Oklahoma Sooners: Iowa State Cyclones
Inspired by Florida's "#ComePlayWRFortheJoker" campaign, our recruiting writers looked at other ways schools can sell themselves on the trail. Here's a look at recruiting pitches for the Big 12:
Baylor Bears
What they’re selling: The new 45,000-seat, $250-million on-campus stadium that will open in 2014. Recruiting is an arms race, and players like fancy stadiums and locker rooms, and Baylor’s upgrade puts them finally on the same level playing field as everybody else in the Big 12.
What they're missing: Help on defense -- specifically at defensive line and defensive back.
Iowa State Cyclones
What they’re selling: Paul Rhoads. He grew up miles from the campus and has helped turn around Iowa State with a physical and fundamentally sound style of football.
What they're missing: A true home-run threat at receiver.
Kansas Jayhawks
What they’re selling: Charlie Weis. He’s taken risks (juco infusion), repaired relationships with area high school coaches and widened KU’s recruiting pool.
What they're missing: Wins. When you’ve won only one conference game in three years, a little bit of everything is missing.
Kansas State Wildcats
What they’re selling: Bill Synder. The plan has worked for years in Manhattan. K-State doesn’t care how many stars a player has attached to his name, a player only earns an offer from K-State unless Snyder personally signs off on it after a lengthy review. It’s a plan that produced a No. 1 BCS ranking and a Big 12 championship in 2012.
What’s missing: I’ve been told by coaches for years that the most difficult position to recruit is defensive tackle. That’s why you often see even average defensive tackles rack up double-digit offers, and finding good depth at defensive tackle has been very difficult to do at K-State.
Oklahoma Sooners
What they’re selling: Oklahoma is proud of its football tradition, and few schools can match the Sooners’ track record for success, facilities and ability to prepare you for the next level.
What they're missing: A renewed focus on evaluating players. It’s what differentiated Bob Stoops’ staff when they started, and it’s how they found players like Sam Bradford, Josh Heupel, Juaquin Iglesias and Donald Stephenson. All at the time were considered to be three-star recruits but wound up being impact players for the Sooners.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
What they’re selling: Their ability to evaluate and develop offensive talent.
What they're missing: Elite players in the Lone Star State. With the best facilities in the conference, it might be just enough to get kids to visit.
Texas Longhorns
What they’re selling: Few in the nation can offer up the type of atmosphere, fan base, tradition and total student-athlete package like Texas can.
What they're missing: A true a difference-maker at quarterback. The last two Heisman Trophy winners have come from Texas high schools, and the Longhorns didn’t recruit one heavily and recruited the other as an athlete.
TCU Horned Frogs
What they’re selling: The Horned Frogs recruit to their style of smash-mouth play on both sides of the ball and don’t care how many stars a recruit has. It hurts them some in the recruiting rankings, but it helps them win a lot of ball games.
What they're missing: BCS conference depth. Heading into their second season in the Big 12 after a 7-6 season, the biggest thing the Horned Frogs need to do is to build the roster to be able to compete year in and year out in the BCS conference.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
What they’re selling: The Red Raiders went through a transition that brought Kliff Kingsbury to Lubbock, and the early reception has been nothing short of positive.
What they're missing: The Red Raiders have never had issues putting up points on people, but under Tommy Tuberville and Mike Leach there was little defense being played.
West Virginia Mountaineers
What they’re selling: WVU is a force in the Atlantic region, can recruit well in Pennsylvania and is arguably one of the best schools at identifying offensive talent in the JC ranks.
What they're missing: The 2014 class will have to be all about rebuilding in Morgantown, as the needs are mounting while several impact players have moved on.
Baylor Bears
What they’re selling: The new 45,000-seat, $250-million on-campus stadium that will open in 2014. Recruiting is an arms race, and players like fancy stadiums and locker rooms, and Baylor’s upgrade puts them finally on the same level playing field as everybody else in the Big 12.
What they're missing: Help on defense -- specifically at defensive line and defensive back.
Iowa State Cyclones
What they’re selling: Paul Rhoads. He grew up miles from the campus and has helped turn around Iowa State with a physical and fundamentally sound style of football.
What they're missing: A true home-run threat at receiver.
Kansas Jayhawks
What they’re selling: Charlie Weis. He’s taken risks (juco infusion), repaired relationships with area high school coaches and widened KU’s recruiting pool.
What they're missing: Wins. When you’ve won only one conference game in three years, a little bit of everything is missing.
Kansas State Wildcats
What they’re selling: Bill Synder. The plan has worked for years in Manhattan. K-State doesn’t care how many stars a player has attached to his name, a player only earns an offer from K-State unless Snyder personally signs off on it after a lengthy review. It’s a plan that produced a No. 1 BCS ranking and a Big 12 championship in 2012.
What’s missing: I’ve been told by coaches for years that the most difficult position to recruit is defensive tackle. That’s why you often see even average defensive tackles rack up double-digit offers, and finding good depth at defensive tackle has been very difficult to do at K-State.
Oklahoma Sooners
What they’re selling: Oklahoma is proud of its football tradition, and few schools can match the Sooners’ track record for success, facilities and ability to prepare you for the next level.
What they're missing: A renewed focus on evaluating players. It’s what differentiated Bob Stoops’ staff when they started, and it’s how they found players like Sam Bradford, Josh Heupel, Juaquin Iglesias and Donald Stephenson. All at the time were considered to be three-star recruits but wound up being impact players for the Sooners.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
What they’re selling: Their ability to evaluate and develop offensive talent.
What they're missing: Elite players in the Lone Star State. With the best facilities in the conference, it might be just enough to get kids to visit.
Texas Longhorns
What they’re selling: Few in the nation can offer up the type of atmosphere, fan base, tradition and total student-athlete package like Texas can.
What they're missing: A true a difference-maker at quarterback. The last two Heisman Trophy winners have come from Texas high schools, and the Longhorns didn’t recruit one heavily and recruited the other as an athlete.
TCU Horned Frogs
What they’re selling: The Horned Frogs recruit to their style of smash-mouth play on both sides of the ball and don’t care how many stars a recruit has. It hurts them some in the recruiting rankings, but it helps them win a lot of ball games.
What they're missing: BCS conference depth. Heading into their second season in the Big 12 after a 7-6 season, the biggest thing the Horned Frogs need to do is to build the roster to be able to compete year in and year out in the BCS conference.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
What they’re selling: The Red Raiders went through a transition that brought Kliff Kingsbury to Lubbock, and the early reception has been nothing short of positive.
What they're missing: The Red Raiders have never had issues putting up points on people, but under Tommy Tuberville and Mike Leach there was little defense being played.
