Texas recap: Champions

  

These players love their coach.

 So 11-1 is how the regular season ends.  Back in August I predicted 13-0 or 11-2.  We're still on track toward the second, but I would be perfectly happy to be wrong and end up 12-1.  Senior night was a perfect blend of weird and wonderful and ended with Willie leading the crowd in a KSU chant from the top of the Dev Nelson press box for the very last time.  We rushed the field and looked up at Coach and the Captains and couldn't quite believe it was all over already.  How strange it must feel to Collin, who was recruited by Prince but ended up in the exact right place with the exact right coach and the exact right team at the exact right time in college football and the Big 12.  What a journey. 

  
Things that were good...

Great defense.  Texas got 1 yard on their first possession, and then threw an interception on the first play of the second possession.  After that, things got a little sloppy, but I was proud of the defense for coming out with fire in the first quarter.  The defense had the most to prove after the disaster in Waco, and they played like it.  There are still a few troubling holes in the line, but all in all, this was a great game for them.  And it should be, considering 10 of the 11 guys starting on defense are seniors. 

Great effort on long runs.  How many times have we been saved by great effort?  In this game it was Dante Barnett who chased down Daje Johnson in the second quarter on the play after the interception.  Then, on the next offensive series, Barnett caught up to Malcolm Brown to save another huge play.  Jarard Milo caught up with DJ Monroe in the third quarter to save a touchdown too.  We've seen it time and time again - if you don't get in the end zone on a big play, chances are you're only getting a field goal.  I was so proud of Barnett for continuing to fight, especially after his much maligned performance against Baylor.  That shows me he's using the Baylor loss as incentive to work even harder. 

Offensive persistence. The big drive in the first quarter that ended in an interception in the end zone was really, really pretty.  Great receptions by Harper, Tannahill and Thompson and solid running by Collin and Pease.  It was the typical up and down drive, with two sacks as well.  Great fight, great drive, unfortunate end.  It took them the rest of the half to shake it off, but they came out running in the second half and finally got back to their style of offense.  They never gave up, and the line executed at a high level all game long.  Very impressive stuff.  

Things that were not as good...

Weak pass rush.  I know this must have something to do with schemes and the loss of Walker and Zimmerman, but the lack of pass rush is so frustrating to me.  Case McCoy is a young quarterback, without much game experience, in a hostile environment, with a weaker arm.  Why couldn't we force him to scramble more?  We did end up with 4 sacks, so it wasn't terrible... there's just some room for improvement there. 

Third down defense.  Oof.  That third down defense killed us in the first half.  We would win first and second down by huge amounts, and then let them convert on a 3rd and 12, 15, 18?  So aggravating.  It was disheartening to the defense as well, because once it happened in a drive, they started winning first and second down easily too.  We've got to get back on track faster, especially against wicked fast Oregon. 

Kick return unit.  This unit has been hurting our illustrious special teams tradition all year long and this game was no exception.  It's like there's no safe guard built in if the runner gets past the first block.  Or maybe we don't get down there in time?  Are the kicks too short?  Whatever it is, it drives me crazy, and I hope we get it fixed by the bowl game.

 

Champs.

Things that the seniors did...

I wished for quite a bit for the seniors in their last game at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and quite a few of those came true.  Even though Braden Wilson still struggled carrying the ball, and Nigel Malone had his touchdown taken away, and Nick Puetz was injured and had to signal from the sideline, it was about as perfect a senior night as you could ask for.  Here's a few of the guys who stood out to me:

Justin Tuggle - finished with a tackle for loss, a sack and a smile on his face.  I thought he played with a passion and excitement that has been missing since September.  I'm excited to see what he can do against Oregon.  He deserves good things.  
Jarell Childs - ended the game with 7 tackles and was a huge factor in shutting down the Texas running game. 
Vai Lutui - Terrific sack in the second quarter.
Bubba Chapman - Do you know the story of Bubba and Nigel?  They were teammates at City College of San Francisco and when Nigel was recruited by K-State, he convinced his friend Bubba to conquer Kansas with him.  It's fitting that Nigel would get an interception in the first and Bubba in the fourth.  We were so fortunate to have this duo for the past two years.  Thanks for coming to Kansas, guys.
Arthur Brown - burned the running game to the ground and ended the game with a team high 11 tackles.  He was on a mission and I was inspired.
Nigel Malone - great, 2011-style interception and 2 solo tackles.  He was a beast in the open field. 
Chris Harper - this was the return to 2011 form I was looking for.  He caught 3 passes for 59 yards and they were all clutch.  He'll get the send-off he deserves with a game against Oregon and I can't wait to see how he'll avenge the Cotton Bowl disaster.  
Travis Tannahill - Tannahill bailed us out multiple times in this game and didn't even have to land on his head to do it.  On the Coach's show this week, he said that Tannahill has played hurt his entire K-State career.  If that's why we only run 2 tight end plays a game, I guess I can make my peace with it.
Roman Fields - it was a huge day on special teams for Roman and he was ecstatic about the three huge tackles he made.  Way to go out on a win, Roman.
Meshak Williams - sack, tackle for loss, all-around hoss.  I was so happy that his two for one sack in the TCU game made it into the new Stand Up video.  I'm going to miss that Meshak grin more than I realize.

Two lives changed forever.

Last but not least... #7.  Optimus Klein.  BillSnyder Kleinsdale.  Kleinapple Express.  Collin didn't play a perfect game, because no one can.  But he looked great on short drives, long drives, frustrating drives and scoring drives.  That even keel, that constant faith, that ever present leadership, heart, and courage is amazing and dare I say, Heisman worthy.  They may not be standard, but here are Collin's Heisman moments as I saw them.   1. In the first quarter, we got pinned at the one yard line and had to fight our way out.  At one point, Collin had to tight rope at the back of the end zone to make sure he stayed in bounds.  He completed a pass on 3rd and 10 that got called back on a penalty, then completed an even longer pass to Harper on the second chance.  To me, it was a drive that perfectly personified his game management skills.  2. Perfect option pitch to Hubert for the first touchdown of the third quarter.  No one will ever run the option that well.  We should just retire it after the Fiesta Bowl.  3. Beautiful touchdown throw to Lockett on the first play of the 4th quarter.  It was the longest passing play since Trujillo's first (and only) reception back in the Miami game. 4. Running touchdown in the 4th quarter off a beautiful block from Harper to make it 42-14.  He told reporters later that his teammates wanted him to strike a Heisman pose in the end zone but "that night and that game was about K-State and about a Big 12 championship and it needed to stay that way.” If the world continues to be cruel to K-State, good people and Collin Klein, Johnny Manziel will win the Heisman on Saturday night.  Fortunately for everyone, Collin will be successful anyway.

The Thing You Never Knew You Needed But Now Can't Live Without - Week 14

It's championship weekend and everything is pretty much set.  The winner of the SEC championship game will face off against Notre Dame for the crystal ball and we all just have to deal with it.  Le sigh.  In light of that, I'm changing up the prediction format this week and giving the people what they really want: snarky commentary.  Enjoy it while you can.  The off-season is darkening our doorstep.

Big 12 Schedule

 

Heisman winner.  Coach of the Year.  

11:00 a.m. ESPN: OU at TCU
Because rules are stupid, if OU and K-State both win on Saturday, we have to share a Big 12 title with them, even though we beat them earlier in the season.  Does that make any sense?  No sir, it does not.  Hopefully, this bothers Patterson and the Frogs as much as it bothers me since apparently they're the only ones who can do anything about it.  College football is simultaneously the most wonderful and annoying thing in my life.  Prediction: OU doesn't win the Big 12.  At all.  Not even part of it.  No soup for you.     

11:00 a.m. FX: OSU at Baylor
This game has the potential to be an amazing point-splosion of highlight reel proportions.  Doesn't that sound fun?  Congratulations on surviving a whole season without threat of Big 12 conference implosion!  Enjoy the fireworks.  Prediction: Points and happiness for all, but mostly OSU because I like them and Lache Seastrunk ran over our dreams.   

