Phew. After about 5,000 words on the coaching search, we are going to finally take a step aside and wrap up the Big 12's regular season. Don't worry, more is surely to come on the coaching prospects, but it is time for a much needed break from the drama.
 |
| Source: ESPN |
Saturday brought us the end of the season, and the outright champions: The Oklahoma State Cowboys. I was hesitant to crown the Pokes early on in the year-- a suspect defense was what stood in the way-- but after a 44-10 beatdown of the No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners, I am ready to defend their tremendous season. The Game of the Century Part Deux will likely fail to meet its gaudy expectations, and once again, we are guaranteed an SEC National Champion. I pity the Cowboys, who finally dethroned both the Longhorns and the Sooners, but were still given the cold shoulder by the BCS, and were kept from playing for a National Championship. Alabama had their shot at LSU (at home!); give Oklahoma State their chance. If nothing else, if LSU were to pound OSU like they were "supposed to", it would only further cement SEC supremacy into football lore. I will quit my griping now. Back to the Big 12 and another great season. 3 cheers for the conference.
It was a crazy year in the league with myriad upsets and close contests, so don't kill me if I miss something. Also, I plan to just tie some of the loose ends, so don't be disappointed that I don't break down all of the intricacies of the 2011 Kansas Football Season. Have no fear, when things start to slow down from this blistering pace (season's end, coaching change, recruits) I will have an in-depth breakdown of what went wrong with the Jayhawks (and the few things that went well).
FINAL BIG 12 STANDINGS
Courtesy of: Big 12 Sports
| Big12 | Overall | |||||||||||
| Team | Record | Pct | Home | Away | Neutral | Streak | Record | Pct | Home | Away | Neutral | Streak |
| Oklahoma State | 8-1 | .889 | 4-0 | 4-1 | 0-0 | W1 | 11-1 | .917 | 6-0 | 5-1 | 0-0 | W1 |
| Kansas State | 7-2 | .778 | 4-1 | 3-1 | 0-0 | W3 | 10-2 | .833 | 6-1 | 4-1 | 0-0 | W3 |
| Baylor | 6-3 | .667 | 4-0 | 1-3 | 1-0 | W5 | 9-3 | .750 | 7-0 | 1-3 | 1-0 | W5 |
| Oklahoma | 6-3 | .667 | 3-1 | 2-2 | 1-0 | L1 | 9-3 | .750 | 5-1 | 3-2 | 1-0 | L1 |
| Missouri | 5-4 | .556 | 3-1 | 1-3 | 1-0 | W3 | 7-5 | .583 | 5-1 | 1-4 | 1-0 | W3 |
| Texas | 4-5 | .444 | 2-2 | 2-2 | 0-1 | L1 | 7-5 | .583 | 4-2 | 3-2 | 0-1 | L1 |
| Texas A&M | 4-5 | .444 | 2-3 | 2-2 | 0-0 | L1 | 6-6 | .500 | 4-3 | 2-2 | 0-1 | L1 |
| Iowa State | 3-6 | .333 | 2-2 | 1-4 | 0-0 | L2 | 6-6 | .500 | 4-2 | 2-4 | 0-0 | L2 |
| Texas Tech | 2-7 | .222 | 0-4 | 2-2 | 0-1 | L5 | 5-7 | .417 | 2-4 | 3-2 | 0-1 | L5 |
| Kansas | 0-9 | .000 | 0-4 | 0-4 | 0-1 | L9 | 2-10 | .167 | 2-4 | 0-5 | 0-1 | L10 |
REPORT CARD
1. Oklahoma State: 11-1 (8-1)
Grade: A+
The Brief: We will remember the Iowa State debacle (an overtime loss in late November) and we will also remember Bedlam: 44-10. I mean how could we forget these monumental games for the Pokes? But we should also remember that OSU was dominant throughout the entire season and they put up some impressive statistics. The offense, aided by a 70 point showing against lowly Kansas, averaged 49.3 points per game. Brandon Weeden passed for 360 yards per game and Joseph Randle ran for just under 100 yards per game. The defense was fine, but they played especially well when needed most, forcing 42 turnovers. The offense surrendered just 22. When you are +20 in turnover margin you are bound to win some football games.
High: Bedlam was a treat for Cowpoke fans. The rivalry was so one-sided in Oklahoma's favor, and the game turned out to be one-sided in OSU's favor. The Cowboys looked like they had a realistic shot at the national championship, but SEC bias would stand in the way.
