|
| R.C Slocum has little job security in College Station. AP |
|
 |
|---|
| 1 |
Oklahoma
|
| 2 |
Kansas State
|
| 3 |
Texas
|
| 4 |
Colorado
|
| 5 |
Texas Tech
|
| 6 |
Oklahoma State
|
| 7 |
Nebraska
|
| 8 |
Texas A&M
|
| 9 |
Iowa State
|
| 10 |
Missouri
|
| 11 |
Baylor
|
| 12 |
Kansas
|
|
 |
|---|
| 44 |
|
Consecutive losses to top 10 teams by Missouri, after the Tigers’ 38-0 loss to Kansas State. Missouri’s last victory over a top 10 came on Oct. 3, 1981, at No. 9 Mississippi State.
|
|
|
 |
|---|
“We eliminated three Heisman Trophy candidates coming in here and I don’t know if anybody else has done that. It says a lot about our style of defense.”
--
Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, whose team has bottled up Texas Tech quarterback Kliff Kingsbury, Colorado running back Chris Brown and Iowa State quarterback Seneca Wallace.
|
|
|
By Tim Griffin, Special to CNNSI.com
The most challenging season of Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum's career got a lot tougher earlier this week.
Freshman defensive lineman Brandon Fails died early Monday after collapsing in his dormitory room. Fails, 18, was rushed to a Bryan hospital but could not be resuscitated and passed away later that morning.
Slocum had to tell Fails’ parents about their son's death. He then gathered 100 players and staff members to inform them about their friend and teammate -- less than four days before the Aggies’ regular-season finale at archrival Texas.
“Everything else I know pales in comparison to the pain that must be,” Slocum said. “We’ll try to help them through it by hugging them, by talking to them, but letting them talk. We’ll just try to express ourselves to each other in a family context.”
Fails’ death comes as Slocum, the winningest coach in A&M history, is struggling to keep his job in the midst of intense criticism after a 6-5 start.
The Aggies already could be headed to the Texas game without the services of freshman quarterback Reggie McNeal, who suffered an ankle injury in their last game against Missouri. McNeal threw four touchdowns in A&M’s 30-26 upset victory over then No. 1 Oklahoma, which appeared to have bought Slocum a reprieve for the rest of the season.
But that all changed in a demoralizing 33-27 double-overtime loss to Missouri that left the Aggies scrambling for answers. It also marked A&M’s fourth loss at home this season -- most by any A&M team since 1983.
Earlier in the season, Slocum had changed offensive coordinators, starting quarterbacks and even kickers looking for a spark for an injury-riddled team.
Columnists at two major Texas newspapers have alluded to rumors that Alabama coach Dennis Franchione could be in line to replace Slocum after the season. Franchione called the reports “idiotic” on his Web site and said he expected to sign a new 10-year, $15 million contract with the Tide after the season.
But A&M officials have said they expect to hire a new athletic director, perhaps as soon as Christmas. That could make Slocum’s job tenure shaky, depending on who his new boss could be.
Since taking over from Jackie Sherrill in 1989, Slocum has claimed more victories than any coach in school history. His 14-season coaching tenure is tied with Kansas State’s Bill Snyder as the longest for any active Big 12 coach. He has claimed four Southwest Conference and Big 12 titles, taken 11 teams to bowl games and never had a losing season.
Slocum says he doesn’t worry about the recent criticism.
“There’s a lot of interest in college football and unfortunately, you have in every program with the internet medium and call-in radio shows, they can create a lot of noise,” Slocum said. “It’s a distraction to the players and to the coaches, but it’s part of the game and I accept it. I know what coaching is all about because I’ve been in it for 35 years. I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about it.”
The struggles of other recent powers causes Slocum to realize that all programs occasionally struggle, particularly in a power conference like the Big 12.
“I look at Joe Paterno, who experienced back-to-back losing seasons and he’s come back this year and had a pretty good team,” Slocum said. “I look at Bill Snyder who was 6-6 last year and they’ve come back to play as good as anybody in college football.