1:30 p.m. FSN: KU at West Virginia
Maybe if this game was happening in Lawrence, in mid-October, KU might have a shot.  But now that the Mountaineers are bowl eligible and their fans are back and Tavon Austin is everywhere all the time and Geno Smith finally stopped pouting... the Jayhawks are going down.  For the 21st conference game in a row.  Thanks for playing, guys.  Better luck next year?  Prediction: Charlie Weis does have a sideline pillow and he will sit down and I am not making this up it did actually happen and I saw it so there.

7:00 p.m. ABC: Texas at K-State (extended preview available)
We're gonna win so hard that your coach will get fired! (What, too soon?) Prediction: 37-24, K-State.  Also, Lane Kiffin.

Best of the Rest

It's the battle of the ugly uniforms: part two!

3:00 p.m. CBS: Alabama vs. Georgia
This game will be unwatchable because the announcers will look for any opportunity to talk about Johnny Manziel.  I repeat, do not watch this game with the sound on.  Regardless of who wins, this game is a not-so-secret Heisman campaign for Johnny Manziel.  Remember that Holiday Bowl in 2009 where Nebraska played Arizona and lost spectacularly?  Probably not, because the game was just background noise to the incessant Ndamukong Suh chatter.  If you'll recall, he didn't win the Heisman either.  Don't say I didn't warn you.  Prediction: Manti Te'o wins the Heisman. 

7:00 p.m. ESPN: Florida State vs. Georgia Tech
Man the ACC is irrelevant.  I'm assuming the winner of this game gets to go to a BCS bowl.  I'm also assuming that no one would notice if they didn't.  If there's ever a time for Florida State to jump to the Big 12, it's now.  Prediction: This game will get accidentally pre-empted by a showing of A Charlie Brown Christmas and no one will complain.   

7:17 p.m. FOX: Nebraska vs. Wisconsin
The only thing weirder than the start time for this game is that Wisconsin is currently 7-5 and unranked.  Bielema is the saddest badger.  Then again, the Nebraska players really, really hate their coach, so maybe they'll throw the game just to see him get fired.  Is there a scenario where Nebraska could end up playing Texas in a bowl game?  Because that would be the perfect finale for Pelini and Brown's coaching careers.  Prediction: Montee Ball deserved better. 

K-State vs. Texas preview

You guys, this stinks.  Football season just started but somehow it's already time for the final weekend of the regular season.  The final College Gameday of 2012.  The final finale for our purple seniors at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.  How are we supposed to say goodbye to Collin?  To Arthur?  To Chris and Braden and Nick Puetz and Ryan Doerr and Bubba and Nigel and Jarell and Angelo and Davis and Cantele and Tuggle and Vai and Tannahill and his sweet, sweet tight end plays?  Oof.  The hits just keep on coming and I am going to flat out weep. 

Texas Longhorns (8-3)

 

It might be Mack Brown's last game in Bill Snyder Family Stadium too...

Players to Watch

#6, Quarterback Case McCoy: McCoy gets his first start of 2012 due to the fact that David Ash got hit in the ribs last week and didn't tell his coaches.  Why are the Texas QBs always such babies?  Hopefully Case didn't spend too much time talking to his brother about playing against K-State in Manhattan.  Better that he just experience the horror himself and then they can trade war stories after. 

#1, Wide Receiver Mike Davis: Davis is the real superstar of this Texas offense, though he becomes marginally less effective with the quarterback switch.  Still, we tend to be kind to superstar wide receivers, and Davis isn't one to turn down a favor.  I'd feel much more comfortable about this if we had Zimmerman back, but for now, I think we'll just have to hope for a weak offensive line and a renewed pass rush.  We didn't sack Nick Florence one single time.  That has to change.   

#32, Running Back Johnathan Gray: Remember how Texas' running backs were supposed to beat everyone in the league by a million percent?  And how their defense was projected to be an unstoppable force that even Nick Saban would drool over?  Neither of those things happened, further proving that Mack Brown is in his last year as ball coach of the mighty, mighty Longhorns.  Having said all that, Gray is currently their most consistent running back.  So... watch out for him.

Keys to Victory 
Protect your quarterback.  Case McCoy is getting the start this week because David Ash is injured.  They better hope there's someone backing up McCoy because Texas hasn't gotten through a game against us with just one quarterback since the Vince Young days.  That line better be ready to protect him in the pocket, and they better be ready to deal with #4 in the middle linebacker spot.  No Longhorn fan wants to see the end result of Case vs. Arthur.   

Establish a ground game.  Our rush defense is limited without Tre Walker.  I'm sure that fact was on full display in film study this week and I'm sure that's the primary offensive strategy.  Will the supporting linebackers be enough to stop the running game this week?  Can Texas run the ball without turning it over?  Texas is 8-0 when rushing for at least 136 yards and 0-3 when held below that number.  This war, like all important wars, will be won on the ground. 

Build an early lead.  We may have several weapons on offense and the ability to control the game clock, but as we found out against Baylor, we do not play well from behind.  Given how fresh the pain from the Baylor game is, if Texas can get out to an early lead and play smart on defense, the pressure and fear may begin to creep in to our sideline and force us into some uncharacteristic errors.  We've been notoriously slow starters at home, and the defense might still come out tight.  If that happens, it's going to take a monumental amount of leadership and good fortune to get things turned around.

Fun Facts

I love the poetry of this game.  Two years ago, in Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Collin Klein had his first career start against the Texas Longhorns.  Even though it was senior night for Carson Coffman, Klein got the start.  It surprised everyone, including Mack Brown and his defensive coordinator.  On the second play from scrimmage, Daniel Thomas burst free for a 20 yard touchdown.  The rout was on.  I remember, very clearly, two Texas fans in our section.  They didn't seem shocked by their team's 39 point deficit in the fourth quarter. When Texas finally scored a touchdown they started cheering and looking around and caught me glaring at them.  Instead of getting angry he looked at me and said, "Come on.  You gotta let us have something."  That's when I knew what owning Texas meant.  The fans of the richest and most talented team in college football, asked me, a K-State fan, to give them something.  It was a great feeling.  I didn't give it to them.

Stan Weber said this week that he thought some people disrespected the 1998 team a little bit because they weren't able to come back and beat Purdue in the Alamo Bowl after the most depressing football game in CFB history.  This 2012 team has always been about mental toughness, about Snyder's 16 goals, about unity and teamwork and unselfishness and establishing a culture of winning and leadership and responsibility.  In his press conference this week, Collin said that if he had to choose one word to describe this team it would be perseverance.  This is the team that fought through so many single digit victories last year and fought tooth and nail for every part of this season, including the game-that-shall-not-be-named.  I believe this team will come back, just like Oklahoma State did last year, and win these last two games, making them the first team in K-State history to win 12 games in a season.  That 12th win would also make Collin the winningest quarterback in K-State history, which is entirely appropriate.