West Virginia Mountaineers
What they’re selling: WVU is a force in the Atlantic region, can recruit well in Pennsylvania and is arguably one of the best schools at identifying offensive talent in the JC ranks.
What they're missing: The 2014 class will have to be all about rebuilding in Morgantown, as the needs are mounting while several impact players have moved on.
The NFL draft is done, and you can find some raw data at the bottom of this post, but here are a few thoughts:
Here's the ranking of players drafted, by Big 12 team.
1. Oklahoma -- six players
2. West Virginia -- three players
2. Texas -- three players
2. Kansas State -- three players
5. Iowa State -- two players
5. TCU -- two players
7. Baylor -- one player
7. Kansas -- one player
7. Oklahoma State -- one player
10. Texas Tech -- zero players
Here are the conference rankings:
1. SEC -- 63 players
2. ACC -- 31 players
3. Pac-12 -- 28 players
4. Big 12 -- 22 players
4. Big Ten -- 22 players
6. Big East -- 18 players
Here is the full list of the 22 players from the Big 12 who were drafted:
- You can see our thoughts on the first round here, so today, we'll focus on the rest of the draft.
- What a nighmare spot for Geno Smith to land after a rough drop out of the first round. Sure, he might be able to earn some early playing time for the Jets, and it's not hard to see him beating out a couple of first-round picks in Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow, but the Jets are a complete zoo with six quarterbacks on the roster, and Chaz Schilens (what??) and former TCU receiver Jeremy Kerley as their top targets in the passing game. Good grief. Smith won't be pressured to play early, but it's hard to imagine him walking into a worse situation as a rookie quarterback, with no one to really learn from, tons of distractions and a zoo-like atmosphere on a Jets team that isn't expected to come anywhere close to the playoffs next season.
- On the flip side, how happy is Sam Bradford after this weekend? And how awesome is Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey getting to continue playing together? The Rams just gained an entire state as a fan base. You'll be able to see plenty of St. Louis games in West Virginia, I'm betting. Don't be surprised if both of those guys are starters in Week 1 for a team badly in need of receivers after losing Danny Amendola to the Patriots. Austin is obviously more physically gifted, but Bailey has great hands and knows how to play the position. You don't catch 25 touchdown passes on accident.
- Meanwhile, great landing spot for Landry Jones, who stuck around Oklahoma an extra year, passing up a first-round grade from the advisory committee. He appeared to regress this year, falling back to the fourth round. Walking into a place where he had to start early with few weapons would be a tough spot for any quarterback, even though Jones, with four years of starting experience, would be as ready as anyone. Instead, he'll sit behind Ben Roethlisberger, and considering how much Roethlisberger gets hit, don't be surprised if Jones is forced into starting duty once or twice next season. On a random note: Jones' landing spot is a little funny considering his wife played with Roethlisberger's little sister, Carlee, on the women's basketball team at Oklahoma.
- How perfect is Arthur Brown going to the Ravens? It's too bad he won't get to learn from Ray Lewis firsthand, but you can bet Lewis will have a hand in Brown's development. Brown is mean, fast and smart. That fits the Ravens perfectly.
- Jerry Jones loves him some Big 12 offensive skill talent. Dez Bryant blossomed this season, but the Dallas Cowboys went out and grabbed running back Joseph Randle and receiver Terrance Williams, the league's top rusher and receiver. I don't see Randle as a star in the NFL, but a solid contributor. Williams, though, will be fascinating to see in an offense thin at receiver behind Bryant. Miles Austin has had health issues, and Bryant has, too. Keep an eye out for Williams to make a splash in an offense that loves to throw it around. Randle will be backing up a familiar face in ex-Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray.
- Great fit for Kenny Stills in New Orleans. The Saints have several aging receivers there to teach Stills a thing or two, but enough passes to get him some early experience. I'm betting on Stills as a 1,000-yard receiver in Year 3.
- Very cool reunion out in Arizona with Alex Okafor joining his old teammate, Sam Acho, on the Cardinals. It will be fun to see those guys on the field.
- Texas Tech was the only Big 12 team without a player drafted.
- Very shocked to see Oklahoma's Tony Jefferson and Iowa State's Jake Knott go undrafted. More so with Jefferson, who left school early and had great physical gifts. ESPN had him as the No. 5 safety in the draft at one point, but he wasn't among the more than 20 safeties drafted. Very odd. I have to wonder what's going on there. Has to be something other than his physical skills. He didn't necessarily show a lot of improvement throughout his career, but he was an All-Big 12 talent who made 100+ tackles this season. More on the Big 12's notable undrafted players later this morning.
- Not a good year for the Big 12 in the draft, with an all-time low 22 players drafted, but you also have to consider that it's just the second year that the league had just 10 teams. Texas A&M and Missouri had a combined eight draft picks, helping the 14-team SEC set an all-time record for draft picks by conference. By eight selections, of course. Generally, not a good trend for the Big 12. Most alarming: The SEC East and SEC West both had more draft picks than any other conference in college football. Good grief.
Here's the ranking of players drafted, by Big 12 team.
1. Oklahoma -- six players
2. West Virginia -- three players
2. Texas -- three players
2. Kansas State -- three players
5. Iowa State -- two players
5. TCU -- two players
7. Baylor -- one player
7. Kansas -- one player
7. Oklahoma State -- one player
10. Texas Tech -- zero players
Here are the conference rankings:
1. SEC -- 63 players
2. ACC -- 31 players
3. Pac-12 -- 28 players
4. Big 12 -- 22 players
4. Big Ten -- 22 players
6. Big East -- 18 players
Here is the full list of the 22 players from the Big 12 who were drafted:
FIRST ROUND
- Oklahoma OT Lane Johnson, fourth overall, Philadelphia Eagles
- West Virginia WR Tavon Austin, eighth overall, St. Louis Rams
- Texas S Kenny Vaccaro, 15th overall, New Orleans Saints
- West Virginia QB Geno Smith, 39th overall, New York Jets
- Kansas State LB Arthur Brown, 56th overall, Baltimore Ravens
- Baylor WR Terrance Williams, 74th overall, Dallas Cowboys
- Texas WR Marquise Goodwin, 78th overall, Buffalo Bills
- West Virginia WR Stedman Bailey, 92nd overall, St. Louis Rams
- TCU receiver Josh Boyce, 102nd overall, New England Patriots
- Texas DE Alex Okafor, 103rd overall, Arizona Cardinals
- Oklahoma QB Landry Jones, 115th overall, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Kansas State WR Chris Harper, 123rd overall, Seattle Seahawks
- Oklahoma WR Kenny Stills, 144th overall, New Orleans Saints
- Iowa State LB A.J. Klein, 148th overall, Carolina Panthers
- Oklahoma State RB Joseph Randle, 151st overall, Dallas Cowboys
- TCU DE Stansly Maponga, 153rd overall, Atlanta Falcons
- Kansas OT Tanner Hawkinson, 156th overall, Cincinnati Bengals
- Oklahoma WR Justin Brown, 186th overall, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Kansas State FB Braden Wilson, 204th overall, Kansas City Chiefs
- Oklahoma DT Stacy McGee, 205th overall, Oakland Raiders
- Oklahoma DE David King, 239th overall, Philadelphia Eagles
- Iowa State OL Carter Bykowski, 246th overall, San Francisco
Oklahoma's defense made it through the second week of November and had given up more than 21 points just twice. The Sooners lost both games, but any good Big 12 offense can feel good about its chances if its defense gives up just 24 and 30 points, especially at home.