High: Bedlam was a treat for Cowpoke fans. The rivalry was so one-sided in Oklahoma's favor, and the game turned out to be one-sided in OSU's favor. The Cowboys looked like they had a realistic shot at the national championship, but SEC bias would stand in the way.
Low: It was just one little faux pas, but the 37-31 loss to Iowa State was especially troubling for the Cowboys because it was coming on the heels of losing two women's basketball coaches in a plane crash. Stillwater mourned the loss, but they kept it in perspective with the more important loss: the loss of 2 lives.
Bowl: Monday Jan 2, 2012 @ 8:30 PM ET
TOSTIOS FIESTA BOWL: vs. No. 4 Stanford
2. Kansas State: 10-2 (7-2)
Grade: A+
The Brief: I give in. Bill Snyder is "The Scheme Doctor". How else could you explain their 10-2 season? Kansas State proved their doubters (me included) wrong every single weekend. Aside from a tough loss to an angry Oklahoma team, they were competitive in every single game they played in. The Wildcats overachieved in 2009, going 6-6, they overachieved in 2010, going to the Pinstripe Bowl, and they overachieved once again in 2011, going 10-2 and to the Cotton Bowl. 2012 will be a tough act to follow. Collin Klein is not fancy, but he wins football games just like his old ball coach.
High: The 36-35 win over Baylor at home was extremely impressive. At this juncture, I didn't think K-State had the guns to compete with Baylor, but they did, and they out-dueled them. Arthur Brown sealed the deal with a key interception late, and Kansas State solidified themselves as a Big 12 title threat.
High: The 36-35 win over Baylor at home was extremely impressive. At this juncture, I didn't think K-State had the guns to compete with Baylor, but they did, and they out-dueled them. Arthur Brown sealed the deal with a key interception late, and Kansas State solidified themselves as a Big 12 title threat.
Low: There was the scare in the Eastern Kentucky game, 10-7, but outside of that, Kansas State really did not underachieve. I guess you say it's the Oklahoma loss, but besides that one hiccup, Kansas State had a pretty unblemished go at it in 2011.
Bowl: Friday Jan 6, 2012 @ 8:00 PM ET
AT&T COTTON BOWL: vs. No. 6 Arkansas
3. Baylor: 9-3 (6-3)
Grade: A
The Brief: Baylor had all of the tell-tale signs of a team set for a second half collapse. They started out as the buzz of the nation, beating No. 16 TCU 50-48 in a wild season opener. Robert Griffin had all of the Heisman talk. Everything was sky-high, but then Baylor dropped 3 of 4 in a little mid-season skid, and fell from the rankings. I would have put the fork in them then, but Robert Griffin resurrected the team against Missouri, and the team went on to win the last 5, going 9-3 and finishing 3rd in the conference.
High: Not because of the opponent's pedigree (for obvious reasons), but the 31-30 OT comeback win over Kansas had major implications on the Bears' season. Baylor was on the brink of bowl eligibility, but Kansas jumped out to a 24-3 lead in Lawrence. The 4th quarter comeback and overtime win was miraculous and it put Baylor back in the thick of things. The Oklahoma win was a close second...
High: Not because of the opponent's pedigree (for obvious reasons), but the 31-30 OT comeback win over Kansas had major implications on the Bears' season. Baylor was on the brink of bowl eligibility, but Kansas jumped out to a 24-3 lead in Lawrence. The 4th quarter comeback and overtime win was miraculous and it put Baylor back in the thick of things. The Oklahoma win was a close second...
Low: Looking non-competitive in back to back games, the Bears fell to 4-3 on the year. The offense was still motoring along, but the defense had shades of the Kansas Jayhawks.
Bowl: Thursday Dec 29 @ 9:00 PM ET
VALERO ALAMO BOWL: vs. Washington
4. Oklahoma: 9-3 (6-3)
Grade: B-
The Brief: It's hard to live up to National Championship expectations... Oklahoma was injury plagued and in over their respective heads in 2011. They had a solid season with 9 wins, but they lost 2 fairly close games and were dominated by their in-state rival. Much like Texas, their standards often overshadow a successful season, so keep in mind that Oklahoma is a top tier team.
High: The 58-17 thrashing of No. 11 Kansas State was satisfying, but nothing tops thumping your arch-nemesis, the Texas Longhorns, 55-17. Oklahoma looked unbeatable to begin the year, but they would catch a case of the "injury-bug" and would fall back down to earth.