We're losing 27 seniors this year.  That's a big, big number.  Here's what they look like, all in a row:  Javonta Boyd, Nick Briney, Arthur Brown, Anthony Cantele, Allen Chapman, Jarell Childs, Adam Davis, Ryan Doerr, Ethan Douglas, Thomas Ferguson, Roman Fields, Chris Harper, Ben Kall, Collin Klein, Brandon Klimek, Vai Lutui, Jared Loomis, Nigel Malone, Zach McFall, Jarard Milo, Angelo Pease, Nick Puetz, John Sua, Travis Tannahill, Justin Tuggle, Meshak Williams, Braden Wilson.  There are so many things that I want for these guys in this game.  I want Javonta to bat down a pass.  I want Nick Briney to play a snap or two.  I want Arthur to burn that Texas running game to the ground.  I want Cantele to have a perfect night.  I want Bubba to get another interception.  I want Jarell to get a solo tackle for loss.  I want Adam Davis to get a sack.  I want Ryan Doerr to kick an 80 yard punt.  I want Ethan Douglas to down that punt on the 1 yard line.  I want Thomas Ferguson to start for Ty Zimmerman if he's still hurt.  I want Roman Fields to play a snap or two.  I want Harper to get over 100 yards receiving, and maybe one of those nifty one-handed catches.  I want Ben Kall to play a snap or two.  I want Collin to have a Heisman winning performance.  I want him to have everything he's ever wanted.  I want him to never, ever leave.  I want Brandon Klimek to play a snap or two.  I want Vai Lutui to get a sack.  I want Jared Loomis to decimate someone on a kick return.  I want Nigel to get a pick 6.  I want Zach McFall to play a snap or two.  I want Jarard Milo to finish with the highest number of tackles.  I want Angelo to start in place of Hubert.  I want Puetz to signal a touchdown on a Klein keeper.  I want John Sua to play big.  I want Tannahill to catch a ball and not end up somersaulting over a defender.  I want Tuggle to have his best game since OU.  I want Meshak to end up with 3 sacks and leave Case McCoy with nightmares.  I want Braden to score a touchdown.  It can't all happen that way, of course.  But wouldn't it be magical if it did?

Kansas State Wildcats (10-1)

 

So much weeping.

Players to Watch
#7, Quarterback Collin Klein: I thought saying goodbye to Jacob Pullen was hard.  This is unfathomable.  Given everything that happened in the death valley of Waco, Klein is the player to watch in college football on Saturday.  He had a poor game last year against Texas, and the offense was only able to scrape together 120 yards in the 17-13 victory in Austin.  This year he's (slightly) healthier and (greatly) improved in his decision-making abilities on the field.  I would love nothing more than to see Klein run up and down the field for 4 quarters, just like he did in 2010.

#4, Linebacker Arthur Brown: You better believe that big game Arthur will be keyed up for this one.  I can't wait to see him on a corner blitz, spying Case McCoy and causing general mayhem for all those speedy, vaunted, Texas recruits.  He sees your Rivals rating and he is not impressed.  No one escapes judgment in his house.

#3, Wide Receiver Chris Harper: Harper has taken some heat from me this season, and I'm sure this is not the senior season he envisioned.  However, he's been a rock for Collin and I will miss seeing those two buddies on the sideline laughing and talking and scheming.  It'd be great to see that old clutch Harper from 2011 return to form on senior night. 

Keys to Victory 

Don't abandon the running game.  The running game is a staple of Bill Snyder football, and I've been missing it these last few weeks.  In order to keep our offense moving and their defense off balance, we need to have more success running than throwing.  Should be a good game for it too, with Angelo, Collin, and Braden plenty motivated on senior night.  Not to mention Hubert, who completely fell on his face during his homecoming visit.   

Win at the line.  Our defensive line has slowly gotten more porous over the past three games, crippled by injuries and the loss of their vocal leader, Tre Walker.  They had a terrible game in Waco and should be highly motivated to return to form.  They'll face a tough challenge with Texas' running game, but it's a line that is comprised mainly of seniors, so let's hope they've got one more in them.  The offensive line has also suffered quite a few injuries, and the sack numbers just keep growing as the season wears on.  They're young, so they'll need to band together to send Collin out injury free and make way for that all important running game.

Mix it up a bit.  Senior night is a good chance for a team to run a few plays that they love in practice, but never got to use in a game.  Mack Brown and Snyder go way back, and there are very few surprises when it comes to game plans.  It might be useful, in a momentum game like this, to take advantage of the friendly home field and try a few new tricks.

Trap Level
N/A.

Goal of the Week
#1 Commitment: To common goals and to being successful.  Arthur Brown doesn't want to talk about senior night. He wants to focus on building a better program for future K-Staters.  He wants the program to go on, bigger and better every year.  He wants to be a part of the foundation, not the best team in history, but the team that established a winning culture at K-State.  Commitment to success, as a team, for a greater goal.  Senior night done right.

Prediction  
I believe this team has what it takes to bounce back, and I think the time off will help a lot of our injured guys get back in the mix.  I'm not expecting a blowout, and I'm terrified of an early deficit, but I have faith that this group of seniors has the experience and perseverance to go out on a win.  K-State wins the Big 12 championship and secures a BCS bowl berth, 37-24. 

The Thing You Never Knew You Needed But Now Can't Live Without - Week 13

There are so many good games this week that the fun starts on Thursday.  There are so many good games this week that it continues all through Friday.  There are so many good games this week that Oregon vs. Oregon State has been relegated to the the Pac-12 network.  So many good games!  And K-State has a bye week, so we're even safe from heartbreak!  Yippee!!

Though, in case you're wondering, here's what you should be cheering for this week: Notre Dame falls to USC, Oregon falls to Oregon State, Florida falls to Florida State, OU falls to OSU, and Braden Pape secures a recurring role on GameDay.  Hope you packed your comfy pants.  It's gonna be a full weekend.

Big 12 Schedule

 

Bedlam!

Thursday
6:30 p.m. ESPN: TCU at Texas
This game has less importance now that The-Game-That-Must-Not-Be-Mentioned blew up the rest of our season.  Since that's the case, I'd like to see the plucky young Frogs ruin Thanksgiving for Mack Brown and company.  Prediction: Pete Carroll. 

Friday
2:30 p.m. ABC: West Virginia at Iowa State
West Virginia, you're dead to me.  On a night when everything went wrong, you had the perfect opportunity to add to the chaos by knocking off Oklahoma and getting your first win since October 6th.  But you blew it, and no one was watching and now you have to play in this game that really no one is watching and you'll probably win because Iowa State has unraveled spectacularly.  But, you're dead to me, so it wouldn't make any sense if I picked you.  So there.  Prediction: 45-42, Iowa State.

Saturday
1:30 p.m. Fox: Texas Tech vs. Baylor
Would you believe me if I told you that Baylor is still playing for bowl eligibility?  The pain... it comes in waves.  Prediction: 55-45, Baylor.

2:30 p.m. ESPN: OSU at OU
Bedlam!  No matter the year, no matter the situation, no matter the ranking, this game always ends up being important for just about everyone in the Big 12.  OSU has played better than anyone else in the Big 12 in the past month and OU's hallowed ground has gotten a whole lot shakier this season.  Finish 'em off, pokes.  Prediction: 38-30, OSU.

Best of the Rest

The last two undefeated teams have their last tests this weekend.  Will we end the regular season with one true undefeated and one truly disqualified undefeated?  For the love of the game, I hope not.

11:00 a.m. ABC: Michigan at Ohio State
This is Ohio State's last chance to lose.  We cannot let Urban Meyer go undefeated in his first season at Ohio State.  It's so fundamentally wrong.  C'mon shoelace.  Just ignore that old stuffy Brady Hoke and let loose for your last game in the gold and blue.  If anyone can out Braxton Braxton Miller, it's the Denard Robinson of 2010.  Prediction: 28-17, Michigan.

2:00 p.m. Pac-12 Network: Oregon at Oregon State
I still can't believe this game isn't on a major cable network.  The last time that happened, Oregon State was upset by Washington for their first loss of the year.  Can Oregon State return the favor and ruin the Ducks title hopes for good?  All signs point toward... probably?  Prediction: 21-18, Oregon State.

2:30 p.m. ABC: Florida at Florida State
It's nice to have this game be relevant again, but it seems weird that Bobby Bowden and Steve Spurrier aren't on opposite sidelines.  That's how long it's been since this game was relevant to me.  This week in schadenfreude features Florida State beating Florida and still being ranked behind all the other one loss teams (plus LSU).  Hey K-State fans - look at Florida State and feel better about your situation.  It's surprisingly uplifting.  Prediction: Florida State gets screwed over.  

