1. TCU is for real, but I didn’t see Saturday coming. Ever since I watched them week two against Minnesota, I was stunned to see the offensive transformation, combined with the strong defense that is always a staple under Gary Patterson. But, if you told me the Sooners would score 33 points on Saturday, I would’ve guessed it’d mean a 10-point Oklahoma win. The TCU defense forced Trevor Knight to beat them… and he couldn’t (14/35, 2 INTs).
2. The Sooners are out of contention for the College Football Playoff. I know, I know … anything can happen! But, it’s becoming clear every day, the drums are beating nationally for two teams to come out of the SEC West. That leaves two spots for the Big 12, Pac 12, ACC, and Notre Dame (sorry, Big Ten, no chance). Also, I believe the committee wants to punish the Big 12 for their lack of a championship game. For the Big 12 to get a team in, it needs to be undefeated. Barring some kind of chaos atop the rankings, combined with the Sooners crushing the rest of their opponents, they can kiss the National Title hopes goodbye.
3. Speaking of the SEC West’s national admiration. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a really good division. But this is our anti-SEC/pro-Big 12 tweet of the week:
4. Meantime… the Big 12 now has 5 teams in the top 18 of the Coaches Poll. The SEC has 6, Pac 12 has 3, Big Ten has 2, and the ACC has one. Remember when people said the Big 12 would become extinct as the worst of the Power 5 Conferences?
5. Right now my Big 12 Favorite is Baylor because Art Briles has the best defense he’s ever had in Waco. As we saw Saturday against Texas, this Bears team doesn’t require forty points to win. They can win in different ways… a first in Waco, and a scary thought for the rest of the Conference.
6. Kliff Kingsbury looks miserable. Yes, he still looks like Ryan Gosling … just a shaggier, dreary eyed, worn down Gosling. We knew the Tech defense would be a work in progress, but it’s the offenses’ inconsistency that is especially concerning. That starts with quarterback Webb Davis who’s sophomore slump continued Saturday with a 4 interception performance against Kansas State.
7. When was the last time the Texas Longhorns were the third most talked-about team, not just in their own conference, but in their own state? They can thank TCU and Baylor, who square off Saturday in the marquee matchup in the Big 12 this weekend. Yep, take a back seat Red River Rivalry.
8. Great move by Clint Bowen to switch quarterbacks at halftime against WVU, replacing Montell Cozart with Michael Cummings. But, I was confused by Cozart’s post game comment, “I didn’t see it coming.” How is that possible!? Cozart was 4/10 for 42 yards at halftime Saturday, has completed under 50% of his passes on the season, while throwing 5 TD’s to 7 picks. I didn’t see it coming that he would say he didn’t see it coming.
9. Oklahoma State sure did get their fair share of breaks at home against Iowa State. Here is the TD at the end of the first half that was originally not ruled a score, but then overturned. Do you see enough to overturn??? I sure don’t. Granted, that’s not the reason they won, but it was one of a handful of calls that put the underdog Cyclones in a tough spot.
10. Fox Sports 1’s Tim Brando and Brady Quinn really had a hard on mentioning several times how empty Boone Pickens Stadium was for much of the first quarter against Iowa State. And frankly, they had a point. This wasn’t Savannah State. It was a conference game. Cowboys’ fans need to get in their seats a bit faster!
11. I’m having a hard time figuring out how good West Virginia is. Their two loses were competitive and to top ten teams (Oklahoma, Alabama). But, their wins aren’t anything special (Towson, Maryland, Kansas). But, we will find out in the next month when they play Texas Tech followed by three ranked teams, Baylor, Oklahoma State, and TCU. I believe they will pick off and surprise one of those three.
12. My picks were 4-1 ATS this week… improving to 18-3-1. Closing in on retirement!
