Overreaction Monday: Oklahoma’s Bowl Chances, Kansas Winning Big 12, ‘Farmageddon’ Bloodbath
Every Monday during the college football season, fans of teams across the country return to work and discuss the events of the weekend with their coworkers. Around the water cooler or coffee machine, overreactions are born as suddenly one team is now a national title contender (they’re not) and another’s season is over after a tough loss (it isn’t).
Let us sift through the rumors, false allegations, and straight-up nonsense for you this season with overreaction Monday, where we tell you whether you need to cool the jets or you legitimately have something to worry about.
Oklahoma Could Realistically Miss a Bowl Game.
Not an Overreaction. The Oklahoma team we saw on Saturday might not be capable of winning another game in Big 12 play. Seriously. If the Sooners don’t find a way to vastly improve on both sides of the ball, the Big 12 schedule that awaits them is daunting and could beat them into submission. The Sooners have only lost back-to-back games one other time since 1999 (2020 season), but this team is in danger of making it three straight losses. Texas awaits Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl this week, and the Longhorns are six-point favorites as things stand now. Brent Venables and the Sooners had better find a way to get things back on track this week because if they don’t Oklahoma could start stacking losses together and find themselves at home during bowl season for the first time since 1998.
Kansas Can Win the Big 12.
Overreaction. Before you go cussing me Jayhawk nation, just hear me out. I’m not saying that Kansas is incapable of winning the Big 12. I’m simply saying that I need to see more from the Jayhawk before I crown them of something like that. Are they a contender, based on what we have seen to this point? Absolutely. However, the two teams that we have seen KU take down in Big 12 play are both winless in conference play and haven’t looked like the “beef” of the Big 12. This week, Kansas gets the chance to prove itself a true threat for the Big 12 Crown. TCU comes to town a week removed from shellacking Oklahoma in Fort Worth and looks to be the best team that Kansas will have played to this point. Get past TCU, or lose a close one at the end, and I will be ready to say Kansas is capable of winning this conference. It’s a huge week for Kansas football, and I can’t wait to see how they respond.
Oklahoma State is the Top Dog in the Big 12 Right Now.
Not an Overreaction. What we saw from Oklahoma State in Waco was enough for me to crown them the favorite to win the Big 12 in 2022. Spencer Sanders seemed in control offensively and he managed to take care of the football relatively well, only throwing one interception against the Bears. In the third quarter, the Cowboys had built a 23-3 lead before Baylor came storming back to make it 33-25 going into the fourth. Then, Oklahoma State’s defense found a way to pick Blake Shapen off twice to stymie the comeback effort, winning the game 36-25. If OSU’s defense continues to improve, while its offense finds a way to stay potent, this team is capable of pushing for a College Football Playoff appearance.
K-State is Going to Run Away with “Farmageddon”
Overreaction. When Adrian Martinez seemingly awakened from his slumber against Oklahoma two weeks ago, he was not having a very good year statistically. Now, he has more rushing yards than any quarterback in the nation and is leading a K-State offense that looks like it could do some serious damage in the Big 12 this season. But before we all hop on the Purple Tractor in this week’s “Farmageddon” showdown with Iowa State, let’s take a look at the rivalry’s history. Iowa State leads this underrated rivalry all-time series, 52-49-4, and is only a two-point dog at home despite these two teams moving in opposite directions. The Cyclones have won three of the last four in this rivalry as well, including a big win in Manhattan last year. If you are a K-State fan coming into this game overly confident that the Wildcats are headed towards a 5-1 record, I would recommend you tone it down a notch. Sure, I like K-State’s chances in this game, but it will be a tough out in Ames. Get ready for an old-fashioned, tractor-pull style, bare-knuckled fist fight this weekend.