New defensive coordinator Mike Stoops looked like he'd made an impact, but after beating Iowa State in Ames, the streak of strong defensive play from the Sooners stopped. It survived 34 points from Baylor and big plays late from quarterback Landry Jones helped the Sooners beat West Virginia and rival Oklahoma State despite giving up 49 and 48 points, respectively.
Jones' heroics overshadowed the defensive struggles a bit, but there was no hiding from an embarrassing 41-13 blowout loss at the hand of ex-Big 12 rival Texas A&M, lowlighted by 229 rushing yards and 287 passing yards from Heisman winner Johnny Manziel, who also accounted for four touchdowns.
"You can’t give up that many yards and that many points and expect to win. We’ve got to find ways to be better against those kinds of teams. That’s what we’re concentrating on [this spring]," Stoops said. "A lot of teams you can go out there and it doesn’t matter what you play, you can beat a lot of teams, but when you go up against the top-level teams, you’ve got to come up with something a little different and variations and that’s where we came up short, those kinds of games."
There's no excusing the points, but how much of those struggles were the Sooners playing poorly, and how much of it was going head-to-head with four teams that ranked in the top 10 in total offense and scoring offense?
"Our plan was off against Tavon Austin, they kind of caught us with our pants down, and we didn’t have really an answer. Structrually, you’ve got to be better than that," Stoops said. "A&M, I think that was probably one of the hardest teams we’ve had to defend here ever, maybe."
Austin spent almost all his time at West Virginia as a receiver, but the Mountaineers moved him to running back against the Sooners. He promptly racked up a school-record 344 rushing yards and had 572 all-purpose yards, seven short of the NCAA record. Against the Aggies, the Sooners' pass rush went absent and the linebackers and secondary consistently lost contain on Manziel, who turned broken plays into big plays on countless occasions in the Aggies' romp.
"Those three teams average more than 550 yards a game so that’s their average. You’ve got to look at it, but certainly we want to have our expectations," Stoops said of the Aggies, Cowboys and Mountaineers. "It’s a little bit of us not being good enough schematically and position by positon. When you get stressed like that when you play good teams, you get stressed across the board, and we have to be better than we were a year ago, and that’s individually and schematically."
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Jackson Laizure/Getty ImagesDefensive coordinator Mike Stoops says that Oklahoma's defense needs to be better schematically next season.
Jackson Laizure/Getty ImagesDefensive coordinator Mike Stoops says that Oklahoma's defense needs to be better schematically next season.Jones' heroics overshadowed the defensive struggles a bit, but there was no hiding from an embarrassing 41-13 blowout loss at the hand of ex-Big 12 rival Texas A&M, lowlighted by 229 rushing yards and 287 passing yards from Heisman winner Johnny Manziel, who also accounted for four touchdowns.
"You can’t give up that many yards and that many points and expect to win. We’ve got to find ways to be better against those kinds of teams. That’s what we’re concentrating on [this spring]," Stoops said. "A lot of teams you can go out there and it doesn’t matter what you play, you can beat a lot of teams, but when you go up against the top-level teams, you’ve got to come up with something a little different and variations and that’s where we came up short, those kinds of games."
There's no excusing the points, but how much of those struggles were the Sooners playing poorly, and how much of it was going head-to-head with four teams that ranked in the top 10 in total offense and scoring offense?
"Our plan was off against Tavon Austin, they kind of caught us with our pants down, and we didn’t have really an answer. Structrually, you’ve got to be better than that," Stoops said. "A&M, I think that was probably one of the hardest teams we’ve had to defend here ever, maybe."
Austin spent almost all his time at West Virginia as a receiver, but the Mountaineers moved him to running back against the Sooners. He promptly racked up a school-record 344 rushing yards and had 572 all-purpose yards, seven short of the NCAA record. Against the Aggies, the Sooners' pass rush went absent and the linebackers and secondary consistently lost contain on Manziel, who turned broken plays into big plays on countless occasions in the Aggies' romp.
"Those three teams average more than 550 yards a game so that’s their average. You’ve got to look at it, but certainly we want to have our expectations," Stoops said of the Aggies, Cowboys and Mountaineers. "It’s a little bit of us not being good enough schematically and position by positon. When you get stressed like that when you play good teams, you get stressed across the board, and we have to be better than we were a year ago, and that’s individually and schematically."
Ranking the Big 12's nonconference slates
March, 8, 2013
Mar 8
2:00
PM CT
By
Brandon Chatmon | ESPN.com
Nonconference schedules can reveal many things. They can be the difference between a BCS championship berth or being left behind, and they can provide a glimpse of future success or future disappointments. Here's a look at the Big 12's 2013 nonconference schedules ranked from toughest to easiest.
1. Oklahoma: Louisiana-Monroe, Tulsa, at Notre Dame
All three of OU’s nonconference opponents won at least eight games in 2012, making the Sooners’ nonconference schedule a solid test as they look to break in a new quarterback. And their visit to South Bend, Ind., could be one of college football’s top matchups in 2013.
2. TCU: LSU (at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas), Southeastern Louisiana, SMU
The opener against the Tigers will be one of the highlight games of opening weekend and raises the overall ranking of TCU's nonconference schedule. It’s an opportunity for TCU to prove itself and send a message for the Big 12. And TCU's home contest against SMU should be a solid test, as well.
3. Texas: New Mexico, at BYU, Ole Miss
After a fairly easy season opener, the Longhorns travel to Provo, Utah, to face BYU in a game that could be tougher than most people expect. Then UT hosts Ole Miss, giving the Rebels a chance to avenge their home loss to the Longhorns in 2012. Facing the Cougars and Rebels in back-to-back weeks will be a tough test for Mack Brown's squad.
4. Iowa State: Northern Iowa, Iowa, at Tulsa
The Cyclones' road test at Tulsa won’t be easy as ISU looks to avenge its Liberty Bowl loss to the Golden Hurricane. This game could be considered a conference matchup in some ways as it will be the third meeting between the two teams in two years. Add rival Iowa to the mix and suddenly ISU has one of the conference’s tougher nonconference slates.
