Weekend Review: First week of Big 12 football is in the books
After a crushingly disappointing weekend for Iowa State, Kansas State and Kansas—and a near miss by Texas Tech—week one of Big 12 football is in the books.
What did we learn? Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler looks ready to go and Texas can beat a team like UTEP. Kansas is still Kansas while K-State and Iowa State have some issues. West Virginia looks like they have grown up a little and Texas Tech is relieved, not happy, after that scare against Houston Baptist.
The Good
The Longhorns and Sooners rolled teams they should have as redshirt freshman Rattler looked very good and Texas did exactly what they should have done which has been a problem for them lately. What can you say about these games? They happened. Nothing was surprising.
West Virginia intrigues me though. Yes, they were playing a team that they should stomped, but this was a team last season that needed multiple weeks to score a total of 56 points. As it looks now, Neal Brown’s offense has started to blossom. What it means for game two or any of the others remains to be seen, but they look like they could give people problems.
The Bad
Iowa State and Kansas State lost.
They did play better teams than the Longhorns and Sooners, but the two Big 12 “North” squads look like they have the same issue after one game: team speed. Arkansas State and Louisiana looked noticeably faster from start to finish which begs the question, if those teams are faster than you, what happens when you play in the Big 12?
ISU is not classically a fast starter and that was on full display Saturday. Matt Campbell will rally the team, but I think it’s time to pump the brakes on them being contenders for a Big 12 title until they actually play in the game.
For KSU, they are still in the early going for Chris Klieman, but that loss to Blake Anderson and the Red Wolves has to sting after a promising first season in 2019.
The Ugly
Shocker, Kansas is in this category. Coastal Carolina worked them over and Les Miles team looks pretty much the same in year two. Pooka or no Pooka, this team is not different yet. I don’t believe many thought they would be, so again this is not a surprise.
Texas Tech on the other hand...YIKES. A two-point win over Houston Baptist will not make you feel confident. The Red Raiders gave up over 500 yards passing and did not control that game at all when they should have. Good luck with your year long heartburn, citizens of Lubbock.
We get to see Baylor and Oklahoma State this weekend. For the Big 12’s sake, let’s hope that those warrant a mention in the good section of this column next week. Since they are the only two playing, it doesn’t seem like that lofty a goal, but hey, it’s 2020. Nothing makes sense anymore.