5:30 p.m. Fox: Stanford at UCLA
So either UCLA got good again, or USC is just really, really bad.  Either way, if Stanford wins this game, then I'm pretty sure that they have to have this exact same game again next week for the Pac-12 championship.  Can that be right?  Has there ever been a better argument against a conference championship game than that precise situation?  The chaos this year is delicious.   Prediction: 28-24, Stanford.

6:00 p.m. ESPN2: Missouri at Texas A&M
Hello, old Big 12 foes.  How funny that you meet in this game at wildly different ends of the spectrum.  Missouri's lone SEC victories came over the only two schools with zero SEC victories and they are still fighting for bowl eligibility.  Oh, and remember that time they lost to Vanderbilt?  That was the best.  Texas A&M has a Heisman frontrunner at quarterback (disgusting), knocked off Alabama for the biggest win in school history (also disgusting) and is tied with LSU at second in the legendary SEC West division (disgusting and wrong and disgusting).  How about a good old fashioned Big 12 upset, just for nostalgia's sake?  Prediction: 31-30, Missouri. 

6:00 p.m. ESPN: South Carolina at Clemson
Clemson fans are enraged that Gameday chose Notre Dame over them, again.  Chances are they'll be even more enraged when they lose this game by a lot and Sportscenter still ignores them.  Sorry, Tigers.  What did you think would happen when you added a Big 12 coach as your defensive coordinator?  Prediction: 40-30, South Carolina.

7:00 p.m. ABC: Notre Dame at USC
USC has lost every big game they've played this season.  Now they have to play this one without Matt Barkley.  Notre Dame is #1 for the first time this season and graced the cover of Sports Illustrated this week.  USC has no shot, no shot at all.  Sound familiar?  I sure hope so.  Prediction: 52-24, USC. 

Baylor recap: Crushed

 

I hurt the most and the least for Collin.  He had the most to lose, and yet I know that he has the best perspective about it.  His leadership in the next two weeks will stick with the underclassmen on this team for years to come.  Daniel Sams - I hope you're taking notes.

The opening drive of the second half will tell you a lot about a Bill Snyder team.  In 8 of 10 games this season, we had scored a touchdown on our opening drive.  This time, it ended in an interception at midfield and I took my glasses off so that it was slightly harder to see what was happening.  When Baylor scored again to make it 35-17, I leaned the recliner as far back as it would go, content to just listen.  When Lache Seastrunk took off for an 80 yard run, I had my eyes shut tight, praying for the Baylor crowd to calm down again, to keep Floyd Casey Stadium as quiet as it was in the good ol days.  I'd like to say I watched the fourth quarter but I didn't.  I hid in a dark room and listened to Stanford beat Oregon in overtime.  Brent Musberger delivered the news.  It was all over.  This wasn't our year after all.

It's the missed opportunities that really dig at me.  The chance for our first national championship, for Gameday in Manhattan and a Heisman for Collin Klein.  For an unbelievable movie ending for a coach who has done things the right way, with good people, in a good town.  I like to think that ESPN has it wrong, that it doesn't have to be a money sport and that they over hype the SEC and their overpaid coaches and their storied programs.  But last night, our bye week came a week too late.  We had too many injuries and not enough depth.  Snyder had taught too many people too many things, and in the end, that consistency gave our opponent the competitive advantage.  Recaps are a little different after a loss.  Fortunately, this is the first one I've had to write.  The following are the four things I think happened last night.

He taught us to care and then gave us something to care about.  I just hope we can give him the happy ending he deserves.  Someday.

1. The defense sustained too many critical injuries.  We have had more trouble stopping the run since Tre Walker got hurt.  We were able to cover some gaps by overloading the box, and Jarell Childs benefited from the extra support from Arthur and Randall and Tuggle.  However, when Ty Zimmerman went down too, we could no longer pull the secondary to stop the run, because then Baylor would throw it over the top and create big plays in the passing game.  That left not enough people to stop the run, and inexperience at the safety position.  Without Tre, Ty had his finger in the well, which he was able to do because he's a three year starter who trained with Tysyn Hartman.  Without Ty, the whole thing fell apart.  You could see it in Dante Barnett's eyes on Baylor's first score.  Mentally, he never believed he could do it.  He knew he was outmatched and he looked frustrated to even be put in that position.  You've got to think that he shoulders more blame than anyone, justified or not.  He could use a call from Adrian Hilburn today.

2. We abandoned our running game.  For the past few weeks, we started to see Angelo Pease and John Hubert trading out possessions.  No matter, most people said, because Collin has gotten so good at throwing the ball.  As Hubert's stats started to slip, so did his blocking.  As his blocking started to slip, Pease started to play more.  As Pease started to play more, we started throwing even more, or running the wildcat.  As our gametime running reps decreased, our O-Line lost traction and started to play less focused.  That mental toughness slipped.  They stopped creating holes, because they knew that Collin could just convert first downs with his arm.  Hubert and Pease stopped getting enough carries to really see the field and read blocks.  Without a balanced attack, there's only so much Collin and the receivers can do.  Our receivers aren't the fastest or tallest guys around.  Harper's never been an every down guy.  The offense goes three and out and the exhausted defense has to get back on the field, stretched as thin as ever.  This was supposed to be Hubert's happy homecoming.  I can't imagine how terrible he feels today.

3. We forgot to account for Bennett.  Everyone (myself included) looked at Baylor's defensive stats and said - no problem.  This defense is terrible.  Bennett's gone soft.  Nothing to worry about.  What everyone forgot is that Snyder's system is the same as it ever was, and Bennett would have the inside knowledge to overcome any statistical gap.  Why do you think he played OU so well this year and last year?  Again, insider knowledge.  Why do you think they played us so tight last year?  Insider knowledge.  Bennett may not be great against his own offense, or the spread offenses of West Virginia and Texas Tech and OSU.  But he can beat what he knows and we all forgot about that.  You could tell Coach knew.  When I saw him on the sideline in the first quarter, I swear he looked nervous, agitated, the way he looked against North Texas.  Like a General in a futile battle - he knows when he's beat, and he knows it well before anyone else.  

4. Collin is more hurt than we know.  Collin had to rely on his arm in this one, and because there was no running game to respect, the receivers were double covered and couldn't bail him out on underthrown passes.  He's been sacked a lot in the past three games and I'm sure his throwing arm is not 100%.  But he's also a married man who probably suffered a concussion earlier in the season and has been advised not to take off and run every third down either.  Without the variety in the offense, it becomes much simpler to defend.  When it becomes much simpler to defend, Collin gets hurt more, our progress slows, we can't manage the clock and the defense gets more and more behind.  I thought we tried to rush too much in the second half and tried to force the offensive tempo.  We didn't need 3 scores at once.  Five minute drives would've been fine.  But how can you really do that, mentally, when you're #1 for the first time ever, on the road, down more than you've ever been, with half your leaders in street clothes on the sideline, and all that media talk about SI jinxes and pressure and national championships buzzing in your ears?  No 22 year old kid can do that.  

We owe our seniors a loud and supportive environment on December 1st.  Let's end this season the right way. 

There's a reason that recruiting classes matter.  It's hard to get a team to stay healthy at the skill positions through November.  Especially in the Big 12, where offenses are so potent and defenses are stretched thin every single game.  We didn't have the depth we needed in the secondary, or the offensive line, or at receiver or quarterback and we knew that at the beginning of the season.  Because of Snyder and his game plan, we were able to make it to the end of November before it became an issue.  Sometimes we get lucky in November.  Sometimes, we use up all our luck in September.

The Texas game is still a big one, and it will be senior night for these players that we love so much.  Lucky for us, we still have great things to play for.  Our first Big 12 championship since 2003, our first BCS bowl game since 2003, a chance to extend our winning streak over Texas and send Mack Brown out with a conference loss.  A chance to go out on a win, even if it's not the win we thought it would be.

Chin up, Cats fans.  Maybe it will feel better tomorrow.  

