Big 12 Football By the Numbers: Week 2
If we learned one thing from Week 2 of the Big 12, it’s that Week 1 deceived us in some cases, and the numbers and our very eyes weren’t telling us the whole story.
That’s college football. Perhaps the most potentially exhilarating or painful aspect of the sport is its unpredictability.
Below is a dive into the numbers to help us track how the Big 12 is shaping up so far. As always, caveat lector: stats can be deceiving, especially early in the season.
0-1-2-3-4-5
0 Points allowed by Oklahoma and West Virginia.
1 Starting quarterback, KSU’s Skylar Thompson, was significantly injured in Week 2.
2 Big 12 losses in Week 2.
3 Baylor RBs rushed for 100+ yards in Week 2.
4 Turnovers each for Iowa State, K-State, and Texas Tech.
5 Rushing TDs each for Baylor, Oklahoma, and West Virginia.
Note: Turnovers kept KSU and TTU’s FCS opponents in the game and spelled doom for ISU.
MISSED TACKLES (change from last week)
1. Oklahoma State – 31 (+14)
2. Texas – 26 (+18)
3. Texas Tech – 23 (+9)
4. Oklahoma – 22 (+7)
5. Kansas – 19 (+8)
T6. Iowa State – 17 (+7)
T6. TCU – 17 (+9)
8. Kansas State – 16 (+10)
9. West Virginia – 15 (+7)
10. Baylor – 14 (+4)
Note: Texas’ +18 change from last week explains a lot if you didn’t watch the game between the Longhorns and the Razorbacks. Tackling appears to be an issue for Oklahoma State after two weeks against overmatched opponents.
TEAM SACKS (change from last week)
1. Kansas State – 9 (+5)
2. Oklahoma – 8 (+4)
3. Oklahoma State – 7 (+2)
4. Iowa State – 6 (+4)
5. Texas Tech – 6 (+2)
6. Texas – 4 (+0)
7. West Virginia – 4 (+2)
8. Baylor – 3 (+2)
9. TCU – 3 (+2)
10. Kansas – 2 (+1)
Note: KSU’s new three-man defensive front has generated significant pressure in the second half of both games this season. It’s surprising that BU and TCU have so few sacks thus far.
POINTS FOR (change from last week)
1. Oklahoma – 116 (+76)
2. Baylor – 95 (+66)
3. West Virginia – 90 (+66)
4. TCU – 79 (+34)
5. Texas Tech – 66 (+28)
6. Texas – 59 (+21)
7. Kansas State – 55 (+31)
8. Oklahoma State – 51 (+28)
9. Kansas – 39 (+22)
10. Iowa State – 33 (+17)
Note: ISU’s offensive woes continued against a stout Iowa defense. Meanwhile, BU, OU, and WVU blew up the scoreboards against FCS opponents. This is not a direct translation into scoring offense as some teams’ defenses have scored.
POINTS AGAINST (change from last week)
1. Baylor– 27 (+7)
T2. Kansas State – 30 (+23)
T2. West Virginia – 30 (+0)
T4. Oklahoma – 35 (+0)
T4. TCU – 35 (+32)
6. Iowa State – 37 (+27)
7. Oklahoma State – 39 (+23)
8. Texas Tech – 43 (+22)
9. Texas – 58 (+40)
10. Kansas – 63 (+49)
Note: This is not a direct translation to scoring defense as some teams have allowed opponents’ defenses to score.
RUSHING OFFENSE (change from last week)
1. Baylor – 664 yards (+ 419), 7 TDs (+5)
2. TCU – 449 yards (+271), 6 TDs (+2)
3. Kansas State – 408 yards (+208), 7 TDs (+4)
4. Oklahoma – 393 yards (+277), 8 TDs (+5)
5. Texas Tech – 345 yards (+200), 6 TDs (+3)
6. Texas – 316 yards (+138), 5 TDs (+3)
7. Kansas – 256 yards (+174), 3 TDs (+3)
8. West Virginia – 240 (+198), 7 TDs (+5)
9. Iowa State – 223 yards (+87), 2 TDs (+1)
10. Oklahoma State – 194 yards (+140), 3 TDs (+1)
Note: BU has run all over overmatched defenses for two weeks in a row. ISU needs to get RB Breece Hall more room to run. OSU’s O-line may have done a better job of run-blocking in Week 2, but it has yet to have a rusher approach 100 yards on the season.
