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With the opening week of college football in the books and the second week just a day away from kicking off let's take a look back at the best and the rest of the Big 12 through the first weekend. The good news is that the conference started the season at 10-0 although a couple of teams just pretty ugly in snatching victory from the jaws of defeat (looking at you ISU and KSU).
Top Offenses
Team | Total Points | Total Yards |
OSU | 61 | 666 |
Baylor | 50 | 564 |
Texas Tech | 50 | 505 |
Texas Tech actually should be bumped from this list just because they played Texas State. Oklahoma was second in the conference in total yards 663 and took their foot off the gas long before they scored their 47th point. On a side note I think the number for OSU's total offense is very appropriate because we've suspected T. Boone Pickens to be the antichrist for year's now.
Offensive Surprises
Team | Total Points | Total Yards |
Kansas | 42 | 447 |
Rock Chalk! So what if the opponent was just McNeese State. Anyone remember what happened to Kansas in last year's season opener?
Offensive Disasters
Team | Total Points | Total Yards |
KSU | 10 | 303 |
Missouri | 17 | 291 |
ISU | 20 | 328 |
Kansas State scored on a last minute touchdown to beat Eastern Kentucky, 10-7.
Missouri managed just 17 points against Miami of Ohio and Iowa State needed every bit of their 20 points to sneak past Northern Iowa, 20-19.
Top QB Performaces
Quarterback Yards Completion % TDs INTs Robert Griffin 359 77.8% 5 0 Seth Doege 326 69.7% 3 0 Landry Jones 375 74.5% 1 0
Robert Griffin looked very much the part of a Heisman Contender last Friday night. His completion percentage is the most impressive aspect of his stats in my opinion. Hopefully he'll be backed by a defense at some point.
Again, there needs to be an asterisk by Seth Doege's performance because the competition was Texas State but it is what it is.
Landry Jones was efficient and poised in leading Oklahoma's offensive attack.
QB Surprises
Quarterback | Yards | Completion % | TDs | INTs |
Brandon Weeden | 388 | 61.5% | 3 | 3 |
James Franklin | 129 | 65.4% | 1 | 1 |
Brandon Weeden's interceptions is what put him on the surprises list. His 388 yards were the best in the Big 12 but he had to interceptions returned for TDs and a third pick to even out the TD/INT ratio.
Going into the season I had said the Missouri was a good quarterback away from being a contender for the Big 12 championship. I expected a whole lot more from James Franklin than 129 passing yards.
QB Disasters
Quarterback | Yards | Completion % | TDs | INTs |
Steele Jantz | 187 | 45% | 1 | 3 |
He may have the coolest name of any quarterback in the Big 12 but he also may have the worst aim.
Top RB Performances
Running Back Yards Average Per Carry TDs Dominique Whaley 130 7.2 4 Cyrus Gray 131 6.2 2 Joseph Randle 124 5.6 2
Dominique Whaley should also go into the "surprises" category after putting together one of the best performances ever by a walk on.
Cyrus Gray ran like expected and proved why many believe he's the best running back in the Big 12.
Oklahoma State's Joseph Randle showed the nation that the Cowboys will be just fine on the ground in 2011.
Running Back Surprises
Running Back | Yards | Average Per Carry | TDs |
Terrance Ganaway | 120 | 5 | 1 |
It appears that Baylor has found a more than suitable replacement for Jay Finley.
Top Receiving Performances
Receiver Receptions Yards Average TDs Darrin Moore 12 221 18.4 1 Kendall Wright 12 189 15.8 2 Ryan Broyles 14 158 11.3 1
Darrin Moore...Texas State...nuf said
Baylor looks to legitimately have one of the top offenses in the Big 12 with Kendall Wright being the third part of a three headed monster. Burn that midnight oil defensive coordinators...burn it!
Ryan Broyles did nothing to detract from his status as one of the top receivers in the nation and the greatest to ever wear the crimson and cream.
Receiving Surprises
Receiver | Receptions | Yards | Average | TDs |
Justin Blackmon | 8 | 144 | 18 | 0 |
Mike Davis | 3 | 115 | 38.3 | 0 |
T.J. Moe | 6 | 56 | 9.3 | 0 |
There's absolutely nothing wrong with Justin Blackmon's performance. I'm just surprised/shocked he didn't get into the end zone.
Mike Davis with a 38.3 yard receiving average! Are you kidding me? I wonder who BYU is going to be focused on this weekend.
Just the opposite reaction for T.J. Moe. They've got to find a way to get his average in double digits.
Top Defensive Performances
Team Points Allowed Yards Allowed Missouri 6 270 Kansas State 7 129 Texas 9 224
With all three of these you have to consider the opponent but again...it is what it is which is a dominating defensive performance. You can't punish these units for doing what they were supposed to do.
Defensive Surprises
Team | Points Allowed | Yards Allowed |
Texas Tech | 10 | 331 |
Texas A&M | 14 | 347 |
At first glance things don't look bad for Texas Tech until you come to the realization that they gave up 331 yards to Texas State.
The same is true for Texas A&M. The end stats aren't that bad and the points allowed is respectable but there were some serious struggles in the secondary and SMU had a 100 yard rusher in the first quarter.
Defensive Disasters
Team | Points Allowed | Yards Allowed |
Baylor | 48 | 466 |
They may have one of the best offenses in the conference but Baylor's defense is going to cost them some games...and soon.