“I look at people whom I have respect for as football coaches and they aren’t immune from having seasons that don’t go like they want. It’s not one of those things where you sit around in agony and you worry because some guy on the Internet said this or that. You really don’t have time to do that.”
A&M coaches usually are measured by their success against Texas and at 7-6, no A&M coach has won more against the Longhorns than Slocum. He’s one of only three A&M coaches with a winning record against Texas, joining Charley Moran (1909-15, 3-1) and Sherrill (1982-88, 5-2).
History also might be on his side if he can coax another upset victory from his team. No A&M coach has ever been fired in a season that he's beaten Texas.
 |
|---|
|
Oklahoma sophomore defensive back Brandon Shelby has thrived in the Sooners’ defensive despite not starting.
Serving as a nickel back in passing situations, Shelby came up with several big plays in the Sooners’ 60-15 blowout victory over Texas Tech. Shelby provided six tackles (including three for losses), a sack and blocked a punt that was recovered for a touchdown. He also was held in the end zone on a play that led to one of two safeties produced up by the Sooners’ defense.
Shelby’s sack was his fourth of the season, tying the school record for sacks by a defensive back set last year by Roy Williams.
“Brandon is a guy who has an incredible knack and feel for seeing plays develop and making big plays,” Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said.
Despite his size (5-11, 185 pounds), Shelby has been one of the top blitzing weapons for the Sooners.
“Even though he’s not a big guy, he’s got a knack for blitzing,” Stoops said.
|
|
|
|
 |
|---|
|
HOT: Kansas State’s run defense
The Wildcats have limited opponents to 258 yards on 205 carries over the past six games, an average of 1.2 yards per carry.
NOT: Baylor’s defense
After holding all but one of their first eight opponents to less than 400 yards, the Bears allowed all four final opponents to crack the barrier, allowing an average of 53.8 points and 495.3 yards per game in four losses.
HOT: Oklahoma State’s offense
Erupted for touchdowns on its first seven drives against Baylor and nine of the game's first 10 drives. None of the drives took longer than eight plays.
NOT: Iowa State QB Seneca Wallace
Has been victimized by interceptions eight times in the last three games -- all ISU losses -- while throwing just one touchdown pass. Wallace finished the regular season with 18 interceptions and 14 touchdown passes.
|
|
|
| |
 |
|---|
|
Texas Tech coach Mike Leach has insisted on pooch kickoffs for the majority of his last two games. Leach feels the talent and speed of opponents Texas and Oklahoma justified a high, shorter kickoff that would lessen the chance of a long runback.
“A lot of teams do that,” Leach said. “Part of it is because some of the guys you’re covering with when they graduate are going to have careers in accounting and some of the guys catching the ball are going to have careers in the NFL. Somewhere in there, I think you have to put your accountants in the best position to handle the NFL guys.”
Leach’s explanation seemed plausible, particularly considering the Red Raiders rank last in kickoff coverage in the Big 12. But it continually put them in a field-position struggle in both games. None of kicker Clinton Greathouse's last seven kickoffs went for 60 yards against the Sooners or the Longhorns. Those decisions left Tech’s defense scrambling as it yielded an average of 49 points in the last two games.
|
|
|
|
 |
|---|
|
 Oklahoma's defense
All of the players should share in the spoils after a scintillating performance in the Sooners’ 60-15 rout over Texas Tech. The Sooners limited Tech to a season-low 236 total yards, including 12 yards rushing, and produced seven sacks, two safeties, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Oklahoma RB Quentin Griffin
Rushed for 207 yards and three touchdowns against Texas Tech, notching his third 200-yard game of the season and seventh straight 100-yard game. Griffin has scored six touchdowns in his last two games.
Kansas State DB/KR Terence Newman
Produced a 71-yard punt return for a touchdown -- his second punt return and fourth TD this season -– and shackled Missouri WR Justin Gage, who was limited to only two receptions and none until late in the third quarter of the Wildcats’ convincing 38-0 victory over Missouri. Newman produced three pass breakups and an interception.
|
|
|
| |
 |
|---|
|
The Big 12 traditionally backloads its schedule to make sure that the three games scheduled this weekend -- Texas-Texas A&M, Colorado-Nebraska and Oklahoma-Oklahoma State -- will be featured for national television audiences.