5. Oklahoma State: Mississippi State (at Reliant Stadium in Houston), at Texas-San Antonio, Lamar
The Cowboys' season opener is the lone saving grace in this nonconference lineup. The Bulldogs should be a solid early test for OSU, but neither UTSA nor Lamar should prove to be major hurdles.
6. Kansas: South Dakota, at Rice, Louisiana Tech
Rice, which defeated KU in Manhattan, Kan., last season, and Louisiana Tech will be tough tests for the Jayhawks. Both games should give a glimpse of how much KU has improved in Charlie Weis’ second season at the helm.
7. Texas Tech: at SMU, Stephen F. Austin, Texas State
The Red Raiders' toughest matchup should be its opener at SMU. In Kliff Kingsbury’s first season, Texas Tech will have the chance to get its feet wet in nonconference play even though a Big 12 battle with TCU is sandwiched between its matchups with SFA and Texas State.
8. West Virginia: William & Mary, Georgia State, vs. Maryland (at Ravens Stadium in Baltimore)
Not much of a nonconference slate for WVU, with the Terps as the lone BCS team on the schedule. Things set up well for Dana Holgorsen’s offense as the Mountaineers try to replace quarterback Geno Smith and receivers Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey.
9. Kansas State: North Dakota State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Massachusetts
Louisiana-Lafayette could provide the sternest test for the Wildcats, but there’s no reason why KSU can’t enter Big 12 play undefeated. Their nonconference schedule sets up well for a team looking to replace standout quarterback Collin Klein.
10. Baylor: Wofford, Buffalo, Louisiana-Monroe
It’s unlikely Baylor will get tested before its first conference game. The Bears were recently forced to add FCS opponent Wofford after their game with SMU was cancelled, so Louisiana-Monroe could be their toughest nonconference test. They should pile up the victories but might not know much about their team before conference play.
1. Oklahoma: Louisiana-Monroe, Tulsa, at Notre Dame
All three of OU’s nonconference opponents won at least eight games in 2012, making the Sooners’ nonconference schedule a solid test as they look to break in a new quarterback. And their visit to South Bend, Ind., could be one of college football’s top matchups in 2013.
2. TCU: LSU (at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas), Southeastern Louisiana, SMU
The opener against the Tigers will be one of the highlight games of opening weekend and raises the overall ranking of TCU's nonconference schedule. It’s an opportunity for TCU to prove itself and send a message for the Big 12. And TCU's home contest against SMU should be a solid test, as well.
3. Texas: New Mexico, at BYU, Ole Miss
After a fairly easy season opener, the Longhorns travel to Provo, Utah, to face BYU in a game that could be tougher than most people expect. Then UT hosts Ole Miss, giving the Rebels a chance to avenge their home loss to the Longhorns in 2012. Facing the Cougars and Rebels in back-to-back weeks will be a tough test for Mack Brown's squad.
4. Iowa State: Northern Iowa, Iowa, at Tulsa
The Cyclones' road test at Tulsa won’t be easy as ISU looks to avenge its Liberty Bowl loss to the Golden Hurricane. This game could be considered a conference matchup in some ways as it will be the third meeting between the two teams in two years. Add rival Iowa to the mix and suddenly ISU has one of the conference’s tougher nonconference slates.
5. Oklahoma State: Mississippi State (at Reliant Stadium in Houston), at Texas-San Antonio, Lamar
The Cowboys' season opener is the lone saving grace in this nonconference lineup. The Bulldogs should be a solid early test for OSU, but neither UTSA nor Lamar should prove to be major hurdles.
6. Kansas: South Dakota, at Rice, Louisiana Tech
Rice, which defeated KU in Manhattan, Kan., last season, and Louisiana Tech will be tough tests for the Jayhawks. Both games should give a glimpse of how much KU has improved in Charlie Weis’ second season at the helm.
7. Texas Tech: at SMU, Stephen F. Austin, Texas State
The Red Raiders' toughest matchup should be its opener at SMU. In Kliff Kingsbury’s first season, Texas Tech will have the chance to get its feet wet in nonconference play even though a Big 12 battle with TCU is sandwiched between its matchups with SFA and Texas State.
8. West Virginia: William & Mary, Georgia State, vs. Maryland (at Ravens Stadium in Baltimore)
Not much of a nonconference slate for WVU, with the Terps as the lone BCS team on the schedule. Things set up well for Dana Holgorsen’s offense as the Mountaineers try to replace quarterback Geno Smith and receivers Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey.
9. Kansas State: North Dakota State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Massachusetts
Louisiana-Lafayette could provide the sternest test for the Wildcats, but there’s no reason why KSU can’t enter Big 12 play undefeated. Their nonconference schedule sets up well for a team looking to replace standout quarterback Collin Klein.
10. Baylor: Wofford, Buffalo, Louisiana-Monroe
It’s unlikely Baylor will get tested before its first conference game. The Bears were recently forced to add FCS opponent Wofford after their game with SMU was cancelled, so Louisiana-Monroe could be their toughest nonconference test. They should pile up the victories but might not know much about their team before conference play.
Bob Bowlsby was in Stillwater on Wednesday for Oklahoma State's game against Iowa State, but turned a whole lot of heads when he told the Associated Press of the Big 12's plans to continue to move toward re-instituting the Big 12 Championship game. The Big 12 will seek a waiver from the NCAA to hold a title game with just 10 teams in the league.
Bowlsby's news is surprising considering it never came up in his meetings with the media during this week's Big 12 athletic directors' meetings.
Reports leaked out this month that Bowlsby had planned to explore the waiver, but this latest news makes it clear that he's serious about bringing back the Big 12 title game, which hasn't been played since Oklahoma beat Nebraska in 2010. Oklahoma State won the outright title in Stillwater in 2011, and Kansas State shared the 2012 title with Oklahoma after both teams went 8-1 in Big 12 play this season.
More on this later today.
"At a time when lots of deregulation is taking place, it seems a little bit odd that the NCAA would be describing how we determine our champions," Bowlsby said Wednesday night, when he watched the Iowa State-Oklahoma State men's basketball game.
"I think it's reasonable to say if you're going to have a champion that you're going to have to designate it in one fashion or another. But to say it has to be between 12 schools or that there has to be divisional play or there has to be a round-robin, we're deregulating lots of things and that certainly is a candidate."
Bowlsby's news is surprising considering it never came up in his meetings with the media during this week's Big 12 athletic directors' meetings.
