Texas Bowl Blog

Big 12 This Week

Saturday October 31st

(4-3) Nebraska @ (3-4) Baylor

A couple of reeling Big 12 teams lock horns in Waco this weekend, as the Nebraska Cornhuskers face off against the Baylor Bears at Floyd Casey Stadium.
Once highly ranked, the Huskers' promising 2009 campaign has started to crumble following back-to-back home losses. After being knocked out of the Top 25 with a loss to Texas Tech (31-10) on October 17th, Nebraska was stunned last weekend, dropping a 9-7 decision to Iowa State. It was the team's first loss at home to Iowa State since 1977, as the Huskers fell to 1-2 within the conference.

Nebraska's defense did its part last weekend and held Iowa State to just nine points, all of which came in the first half. The unit gave up only 239 yards of offense and has now held its last six opponents to fewer than 280 yards. That is quite an accomplishment for one of the nation's top defenses, which is surrendering a mere 11.4 ppg and only 266.4 total ypg on the season. The defense, however, hasn't made many big plays in terms turnovers, forcing just 10 through seven games. The unit was obviously stout last weekend, but failed to create any turnovers, while the Huskers' offense committed eight. Ndamukong Suh guided Nebraska in defeat with eight stops and a sack. He has been a big factor in the success of this defense, leading the way with 44 stops, 10 TFLs and four sacks.

As for the Bears, their season took a big hit when star quarterback Robert Griffin III was lost for the year with a torn ACL in late September. Baylor now brings a three-game losing skid into this weekend's game, with all three losses coming versus league foes. Most recently, the team hosted Oklahoma State only to fall 34-7 last weekend. With the setback, the Bears dropped under .500 for the first time this season at 3-4.

Baylor's offense has really sputtered during the team's current losing streak, averaging just 8.0 ppg over its last three games. Last weekend, the Bears gained only 284 total yards, including a measly 43 rushing, and one touchdown in a loss to OSU. Nick Florence received a majority of the snaps under center and he completed 21-of-35 tosses for 235 yards, with one score against one pick. Blake Szymanski also saw some time at quarterback, but he threw for just six yards on 3-of-4 tosses. The duo have been filling in for Griffin III, who was lost for the year as mentioned earlier, but neither has had much success and they have combined for just three touchdown passes against six picks. Kendall Wright is the top threat through the air and he paces the Bears with 36 catches and 399 receiving yards.

Nebraska holds a 10-1 lead over Baylor and that includes a perfect 7-0 mark in Big 12 play.

(4-3) Missouri @ (2-5) Colorado
The Missouri Tigers are still in search of their first Big 12 win, and they will try to corral that victory this Saturday afternoon when the team travels to Boulder to battle the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field.

The Tigers opened the season with four consecutive wins, but since then the team has struggled, losing three straight matchups. All three losses came against ranked teams, and that includes a 41-7 setback to Texas on Saturday. Over the two previous seasons, Missouri tallied a 12-6 mark in league play, but this year the team is winless in three Big 12 matchups. As for the Buffaloes, they are coming off a 20-6 setback to Kansas State on Saturday. It was the third loss in the last four games for Colorado, which now has five setbacks on the year. Although it has been a losing season thus far for the Buffs, there is one bright spot and that is the team's play at home, as Colorado's two wins have come at Folsom Field.

The Tigers have won the last three matchups against Colorado and now hold a 39-31-3 edge over the Buffaloes in the all-time series. Although Colorado is on the losing end of the series, the team still holds a 20-15-1 edge at home against Missouri.

(5-3) Iowa State @ (4-3) Texas A&M

Iowa State stunned Nebraska 9-7 in Lincoln last week with eight takeaways including four inside the Cyclone five. Nebraska, as poorly as it played, still had a chance late, but Zac Lee was picked off. Iowa State LB Jesse Smith made 12 tackles, two tackles for loss, forced a fumble and picked off a pass in the win. Iowa State was without two of its top playmakers against Nebraska. Dual-threat quarterback Austen Arnaud was unavailable due to a hand injury suffered a week earlier. Alexander Robinson, who entered the week as the Big 12's leading rusher (105.3 ypg), was also out because of a groin injury.

Texas A&M is coming off their own stunning win, going into Lubbock and annihilating Texas Tech 52-30. The Aggies amassed 321 yards on the ground and 6 touchdowns. For the Aggie defense, it has been a decidedly different story. They enter this week ranked 98th in the nation in total defense (411.6 ypg) and 104th in scoring (32.9 ppg).

