Texas takes a step back, and Tech stays solidly mediocre

For the first time in a long time, Kansas is back!

By mikemacon23 Oct 23, 2019, 9:00am CDT

1) Oklahoma

Oklahoma did not crash as badly as the Sooner Schooner. I won’t dissect this game against a vastly inferior opponent, but if there were any thoughts of a Red River Rivalry let down those quickly disappeared. The biggest takeaway is that Hurts salvaged his Heisman campaign with a dominant performance.

2) Baylor

Baylor will steal the second spot from Texas after a sheer and utter thrashing of Oklahoma State. It makes me sick to speak well of that trashcan of a school, but I can’t find any fault with what the Bears are doing. Yeah, Charlie Brewer is no gunslinger but the offense does enough and the defense does the rest.

Oklahoma State is an extremely streaky team, but to keep them in check was an impressive feat for the Bears. I still hope someone can go to the Toilet on the Brazos and knock them off.

3) Iowa State

Well, they will surely never not see a freaking screen pass coming. Iowa State was the team at the beginning of the year I felt like was the conferences third best team. Well, turns out I was right just at the expense of our Red Raiders.

The offense is extremely efficient now that Hall how found his groove, and the Cloud defense continues to be a complete puzzle. This team is good, but no they will not seriously challenge Oklahoma. Not an indictment of Iowa State’s ability, just pointing out their ceiling with how good Oklahoma is.

4) Texas

This was the question mark for this team, can the banged up defense get stops? The answer is a resounding no. Make no mistake, Kansas is a bad team. They aren’t more than marginally improved, they aren’t okay, they are bad this season. So this showing defies explanation.

I believe the fault is a sleepwalking event following a tough loss to OU. But here is the reality for the Texas faithful out there, that defense is not good at all. Injuries, and youth, is killing them. Excuses won’t please the burnt orange nation if they fail to make the conference championship game.

Are they talented enough to beat Baylor and Iowa State? Yes absolutely, but there is a lot more to football than raw talent. As long as Ehlinger plays hard and protects the football Texas should be extremely close in all their remaining games but there is zero guarantee his performance will be enough to win the big ones.

5) Texas Tech

My boy Jacob got hammered for saying we should fire Yost this year. I get the anger over a slightly premature position, but face facts Red Raiders Yost has been bad all season. For anyone blaming injuries, ask yourself how did Alan Bowman get injured and why did our offense go nowhere against Arizona? Oh, that’s right we ran tons of screens and swings and one went wrong and Bowman blew out his shoulder.

There is zero evidence Yost would be running a better offense with a full lineup. The tuneup game against god awful UTEP was a grind offensively. Despite overwhelming talent we managed just 38 points. So, anyone defending Yost’s performance in any way other than “he needs more time” is ignoring reality.

It is not a newsflash he has been bad, and this weekend was another example of it. “But Iowa State’s scheme makes us throw screens!!!!!” Alright, well the 40 completions for 239 yards really was the solution to the defense we faced.

Yost will get another year, but he is skating on extremely thin ice. This offense had tons of talent returning, an injury to Bowman can’t explain most of what ills it. He has to open up the playbook and just accept what Duffey can do, and what he can’t while taking more chances. All that is clear is that playing it safe and “smart” will get us beat every single week.

Defensively, this team is good outside the secondary. The secondary is a remnant from years past, being a wet paper bag of a unit but the front seven is extremely talented. I wish Pat could come back now, with this defense there is a legitimate chance Tech would win a Big 12 title with Mahomes slinging the rock.

If Yost reassess, and calls the game more like he did against Oklahoma State where we took big chances then he can guide this offense to a lot more wins. Just take the handcuffs off Duffey, ride what is working when it comes up in critical situations, and please throw in a fake double-move screen. PLEASE>

That all being said why did Tech get the nod here? The Big 12 is down this year, and that leaves Kansas State in the way. Looking at common opponents, Tech outperformed KSU in both thus snagging the 5 spot. Call this artificial inflation, but I just don’t see anyone below this spot to take it from Tech right now.

6) Kansas State

Something had to give in the Kansas State/TCU matchup. One of two struggling teams was going to get a potential season changing win. Kansas State officially won the We Don’t Do Offense Here Bowl. This is a tough team here, it just is lacking that trademark Snyder spark. Which is not on Kleiman, he will bring his guys in and rejuvenate this team.

7) Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State is the streakiest team in the conference. Chuba is a one man army, but the lack of consistency from Sanders and the defensive struggles are masking what is maybe the second best running back performance in the nation.

The Cowboys should be winning more games than they are, the Mullet seems to just not have the juice this season. Sanders has to protect the ball, if he cannot complete a high percentage he at least can’t take touches from Hubbard by dropping the ball or throwing a pick.

8) West Virginia

The Mountaineers are going to keep this spot only because I am so low on TCU. I said that same sentence last week and it stays true. Getting blasted by Oklahoma is not anything to be sad about, West Virginia is at least a year away from being able to scare the big dogs of the conference.

9) TCU

Another week, another poor offense showing. TCU is probably not as bad as ninth in this conference, but I cannot put an offense this putrid and a team with this many rough losses any higher for now. Patterson is a good coach, and a great defensive mind and he can salvage the year. But this is a rough year for the Horned Frogs so far.

10) Kansas

KANSAS IS BACK . . . to scaring Texas witless. So close, but no cigar. Tech should obliterate the Jayhawks in Lawrence, but for one fun night Kansas was the talk of the town.