Reports leaked out this month that Bowlsby had planned to explore the waiver, but this latest news makes it clear that he's serious about bringing back the Big 12 title game, which hasn't been played since Oklahoma beat Nebraska in 2010. Oklahoma State won the outright title in Stillwater in 2011, and Kansas State shared the 2012 title with Oklahoma after both teams went 8-1 in Big 12 play this season.
More on this later today.
Best Big 12 in-game atmospheres of 2012
January, 19, 2013
Jan 19
4:00
PM CT
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
This is one of the fans' favorite posts of the year, and I always like looking back on the season in the Big 12. To be fair, my only candidates are games I actually attended. I suspect the Oklahoma-Notre Dame and Red River Rivalry games should be on this list, but I can't attest to personal experience. The list of games I attended is at the bottom of the post. You can click on each game to see our game coverage.
This list is naturally predisposed to include close games, which Bill Snyder Family Stadium didn't see enough of this season. That's why Kansas State fans didn't make an appearance, though games against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State weren't far off.
1. Kansas State at Oklahoma: The Sooners fans were in full throat when they realized early on that Kansas State meant business and could win this game. This was one of the best games of the season, and the Sooners fans provided a great atmosphere for it to take place. The team just didn't show up quite as well as the fans.
2. Texas at Oklahoma State: I was down on the field for the final few minutes of this one, including Texas' crazy comeback. Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka made the trip to Stillwater, too, but Oklahoma State fans wanted this one bad. It was obvious. They didn't get the win, but they did earn a lot of respect with a crazy-loud night in Oklahoma.
3. West Virginia at Texas: Odd that the top three games on this list all involved home teams that didn't win, but Texas fans were undefeated and ready for Geno Smith in this showdown of undefeateds. West Virginia got the best of Texas late, but a handful of big plays on defense early ignited this crowd, landing it at No. 3 on our list.
4. Oregon vs. Kansas State (Fiesta Bowl): You've got to love this game and this stadium. The pregame atmospheres for these are always fantastic, and that was the case with the Fiesta Bowl. A kickoff return for a touchdown got the Oregon fans started, and Kansas State's second-quarter rally provided a solid answer for the folks in purple. The second half wasn't quite as intense, but it was still a memorable game.
5. Kansas State at Baylor: Baylor loses points for not filling the stadium here, but the fans who showed were loud and stormed the field after the season-making upset. The second half was delirious, especially when Lache Seastrunk broke it open with an 80-yard score. It seemed like Baylor fans couldn't believe what they were watching, but big play after big play and a huge defensive performance buoyed this crowd.
Games I attended:
This list is naturally predisposed to include close games, which Bill Snyder Family Stadium didn't see enough of this season. That's why Kansas State fans didn't make an appearance, though games against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State weren't far off.
1. Kansas State at Oklahoma: The Sooners fans were in full throat when they realized early on that Kansas State meant business and could win this game. This was one of the best games of the season, and the Sooners fans provided a great atmosphere for it to take place. The team just didn't show up quite as well as the fans.
2. Texas at Oklahoma State: I was down on the field for the final few minutes of this one, including Texas' crazy comeback. Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka made the trip to Stillwater, too, but Oklahoma State fans wanted this one bad. It was obvious. They didn't get the win, but they did earn a lot of respect with a crazy-loud night in Oklahoma.
3. West Virginia at Texas: Odd that the top three games on this list all involved home teams that didn't win, but Texas fans were undefeated and ready for Geno Smith in this showdown of undefeateds. West Virginia got the best of Texas late, but a handful of big plays on defense early ignited this crowd, landing it at No. 3 on our list.
4. Oregon vs. Kansas State (Fiesta Bowl): You've got to love this game and this stadium. The pregame atmospheres for these are always fantastic, and that was the case with the Fiesta Bowl. A kickoff return for a touchdown got the Oregon fans started, and Kansas State's second-quarter rally provided a solid answer for the folks in purple. The second half wasn't quite as intense, but it was still a memorable game.
5. Kansas State at Baylor: Baylor loses points for not filling the stadium here, but the fans who showed were loud and stormed the field after the season-making upset. The second half was delirious, especially when Lache Seastrunk broke it open with an 80-yard score. It seemed like Baylor fans couldn't believe what they were watching, but big play after big play and a huge defensive performance buoyed this crowd.
Games I attended:
- Week 1: SMU at Baylor
- Week 2: Miami at Kansas State
- Week 3: Home
- Week 4: Kansas State at Oklahoma
- Week 5: Texas at Oklahoma State
- Week 6: West Virginia at Texas
- Week 7: West Virginia at Texas Tech
- Week 8: Kansas State at West Virginia
- Week 9: Texas Tech at Kansas State
- Week 10: Oklahoma State at Kansas State
- Week 11: Kansas State at TCU
- Week 12: Kansas State at Baylor
- Week 13: Home
- Week 14: Oklahoma at TCU
- Bowls: Oregon vs. Kansas State (Fiesta Bowl) and Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma (Cotton Bowl)
Bold predictions for the Big 12 in 2013
January, 15, 2013
Jan 15
10:00
AM CT
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
As we continue our season wrap, we'll be looking to 2013 today. Let's take a look with some bold predictions in 2013.
1. The Big 12 will not expand or institute a championship game. I get the questions every day, but I simply don't believe the Big 12 will seriously consider expansion before the new college football playoff is in place, and the Big 12 gets an idea for where it stands in the college football landscape. Bob Bowlsby turned heads when a report surfaced that he'd inquired to the NCAA about bringing back the championship game, but that's a long way from actually doing so. Bringing back a No. 1 versus No. 2 league title game unless the Big 12 is a 12-team league with divisions is the surest way for the Big 12 to find it difficult to crack the four-team playoff.
2. Neither Texas nor Oklahoma will win the Big 12's automatic BCS bid. Simply put, TCU and Oklahoma State are likely better teams. One of those two will win the league and represent the Big 12 in the Fiesta Bowl as its BCS representative. Texas is good, but not quite good enough and will have a difficult decision to make about Mack Brown's future after falling short. Oklahoma is just losing too much on defense and trying to live without Landry Jones, which fans will find more difficult than they imagined.
3. The Big 12 will have a Davey O'Brien Trophy finalist. The Big 12 is reloading at quarterback, and will likely have only one starting quarterback in 2013 (barring what happens at TCU) who started at least half of his team's games in 2012: Texas' David Ash. It won't necessarily be him at the awards ceremony, but I believe in the Big 12's quarterback development, and we'll see a breakout star next year. Will it be Michael Brewer at Tech? Bryce Petty at Baylor? Ford Childress/Paul Millard in Morgantown or Blake Bell in Norman? What about Daniel Sams or Jake Waters at K-State?
