Despite having multiple teams on a bye week and a few boring non-conference games, the parity of the Big 12 Conference came unleashed Saturday. Two near upsets of teams projected to be in the top half took place. While Oklahoma State and TCU still came out with victories, one has to believe those fan bases are still catching their breath from the adrenaline rush of being down for much of the game. This week’s musical guest is Incubus. An amazing post-grunge band which started in the 90s. Most widely known for their albums “Make Yourself” and “Morning View”, Incubus is by far one of the best live performing bands still active today. They recently released an EP named “Trust Fall” which features 2015 single “Absolution Calling”.
1.TCU Horned Frogs “Stellar”
Record: 4-0 (1-0 in Big 12)
Previous Rank: 1
Last Week: W 55-53 at Texas Tech
This week: vs. Texas 11 a.m. Saturday
“How do you do it? Make me feel like I do. It’s better than I ever knew.”
Wow! TCU never fell to the upset bug in a hostile Jones AT&T Stadium. Despite nagging injuries on the defensive side of the ball, the Horned Frogs proved a lot of doubters wrong. It wasn’t all just how good TCU is though. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. Aaron Green’s catch is going to be shown on highlight reels forever. As for Trevone Boykin’s Heisman chances? “You are stellar.”
2.Oklahoma Sooners “Drive”
Record: 3-0 (0-0 in Big 12)
Previous Rank: 2
Last Week: Bye
This Week: vs. West Virginia 11 a.m. Saturday
“It’s driven me before and it seems to have a vague haunting mass appeal.”
Bob Stoops overcame the fear of firing one of his own this offseason and so far it has paid off. He brought in a Mike Leach prodigy, the same offense which helped bring the Sooners out of the grave when the new millennium started. Conference play start this week, and both sides of the ball will be tested. We will find out just how improved this Sooners team is when the zeroes light up on the clock in the fourth quarter.
3.Oklahoma State Cowboys “Are You In?”
Record: 4-0 (1-0 in Big 12)
Previous Rank: 3
Last Week: W 30-27 at Texas
This Week: vs. Kansas State 3 p.m. Saturday
“It’s so much better when everyone is in Are you in?”
The entire team seems to be doing just fine. J.W. Walsh and Mason Rudolph both received playing time against Texas, but not because there is a quarterback controversy. There is no controversy at all. Rudolph is the clear starter. They both played because this is a team and if the Cowboys are the darkhorse, everyone needs to be together. This prompts the question: “Are you in?”
4.Kansas State Wildcats “Our Song”
Record: 3-0 (0-0 in Big 12)
Previous Rank: 3
Last Week: Bye
This Week: at Oklahoma State 3 p.m. Saturday
“It’s like an intuition or a feeling in the air. An intangible impression that’s always everywhere.”
Oklahoma State might be moving down next week. You never want Bill Snyder to have an extra week to prepare for your team. “Absolution Calling” is the most recent hit by Incubus and it shows Incubus can still make amazing music. Just as Bill Snyder’s amazing coaching capabilities, this band will continue to churn out hits through the years. And one last time, the Futility U days are gone as this fanbase can remember “feeling the opposite of falling.”
5.Baylor Bears “Megalomaniac”
Record: 3-0 (0-0 in Big 12)
Previous Rank: 5
Last Week: W vs. Rice 70-17
This Week: vs. Texas Tech 2:30 p.m. at AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
“I cut off both your wings on principle alone.’”
Doesn’t it seem like anytime any Baylor program has success, the air around Waco is filled with dark clouds of corruption? Much of this also stems from SMU. Let’s face it. Baylor has risen to success much like that of the Pony Express. This team was the doormat of the Big 12 Conference. Ever since the murder of Patrick Dennehy, the entire athletics department has been under scrutiny. Not for the murder, but for cheating and hypocrisy. Whether it be keeping Britney Griner in the closet, illegal recruiting accusations or off-field criminal activity. Of course, nothing has been proven about any of this, but Baylor president Ken Starr is certainly “no Jesus”.
6.Texas Tech Red Raiders “Black Heart Inertia”
Record: 3-1 (0-1 in Big 12)
Previous Rank: 6
Last Week: L vs. TCU 55-52
This Week: vs. Baylor 2:30 p.m. Saturday at AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
“Pulled by a false inertia, pushed out by circumstance. Pistols firing at me coercing me to dance.”
If you are a Texas Tech fan, you are heartbroken. The Red Raiders had the conference favorite beaten, yet ultimately lost. This team is showing shades of last season’s TCU and Baylor teams. They are rising quickly from the ashes, but now have a heartbreaking defeat. Only one line can perfectly describe the way Tech felt when Aaron Green caught the tipped pass: “Walking alone tonight ‘cause only got room for two. Me and my burdened black heart. It’s all we know how to do.”
7.West Virginia Mountaineers “Aqueous Transmission”
Record: 3-0 (0-0 in Big 12)
Previous Rank: 8
Last Week: W 45-6 vs. Maryland
This Week: at Oklahoma 11 a.m. Saturday
“Will I make it back to shore? Or drift into the unknown.”
West Virginia looks good right now. However, conference play is gearing up this week. The Mountaineers are probably the most unpredictable team in this conference right now. This is probably one of the most relaxing, enjoyable songs ever recorded. Perhaps, Mountaineers fans should “marvel at the stars and feel my heart overflow” as this season could go any which way.
8.Texas Longhorns “Adolescents”
Record: 1-3 (0-1 in Big 12)
Previous Rank: 7
Last Week: L 30-27 vs. Oklahoma State
This Week: at TCU 11 a.m. Saturday
“I’m feeling overwhelmed. Overwhelmed.”
Texas is young. Pure and simple, this is a young team going through growing pains. Special teams clearly is not helping. The Longhorns have failed in the kicking (this week punting for the politically correct) department for two consecutive weeks now. Nothing is going right for Texas right now, but the growing pains today should make this team stronger for the future.
9.Iowa State Cyclones “Warning”
Record: 1-2 (0-0 in Big 12)
Previous Rank: 9
Last Week: Bye
This Week: vs. Kansas 11 a.m. Saturday
“She woke in the morning. She knew that her life had passed her by. She called out a warning. Don’t ever let life pass you by.”
If Iowa State loses this weekend, Paul Rhoads might not make it past Monday. The Cyclones needed to finish non-conference play 3-0 to have a chance at a bowl. Iowa State finished 1-2 and a loss to Kansas will likely be the final straw. Rhoads accomplished some great things at Iowa State and it will be bittersweet to see him go. Remember, college football is a business and this team just has not produced results.
10.Kansas Jayhawks “Pardon Me”
Record: 0-2 (0-0 in Big 12)
Previous Rank: 10
Last Week: L at Rutgers 27-13
This Week: at Iowa State 11 a.m. Saturday
“A decade ago, I never thought I would be at 23 on the verge of spontaneous combustion. Woe is me.”
If Kansas loses this week, 0-12 is imminent. Anyone remember when Kansas went into the BCS? “Pardon me”, but that was nearly a decade ago. Since the firing of Mark Mangino, this team has been a complete joke. The best line to describe Kansas football is “I guess that It comes with the territory: An ominous landscape of never-ending calamity.”
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