High: The 58-17 thrashing of No. 11 Kansas State was satisfying, but nothing tops thumping your arch-nemesis, the Texas Longhorns, 55-17. Oklahoma looked unbeatable to begin the year, but they would catch a case of the "injury-bug" and would fall back down to earth.
Low: Bedlam. Oklahoma had never looked so unprepared and sloppy in a game all year, and unfortunately it came in the game with the most riding on the line.
Bowl: Friday Dec 30 @ 10:00 PM ET
INSIGHT BOWL: vs. Iowa
5. Missouri: 7-5 (5-4)
Grade: B
The Brief: Missouri lost a lot of talent to the NFL, but Gary Pinkel's Tigers are going bowling once again. QB James Franklin started to find himself late in the year, the defense started to turn things around, and Henry Josey was tremendous, until he blew out his knee against Texas. Overall, the season was a success, and a bowl win will give the Tigers momentum heading into the off-season and the SEC.
High: It wasn't a signature win, but the 31-27 victory over Texas Tech made the Tigers bowl eligible. The season was in doubt early on, but a strong second half and a gutsy win over the Red Raiders were crucial.
High: It wasn't a signature win, but the 31-27 victory over Texas Tech made the Tigers bowl eligible. The season was in doubt early on, but a strong second half and a gutsy win over the Red Raiders were crucial.
Low: Missouri surrendered 697 yards to Robert Griffin and the Baylor Bears in Waco, Texas, and the Tigers lost almost all of the momentum they gained from beating the Aggies the week before. The defense was nowhere to be found and the season looked uncertain.
Bowl: Monday Dec 26 @ 5:00 PM ET
ADVOCARE V100 INDEPENDENCE BOWL: vs. North Carolina
6. Texas: 7-5 (4-5)
Grade: C+
The Brief: The 2011 expectations were quite low for Texas's standards. The team had missed out on a bowl game the year before, going 5-7, and they were without a go-to quarterback. Things got off to a rocky start, losing QB Garrett Gilbert to transfer and not having a clear-cut starter. Nonetheless, the team went 4-0. Texas went on a 2 game skid where they really struggled to get anything going offensively, losing to the two Oklahoma teams. They got back on track in a 43-0 cakewalk against Kansas, but would lose 3 of their last 5 games including a 17-5 loss at Missouri. In most cases, a 7-5 season is a major letdown in Austin, but for the 2011 season, Texas played fairly well, and established a very productive running game.
High: Sending the Aggies packing for the SEC with a 27-25 comeback win in College Station was a pretty good way to end the year for Longhorns fans. The season definitely had a better outlook after this one.
High: Sending the Aggies packing for the SEC with a 27-25 comeback win in College Station was a pretty good way to end the year for Longhorns fans. The season definitely had a better outlook after this one.
Low: The Red River Rivalry was a major letdown this year. Texas could not muster anything on offense, and Oklahoma rolled over the secondary. It was a very tough day to be a Longhorn fan in Dallas.
Bowl: Wednesday Dec 28 @ 8:00 PM ET
BRIDGEPOINT EDUCATION HOLIDAY BOWL: vs. California
7. Texas A&M: 6-6 (4-5)
Grade: D+
The Brief: Head Coach Mike Sherman was given the boot after what most Aggie fans consider an earth-shattering letdown. A&M entered the year with such high expectations: WR Jeff Fuller returned for his senior year (a rarity in college sports given his talent), QB Ryan Tannehill was ready to catapult the offense, and the defense was looking to use all of its uncanny athleticism and blitz packages. We're talking BCS Bowl and Big 12 Championship here. A&M went 6-6 and just 4-5 in conference, and the defense struggled to stop anyone, except for Kansas.
High: The Aggies looked to be back on the upswing after dropping two straight to quality opponents Arkansas and Oklahoma State. They rattled off two impressive wins: on the road at Texas Tech and at home against Baylor. The running game was explosive and the season's prospects were looking a lot better.
High: The Aggies looked to be back on the upswing after dropping two straight to quality opponents Arkansas and Oklahoma State. They rattled off two impressive wins: on the road at Texas Tech and at home against Baylor. The running game was explosive and the season's prospects were looking a lot better.
