous speed. Geno Smith and his Mountaineers flushed the toilet where the Longhorn defense has been stewing the past few weeks. Sans a dismal day from Smith or an opponent capable of cashing in on turnovers, they’re sporting a BCS look. Intriguing gambling note: why does Vegas only have the Mountaineers as 4-point favorites this week in Lubbock?
That top-ranked Tommy Tuberville defense faced a frustrated Sooners offense with something to prove and a three-touchdown defeat was born. Three picks from Seth Doege didn’t help matters and while his Heisman candidacy amused (“Here’s my number – 7 – so call me Doege”), the Red Raiders are left with the moral victory of being a tougher foe in 2012 than many had pegged. Tuberville can cement a 2013 return to Lubbock with a shocker against West Virginia next Saturday.
David Ash was solid, not spectacular in a home loss to West Virginia. Outside of Johnathan Gray, the running game disappointed. And the defense, that unit which allowed Andrew Buie to notch 207 yards in a career night, they’re paying for drinks on Sixth for a while. What’s Mack Brown’s finest remedy for satiating a fanbase that might begin questioning his tenure again? Oh hello, Red River Shootout.
Mike Stoops yelled with content rage, Landry Jones displayed “Yes, I’d draft him body language” and Blake Bell confirmed there’s no goal line he won’t cross. Oklahoma needed a win to save themselves for being written off in the Big 12 and they produced one against Texas Tech. Someone else might hoist the conference trophy in December but beating Texas at the State Fair goes a long way for Bob Stoops. He’ll reacquaint with Mack Brown this weekend, the loser having to eat fried Bevo droppings.
Well, the Bears didn’t give up any points this week so that’s an improvement. Working through a bye week ahead of hosting TCU, Art Briles likely told his players one thing. “I know you’ve all got Horned Frog friends, so when they come down to Waco, please respect yourself. No one likes a man with a Keystone in one hand and a pipe in the other. Be decisive.”
Woe is Kansas this Saturday and the official in charge of reviewing calls. J.W. Walsh probably earns the majority of the snaps but if Wes Lunt is healthy, does he plead for playing time to avoid being Pipp’d? Expect a statement from Mike Gundy about something zebra-related on Monday, it’s becoming tradition even if he just tells them they did a better job than maggots.
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Chris Hengst is a College Football writer for Rant Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @ShootyHoops.