The Thing You Never Knew You Needed But Now Can't Live Without - Week 12

This week there's not much in the way of action until 6 pm, so take some time to get outside, rake those leaves, and check in on your family.  I'm sure they'll be happy and somewhat alarmed to see you on a fall Saturday, but they'll appreciate the undivided attention.  Then get ready to do some serious channel flipping from 6 to 10. 

Big 12 Schedule

 

C'mon KU.  Your coach is literally paying students to watch you play.  Don't waste it.  

  

2:30 p.m. FSN: Texas Tech at OSU
OSU looks better and better each week while Tech is well into their annual midseason meltdown.  The longer Tuberville is in Lubbock, the more he resembles Ron Prince.  Try to keep your hands to yourself in Stillwater, Tommy.  All eyes are on you for the rest of the season.  Prediction: 45-27, OSU.

6:00 p.m. Fox: OU at West Virginia
Ready for some real talk?  West Virginia is going to win this game.  OU is back to sleepwalking, now that they're safely out of the national championship race and generally ignored by the rest of America.  West Virginia, on the other hand, is a team in desperate need of a big win and a tiny moment of November relevance.  Lock up your couches, Morgantown.  Holgo and Geno finally have something to smile about again.  Prediction: 38-35, West Virginia. 

6:00 p.m. FSN: Iowa State at KU
James Sims has 6 consecutive games of 100+ yards rushing?  Snyder would've turned a team like that with a player like Sims into a .500 team easily.  I love the K-State of Iowa, but without Jake Knott, on the road, in the creepy, quiet stillness of Memorial Stadium... I think the Jayhawks finally snap that 19 game conference losing streak.  Prediction: 21-17, KU.

7:00 p.m. ESPN: K-State at Baylor (extended preview available)
Ok guys, help me out here.  Is this hype video the funniest thing you've ever seen, or is my sleep deprivation officially a problem?  Levity is an undervalued quality in fandom.  Prediction: 45-24, K-State. 

Best of the Rest

If anyone can give us a blueprint for slowing down Oregon, it's Stanford. 

11:00 a.m. ESPNU: Florida State at Maryland
Have you heard about what's happening at Maryland?  If that happened to a Mike Leach team, every man, woman and child would swear that he personally forced those boys to tear their ACLs.  Leach is an eccentric coach whose love for the game of football might be forever tainted by recruiting the wrong kid.  It makes me sick to see him broken by the evil ESPN empire.  Florida State has also been screwed over this year, but that's the ACC's fault.  Should've jumped to the Big 12 when you had the chance, 'Noles. Prediction: 30-13, Florida State.  

2:05 p.m. Fox: USC at UCLA
UCLA only has 2 losses this year, but one of them was by 30 points to Cal.  Cal, as you may recall, is not very good at football.  USC was picked by many professional people in the know to be a national championship contender.  Since then, they've lost sloppy games to Stanford, Arizona and Oregon and stirred up a boatload of negative publicity.  Not much to cheer for here, unless you think it matters who Oregon faces in the Pac-12 championship.  For what it's worth, I'd like to see a USC rematch.  Prediction: 47-20, USC.

2:30 p.m. NBC: Wake Forest at Notre Dame
We are living in a world where Notre Dame could win out and not make it into the national championship, all because of a 3 overtime victory and a slate of victories over a historically good but currently awful Big 10 conference.  Football is a cruel mistress, and no one escapes her wrath this year.  Prediction: "The world forgetting by the world forgot."

2:30 p.m. ABC: NC State at Clemson
Hey, remember when we all made such a big deal about Clemson last year?  And now they're ranked #11 and no one says anything about them because they're in the ACC and we've all decided to ignore the ACC completely?  Tough luck, Dabo.  Lose, and you might get some highlights on Sportscenter.  What else have you got to play for?  Prediction: 21-20, NC State.

7:00 p.m. ABC: Oregon at Stanford
I'd love for Oregon to beat Stanford in triple overtime so that everyone can go berserk debating the eye test qualities of Oregon vs. Notre Dame and the quality of their triple overtime games.  All that squabbling would divert some of the heat from our little Manhattan family so that we can get down to the business of owning Texas.  Let the chaos commence!  Prediction: 48-45, Oregon.

K-State vs. Baylor preview

Last year's Baylor game in Manhattan was the most pure, unadulterated joy I have ever experienced. Being in that stadium as it erupted, yelling and screaming and hollering and contributing to the hysteria was the best experience I've ever had as a K-State fan.  

Now, it's one year later and we're headed to Waco with a #1 ranking and a bus full of battered warriors.  I can't help but hold my breath for the salute penalty in the end zone or the new helmet rule screwing us over at the worst possible time.  It's all going so well, and it feels like an epic trick.  I know I should just be enjoying the ride, but can anyone ever really do that after 1998?

Baylor Bears (4-5)

 

This face is the goal.

Players to Watch
#2, Wide Receiver: Terrance Williams - Terrance and Tevin are the go-to wide receivers in Baylor's offense but don't get it twisted.  Terrance is the one who averages 159 receiving yards per game and leads the NCAA in overall receiving yards.  Tevin is just a boy compared to those grown man stats.  This is a tough game for the secondary, but I want Bubba on #2.

#11, Quarterback: Nick Florence - Bad news: Florence passes for an average of 367 yards per game, which ranks second in the NCAA.  Good news: he's also last in the Big 12 when it comes to turnovers with 11 interceptions.  It took a serious amount of ball hawking to survive OSU, at home, with a healthy Zimmerman.  Nigel better be ready to start catching some of those balls that keep hitting him in the numbers.  No push-ups, #24.  

#25, Running Back: Lache Seastrunk - In addition to having a super cool name, Lache has really turned it up in the last two games. This is particularly helpful for Baylor since their starting running back, Jarred Salubi, just loves turning the ball over.  Seastrunk transferred from Oregon, so it would make sense that he would be the player to give us fits on Saturday.  The run defense has looked a little looser without Walker, but Childs has closed the gap quickly.  Seastrunk will be a slippery devil, and Baylor's passing game will spread the defense thin.  We're going to need solid assignment football from the linebackers in this one. 

Keys to Victory
Keep the defense off the field.  Baylor is currently allowing opponents to convert on third down 58.9 percent of the time.  No bueno.  Our defense may not be excellent against the pass, but it's good enough to keep you from scoring every time you have the ball.  If you let us convert our third downs 60% of the time, with your woeful rush defense, you'll be lucky to have the ball for 15 minutes.

Keep the offense balanced.  If Baylor's strategy is to throw the ball 72 times, great.  It will probably work the first 22 times and then fail miserably in those final 50 that they really, really need.  Our secondary gives up some yards at the beginning, but they always adjust and improve and find a way to make stops.  They've only given up 3 scores of 20 yards or more and I don't expect that number to suddenly fall off a cliff in Waco.  Without the running game, Nick Florence will become way too familiar with Adam Davis and Meshak Williams.  Nightmarishly familiar.

Keep the ball to yourself.  Baylor has a bit of a problem with turnovers.  I already mentioned that Mr. Florence has 11 interceptions all to himself.  The running backs have played their own part in the turnover tale, providing 6 lost fumbles on the season.  K-State is #1 in turnover margin.  It's not that I don't think Baylor can play mistake-free football, it's just that Baylor wouldn't be Baylor if they played mistake-free football.  And, as Baylor fans well know, not even RG3 escapes K-State without an interception.    

Fun Facts

Fun with Math: The Bears have only held one conference opponent (KU) to under 35 points.  K-State comes in averaging 42.2 points and has allowed 30 points at most, once this season.  Baylor currently averages 42.7 points a game, but were held to just 21 against the two teams with a solid rush defense.  Why yes, Mike Stoops.  That was directed at you.  Please consider yourself insulted.

