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The Texas Longhorns are still above the Alabama Crimson Tide in the college football playoff rankings … for now.
I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but the debate over whether the Tide should jump the Horns is understandable. Since Texas strolled into Tuscaloosa and won by 10 back in September, the Horns have picked up one loss and have scraped by with some ugly wins.
Alabama, on the other hand, seems to have figured out how to maximize quarterback Jalen Milroe’s talents and the team is soaring as a result.
Texas fans being irritated every time someone talks about putting the Tide above the Horns is understandable as well. Wins on the field have to count for something, right?
So if you were sitting on the playoff committee, it would be up to you to decide whether you put more value on the head-to-head win versus how the two teams are playing right now.
But, and this is the important part, the odds are that if you are reading this article, then you are not on the college football playoff committee and therefore you do not need to debate that at all. I mean, certainly you can debate it on the Orangebloods message boards, the Spec’s chat line on the OB Live shows or even social media. But whether you debate it or not, you can not change it. Whether or not Texas makes the playoffs is completely out of your control.
There is one other simple truth you need to hear as well. Whether or not Texas makes the playoffs is completely out of the Longhorns' control as well.
Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, Florida State and Washington all control their destinies. It is really simple, win and they’re in.
Texas does not have such a luxury. Thanks to the loss to OU, Texas has to hope that some of those teams lose at least once over the next three weeks.
But it’s not that simple.
Texas also has to hope that Oregon and maybe even Alabama lose as well.
The College Football Playoff committee has already shown that it values Oregon over Texas. The Ducks are second in total offense in all of college football (Texas is 14th). Oregon is also 18th in total defense (Texas is 37th). In other words, they are very good and if they win out, they will get into the playoffs before Texas does.
And of course, then there’s Alabama.
But again, none of that is in your control. Seriously. And that undeniable fact has to have some kind of freeing effect, right?
You do not need to worry about Texas making the playoffs. You can just sit back and enjoy the ride.
I will concede that enjoying the season is sometimes easier said than done. It is hard to watch the game realizing that the Horns are not living up to their full potential. You KNOW what they are capable of doing because you’ve seen it. And yet – they just keep playing with their food and letting weaker teams feel like they actually have a shot.
But if you’re that frustrated watching it, just imagine what head coach Steve Sarkisian feels like on the sidelines. Probably something like this.
The fact that snippet happened while Sark was trying to figure out what play to call next in the red zone is appropriate for how this season has gone.
Look, for most fans, the playoffs weren’t the goal coming into the season. If it happened, then that would be fantastic, but the goal has always been to win the Big 12 Championship and that goal is very much within Texas’ own control.
IOWA STATE
It is only fitting that the road to Arlington has to go through Ames, Iowa. If Texas is going to exorcise the ghosts of past Big 12 failures, then what better place to do that than Jack Trice Stadium, a place that haunts the dreams of many a Longhorn team. The Longhorns did defeat the Cyclones in Austin last year, but overall, Iowa State has won three of the last four against UT.
“A night game at Jack Trice against the No. 7-ranked team, you can’t get anything better than that,” said starting quarterback Rocco Becht. “It’s gonna be fun on Saturday and we’re gonna put some good football out there, hopefully.”
This year may be the best coaching job of Matt Campbell’s career. The Cyclones entered the season without their starting quarterback or running back due to a gambling scandal. And yet, Iowa State is 5-2 in conference play and in contention to make the Big 12 Championship game themselves. They are also 6-4 and already bowl-eligible. That’s no small feat for a team that has had seven players play six or more games this season.
“I’ve always said it is hard to get better at football if you are not playing football,” Campbell said Tuesday. “I think the one nice thing that bowl season gives you is it just gives you time; time to continue to grow and develop in the sport.”
Yes, those extra bowl practices will be big for Iowa State, but that’s putting the cart before the horse for them (a little farm lingo – just because it’s Iowa State). First, the Cyclones need to take on an experienced Texas Longhorn squad.
“What a great challenge,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said on Tuesday. “For this young team to step into an arena with this kind of football team. We’ll have to have a great team game plan to be able to win the football game.