RUSHING DEFENSE (change from last week)
1. Texas Tech – 109 yards (+32), 2 TDs (+0)
2. Iowa State – 112 yards (+67), 1 TD (+1)
3. Kansas State – 139 yards (+100), 2 TDs (+2)
4. Oklahoma – 155 yards (+55), 2 TDs (+0)
5. TCU – 194 yards (+133), 2 TDs (+2)
6. West Virginia – 198 yards (+35), 0 TDs
7. Oklahoma State – 225 yards (+123), 2 TDs (+2)
8. Baylor – 240 yards (+161), 2 TDs (+1)
9. Kansas – 380 yards (+215), 6 TDs (+4)
10. Texas – 409 (+333), 5 TDs (+4)
Note: ISU’s run defense is still strong. WVU has yet to allow a rushing TD. BU’s defense doesn’t seem to be living up to its potential. UT’s run defense didn’t show up against Arkansas. Who would’ve guessed that TTU would lead the league in rushing defense after two weeks?
PASSING OFFENSE (change from last week)
1. Oklahoma – 661 yards (+347), 6 TDs (+5), 2 INTs (+0)
2. West Virginia – 621 yards (+344), 4 TDs (+3), 2 INTs (+0)
3. Oklahoma State – 488 yards (+173), 3 TDs (+2), 2 INTs (+1)
4. TCU – 487 yards (+234), 5 TDs (+2), 2 INTs (+1)
5. Iowa State – 451 yards (+252), 1 TD (+1), 3 INTs (+3)
6. Baylor – 443 (+295), 3 TDs (+3), 0 INTs
7. Kansas – 401 yards (+238), 2 TDs (+0), 0 INTs
8. Texas Tech – 394 yards (+163) 2 TDs (+1), 3 INTs (+3)
9. Texas – 383 yards (+118), 3 TDs (+0), 0 INTs
10. Kansas State – 316 yards (+172), 0 TDs, 3 INTs (+2)
Note: TTU QB Tyler Shough came back to earth after a strong Week 1 performance. KSU’s offense is going to be very one dimensional unless QB2 Will Howard can take a huge step forward. OU QB Spencer Rattler got back on track with a big performance in Week 2.
PASSING DEFENSE (change from last week)
1. Baylor – 276 yards (+120), 1 TD (+0), 3 INTs (+0)
2. Iowa State – 336 yards (+106), 2 TDs (+1), 2 INTs (+0)
3. Kansas – 343 yards (+245), 2 TD (+2), 0 INT
4. Kansas State – 370 yards (+176), 1 TD (+0), 3 INTs (+1)
5. TCU – 385 yards (+309), 2 TDs (+2), 1 INT (+0)
6. West Virginia – 392 yards (+60), 3 TDs (+0), 0 INTs
7. Oklahoma – 419 yards (+123), 3 TDs (+0), 1 INT (+1)
8. Texas – 420 yards (+138), 1 TD (+0), 1 INT (+1)
9. Oklahoma State – 458 yards (+224), 1 TD (+0), 0 INTs
10. Texas Tech – 517 yards (+343), 5 TDs (+1), 4 INTs (+0)
Note: TCU faced an excellent Cal QB in Week 2. UT didn’t exactly force Arkansas to throw the ball. OSU’s defense hasn’t been as good as many expected.
