Sooners currently best in Big Twelve….mixed results for conference

The first full week of Big Twelve play shook out some important notes.  The Oklahoma Sooners and West Virginia Mountaineers seem to be set on a really good year, Texas is not back, and Kansas might not win in 2018.

Rankings and comments on the Labor Day weekend:

1. As predicted,  Oklahoma  took the Owls from Florida Atlantic and plucked them before boiling the birds in a nice fowl soup from the heat on Owen Field.  It was a total mismatch that some thought would not happen.  Kyler Murray was in total control with an offense that is strong in every position.  It will take deep and jagged ruts to stop this covered wagon and right now only a couple of teams in the country might have a chance to eviscerate the landscape. OU could see one of them in the Final Four…..Alabama……Clemson……Ohio State? The defense has improved, but with the past Mike Stoops defenses, you might not get the same results week to week. UCLA next week will not provide much to discourage Sooner fans and alike, but future matchups with Oklahoma State, West Virginia and Iowa State will.  The new faces on defense played with rigor and the secondary was effective. The All-American runner at Florida Atlantic was basically shut down.  Give Oklahoma all the credit for being ready.  Grade:  A

2. West Virginia  smashed the Tennessee Vols.  A 40-14 win in Charlotte was impressive as Will Grier showed the nation he is going to be tough to deal with.  As with OU, West Virginia proved a stout defense goes down well with a powerful offense.  David Sills V showed he is a money receiver and the men from Morgantown will be ready for the hunt this season.   Grade:  A

3. Iowa State (Did not play as of weather)

4. Oklahoma State will be in for some losses as expected if quarterback Taylor Cornelius does not improve.  A satisfactory performance by this senior signal caller(as of Head Coach Mike Gundy), the team will struggle on offense if play at this position does not get better.  Other than that, OSU’s offensive line was dominate and you can expect that on most Saturdays.  The running backs might be the best not only in the conference but in the nation.  Deep, fast and strong, with elusiveness, Hill and company will be tougher to stop if the passing game gets better.  On defense, OSU was effective against the Missouri State Bears and have improved from last year.  Grade:  C+

5. TCU destroyed Southern but I can not with good conscience say much about a win over a really bad team. TCU got the play out of quarterback Shawn Robinson they were looking for.  I suspect that the Frogs will really know what they have after next weeks tussle with the Buckeyes in Arlington.  I believe they will not like what they see.  This team is like the the Cowboys from Stillwater. We cannot be to hyped up just yet.  Grade:  C+

6. Texas lost to Maryland and the team still needs a quarterback that will not make the mistakes in crunch time.  Three turnovers in the final three possessions when you are down a score is not good. Texas is a big disappointment.  Coach Tom Herman looked like hell after this loss at his presser.  Is he becoming the second coming of Charlie Strong?  I think yes.  Grade:  C

7. Kansas State beat a lower division South Dakota team in Manhattan, coming from a 24-12 deficient.  That tells me much about this team.  Mississippi State is up next and do not expect much from the Wildcats. This step up in grade is going to expose the Wildcats again.  Grade: D

8. Texas Tech did score 27, but lost by 20 to Ole Miss,  Expect Kliff Kingsbury to have to fight to keep his job for 2018.  The SEC Rebs proved that Tech is not any good on defense, again.  Grade:  C-

9. Baylor beat Aibileen Christian in Waco.  Big fricken deal folks.  Baylor was less than impressive on defense but have hope BU fans.  There are wins available in conference play.  Grade:  C-

10. Kansas played equal to their competition with Nichols.  They lost. KU will not win a game this season.  A new coach will not bring significant wins to Lawrence for many years to come.  Want a win, Schedule the Jayhawks.  Grade:  F

Feature photo:  Oklahoma wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown catches a pass, but FAU safety James Pierre can’t stop the Chaminade-Madonna graduate in the first half Saturday in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)