“You’re playing against some of the absolute best players in college football,” Campbell said. “I’ve got the utmost respect for Coach Sark. How he goes about it, what he’s done for that program, just the elevation he’s had in a couple of short years has been very special to watch.”
Expect this to be a grind-it-out slugfest Saturday night. The Cyclones are basically the originators of the 3-3-5 defense which has given Sark’s offense trouble this year. That could be especially true this week after losing star running back Jonathan Brooks for the season.
“Just schematically, they have a very sound system,” said Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy. “Their DBs, they play well together, they fit together. So we have our work cut out for us.”
Iowa State’s best defender, defensive back Jeremiah Cooper, who leads the Big 12 with five interceptions, is trending towards playing Saturday after missing last week’s game with an injury.
Iowa State is 36th in the country in rush defense and 34th in pass defense.
But then again … maybe this is the week that Sark really cuts it loose and lets quarterback Quinn Ewers cook?
“We’re more than comfortable — If the plan needs to be that we need to throw it around, we’re more than capable,” Sarkisian said. “Our offensive line is more than capable, Quinn is more than capable. Receiving corps and tight ends, things of that nature.”
The best way to attack the 3-3-5 defense through the air is by hitting the seams. That could bode very well for tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders who is finally back healthy and had the second most catches against TCU (behind Worthy’s 10 receptions).
One area where Brooks loss may be felt even more than in the run game is in pass protection. The Horns will now have to rely on freshman CJ Baxter to be able to step up and take on linemen and linebackers. Star left tackle Kelvin Banks said the o-line will have to work well with the running backs this week.
“Just the communication throughout the whole interior, especially with the running backs as well,” said Banks. “Giving calls and making sure they hear or know where we’re going so they know what to pick up.”
Iowa State’s offense isn’t exactly setting the world on fire. The Cyclones are 94th in the nation in total offense, 78th in passing offense and 98th in rushing offense.
Running back Abu Sama is one of the freshmen who has stepped up and really helped this team, and he is starting to figure it all out. Sama ran the ball eight times last week versus BYU for 110 yards and two touchdowns. The performance earned him the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week award.
“His confidence is just going to keep building up,” said Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht after the BUY game. “Us as a team, we need to be by his side, keep helping him gain his confidence as well.”
Running against BYU is one thing, doing it against this Texas team is a much bigger ask. The Horns are ninth in the country in run defense allowing just 90 yards per game. Iowa State’s offensive line thinks they’re up for the challenge.
Good luck with that buddy.
If there’s one area where the Horns can be had, it’s through the air. Texas now sits 107th in the country in pass defense.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Rocco Becht’s stats are good, but not great. He’s thrown for more than 2,000 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Still, he’s a gamer who plays with a toughness that fits in well with the Cyclones. And really, let’s be honest, anyone named Rocco had better be tough. You probably won’t find many Rocco’s who go on to become butlers or seamstresses.
“They’re one of the best defensive lines in the country, so we’re really gonna have to be physical on them with the offensive line,” Becht said. “They’re gonna have to come out ready to play and I know they will.”
Becht has had a lot of time to throw this season because Iowa State is one of the best teams in the country at keeping the quarterback clean. The Cyclones have given up only nine sacks all season, tied for seventh-best in the country.
Iowa State spreads the ball around fairly evenly between the two leading receivers, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. The Cyclones also always seem able to find a good tight end and Benjamin Brahmer is following in those footsteps.
Texas will definitely have their work cut out for them Saturday. The Horns can expect a fight until the end. But if you want my advice, I say don’t sweat the closeness of the game, just enjoy the ride. After all, there are only three, maybe four football games left this season.
THE GALEY POLL ….
Screw the AP and the Coaches poll … the ONLY poll that matters is the Galey poll. This is my official/unofficial ranking of college teams following week one games.
