Big 12: Good, bad, ugly from week 2

By Chris Williams, CycloneFanatic.com Publisher

Here’s a new column that I’ll be writing every week here at CF on the Big 12 Conference as a whole. It’s just a look at what went down yesterday within the league through my eyes.

THE GOOD

Landry Jones – I don’t do this very often but I am about to toot my own horn. On Friday morning, I told Steve Deace on KXNO that I expected Oklahoma to beat 17^th ranked Florida State by at least two or three touchdowns. Why? Because I don’t believe you can put much stock at all from what you see in teams, positive or negative, after week one. Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones answered his critics while passing for 380 yards and four touchdowns in a 47-17 spanking of the Florida State Seminoles. I had Jones and the Sooners playing for the national title against Boise before the season. I’m way more confident that Oklahoma will get there than Boise (thanks Virginia Tech). Jones is a big reason why. Bob Stoops could have two Heisman contenders in Jones and DeMarco Murray (who had two touchdowns) come November.

Taylor Martinez – Nebraska has a quarterback people. All summer long, I ripped pollsters for ranking the Huskers so high without having a proven signal-caller on the roster. Mark this down fanatics. I was wrong. Taylor Martinez is legit. In a 38-17 win over Idaho, Martinez rushed for 157 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns. What is this, 1994 Nebraska? In two games, Martinez has run for 284 yards and five touchdowns, while going 21-of-32 through the air. Not too shabby Bo Pelini. Nebraska’s defense also forced six Idaho turnovers yesterday. We’ll get a better gauge on Nebraska next week when they travel to Washington.

Kansas – Here’s more proof that you can’t put too much stock in week one. Turner Gill managed to avenge a loss to North Dakota State (who lost to Northern Iowa Saturday) by knocking off 15^th ranked Georgia Tech 28-25. Kansas will travel to Southern Miss on Friday night.

Robert Griffin – He’s baaaack. Baylor’s Robert Griffin accounted for four touchdowns in yesterday’s 34-6 win over Buffalo. Two came through the air, two were on the ground. The Bears will go on the road to TCU next weekend.

THE BAD

Iowa State – The Cyclones lost on the road to the ninth-ranked team in the country yesterday by a 35-7 final. The fact that it was on the road puts Iowa State in the bad category as opposed to the ugly. Sure, the loss stings like crazy on a local level, but nationally, this doesn’t hurt Iowa State’s image. A win next week would make all of these doubts go away. Yes, losing to Iowa by 28 points is bad. But it hardly means the Cyclones won’t play in the postseason.

THE UGLY

Colorado – Ouch. Just when Dan Hawkins seemed to be picking up a little bit of momentum, he travels out to California and just gets embarrassed by a 52-7 final. Feel bad today Cyclone fan? Try living in Boulder. Colorado’s starting quarterback, Tyler Hansen, went 18-for-34 for 166 yards and three interceptions yesterday. The Buffs couldn’t run the ball either. Rodney Stewart carried the rock 29 times for 78 yards. That’s an average of 2.7 yards per carry for you math junkies out there. Colorado will host Hawaii and Georgia over the next two weeks.

NEXT WEEK

Kansas @ Southern Miss (Friday)

Iowa State vs. Kansas State

Hawaii @ Colorado

Nebraska @ Washington

Air Force @ Oklahoma

Baylor @ TCU

Tulsa @ Oklahoma State

FIU @ Texas A&M

San Diego State @ Missouri

Texas @ Texas Tech