Low: Texas A&M melted at home against a mediocre Missouri team, falling 38-31 in overtime. The Aggies had command of the game in the first half, but unforced turnovers really broke their back in the second. A&M would never look the same, losing 4 of the next 5. That one win? You guessed it: 61-7 over Kansas.
Bowl: Saturday Dec 31 @ 12:00 PM ET
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL OF TEXAS: vs. Northwestern
8. Iowa State: 6-6 (3-6)
Grade: A
The Brief: Bowl games in Ames, Iowa are always reason to cheer, especially considering the strength of the Cyclones' 2011 schedule. 4 wins would have been a success given the opposition, but Paul Rhoads continues to work the magic. Iowa State looks to have found their quarterback of the future in dual-threat Jared Barnett, so things are especially rosy.
High: Well, they sure threw the BCS a curveball! Iowa State had just 5 wins heading into a 3 game stretch of Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, and Kansas State (the top three teams in the conference). Pundits were giving the Cyclones next to no chance of making a bowl game, but the Cyclones silenced those critics...fast. A 37-31 win in double overtime over the No. 2 Oklahoma State Cowboys really put Rhoads's boys on the map, and the future looks bright again in Ames.
High: Well, they sure threw the BCS a curveball! Iowa State had just 5 wins heading into a 3 game stretch of Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, and Kansas State (the top three teams in the conference). Pundits were giving the Cyclones next to no chance of making a bowl game, but the Cyclones silenced those critics...fast. A 37-31 win in double overtime over the No. 2 Oklahoma State Cowboys really put Rhoads's boys on the map, and the future looks bright again in Ames.
Low: It came early in the year, which is a good thing, but Iowa State lost to Texas at home 37-14 in what they had tabbed their "game of the year". Iowa State was 3-0 after impressive wins over Iowa at home and Connecticut on the road, so the game was a pretty substantial letdown. Fortunately, the Cyclones bounced back and they are going bowling in New York City.
Bowl: Friday Dec 30 @ 3:20 PM ET
NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL: vs. Rutgers
9. Texas Tech: 5-7 (2-7)
Grade: D+
The Brief: Texas Tech missed out on a bowl game for the first time in a decade. After starting the year 4-0, Tech would win just 1 of their next 7 games in Kansas-esque fashion (granted their win came over then No. 2 Oklahoma). The defense was suspect all year, but Tommy Tubberville will likely fix that in the off-season. Junior quarterback Seth Doege was exceptional: 397 of 580 (68.4 percent completion rate) for 3999 yards 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. If he continues that play and the defense improves, Tech could make some serious hay next fall.
High: In one of the most bizzare upsets in recent memory, Tech strolled into Norman, Oklahoma and thumped the Sooners in a misleadingly close, 41-38 victory. It interrupted what would have been a 7 game losing streak.
High: In one of the most bizzare upsets in recent memory, Tech strolled into Norman, Oklahoma and thumped the Sooners in a misleadingly close, 41-38 victory. It interrupted what would have been a 7 game losing streak.
Low: Iowa State, not known for annihilating teams (much less on the road), beat up on the Red Raiders, 41-7. Iowa State would become bowl-eligible while Texas Tech will sit at home this Christmas.
10. Kansas: 2-10 (0-9)
Grade: F-
The Brief: At first I gave the Jayhawks an F, but on second thought, I gave them an F minus. The defense was unsightly for the majority of the year: surrendering 43.8 points per game, 306 first downs, 6197 yards of total offense. I was ready to check their vital signs during the Kansas State game, but I was relieved to see them show SOME SIGNS OF LIFE in the last third of the season. The offense, on the other hand, started off fast, scoring no less than 28 points in its first 5 games. In four of its last 5, it scored no more than 10. It got so bleak, that I warned my friends to take heed before watching. Kansas Football: viewer discretion advised.
High: While the game winning 6 yard pass to D.J. Beshears in the 45-42 win over Northern Illinois was great, and the improvement in the Iowa State, Baylor, and (to some effects) Missouri games was promising, the best thing that happened to Kansas all year was when the clock ran out on the season, and Turner Gill was run out of town.
High: While the game winning 6 yard pass to D.J. Beshears in the 45-42 win over Northern Illinois was great, and the improvement in the Iowa State, Baylor, and (to some effects) Missouri games was promising, the best thing that happened to Kansas all year was when the clock ran out on the season, and Turner Gill was run out of town.
Low: Games played in Texas (UT and A&M). Kansas was outscored 104-7.
No comments:
Post a Comment