Big 12 Recap for Week 4: TCU Wins in Shootout; Pokes Take Texas With Defense; West Virginia Crushes Terps; Bears Steam Rice; Poor Kansas

Above Photo Credit:  Trevone Boykin #2 of the TCU Horned Frogs runs the ball against the Texas Tech Red Raiderson September 26, 2015, at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. JOHN WEAST/GETTY IMAGES

No other conference in college football has the offensive firepower of the Big 12.  The players, the offensive schemes (coaching), and tempo of the play is unique to the league because of the number of teams that partake.  Sure, there are isolated schools across the country that play this brand of offensive football, but on a scale as is in the Big 12, no.

We got a look at what happens when two of these teams meet in game action yesterday in the form of Texas Christian University and Texas Tech University.  Combined, 107 points, 1357 yards, 70 first downs, and 101 passes thrown before a sellout crowd in Lubbock, Texas.

When TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and West Virginia, play each other, expect results as what we saw in Lubbock.  These teams will go up and down the field and scores in the thirties, forties, and fifties will be the norm.  Will one of these five (of ten) teams win the Big 12 this year. Good case to argue yes.  The only team with any chance to do so not listed would be Oklahoma State, which currently has the best defense in the conference.  West Virginia might have as good a defense as the Pokes but we cannot tell from their body of work through Week 4.

Kansas State is a fine college football team, but they cannot keep pace and do not have the players to stop the five offensive teams mentioned.  Their game is Saturday in Stillwater against the Pokes will expose there limitations on offensive.

It is going to be a free for all this year in the Big 12.  The most exciting, and best offenses in college football.  TCU can win in this league without their signature defense as they did against Texas Tech. But they will be in a dog fight when they play the best in the conference.  This game pointed out that Tech and TCU are pretty even when TCU has their second team defense on the field. For this road win, TCU is one up on the rest of the league.

Texas is improving enough that as the losses mount up (loss to O-State in Austin), the hurt scale goes up.  This team might pull a big time win, such as their game in the Cotton Bowl against OU, but Charlie Strong’s tenure in Austin is getting on the wobble.  A three and eight season won’t go over well with the Horn Nation and right now they have only one game that they can count on as a win.

With OSU, they proved that their defense, along with West Virginia, is the class of the Big 12.  They gave up less than 300 yards Saturday and only 13 points in the 30-27 win over UT.  They are fast, furious, and durable.  Oklahoma State is one team that every club in the conference has to be careful of. With Baylor, OU, and TCU coming to Stillwater they are a player for league honors. West Virginia hosting the Pokes is their Waterloo. That is one OSU won’t be looking forward to. 

West Virginia will be tough to beat at home.  The Mountaineers played another terrible team in Maryland and ran them out of Morgantown. Saturday they take a step up with Oklahoma in Norman.  We shall see if their lack of turning the ball over and playing great defense can continue and transcend into a productive game against OU.  It will be the game of the day in the Big 12.  My prediction later in the week. It might surprise you.

Rice going to Baylor was a total mismatch.  The Bears await a legit team on their schedule.  Nothing here of importance.

Kansas?  Kansas.  Poor Kansas.