Week 1 of the college football season has come and gone, and there are plenty of takeaways from what happened in the Big 12. Let’s take a look at my biggest overreactions from Week 1 and dive into the top three things to look forward to in Week 2 of the Big 12 slate.
Colorado is a Big 12 Title Contender
Colorado had an impressive win at Georgia Tech last Thursday, but it came down to a blocked field goal. A win is a win, and the final drive by Julian Lewis and the Buffs’ offense should give the fanbase something to hold onto hope for moving forward, but it wasn’t an overwhelming performance.
If there’s another thing to be positive about for the Buffaloes moving forward, they also get all of their ranked opponents at home. Texas Tech, Utah, and Houston will all travel to Boulder this season. If they can pull off a couple of upsets there, maybe there is a chance they sneak into the Big 12 championship game. However, another mediocre season feels more likely than not for Colorado. Time will tell, but don’t let the Week 1 overreaction bug bite you on the Buffs.
Oklahoma State is the Worst Team in the Big 12
Is this really an overreaction? It was a horrific debut for Eric Morris as the Cowboys’ head coach as Oklahoma State lost 24-10 to Tulsa on Saturday. The offense that was supposed to be high-flying and led by transfer players like quarterback Drew Mestemaker, running back Caleb Hawkins, and wide receiver Wyatt Young did not show up. It looks like the offensive line could be a big issue for the Cowboys.
More likely than not,, it was just a terrible Week 1 performance for Oklahoma State, and the Cowboys still have time to bounce back in Big 12 play. There is a lot to work on, but teams like Iowa State and Kansas will likely struggle to find wins in Big 12 play, and Oklahoma State will need to capitalize when playing those teams later in the season. One thing that could put that awful Week 1 in the rearview mirror would be to pick up a big win at home over No. 2 Oregon in Week 2. Don’t hold your breath for an upset this weekend, but getting back on track in Week 3 against Murray State is more realistic for the Cowboys.
Kansas State Has Big 12’s Best Offense
Kansas State put up 71 points on Saturday, the most in a game for a Wildcat team since the year 2000! This was an effort put together by the first-, second-, and third-string offensive players, plus a touchdown on special teams.
Collin Klein’s debut as head coach was certainly one to remember. Six rushing touchdowns, plus three touchdowns thrown by starting quarterback Avery Johnson, got the Wildcats off to a great start. Yes, the game was against Nicholls, but laying the smack down is exactly what this Kansas State team needed. Klein’s offense looked like they were in midseason form in Week 1 and, if it can stay balanced, it could actually be one of the top offenses in the Big 12 this season.
Here is what to keep an eye on heading into Week 2.
Rivalry Weekend
We’ve got a couple of rivalry games this weekend, starting Friday night with Kansas hosting Missouri. Last year the rivalry started back up after some time off. The former Big 12 rival and current SEC school got the better of the Jayhawks last year, but Kansas put up a good fight and led a majority of the first three quarters. Could KU flip the script with the game in Lawrence this year? Kansas is a 5.5-point underdog, but anything can happen under the lights on a Friday night.
Iowa State will travel to Iowa City to play Iowa on Saturday. The Hawkeyes are a top-25 team and are favored by two touchdowns over the Cyclones. It will take a lot for Iowa State to pull off the upset, but throw the records out in the Cy-Hawk game and see how it plays out!
Another Chance to Beat the SEC
Utah is hosting Arkansas in a game that should go in the Big 12’s favor. It’s Big 12 after dark in Salt Lake City, and the Utah fans should make things very difficult for Arkansas to get things going in this one. The Utes are nearly two-touchdown favorites over the Razorbacks and should come out of this weekend with a big win for the Big 12.
A Conference Game: Arizona at BYU
Arizona and BYU will play the first conference game of the season. With both teams hoping to make a play toward a Big 12 Championship game appearance, this early season clash could have huge implications in the conference. The winner will certainly have a leg up while the loser will still have plenty of season to turn things around. No matter what the outcome is here, it should be a measuring stick for what to expect and how the rest of the Big 12 season could play out.
