Through the first 4 weeks of the CFB season, the Big 12 has gotten some positive publicity. From a conference that needed to be disbanded by many, has secured some Big OOC Power 5 wins. The conference is also starting to take form.
We are starting to learn what each team is and where their placement in the conference is looking like.
NO SHOCKER: The conference runs through Norman
This title doesn’t come as too much of a surprise. The conference started running through Norman during the senior season of Baker Mayfield.
First things first, Texas Tech’s defense isn’t awful. With that being said, Jalen Hurts made it look like Texas Tech had only Walk-On’s and part of the Tech band playing.
Jalen would throw for 415 yards and 3 touchdowns. He would also run for 70 yards and another touchdown. One of the few concerns you could have is the experience at Receiver. Obviously, they have a stud in CeeDee Lamb, but who’s next?
Charleston Rambo stepped up and showed his big play ability. It was just 2 catches, but they went for 58 and 74 yards. With the young talents in Haslewood and Wease still getting used to it, OU needs a reliable #2. Rambo can be that.
For Texas Tech, Duffey is the guy they need to keep. Losing Bowman for the 3rd time in a little over a year is awful. However, Duffey should be the guy, not Tyner.
TCU’s offense is starting to take form
TCU’s offense looked really suspect after just scoring 2 TD’s against Arkansas Pine-Bluff. Even though they scored 38 on SMU, Max Duggan looked very inconsistent and shaky with his accuracy.
He did feel more comfortable in his 2nd start with throwing for 100 yards and 2 TD’s on 8-11 throwing. It still doesn’t look like they have found a starter yet though. Alex Delton led in throwing with 186 yards on 10/15 through the air.
The Newton freshman of Barlow and Foster combined for 117 yards as the Horned Frogs pounded Kansas for 319 total yards.
The main issue with TCU is if they could get a consistent offense. Through the end of last year, it was a resounding no. This is the first time it is felt like TCU has an identity on offense. They did play Kansas, but teams have to start somewhere and this is a start for the Horned Frogs.
Oklahoma State is looking really good right now
Spencer Sanders did throw for 2 interceptions. However, Chuba Hubbard may or may not have been caught still running outside my window as we speak. Hubbard ran for 296 yards on just 25 carries, including an 84 yard run.
Tylan Wallace just quietly accounted for over 90% of Spencer Sanders’s passing yards. Sanders threw for 153 yards. Wallace ended up with 145 of that.
What is scary is that Oklahoma State’s defense is playing just as well. Kansas State isn’t known for putting up a plethora of points or yards. However, they could only muster 244 yards of offense and was 1-13 on third down conversions.
That within itself shows Oklahoma State is looking like a legit threat at the #3 spot in the Big 12. Anybody that is visiting Stillwater this year, you have been warned. This is the team you don’t want to play right now.
Matt Rhule may have the Bears ahead of schedule
This game is a big game for both teams. It showed which program is going in which direction and how each other’s seasons would turn around. Baylor had a game similar to this last year against Duke.
They ended up losing that game, 34-20. This time around, the Bears held ISU scoreless for 3 quarters and nearly blew a 20 point lead. Charlie Brewer and Brock Purdy had very good games and both threw for over 300 yards.
The difference was the turnover battle (something that was a strength for ISU last year). Iowa State turned it over twice, while the Bears were clean. One in which, was an SC Top 10 play by LB Jordan Williams
With many considering Baylor to finish 5th-7th, this win may be a sign of things to come. Matt Rhule is 11-6 since the 1-11 season in 2017 and includes 5 one score game victories.
Matt Rhule is doing a masterful job and Baylor is looking like a team to finish in the top half of the conference. Something many people would’ve laughed at 2 years ago.
Power Rankings:
Oklahoma (4-0)
Texas (3-1)
Oklahoma State (3-1)
Baylor (4-0)
TCU (3-1)
Iowa State (2-2)
Kansas State (3-1)
Texas Tech (2-2)
West Virginia (3-1)
Kansas (2-3)
Image Credit: https://kckingdom.com/2019/09/29/kansas-state-football-cant-stop-run-first-loss-chris-klieman-era/