With Oklahoma and Colorado already set for next week’s Big 12 championship game, only the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State game will matter in the BCS poll. The other games will be intriguing for aesthetic reasons, but the “Bedlam Game” on Saturday in Stillwater will be the only Big 12 game with national-title ramifications.
The Sooners are aching for revenge after losing their chance to defend their Big 12 title with a 16-13 loss to the Cowboys last season in Norman.
“That’s a team that embarrassed us last season,” Oklahoma tight end Trent Smith said. “They won the game and we’re not going to make any excuses about. But it shouldn’t have happened and we still remember it.”
How much does Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops remember that game? He’s changed his practice plans this week, taking away the opportunity for local Sooner players to go home for Thanksgiving dinner because it affected his team’s preparations for the Cowboys.
The Sooners have moved their Thanksgiving Day practice plans to the afternoon and will have dinner as a team Thursday night and then travel to Stillwater the following day.
“I didn’t like the idea of them traveling back and forth on Thanksgiving,” Stoops said. “Spending the time with their family was great … but all the families wanted to do is talk about the championship game and two days later they were getting ready to go play Oklahoma State.”
The Sooners will be facing an improved Oklahoma State that already has earned its sixth victory to become bowl-eligible for the first time since 1997. The Cowboys have played well late this season with impressive victories over Baylor and Kansas after earlier triumphs against Nebraska and Texas A&M.
The Oklahoma-Oklahoma State rivalry cuts across families and divides friends and relatives across the state.
Oklahoma State offensive tackle Jason Russell relishes the chance to shut up friends who are on the Sooners’ team.
“Bedlam means going out and playing for OSU fans and being able to go home and say we beat OU and talk trash to guys you know on the team,” Russell said. “I don’t like them during OU week. I have family that are OU fans and I love my family, but I don’t like them either during this week. It’s a hatred on my part.”
The Sooners lead the series, 74-15-7, although the Cowboys have claimed four of the last seven.
“I think we’re in their heads a little bit,” OSU wide receiver Terrance Davis-Bryant said. “They were not really worried about us last year. But we gave them a wake-up call so that they can not come into this game thinking that it’s going to be a breeze.”
|
|
|
| |
 |
|---|
|
Colorado RB Chris Brown, the Big 12’s leading rusher, is listed as day-to-day and could play Friday against Nebraska after suffering a bruised sternum in his last game against Iowa State. … Kansas State coach Bill Snyder has a jaundiced eye to the flirting dance between bowls and bowl-eligible teams. “I think bowl selection committees say a lot of things, and normally if you are alive and breathing, they want you,” Snyder said. “That’s the comment. Everybody’s going to tell us they want us there, but not everybody’s going to select us.” … Baylor WR Reggie Newhouse, son of former NFL running back Robert Newhouse, was one of the few bright spots for the Bears this year. Newhouse finished with new Baylor records for receptions (75) and receiving yards (1,140) in a single season. … Iowa State’s loss to Connecticut marked its first season-ending home loss since 1997 …Texas coach Mack Brown says that Texas A&M’s has “by far the best offense” of any Aggie team he’s played against in his five years as Texas coach. The Longhorns were ripped for 508 yards passing against Texas Tech, but the Longhorns’ pass rush should improve with the return of starting DT Marcus Tubbs (calf) and starting DE Kalen Thornton (ankle) who both missed the Tech game. … Despite his team’s disappointing 62-36 loss to Colorado last year in Boulder, Nebraska coach Frank Solich doesn't put any extra stock in the revenge motive for his team this year. “The reason for that is, we’ve won so much here at Nebraska that every time we step on the field, everyone wants to step it up a notch and play their best ball against us,” Solich said. Since the loss to Colorado last year, the Cornhuskers are 7-6. … Kansas State RB Darren Sproles’ 116-yard effort against Missouri gave him his eighth straight 100-yard game this season and enabled him to finish with a school-record 1,347 yards this season. … Nebraska K Josh Brown was arrested early Sunday for driving