Texas A&M holds an 8-1 advantage in the all-time series, although Iowa State's lone win was in 2005 when the teams last met at Kyle Field. Iowa State becomes bowl eligible for the 1st time in 4 years with a victory.

(5-2) Kansas @ (5-3) Texas Tech

The Jayhawks enter the contest unranked for the first time this season, as the have dropped back-to-back games following a 5-0 start to the campaign. Kansas was recently topped by Oklahoma, 35-13, this past weekend, dropping its sixth straight decision to the Sooners. It was a disappointing effort by the Jayhawks, who were upset at Colorado (34-30) the prior week.

As for TTU, it too was knocked out of the Top 25 last weekend, suffering a surprising 52-30 loss to Texas A&M. It was the Aggies' first win in Lubbock since 1993, as the Raiders saw their 12-game home win streak come to an end. Now at 5-3 overall, TTU will once again try to deliver head coach Mike Leach his 82nd career victory and that would tie him with Spike Dykes as the school's all-time wins leader.

TTU has owned Kansas over the years, winning 10 of the 11 all-time meetings between the two schools, including the last three.

(5-3) Kansas State @ (4-3) Oklahoma

The post-Sam Bradford era begins against Kansas State , the North's surprise leader which has dropped three straight to Oklahoma since a 35-7 win at Norman on Dec. 6, 2003. Road dates against Nebraska and Texas Tech, plus home games versus Texas A&M and No. 13 Oklahoma State follow on the Sooners' schedule. Third in the Big 12 South, Oklahoma moves on with improving freshman quarterback Landry Jones, who's thrown for 1,363 yards and 13 touchdowns with six interceptions in six games.

After allowing 739 yards in a 66-14 loss at Texas Tech on Oct. 10, Kansas State has dominated the first half the past two weeks, leading Texas A&M and Colorado by a combined 58-6. The Wildcats have forced 10 turnovers and recorded nine sacks in those contests after getting six the first six games. Kansas State's running game has been a big part of its recent success. The Wildcats are second in league averaging 186.5 yards on the ground and 218.0 in their last two games.

(7-0) #3 Texas @ (6-1) #14 Oklahoma State

The lone remaining teams with perfect Big 12 records meet with first place in the South Division on the line when McCoy and the third-ranked Longhorns try to extend their 11-game winning streak over the 13th-ranked Cowboys on Saturday night in Stillwater.

Oklahoma State will be without All American WR Dez Bryant who has officially been suspended for the remainder of the season for lieing to the NCAA about contact with Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. Cowboys running back Kendall Hunter, an all-Big 12 selection as the league's leading rusher a season ago, has missed the last five games with a sprained ankle and is expected to have a limited role if he plays Saturday. Hunter ran for 161 yards on 18 carries at Texas last year. Keith Toston has replaced Hunter the last five games, averaging 97.0 yards on the ground.

Although Texas lost three defensive starters in the first three rounds of the NFL draft in April, its current defense is ranked second in the nation. Three of the last four Texas opponents have managed fewer than 175 yards of offense, and the last five have averaged 0.8 yards per carry.
Texas hasn't lost to Oklahoma State since a 42-16 defeat Oct. 4, 1997, and leads the all-time series 21-2. Colt McCoy has been exceptional against the Cowboys, completing 79.4 percent for 1,019 yards to go 3-0. In his lone visit to Boone-Pickens Stadium on Nov. 3, 2007, McCoy was 20 of 28 for 282 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. He helped engineer a comeback from a 21-point deficit entering the fourth quarter in a 38-35 victory.

Navy This Week

(5-2) Temple @ (6-2) Navy

Temple has been the surprise story in the Mid-American Conference this season, racing out to a perfect 4-0 start in league play. The days of the Owls being the NCAA's doormat are long gone. Under fourth-year head coach Al Golden, they've reeled off five straight wins for the first time since 1979. Last week, they notched a 40-24 triumph over Toledo to take over sole possession of first place in the MAC's East Division.

The Owls face a stiff test playing on the road at Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, where Navy is unbeaten through four games this year. Overall, the Midshipmen have also won five straight, including last week's 13-10 triumph over Wake Forest. Their last two wins, and three of the last four have come by a three-point margin. Navy won last week despite not attempting a single pass

Navy has won four straight meetings with Temple to take a 5-4 lead in the all- time series. The Midshipmen can clinch a birth in the Texas Bowl with a win over Temple.