Baylor is our 4th opponent that ranks in the top 11 in total offense and scoring offense.  We held the other three to an average of 153.7 yards and 21.8 points under their norm.  Those other three teams may have passed for an average of 300 yards, but when it comes down to points they ended up with just 6 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.  Combined.  Think you can reverse that, Bears?  It might be hard, considering you are dead last in total defense.  (What happened to you, Bennett?)  Should be more difficult to score all those points if your defense is too busy hogging all the playing time.  Though, you could always try the Joe DeForest approach and just let us score in quick 2 minute increments.  Just a suggestion.  Collin would appreciate the inflated stats for his Heisman campaign. 

Snyderball stat of the week: The Cats average starting field position is at the 41 yard line, 4 yards better than anyone else in the FBS.  Conversely, they hold their opponents to an average starting field position at the 27 yard line.  The 14 yard differential is also best in the FBS by nearly 5 yards.  Check and mate.

Kansas State Wildcats (10-0)  

This man is the key.

Players to Watch
#2, Safety: Ty Zimmerman - The buzz on campus is that Ty will be out for this game with a broken leg.  Ouch.  However, the last time I predicted that, he played the whole game, so I'm sticking him here just in case.  The secondary will be tested, and tested, and then tested some more in Waco and if we don't have Ty coordinating things, it could be ugly for a half.  Thomas Ferguson is his back-up, and while he is certainly a talented athlete, this is a very deep deep end for him to jump into.  He'll need lots of help from Bubba and Jarard to cut down on the big plays over the middle.  Say a prayer or two. 

#33, Running Back: John Hubert - Huuuuubert is a Waco native who was somehow overlooked by Baylor because of his size.  Um, what?  Recruiting is a fickle beast.  It turned out great for us, and Hubert had one of his biggest games last year against Baylor's porous run defense.  He's primed for a huge homecoming game this year too.  Run free, 33.  We'll make sure you hear the cheers. 

#24, Cornerback: Nigel Malone - I think we're going to need a lot of turnovers to keep momentum in our favor this week, especially if Ty is out.  Nigel was our most consistent ball hawk last year but has had trouble securing the catch all season long.  One step at a time Nigel.  Catch, then run.  Catch, then run.  I promise Baylor is not fast enough to stop your pick 6 if you would only remember to catch. it. first.

Keys to Victory
Avoid the big play.  K-State has only allowed 3 touchdowns of 20+ yards.  Baylor relies on big plays to keep things moving, especially if we can use our running game to play time of possession football.  If we can make them drive the length of the field, or consistently have to get 10 yards three downs at a time, their mistakes will eventually catch up to them. 

Stop the run.  Baylor's offense kept them in the OU game far longer than anyone expected.  It held them within a touchdown of upsetting West Virginia.  It allowed them to escape a Friday night upset special with Sun Belt team of the year University of Louisiana-Monroe.  They should be able to score on anybody.  How then, did offensive bottom dwellers Iowa State and TCU hold them to 21 points?  By stopping the run so they could focus on the pass.  I say it here every week.  Force your opponent to be one-dimensional, protect the ball, win the field position battle and you'll give your defense time to slow down any opponent. 

Diversify the passing game.  The other injury reports this week have speculated that Curry Sexton is out with a broken collar bone and Tyler Lockett is out with a high ankle sprain.  If that's true, then Chris Harper is going to need to get more than one reception a game and we're going to have to use our tight ends more effectively.  I know that Tannahill is banged up, but we still haven't seen Andre McDonald in an offensive formation this season.  I hope the back-ups are ready.  We might get a Klein to Klein pass after all, god help us. 

Trap Level
This one's pretty lethal.  Everyone is battered and bloody and bruised and tired and excited and scared and #1 and tired.  I know they're all looking forward to that off week, but they have to get through this one first, with energy and enthusiasm and discipline for a solid four quarters.  Beware of Baylor's explosiveness and beware of vengeance for last year.  I'm sure they'd love nothing more than to erase a 10 point lead in the fourth quarter and steal a 1 point victory from us.  That 4th quarter defense needs to tighten up.  

Goal of the Week
#15: Leadership.  We're #1 in the BCS for the first time ever.  We're on the road in Waco, at night, against an underrated and explosive team.  Everyone is injured.  Back-ups are getting significant playing time for the first time ever.  Everyone is worried about the bubble bursting.  Everyone is aware of 1998.  You can always count on leadership from Arthur, Collin, Ty and BJ.  But what if Collin gets hurt?  What if Arthur goes down?  What if Ty (as expected) doesn't play?  Who will step up?  Who's ready?  Are you?

Prediction
K-State should win this one by double digits.  The injuries worry me the most, but when it comes down to execution, I think our players and coaches will be able to make the necessary adjustments to be successful in Waco.  It may not always be pretty, but I think we can escape without any last minute Arthur Brown theatrics.  K-State lives on: 45-24.  

TCU recap: Getting defensive

Phew.  We survived the defensive battle against Patterson's dreaded 4-2-5.  The TCU defense blew us off the field for most of the game and they're loaded with freshmen.  We got lucky that Boykin and the offense haven't caught up to the defense yet.  TCU is going to be scary in the next couple of years.  For now though, we're #1 for the first time ever.  We stayed focused and mostly sharp, even with news of Alabama's loss spreading through the stadium.  Fortunately, we have plenty of things to work on over the next three weeks.

After the game, Gary Patterson had three words for his mentor: "Go win it."  Let's honor his request.  12 quarters to go.

Some things that were good...

Collin Klein - Collin scored our only two touchdowns of the game, which was good.  He also had much better vision and patience with the running game than either Pease or Hubert.  Also good.  Even with all that good, it seemed like a hesitant performance from Collin.  He was sacked three times, threw an interception, and weirdly decided to slide in the middle of the field 2 yards short of the first down on an important third down play.  Then again, he had that spectacular throw to Chris Harper (which was, admittedly, under thrown) and the last minute toss to Tyler Lockett as he was being chased out of bounds that led to a first down.  So mostly good, but not the great that we've grown accustomed to.

Chris Harper - Harper had the brilliant catch and run in the first quarter that set up our first touchdown.  Brilliant, especially because he had to go back and get it and then fight off defenders for extra yardage.  But then... he didn't have any more receptions.  The entire night.  That was it.  What gives?

Tyler Lockett - Tyler looks so pretty and so speedy on those reverse plays when they work.  He lands in the good category this week because he went out with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.  Not good. 

Ty Zimmerman - Ty got his 5th pick of the year and was a general force in the secondary this week, bouncing back from an embarrassing performance against OSU.  TCU ended with only 178 yards passing... which was still 33 yards more than we produced.  Ty went out with some sort of knee/ankle injury in the second half too, and Thomas Ferguson had to come in for him.  #5 works hard, but there's a noticeable drop-off there.  We'll need Ty back healthy for Baylor's full throttle offense next week in Waco.  Get better soon, Ty. 

Offensive play-calling - Why so conservative, Coach?  Was Collin more mentally unstable than he looked?  Is it a shoulder injury?  Is someone on the line hurt?  Are you hiding something from Baylor or Texas?  It was a bit stuffy, which looked stuffy against TCU's dominant defense.  I'm surprised we didn't switch it up more after Fields and Maponga kept reading the hand-offs easily.  I think there might be more injuries than we realize.  That Thanksgiving bye week can't come soon enough.

 

We will, we will, out run you.  (But never out gain you.)

Some things that were great...

Meshak Williams - The defense had a big day, and no one contributed more than Meshak.  He had a couple of tips at the line of scrimmage and caused general mayhem in the backfield all game long.  My favorite Meshak play came in the third quarter, when he managed to take out two guys at once.  He was pursuing the quarterback, knocked him down, then realized Boykin pitched the ball to the running back, so Meshak turned around and grabbed him by the ankle to make sure the play was dead.  Keep it up. 