LEADING RUSHERS (change from last week)
1. Tristan Ebner (BU) – 245 yards (+125), 0 TDs, 30 carries (+10)
T2. Abram Smith (BU) – 244 yards (+126), 4 TDs (+2), 31 carries (+12)
T2. Deuce Vaughn (KSU) – 244 yards (+120) 4 TDs (+3), 39 carries (+26)
4. Tahj Brooks (TTU) – 243 yards (+115), 4 TDs (+2), 26 carries (+11)
5. Zach Evans (TCU) – 217 yards (+190), 2 TDs (+1), 27 carries (+22)
6. Bijan Robinson (UT) – 172 yards (+69) 2 TDs (+1), 39 carries (+19)
7. Jason Bean (KU) – 156 yards (+102), 2 TDs (+2), 28 carries (+13)
8. Breece Hall (ISU) – 138 yards (+69), 2 TDs (+1), 39 carries (+16)
9. Kennedy Brooks (OU) – 135 yards (+48), 2 TDs (+1), 26 carries (+6)
10. Leddie Brown (WVU) – 104 yards (+31), 4 TDs (+2), 32 carries (+15)
11. Taye McWilliams (BU) – 102 yards (+102), 1 TD (+1), 6 carries (+6)
12. Eric Gray (OU) – 101 yards (+74), 0 TDs, 18 carries (+9)
Note: OSU’s leading rusher is Spencer Sanders with 62 yards on 10 carries in one game.
BU is getting excellent production out of two primary RBs. The only QB on this list is KU’s Jason Bean. TCU leaned hard on Zach Evans against Cal. It’s surprising to see Bijan Robinson, Breece Hall, Kennedy Brooks, and Leddie Brown in the lower half of this ranking.
LEADING RECEIVERS (change from last week)
1. Erik Ezukanma (TTU) – 323 yards (+144), 1 TD (+1), 13 receptions (+6),
2. Tyquan Thornton (BU) – 149 yards (+130), 2 TDs (+2), 10 receptions (+5),
3. Jordan Whittington (UT) – 145 yards (+32), 1 TD (+0), 12 receptions (+5)
T4. Jaden Bray (OSU) – 136 yards (+84), 1 TD (+1), 6 receptions (+4)
T4. Marvin Mims (OU) – 136 yards (+19), 0 TDs, 6 receptions (+1)
6. Quentin Johnston (TCU) – 133 yards (+95), 2 TDs (+2), 9 receptions (+5)
7. R.J. Sneed (BU) – 132 yards (+40), 0 TDs, 8 receptions (+2)
T8. Malik Knowles (KSU) – 125 yards (+112), 0 TDs, 6 receptions (+4)
T8. Sean Ryan (WVU) – 125 yards (+77), 1 TD (+1), 6 receptions (+3)
10. Sam James (WVU) – 120 yards (+55), 2 TDs (+2), 8 receptions (+3)
11. Xavier Hutchinson (ISU) – 110 yards (+22), 0 TDs, 10 receptions (+3)
12. Tay Martin (OSU) – 107 yards (+0), 1 TD (+0), 6 receptions (+0)
13. Brennan Presley (OSU) – 103 yards (+35), 0 TDs, 8 receptions (+4)
14. Phillip Brooks (KSU) – 102 yards (+21), 0 TDs, 4 receptions (+1)
15. Winston Wright, Jr. (WVU) – 101 yards (+59), 0 TDs, 9 receptions (+3)
T16. Kwame Lassiter II (KU) – 97 yards (+85), 0 TDs, 9 receptions (+7)
T16. Bryce Ford-Wheaton (WVU) – 97 yards (+54), 0 TDs, 6 receptions (+3)
Note: Several new names on this list this week: Jaden Bray (OSU), Quentin Johnson (TCU), Malik Knowles (KSU), Sean Ryan (WVU), Winston Wright, Jr. (WVU), Kwame Lassiter (KU), and Bryce Ford-Wheaton (WVU).
INDIVIDUAL SACKS (change from last week)
1. Felix Anudike (KSU) – 3 sacks (+3)
2. Will McDonald IV (ISU) – 2.5 sacks (+1)
T3. Khalid Duke (KSU) – 2 sacks (+1)
T3. Jaylon Hutchings (TTU) – 2 sacks (+1)
T3. Isaiah Thomas (OU) – 2 sacks (+1)
T3. Perrion Winfrey (OU) – 2 sacks (+1.5)
T4. Reggie Grimes (OU) – 1.5 sacks (+0.5)
T4. Devin Harper (OSU) – 1.5 sacks (+0)
Note: More than a dozen Big 12 players have at least one sack. KSU’s Felix Anudike came up big for the Cats in a second-half shutout against Southern Illinois.