4. Three Big 12 teams will finish in the national top 35 in total defense. This year, the Big 12 had only one team (TCU) crack the top 35. There will be great defenses coming back. Look for Texas, TCU and Oklahoma State to grab this accomplishment, and Texas Tech might not be far off, too. Offenses as a whole will be down from their crazy pace next year, and that's an opportunity for some experienced defenses.
5. The Big 12 will not play for a national title ... again. It's getting old for the league these days. Texas and Oklahoma both played a part in the SEC capturing seven consecutive national titles, but the Big 12's sat on the sidelines on that Monday night in January for each of the past three seasons. Make it four next year.
6. Texas Tech will be the Big 12's biggest overachiever. They'll do it on the back of Brewer, who I buy as the most likely breakout star for the Big 12 next year. He's got great running backs, a great system and great, experienced receivers. Having Eric Ward back will be huge, and Jace Amaro and Jakeem Grant will continue to grow. I'm a little cautious on picking them in the top half of the league in the preseason, but I wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Red Raiders finish in the top three or four next year.
7. Baylor will win at least eight games again. The Bears' offense will be back, and the defense will be a little bit improved. It'll be enough to win eight games in three consecutive seasons with three different quarterbacks. That's crazy, and yet another testament to what Art Briles has done in Waco.
8. Kansas will win a Big 12 game. It has to happen eventually, doesn't it? The Big 12 losing streak now stands at 21 games. It won't reach 30 this time next year.
1. The Big 12 will not expand or institute a championship game. I get the questions every day, but I simply don't believe the Big 12 will seriously consider expansion before the new college football playoff is in place, and the Big 12 gets an idea for where it stands in the college football landscape. Bob Bowlsby turned heads when a report surfaced that he'd inquired to the NCAA about bringing back the championship game, but that's a long way from actually doing so. Bringing back a No. 1 versus No. 2 league title game unless the Big 12 is a 12-team league with divisions is the surest way for the Big 12 to find it difficult to crack the four-team playoff.
[+] Enlarge
Michael C. Johnson/US PresswireTexas could face a difficult decision should coach Mack Brown and the Longhorns fall short of expectations in 2013.
Michael C. Johnson/US PresswireTexas could face a difficult decision should coach Mack Brown and the Longhorns fall short of expectations in 2013.3. The Big 12 will have a Davey O'Brien Trophy finalist. The Big 12 is reloading at quarterback, and will likely have only one starting quarterback in 2013 (barring what happens at TCU) who started at least half of his team's games in 2012: Texas' David Ash. It won't necessarily be him at the awards ceremony, but I believe in the Big 12's quarterback development, and we'll see a breakout star next year. Will it be Michael Brewer at Tech? Bryce Petty at Baylor? Ford Childress/Paul Millard in Morgantown or Blake Bell in Norman? What about Daniel Sams or Jake Waters at K-State?
4. Three Big 12 teams will finish in the national top 35 in total defense. This year, the Big 12 had only one team (TCU) crack the top 35. There will be great defenses coming back. Look for Texas, TCU and Oklahoma State to grab this accomplishment, and Texas Tech might not be far off, too. Offenses as a whole will be down from their crazy pace next year, and that's an opportunity for some experienced defenses.
5. The Big 12 will not play for a national title ... again. It's getting old for the league these days. Texas and Oklahoma both played a part in the SEC capturing seven consecutive national titles, but the Big 12's sat on the sidelines on that Monday night in January for each of the past three seasons. Make it four next year.
6. Texas Tech will be the Big 12's biggest overachiever. They'll do it on the back of Brewer, who I buy as the most likely breakout star for the Big 12 next year. He's got great running backs, a great system and great, experienced receivers. Having Eric Ward back will be huge, and Jace Amaro and Jakeem Grant will continue to grow. I'm a little cautious on picking them in the top half of the league in the preseason, but I wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Red Raiders finish in the top three or four next year.
7. Baylor will win at least eight games again. The Bears' offense will be back, and the defense will be a little bit improved. It'll be enough to win eight games in three consecutive seasons with three different quarterbacks. That's crazy, and yet another testament to what Art Briles has done in Waco.
8. Kansas will win a Big 12 game. It has to happen eventually, doesn't it? The Big 12 losing streak now stands at 21 games. It won't reach 30 this time next year.
OU's eyes on St. John, Bibbs, Russell 
December, 19, 2012
12/19/12
8:00
AM CT
By
Bob Przybylo | ESPN.com
Going into the first day of the junior college signing period, Oklahoma knows it has one commit locked down. Punter Jed Barnett (Oakland, Calif./Laney CC) is not going anywhere.
But if the Sooners have their way, three more names are going to enter the fold. Two of them could come from the same juco, Trinity Valley in Athens, Texas.
As OU prepares to see which letters of intent come its way, here are some of the top junior college targets on OU’s board.
But if the Sooners have their way, three more names are going to enter the fold. Two of them could come from the same juco, Trinity Valley in Athens, Texas.
As OU prepares to see which letters of intent come its way, here are some of the top junior college targets on OU’s board.
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Juco TE Emmanuel Bibbs down to ISU, OU
December, 17, 2012
12/17/12
12:35
PM CT
By
Bob Przybylo | ESPN.com
There are two days until the first day of the junior college early signing period, and tight end Emmanuel Bibbs (Yuma, Ariz./Arizona Western) is not sure which school he's going to choose.
Bibbs, a three-star prospect who is 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, has been committed to Iowa State since June. He thought his recruitment was over. And then Oklahoma entered the picture. Now it’s a mess.
“Yeah, I have no clue right now,” Bibbs said. “At this point, I don’t know where I’m going to go.”
Bibbs, a three-star prospect who is 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, has been committed to Iowa State since June. He thought his recruitment was over. And then Oklahoma entered the picture. Now it’s a mess.
“Yeah, I have no clue right now,” Bibbs said. “At this point, I don’t know where I’m going to go.”
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Does Oklahoma deserve to share a title?
December, 4, 2012
12/04/12
8:00
AM CT
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
The Oklahoma Sooners celebrated like champions on Saturday, posing for photos on the field and in the locker room and not showing any shame in their status as Big 12 co-champions, despite losing the head-to-head matchup at home with Kansas State back on Sept. 22.
"Big 12 champs or co-champs, either way, they're recognized as champions," coach Bob Stoops said after the win. "There seemed to be a little confusion about it, but there isn't. ... Nobody here made those rules. At the present time, that's where we're at."
Stoops is right about the Big 12 standings. The Sooners went 8-1 in Big 12 play. So did Kansas State, though the 11-1, Fiesta Bowl-bound Wildcats had a better overall record than Oklahoma.
This is brand-new territory for the Big 12, which instituted a championship game when the league began play in 1996 and had an outright champion in Oklahoma State last year.
