Big 12 Football Week 12: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
It was another wild weekend in the Big 12 from the off-field news to the on-field play. There was plenty of excitement on Saturday and I will break it all down here for you as I share the good, bad, and ugly from Week 12 in the Big 12.
The Good
West Virginia (Beat Texas 31-23)
The Mountaineers took control of the game and never looked back. West Virginia held the ball for over 38 minutes of the game and had many long drives that Texas had no answer for. Leddie Brown had an efficient day on the ground and Jarret Doege played a clean game tossing three touchdown passes without an interception. Give credit to the defense because they played great as well. Neal Brown entered Saturday needing two wins to get bowl eligible and after this game they just need one more against Kansas. I think it’s safe to say that this team will get to 6-6.
Oklahoma (Beat Iowa State 28-21)
This game wasn’t about the offense, it was all about the defense. That defensive line dominated Iowa State’s offensive line as they were able to sack Brock Purdy seven times on Saturday. I know Charlie Kolar got the best of Oklahoma which is nothing new, but the play up front is what really helped the Sooners get the victory. I still have some concerns on the offensive side of the ball but when you can get a 75-yard score from Caleb Williams and a defensive touchdown, that really makes life easier for Lincoln Riley. Say what you want about this team, but they are still have a chance at capturing their seventh straight Big 12 title.
Baylor (Beat Kansas State 20-10)
Normally, Kansas State is the team who controls the game, but in Manhattan, Kansas it was Baylor who controlled the game. The Bears jumped out to a 14-0 lead and despite Gerry Bohnaon getting hurt, Blake Shapen came into the game and was able to hold onto the lead. Defensively, Baylor did an excellent job against the Kansas State offense. They gave the Wildcats some fits outside of the long run by Deuce Vaughn. Depending on the health of Gerry Bohanon, I would not want to play this Baylor team right now because they are playing some great football.
TCU (Beat Kansas 31-28)
It was ugly but a win is a win, I guess. TCU was able to use their rushing attack against Kansas and it paid off. The Horned Frogs rushed for over 300 yards on Saturday with Kendre Miller leading the way. Max Duggan completed just ten passes but with the run game going so well, it didn’t matter. TCU still has their issues to work out but like I said in the beginning, a win is a win and it’s time to move forward. With Iowa State up next week, TCU will need to win that game to get bowl eligible.
Oklahoma State (Beat Texas Tech 23-0)
I am not saying anything new here, but the Cowboys ran the football well and played great defense. That has been the story with them for the last few weeks and it was the same story once again this weekend. Oklahoma State ran the football and controlled the clock as they held the ball for 37 minutes of the game. As for the defense, they did what they do best which is shut offenses down.
Here is a mind-blowing stat for the Pokes.
Texas Tech QB Donovan Smith torched Iowa State last weekend and this weekend, he couldn’t do anything against this Jim Knowles defense as he was sacked five times. They also held Tech to go just 3/15 on third down and pitched the shutout while giving up just 108 yards. It’s time to give Jim Knowles a blank check to stay in Stillwater.
The Bad
Iowa State (Lost 28-21 to Oklahoma)
I am not going to point any fingers at the defense. Outside of the Caleb Williams touchdown run, I thought the Cyclones played well defensively. The problem for Iowa State against Oklahoma was the offense. The run game was non-existent, and Brock Purdy had little to no time to throw the football. That falls on the shoulders of the offensive line and they got demolished up front. Luckily enough, Purdy was able to find success with Charlie Kolar who had a career day. Despite the mismatch up front, Iowa State still had a chance to win the game, but that chance was lost on Brock Purdy’s interception.
Kansas (Lost 31-28 to TCU)
I know they lost the game, but I still came away impressed with Kansas. They didn’t get blown out and were right there with TCU. They also came back in the fourth quarter. Jalon Daniels played well for the second straight week and to me, it looks like he should be the guy moving forward at quarterback. As much as I was impressed with the offense, the defense continues to be a letdown. They allowed over 300 rushing yards and just were never able to stop TCU’s rushing attack. It’s a shame because if Kansas had a better defense, then they could have won some more games this season. I know Kansas isn’t close to being a bowl team but over the last two games I can say that this program is going in the right direction.
The Ugly
Texas (Lost 31-23 to West Virginia)
Texas had some success on the ground rushing for over 200 yards with Keilan Robinson and Roschon Johnson but unfortunately quarterback play held them back on Saturday. Neither Hudson Card nor Casey Thompson could get the offense moving in the right direction. The Longhorns had twelve opportunities to convert on third and fourth down and they converted on just two of them. Along with their quarterback struggles, the defense continues to be disappointing. Texas has now lost six games in a row and will not be going bowling. It’s going to be an interesting week in Austin before the Kansas State game.
Kansas State (Lost to Baylor 20-10)
I don’t think the defense played bad at all, but this team couldn’t get anything going offensively. Deuce Vaughn had a great 65-yard run but unfortunately for Kansas State, that would be the only time they found the end zone. The big question I have is what the timetable is going to be for quarterback Skylar Thompson who went down with an injury in the fourth quarter.
Texas Tech (Lost to Oklahoma State 23-0)
There’s no other way to describe this game for Texas Tech than just getting their butt kicked. I am not going to blame the defense because I believe holding Oklahoma State to 23 points is fine, but the offense was nowhere to be found. A week ago, I thought Donovan Smith was going to put up a fight against Oklahoma State and instead, he was shut down from the first snap. Smith struggled and was sacked five times as the offense had just 108 total yards. Maybe I am being a little harsh on Texas Tech because Oklahoma State has the best defense in the entire country.