The rest of the Defense - The defense kept TCU to 96 yards rushing, and 274 yards of overall offense.  Every single stop was needed, as TCU still managed to outgain us on offense by 14 yards.  After a suspect performance against OSU, this was a huge improvement.  However - TCU does have one of the worst offenses in the Big 12, so they'll need to continue to work hard this week to get those kind of numbers against Baylor.

Ryan Doerr - Ryan is so consistent.  He bails out the offense. He bails out the defense.  He flips the field.  He gives the return units time to get in place.  He kicks it high and spinny so that receivers have a harder time handling it.  He does it all, and he does it every single time.  We are so lucky to have him, and in a game like this, when our offense sputters more often than not, he's invaluable. 

Tramaine Thompson - Man, teams really have nowhere to kick these days, do they?  He and Tyler work so well together and take such pride in blocking for each other.  It's so sweet to watch and they're both improving dramatically from game to game.  His consistency on punt returns has given us good field position all season long. 

See, Ryan?  Just fall on it.  Look at the ball, square up, secure it.  That's all you need to do.

Some things that were puzzling...


Arthur Brown - Arthur looked like he forgot his contacts for this one.  He executed a perfect sneaky blitz and then forgot to wrap up and let Boykin slip by him.  On a run play, he lost sight of the ball and let the running back slip right around him before he even noticed.  Running lanes have been slightly more open in the middle since Tre went out and I think Arthur is missing his vocal counterpoint.  Coach said this week on his show that Tre is out for the season, so he and Jarell and Justin better start gelling soon.  We'll need them at their sharpest against Baylor and Texas.

Fourth Quarter Defense - So, I said before that the defense had a great day.  I still agree.  But what the heck happened in the fourth quarter?  All 10 of their points came in the fourth quarter and their touchdown came in the last minute.  To add insult to injury, the touchdown was the first points we've surrendered off a turnover all season long.  They've been letting up the last few weeks in the fourth quarter and I don't like it.  Everyone remember '98.  We can't get soft in the fourth.

Offense's inability to finish drives - Of the four times we reached the red zone, we only managed one touchdown.  Two of those red zone opportunities came off turnovers and started with excellent field position.  I don't know if this was a result of the conservative play calling, or the offensive line, or Collin being banged up, but it's weak and won't cut it against better Big 12 offenses.  We knew going in that 3rd down conversions would be a battle, but we still only finished at 5 of 13.  Definite step back.

Ryan Mueller - Another game, another huge mistake for Ryan.  This time he tried to pick it up instead of falling on it and the turnover went back to TCU.  It ended in 4th down and a shanked punt, but still - we won't always be that lucky.  Just fall on the ball, Ryan.  If it's good enough for Truman, it's good enough for you.

Nigel Malone - Can you imagine how high our turnover margin would be if we actually caught 100% of the interceptions that we have a chance at?  It seems like three times a game we have an opportunity that bounces right off the numbers because guys have their eyes on that wide open end zone.  Nigel was the biggest offender this week and decided to call attention to it by doing push-ups on the field.  Hard to believe Coach was too thrilled with that.  Just catch it next time, Nigel. 

Offensive Line - What's going on with the O-Line?  The TCU defense got pressure on Klein all night long and Hubert and Pease had nowhere to go.  If Klein wasn't the most brilliant play caller we've ever had in the Snyder era, I don't believe we would have scored any touchdowns against that swarming 4-2-5.  The line did not seem prepared for those ends or that formation at all.  I know they're banged up and they're rotating in and out and we've been passing more the past couple of games, but still.  Time to re-focus, guys. 


Next week we have our last road game and trip to Texas this year, with a visit to Waco to face the enigmatic Baylor Bears.  I hope Hubert is getting himself pumped up for his homecoming.  He's about to face the worst rush defense in the Big 12.  It's time to take advantage.  

The Thing You Never Knew You Needed But Now Can't Live Without - Week 11

You guys, fair warning, but I'm about to lose my cool with these ESPN trolls.  They are quite clearly pissed that K-State hasn't lost by now and that LSU wasn't undefeated heading into the game of the century and that they have to do research on 4 teams instead of 1.  They're angry and they're irresponsible and I'm pretty sure they're up to no good.  I'm a K-State fan, and that means I'm paranoid all the time.  So enjoy the games today, but don't forget to sleep with one eye open.  Constant vigilance is key.

Big 12 Schedule

Rest in peace, Darrell K.  Thanks for the wishbone.

11:00 a.m. Longhorn Network: Iowa State at Texas
Do you think that Chip Kelly could be wooed?  He has to put up with this monkey business of the weak Pac-12 every year, and has the super high flying offense that is so popular in the Big 12 these days.  Austin is kind of the midwest version of Eugene, right?  I think Dodds would be smart to make a play, especially if Oregon ends up stumbling or getting left out of the championship picture.  Oh, and Texas needs to win this game to help K-State.  Prediction: Chip Kelly.

11:00 a.m. FSN: KU at Texas Tech
The experts seem to think that this is a bad match-up for KU.  I think it is a good match-up for KU, but a bad one to play in Lubbock.  James Sims is the best running back in the Big 12, hands down.  Unfortunately, he's got a lot of knuckleheads on his team that get in the way.  Texas Tech will do their best to lose this game, but I don't think KU can shock someone on the road.  Similar to last week, Tech will pull away in the second half.  Prediction: 35-21, Texas Tech.

2:30 p.m. ABC: West Virginia at OSU
Man, West Virginia really needs to win a game again.  I imagine this one will look like the slop that earned them so much praise in September in victories over Texas and Baylor.  However, I think OSU is the better finisher.  There are health issues at quarterback, but Chelf looked amazing and it won't take much against WVU's "defense."  I don't see West Virginia getting this victory in Stillwater.  Sorry, guys.  Prediction: 49-45, OSU.

2:30 p.m. FSN: Baylor at OU
It's still hard for me to believe that RG3 essentially won the Heisman in this game last year after needing overtime the week before to beat KU.  How is that possible?  Collin doesn't play for 15 minutes in a game because of an injury and all of a sudden, AJ McCarron and Kenjon Barner are nipping at his heels.  Ugh.  I am reaching saturation levels of disgust with ESPN at this point.  Oh, and OU will win this game.  Baylor's been just dreadful this year.  Prediction: OU.  By a lot. 

6:00 p.m. Fox: K-State at TCU (extended preview available)
Why is it that all the games that should be blowouts end up giving you ulcers and heart palpitations?  Even if the final score doesn't reflect it, I'm predicting this one will be more brutal than the Iowa State game.  Get your tums ready.  Prediction: 35-21, K-State.

Best of the Rest

C'mon Aggies.  You owe us one.

2:30 p.m. CBS: Texas A&M at Alabama
Okay guys.  You can't go on and on and on about how good Johnny Manziel is all year long and then give him no chance whatsoever against Alabama's defense.  You can't do it.  It's not fair.  It doesn't make sense.  Why do you insist on being so infuriating?  Personally, I think that a former Big 12 team with an actual quarterback and a basic understanding of offense is the perfect team to keep the SEC out of the national championship for the first time since 2005.  Clearly, other Kansans agree with me.  Prediction: 28-24, Texas A&M. 

2:00 p.m. Fox: Oregon State at Stanford
This game is a must-see for K-State fans, as Stanford and Oregon State are the best possible options for knocking pesky Oregon out of the national championship race.  I'm partial to Mike Riley and the Beavers, but Steven loves that happy, dancing tree.  I'll be interested to see if defense does exist in the Pac-12 after all.  I have my doubts.  Prediction: Oregon really needs to lose soon. 

7:00 p.m. ABC: Notre Dame at Boston College
It took Notre Dame 3 overtimes and an insane amount of luck to beat Pitt, the absolute LAST in the epic tragedy that is the Big East Conference.  (Seriously, have you seen their league ads?  They're all about sportsmanship.  Yikes.)  Top story on College Football Final?  Notre Dame is a championship team because they WIN CLOSE GAMES.  Last year, K-State set an FBS record for winning close games.  Top story in the off-season?  K-State is not a championship team, they just got lucky because they won ALL THOSE CLOSE GAMES.  I just... I can't...  It's not.... GRRRRRRRRRRR.  Prediction: 20-13, Notre Dame. 