So what do you think? Should the Big 12 have made a trophy and given it to Oklahoma, recognizing the Sooners as Big 12 champs and allowing shirts and hats to be passed out in the locker room?
Or should Kansas State's head-to-head win have reserved the only celebration for Manhattan on Saturday night?
I'm curious to see what the fans think. Vote in our poll.
"Big 12 champs or co-champs, either way, they're recognized as champions," coach Bob Stoops said after the win. "There seemed to be a little confusion about it, but there isn't. ... Nobody here made those rules. At the present time, that's where we're at."
This is brand-new territory for the Big 12, which instituted a championship game when the league began play in 1996 and had an outright champion in Oklahoma State last year.
So what do you think? Should the Big 12 have made a trophy and given it to Oklahoma, recognizing the Sooners as Big 12 champs and allowing shirts and hats to be passed out in the locker room?
Or should Kansas State's head-to-head win have reserved the only celebration for Manhattan on Saturday night?
I'm curious to see what the fans think. Vote in our poll.
Film review: OU 35, Iowa State 20
November, 4, 2012
11/04/12
2:45
PM CT
By
Brandon Chatmon | ESPN.com
Oklahoma got back on track with its 35-20 victory over Iowa State on Saturday. Landry Jones' trust in his receivers was clear as the Sooners quarterback threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions. Here's a closer look at some of the key plays in the win as OU strives to keep its BCS hopes alive.
Sterling Shepard’s 20-yard touchdown reception
This was a key play for the Sooners for several reasons.
Looking to force the Sooners to settle for a field goal, the Cyclones rushed three defenders and dropped eight into coverage. Jones made a great read to find the one-on-one matchup and gave Shepard a chance to make the play with a great throw into tight coverage.
Shepard, a freshman receiver, did a terrific job attacking the ball when it was in the air. He’s been a bright spot throughout the season with his competitive nature and playmaking ability. He should be a part of the foundation of OU’s offense for the remainder of his career.
Third-down, red-zone stop after Jones’ first interception
With the Cyclones looking to tie the score at seven on third-and-10 at OU’s 15-yard line, the Sooners rushed four defenders. It was a terrific omen for the game as defensive tackle Casey Walker and defensive end David King each won their one-on-one battles to get pressure on Cyclones quarterback Steele Jantz.
Jantz dumped the ball off to ISU receiver Jarvis West, who was well covered by OU nickelback Gabe Lynn, for a six-yard gain. Cyclone kicker Edwin Arceo kicked a 27-yard field goal on fourth down.
The play and how the Sooners defended it was a good example of the entire game for OU's defense. The Sooners finished with three sacks, didn’t need to blitz to get pressure on Jantz and covered well throughout the game.
Third-down stop after Jones' second interception
Frankly, both ISU possessions after Jones interceptions were highlight moments for Mike Stoops' defense. In both scenarios, OU responded well to being thrown back onto the field and both times OU forced third-and-10 plays, a sign they had performed well on the first two downs.
ISU was facing third-and-10 at OU’s 33-yard line and the Sooners again rushed four defensive linemen. And, again, Walker put pressure on Jantz with a terrific move at the line of scrimmage to get immediate pressure on the Cyclones quarterback. He forced Jantz to throw high to receiver Chris Young,who was blanketed by cornerback Demontre Hurst on the play.
The way the Sooners shut down both drives and didn’t allow the turnovers to turn into touchdowns kept the momentum from completely switching to the Cyclones’ side.
Justin Brown’s 40-yard reception
The offense stepped on the field with 1:04 left in the first half, then showed absolutely no urgency after Brennan Clay’s five-yard run on first down. On the next play, the Sooners running back gained nine yards and ran out of bounds to stop the clock with 26 seconds left. Both plays were run out of OU’s three-back formation.
At that point, OU’s approach changed.
On the third play of the drive, the Sooners were in their four-receiver formation and Jones found Brown for 40 yards. Brown was the lone receiver on the right side of the formation and the Iowa State secondary shaded toward the three receivers on the left, giving Brown a one-on-one opportunity. The senior used superior ball skills to make the reception. Jones found receiver Kenny Stills on the next play for a 21-yard touchdown.
It’s a terrific sign for Brown moving forward because the play showed how much Jones trusted him to make a play. After throwing interceptions on back-to-back possessions, Jones was willing to risk another one while giving Brown a chance to make the play.
Just that quickly the interceptions -- and the momentum the Cyclones gained from them-- were forgotten.
Clay’s third-down conversion after ISU scored its first touchdown
Facing a third-and-1 at the ISU 32-yard line, OU didn’t go to the Belldozer. Instead, the Sooners had two running backs and three receivers in the formation. Solid blocks from tackle Tyrus Thompson and fullback Trey Millard secured the hole, then Clay ran over Cyclones safety Jacques Washington, who met him in the hole, right at the first-down marker.
Clay scored on an 18-yard touchdown run two plays later.
Clay’s conversion was critical because it was a swift and immediate answer after the Cyclones scored. The Sooners also sent a message with the drive, essentially running the ball down ISU’s throat with Clay recording 18-, 12- and eight-yard runs on the drive. Clay had five carries for 41 yards on the drive. His physical run for a first down on this play mirrored the entire drive, which was built upon physical domination by the Sooners offense.
This drive was also showed that OU can take a tough, physical running approach within its current offense system. The Sooners just need to show they can do it against anyone, anytime they want to. That hasn’t been the case this season, particularly in their losses to Kansas State and Notre Dame.
Sterling Shepard’s 20-yard touchdown reception
This was a key play for the Sooners for several reasons.
- OU had already seen two lengthy drives end without points.
- It was a third-down conversion deep in ISU territory.
- It allowed them to play with a lead despite not finishing those first two drives.
Looking to force the Sooners to settle for a field goal, the Cyclones rushed three defenders and dropped eight into coverage. Jones made a great read to find the one-on-one matchup and gave Shepard a chance to make the play with a great throw into tight coverage.
Shepard, a freshman receiver, did a terrific job attacking the ball when it was in the air. He’s been a bright spot throughout the season with his competitive nature and playmaking ability. He should be a part of the foundation of OU’s offense for the remainder of his career.
Third-down, red-zone stop after Jones’ first interception
With the Cyclones looking to tie the score at seven on third-and-10 at OU’s 15-yard line, the Sooners rushed four defenders. It was a terrific omen for the game as defensive tackle Casey Walker and defensive end David King each won their one-on-one battles to get pressure on Cyclones quarterback Steele Jantz.
Jantz dumped the ball off to ISU receiver Jarvis West, who was well covered by OU nickelback Gabe Lynn, for a six-yard gain. Cyclone kicker Edwin Arceo kicked a 27-yard field goal on fourth down.
