2006 Big12 News 92506

May 23, 2008

We have more Big 12 news after an exciting week of football in the conference. There were a lot of teams who opened up their conference play and we have a more solid idea of what to expect in the weeks to come.
He’s a young, efficient Colt.

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy through four games has completed 56 of 82 passes for 668 yards and 8 touchdowns. His QB rating is 164 -good for 11th-best in the nation. McCoy broke the 200-yard mark for the first time in his career on Saturday in a 37-14 win against Iowa State.

But is Colt ready for a true road test?

Both Coach Mack Brown and offensive coordinator Greg Davis have spoon-fed McCoy bubble screens and slants through his first four games. If the Longhorns ever trail in the fourth quarter, is he going to have the poise to lead his team?

The sheltered freshman has yet to play a real road game and will not do so until Week 8 against Nebraska. The Red River rivalry game with Oklahoma will give him half the taste of a hostile environment, but Texas fans won’t know what type of nerves their esteemed leader has until that showdown with the Cornhuskers. McCoy and the Longhorns are prohibitive favorites this week vs. Sam Houston State.

Recap: The Big 12 went 6-4 in non-conference play this past weekend. The biggest shocker came from Colorado, as the Buffs led No. 9 Georgia all the way down to the final seconds. Kansas beat South Florida, meaning the mediocrity of the Big 12 is still better than the mediocrity of the Big East. Oklahoma State’s trio of 28-plus point victories was definitely a benefit of the Cowboys’ schedule. They were thwarted at Houston 35-24.

Missouri Breaks In: After its 31-6 beat down of Ohio at home and a 4-0 start, Gary Pinkel’s squad cracked the top 25. The Big 12 has four teams in the AP poll. Much of the Tigers’ success is due to the way QB Chase Daniel has stepped up. He accounts for 287 yards of total offense -9th in the country -and has led Mizzou to double-digit victories over each opponent. Missouri hosts Colorado in a Big 12 North showdown, with the Tigers the betting favorites. If you didn’t see last week, the Buffaloes are hungry to get Coach Dan Hawkins’ first win.

NFL-Like Workhorse -Adrian Peterson is using this year to get ready for the NFL. Peterson is averaging nearly 30 carries per contest and has broken the 100-yard mark all four games. On Saturday, A.D. rushed for 128 yards on 27 carries and three touchdowns in a rout of Middle Tennessee State. His 161 yards per game leads the conference and ranks second in Division I-A behind only Garrett Wolfe’s 207 yards-per-game for Northern Illinois.

A Look Ahead -Four conference games follow up the appetizer we received from the past week. The game to keep an eye on will be Colorado at Missouri. Will Hawkins’ squad fall to 0-5? Nebraska, a sizable favorite a WagerWeb.com, hosts Kansas in another key Big 12 North battle. In the South, Texas A&M plays its first tough game, at home against Texas Tech. We’ll get a chance to look at the “revamped”secondary that Aggies defensive coordinator Gary Darnell has implemented.

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Written by Jack Jones · Filed Under College Football 

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