9:30 p.m. ESPN: Oregon at Cal
Cal is so very, very bad.  Chip Kelly is a mean, mean man and will beat this team by 60, by the end of the first half.  Or he'll pull a Penny and just wait until the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter to dump 50 points on them in 5 minutes.  It doesn't matter.  They'll get just as many votes no matter when it happens.  Voters are 100% not watching these late games and it's making me crazy.  Prediction: 63-17, Oregon. 

K-State vs. TCU preview

It was this weekend last year that K-State ended a 2 game losing streak in spectacular fashion against Texas A&M.  Steven and I were in the best sports bar in New Orleans that day, watching 5 games at once.  One of those games was TCU's epic victory over undefeated Boise State.  TCU is great at forcing teams to win games with their kicker, and then hoping that kicker cracks under the pressure.  It's a strategy that's served them well over the years.  Let's make sure it doesn't come down to that this year. 

TCU Horned Frogs (6-3)

I don't know how to say this, but... your mascot looks like Bowser.  From Mario.  Sorry.  It was just awkward that you didn't know.  

Players to Watch
#95, Defensive End: Devonte Fields - Little known fact: TCU is the Big 12's sack leader.  Devonte Fields is the head of the sack crew, and I'm sure Patterson and his goons will be gunning for Klein, now that the injury reports are swirling.  Our O-Line looked a little weak at times against OSU.  They'll need to be steady in a hostile environment against this crew. 

#82, Wide Receiver: Josh Boyce - I know that wide receivers can't win games on their own, because they require a quarterback to throw them the ball.  That being said, Josh Boyce won that West Virgina game for TCU last week.  He ran the 94 yards for the touchdown in the 4th quarter to send the game to overtime.  He "caught" the 2 point conversion that gave TCU the victory in double overtime.  He is their go-to guy, and he will get to know Nigel and Bubba and Ty very, very well on Saturday.

#2, Quarterback: Trevone Boykin - Once you get past the name, Boykin's actually been a pretty reliable freshman QB for the Frogs.  When Pachall entered rehab last month, everyone wrote off TCU for the year and turned their attention elsewhere.  Boykin seemed to appreciate the lack of pressure and quietly put together excellent numbers against Texas Tech and West Virginia.  He's young, throws interceptions, has a low completion percentage, and is fairly inconsistent.  But he has Boyce.  And he won't give up.  We weren't great against Chelf last week when he decided to scramble.  Look for Boykin to do the same.

Keys to Victory
Hope for Sams.  With Klein healthy and ready to go, there's very little anyone can do to stop him.  With Sams in, there's very little anyone can do to calm the nerves of thousands of terrified K-State fans.  Without Klein, these teams suddenly look very competitive.

Avoid the penalties.  TCU is a very, very young team.  The first key to making that an asset instead of a liability is to avoid the stupid penalties.  They'll need to play a perfect game to get their first Big 12 victory at home.   

Out scheme Snyder.  We already know that Patterson has ice in his veins.  But does he know when and where and how to pull the trigger against the silver fox/wizard/doctor/miracle worker?  I wouldn't put money on it.

Fun Facts

TCU Head Coach Gary Patterson is a K-State alum.  This will be the first time he's coached against K-State or Bill Snyder.  Way back in the day, after Prince was fired, he was briefly rumored to have accepted the K-State job.  The media broke the news and caused all manner of ruckus, as it coincided with TCU's Thursday night heartbreaker against Utah.  Patterson, understandably pissed, took to the radio to dispel the rumors and dispense some harsh words for Bob Krause and K-State.  We found out later that the Bob Krause criticism was warranted, but I, for one, started to lose a little bit of respect for Patterson that day.  Were we really that close to losing the chance at Snyder 2.0?  I have no idea.  But I'm glad it worked out the way it did.  

The last time these two teams met was 1986.  Because it was 1986, TCU won that day, 35-22.  TCU has played better on the road (3-1), than at home (0-2) in Big 12 play.  This is partly because they built a brand new stadium without stopping to think about how they would fill it up.  It's routinely half empty (half full?) but should, hopefully, be rocking on Saturday night as they welcome the highest ranked team they've faced at home since 1970.  Also, they're doing a black-out, since both teams rep the purple.

Here's a fun game for those of you out there who are being forced to watch this football game against your will.  Take a drink/eat an M&M/do a push-up every time Gary Patterson pulls up his pants.  Take a gulp/eat 5 M&Ms/do 5 push-ups every time he ties his shoe.  I promise you'll be busy.

Kansas State Wildcats (9-0)

Man, we're just better than you at everything.

Players to Watch
#7, Quarterback: Collin Klein - Even without a formal injury report from Coach, Klein will be targeted on Saturday.  They'll go for his wrist, they'll go for his head, they'll go for him.  They've seen the drop-off between Klein and Sams and Patterson excels at stealing victories.  If Klein can read the blitzes, we'll be fine.  If he gets rattled early, watch out.  Fortunately, K-State is a family and families protect each other. 

#2, Linebacker: Justin Tuggle - Tuggle has gone cold since the OU game.  I'm not sure if it's the rise of Childs, or the pass happy offenses, but I'm surprised I haven't heard his name more often in the past month.  With Walker still out and Childs taking on his role, I'm looking for Tuggle to step up and return to form.  The more pressure we can put on Boykin, the better off we'll be.

#8, Running Back: Angelo Pease - It was a beautiful thing to see Pease run the wildcat so effectively last week.  TCU's run defense is more formidable than OSU's, but it's always helpful to add another variation to our ground attack.  Plus, if Pease is reliable in the wildcat, we have yet another safety net in the event that Klein needs to sit.  He's gaining confidence at the right time.  Now let's see if he can put it together on the road.

Keys to Victory
Protect the ball.  Our turnover ratio and points off turnovers has been well documented.  Any time something gets well documented, I expect it to turn on us in dramatic fashion.  We needed every last turnover last week to beat OSU.  We'll need to maintain that pristine record on both sides of the ball to avoid an upset-minded TCU. 

Don't let up.  TCU came back from 10 down in the 4th quarter to force overtime with Texas Tech.  Then, a week later, they fought back in the 4th against West Virginia to force overtime and then stole the victory on a 2 point conversion.  This team won't quit, and they make a living on upsetting overly confident teams.  They're like Iowa State, with a better offense.  Scary.   

Be ready for the trick play.  TCU isn't afraid of the trick play.  They'll run the reverse, the flea flicker, the onside kick, the fake field goal, the fake punt, the statue of liberty, the fumblerooski, the jump pass and/or any other kind of ridiculousness they can find in the back of the playbook.  We don't have a great track record defending the trick play (remember the KU game?) so we'll need to stay alert to stay ahead. 

Trap Level
High.  We've never played TCU, we've never played at Amon G. Carter stadium, and we've never played Gary Patterson.  I don't know if practice changed at all with Collin's injury, and I don't know how nervous the players are.  I'm nervous.  I'll be nervous until January.  As far as I'm concerned, they're all traps now.  Have I mentioned Patterson is tricky?  Nervous-nervous-nervous.

Goal of the Week
#7 Great Effort.  Miami gave up in the fourth quarter.  Texas Tech broke down on defense in the second half.  Geno Smith fought with a tarp instead of communicating with his receivers.  Though I'm confident in our ability to confuse and infuriate TCU, they won't give up.  We'll need great effort all game long. 

Prediction
Logically, we should be able to handle TCU easily.  However, with Klein's injury, Patterson's sneaky skills, and TCU's defense, I think it might look more like the Iowa State game than the West Virginia massacre.  In the end, I think the most disciplined team wins.  K-State survives, 35-21.