The play and how the Sooners defended it was a good example of the entire game for OU's defense. The Sooners finished with three sacks, didn’t need to blitz to get pressure on Jantz and covered well throughout the game.
Third-down stop after Jones' second interception
Frankly, both ISU possessions after Jones interceptions were highlight moments for Mike Stoops' defense. In both scenarios, OU responded well to being thrown back onto the field and both times OU forced third-and-10 plays, a sign they had performed well on the first two downs.
ISU was facing third-and-10 at OU’s 33-yard line and the Sooners again rushed four defensive linemen. And, again, Walker put pressure on Jantz with a terrific move at the line of scrimmage to get immediate pressure on the Cyclones quarterback. He forced Jantz to throw high to receiver Chris Young,who was blanketed by cornerback Demontre Hurst on the play.
The way the Sooners shut down both drives and didn’t allow the turnovers to turn into touchdowns kept the momentum from completely switching to the Cyclones’ side.
Justin Brown’s 40-yard reception
The offense stepped on the field with 1:04 left in the first half, then showed absolutely no urgency after Brennan Clay’s five-yard run on first down. On the next play, the Sooners running back gained nine yards and ran out of bounds to stop the clock with 26 seconds left. Both plays were run out of OU’s three-back formation.
At that point, OU’s approach changed.
On the third play of the drive, the Sooners were in their four-receiver formation and Jones found Brown for 40 yards. Brown was the lone receiver on the right side of the formation and the Iowa State secondary shaded toward the three receivers on the left, giving Brown a one-on-one opportunity. The senior used superior ball skills to make the reception. Jones found receiver Kenny Stills on the next play for a 21-yard touchdown.
It’s a terrific sign for Brown moving forward because the play showed how much Jones trusted him to make a play. After throwing interceptions on back-to-back possessions, Jones was willing to risk another one while giving Brown a chance to make the play.
Just that quickly the interceptions -- and the momentum the Cyclones gained from them-- were forgotten.
Clay’s third-down conversion after ISU scored its first touchdown
Facing a third-and-1 at the ISU 32-yard line, OU didn’t go to the Belldozer. Instead, the Sooners had two running backs and three receivers in the formation. Solid blocks from tackle Tyrus Thompson and fullback Trey Millard secured the hole, then Clay ran over Cyclones safety Jacques Washington, who met him in the hole, right at the first-down marker.
Clay scored on an 18-yard touchdown run two plays later.
Clay’s conversion was critical because it was a swift and immediate answer after the Cyclones scored. The Sooners also sent a message with the drive, essentially running the ball down ISU’s throat with Clay recording 18-, 12- and eight-yard runs on the drive. Clay had five carries for 41 yards on the drive. His physical run for a first down on this play mirrored the entire drive, which was built upon physical domination by the Sooners offense.
This drive was also showed that OU can take a tough, physical running approach within its current offense system. The Sooners just need to show they can do it against anyone, anytime they want to. That hasn’t been the case this season, particularly in their losses to Kansas State and Notre Dame.
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Video: OU bounces back with win over ISU
November, 4, 2012
11/04/12
11:30
AM CT
By SoonerNation staff | ESPN.com
SoonerNation's Jack Trotter on Oklahoma's 35-20 win over Iowa State.
3 Up, 3 Down: Oklahoma 35, Iowa State 20
November, 4, 2012
11/04/12
8:00
AM CT
By
Jake Trotter | ESPN.com
Who was up and who was down after Oklahoma’s 35-20 win at Iowa State:
THREE UP
1. RB Brennan Clay. The junior from California had the game of his career, rushing for a career-high 157 yards on 24 carries. With Damien Williams ailing with an ankle injury, Clay could play a huge role for the Sooners down the stretch.
THREE UP
1. RB Brennan Clay. The junior from California had the game of his career, rushing for a career-high 157 yards on 24 carries. With Damien Williams ailing with an ankle injury, Clay could play a huge role for the Sooners down the stretch.
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Instant analysis: Oklahoma 35, ISU 20
November, 3, 2012
11/03/12
2:47
PM CT
By
Jake Trotter | ESPN.com
AMES, Iowa -- After a sluggish first quarter, the Sooners finally got rolling offensively to cruise to a 35-20 win over Iowa State on the road.
It was over when: Oklahoma free safety Tony Jefferson picked off Steele Jantz inside the OU 20-yard line with 3:14 left in the game to finish off a mild Iowa State rally. The interception was the Sooners' only forced turnover of the day.
Game ball goes to: OU running back Brennan Clay, who rushed for a career-high 157 yards on 24 carries in relief of hobbled starter Damien Williams. Clay also dashed for an 18-yard touchdown late in the third quarter that put the Sooners up two scores.
Stat of the game: The Sooners gashed Iowa State on third down, converting 9 of 14 attempts. Landry Jones completed two of his touchdown passes on third-and-9.
Turning point: After picking off Jones, Iowa State pulled to within 7-6 on an Edwin Arceo 51-yard field goal. The Sooners seemed to content to run out the last minute of the first half, handing the ball off twice. But then Jones completed back-to-back bombs, including a 21-yard touchdown lob to Kenny Stills 14 seconds before halftime.
Unsung hero: Sooners wide receiver Justin Brown came through with two of the biggest plays of the game. Brown hauled in a 40-yard catch near the end of the first half to set up the Stills touchdown. He also snagged a tipped pass in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown to cap OU’s opening drive of the third quarter.
What it means: The Sooners remain on Kansas State’s heels in the Big 12 title race, though still need a lot of help. Iowa State missed a chance to become bowl eligible for the second straight season, but still has three more opportunities to get there.
Watch: Oklahoma on upset watch
November, 2, 2012
11/02/12
3:15
PM CT
By RecruitingNation staff | ESPN.com
Robert Smith puts Oklahoma on upset watch Saturday against Iowa State.
ABOUT SOONER NATION
Jake Trotter
Jake Trotter joined ESPN.com in 2011 after four years with The (Oklahoma City) Oklahoman, covering OU and Big 12 football. He's a graduate of Washington and Lee (Va.) University and lives in Oklahoma City with his wife. Email him at trotterjake@gmail.com.
Brandon Chatmon
Brandon Chatmon joined ESPN.com in 2011 after spending eight years with The Oklahoman, covering Oklahoma State University, high schools and recruiting. Chatmon lives in Norman, Okla. Email him at bchatmonespn@gmail.com.
Bob Przybylo
Bob Przybylo joined ESPN.com in 2011 after spending four years with The Oklahoman, covering high schools and recruiting. Przybylo lives in Oklahoma City. Email him at bprzybyloespn@gmail.com.