under the influence. Nebraska sports information director Chris Anderson told the Omaha World-Herald that Solich hasn’t made a decision whether Brown would face disciplinary action. Brown is the only kicker on Nebraska’s roster with any experience after backup Sandro DeAngelis was lost for the season with a stress fracture in his foot. … Oklahoma redshirt freshman C Chris Bush started last week against Texas Tech, although Oklahoma coaches believe regular starter Vince Carter should return for Saturday’s game against Oklahoma State. … Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum said that Dustin Long is expected to start against Texas as freshman Reggie McNeal is still hobbled by a sprained ankle. … Texas’ 9-2 record has extended its streak to five consecutive seasons with at least nine victories, topping the most recent streak of four nine-win seasons from 1961-64. But the Longhorns’ record pales in comparison with that streak under former coach Darrell Royal. The Longhorns’ 47-15 record under Mack Brown, includes a 31-8 record, no conference titles, no national championship weeks and a peak Associated Press ranking of No. 2 earlier this year. Royal’s streak featured a 40-3-1 record, including a 25-1 conference mark with three conference championships, one national title and 16 weeks as the nation’s No. 1 team … Several top Baylor alumni have pushed to have former Baylor All-American and Chicago Bears LB Mike Singletary hired as the head coach. Another group is pushing for a return by retired Iowa coach Hayden Fry, a Baylor alum. Iowa State coach Dan McCarney, who worked under Fry as a defensive assistant at Iowa, said his old boss, 73, still “has a full tank, I’ll promise you. His tank runs full all the time.” Even though Fry last coached at Iowa in 1998, McCarney supports Fry’s return to coaching. “I would love to see him get back, if that’s what he wants to do,” McCarney said. “But I will tell you that it would cost him a heck of a lot more money than it did in the old days to hire [former Iowa assistant coaches] [Barry] Alvarez and [Kansas State coach Bill] Snyder and [Iowa coach] Kirk Ferentz and Bobby Stoops and me to come back with him and coach in Waco.” Other leading candidates for the Baylor job include Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe. Texas still has a slim chance to sneak into the BCS if enough teams in front of them lose over the last two weeks of the season. Just don’t tell that to Texas coach Mack Brown. “We’ve talked about that stuff two weeks ago and then lost at Tech, so I’m not going to worry about it any more,” Brown said. “I’ve told our guys what we can control and that’s beating A&M.” Oklahoma’s victory over Texas Tech boosted the Sooners’ record against Top 25 opponents to 13-2 under Coach Bob Stoops. Oklahoma cornerback Andre Woolfolk had a quick explanation for the Sooners’ success against top opponents. “We always expect to play well in big games,” Woolfolk said. “That’s just what we do around here.” … Iowa State coach Dan McCarney said his team looked “tired” in the latter stages of a 37-20 loss to Connecticut. The Cyclones jumped to a 20-10 lead before the Huskies, who have played in Division I-A for just three seasons, ran off 27 unanswered points. “Connecticut deserved to win the game,” McCarney said. “They clearly outplayed us in the second half, but I thought from an emotional and a physical standpoint that our tank was running low. I thought the season took its toll on us.” After starting 6-1 and soaring as high as No. 9 in the country, the Cyclones lost five of their last six. Texas WR Roy Williams needs one touchdown reception to tie Herkie Walls’ school record of 10 TDs scored in 1982. … Kansas State finished the season playing perhaps the best of any Big 12 team, outscoring opponents 253-30 in a five-game winning streak after losing to Texas on Oct. 19. That strong conclusion has led some to believe the Wildcats might be playing as well as any previous team coached by Bill Snyder during his 14-season tenure at the school. “Are we better? I don’t know,” Snyder said. “But I think this team is playing as close to their capabilities as any team we’ve had.” Kansas State DT Tank Reese was more forthright. “Is there anybody better than us? I don’t think so. But we may never know.” ... Oklahoma rang up more points against Texas Tech (60) than any other opponent since Miami posted 61 against the Red Raiders in the second game of the 1986 season … Oklahoma State WR Rashaun Woods has posted at least four catches in each of his last 22 games.
|
|
|
|
