What-If Wednesday: Big 12 Hierarchy, Ollie Gordon’s Ceiling, Plus Jalon Daniels’ Injury
Welcome in to our newest feature we’re calling, “What-If Wednesday”. In this column, I’ll propose a handful of questions that, at this point, have not come to fruition. But IF they do, what will come out of it? What’s the end game?
Join us for this one and let’s have some fun.
What If Oklahoma and Texas aren’t as far ahead of the rest of the Big 12 as we thought?
Then the Big 12 race over the next month is going to be absolutely fantastic.
Right up to the Red River Rivalry, and for the two weeks after since both teams were on bye weeks, the expectations were for a Texas vs. Oklahoma rematch in the Big 12 Championship Game. But then, this past Saturday happened. OU had to come back against UCF, while Texas struggled vs. Houston.
Maybe both teams just had their “hangover game,” and yes, I’d still say those two teams are obviously the favorites to get to Arlington. Still, suddenly there is far more intrigue in games such as Oklahoma vs. Kansas, Texas vs. K-State, Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State, and others.
What If Ollie Gordon is the best player in the Big 12?
Then the Oklahoma State Cowboys are legitimately in the Big 12 Title chase, which seemed like an insane statement one month ago.
Ollie Gordon racked up nearly 300 rushing yards last week in their win over West Virginia and has been the best player in the Big 12 the last three weeks combined. But no one would have predicted this turnaround for the Cowboys after their losses to South Alabama and Iowa State.
Yet here we are. It’s been as unpredictable a college football season for one team that I can think of in recent memory. And at 3-1 in Big 12 play, look at OSU’s schedule: They play the four new Big 12 schools (a combined 3-13), plus Bedlam. Oklahoma State can certainly go 4-1, and if they pull off the huge upset in the last Bedlam for, who knows how long, then we are talking about a Big 12 Title appearance for this team.
Wow.
What If Jalon Daniels is done for the season?
Then Jalon Daniels certainly has to return for the 2024 college football season. That was not a guarantee before the season, especially when he was named the 2023 Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
But the back issues continue to hamper the electric signal caller, and now it’s once again on Jason Bean to try and get KU a win, this time at home on Saturday against Oklahoma.
While Bean is not Daniels, he did throw for over 400 yards against OSU two weeks ago and was not the reason they lost that game. The defense was.
So while KU’s offense takes a step back, I don’t see Jason Bean being the reason they don’t reach their expectations this season. The defense, notably along the front, needs to step up its play from recent weeks.