THOUGHTS ON MY POLL: (and yes, I hear it … )
I caught a lot of flack last week from people who were upset that I had Oregon ahead of Texas. Well, guess what, they’re still ahead of Texas. I’m sorry, but the Ducks, no matter what their schedule looks like, just look like a better team. They took care of USC last week, they get Oregon State next week and they’ll likely finish with Washington in the Pac-12 championship game. Their strength of schedule will be just fine. If they win out, their resume will look just fine.
Penn State only drops one spot after losing to Michigan last week. Yes, their offense leaves a lot to be desired, but their defense is still really damn good. Frankly, I’m kind of cheering for a Texas vs. Penn State bowl matchup (assuming UT doesn’t make the playoffs). I think the Horns match up very well with the Nittany Lions.
Honestly, everything after Penn State is pretty much meh. They are all deeply flawed teams.
Kansas State stays in the top 25 because I still think they are probably the second-best team in the Big 12.
Of course, I will continue to cheer for James Madison to get bowl eligible. The NCAA needs to do the right thing and let them compete for their conference championship and a bowl game. It’s just ridiculous that the Dukes are being stymied by the NCAA.
Welcome to the Galey poll Liberty! The Flames are undefeated and rolling under new head coach Jamey Chadwell. Frankly, Chadwell should have gotten a better job last season after the work he did at Coastal Carolina. Maybe his stay in Lynchburg, Virginia won’t be long. He could do interesting things at Mississippi State if he were to replace Zach Arnett.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW …
As Texas embarks on its last season in the Big 12, I’m keeping track of questionable calls against the Horns in every game officiated by a Big 12 crew.
TEXAS VS. TCU
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Tutashinda Salaam
Umpire: Bill Bishop
Linesman: Matt Burks
Line judge: Kelly Deterdin
Back judge: Christopher Alston
Field judge: Rich Almeroth
Side judge: James Murphy
Center judge: Dan Scanlan
Replay Official: Eugene Semko
I’ll be honest, I was worried about this crew as soon as I saw who was calling the game. This is the exact same crew that worked the Rice game earlier this season, which was the worst-called game of the year. It is also the same crew that worked the Texas vs. Oklahoma State game last season which saw UT get 15 flags versus none for Oklahoma State.
It turns out, I was right to be worried … just not for Texas. TCU ended up getting way more questionable calls against them than against Texas. In fact, I didn’t log any truly questionable calls against UT. Maybe T’Vondre Sweat had all jersey when he was called for a facemask penalty, but the runner’s head did jerk. I truly think Sweat got a bit of facemask and then let it go quickly. But there really wasn’t anything all that bad from a UT point of view.
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KANSAS STATE VS. UT
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Kevin Mar
Umpire: Marlow Fitzgerald
Linesman: Bradford Edwards
Line judge: Bret Bascue
Back judge: Lyndon Nixon
Field judge: Randy Smith
Side judge: James Murphy
Center judge: Darren Winkley
Replay Official: Dee Anderson
2:33 left in the 2nd quarter: Xavier Worthy clearly interfered with but no flag.
:41 left in the 3rd quarter: T’Vondre Sweat held but no penalty.
4th quarter: Worthy held or interfered with on a 3rd and 5 in the red zone, no call. Texas had to settle for a field goal.
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BYU VS. TEXAS
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Derek Anderson
Umpire: Michael Henderson
Linesman: Doug Moore
Line judge: Quentin Givens
Back judge: Daniel Young
Field judge: Gabriel DeLeon
Side judge: Mark Graves
Center judge: Brian Alos
Replay Official: Marcus Marsden
14:08 in the 1st quarter: The refs failed to call a pass interference against Xavier Worthy.
12:36 in the 1st quarter: Byron Murphy is put in a choke hold but not holding is called.
12:30 in the 1st quarter: Byron Murphy is again attacked without a holding call.
11:41 in the 3rd quarter: Byron Murphy, one again, does not get a penalty called on him.
1:10 left in the 3rd quarter: Refs call hands to the face on Vernon Broughton (which was a good call) but not the holding on Alfred Collins.
9:28 left in the 4th quarter: Barryn Sorrell just gets mauled but there is no holding call.
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TEXAS VS. HOUSTON
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Michael VanderVelde
Umpire: Rick Podraza
Linesman: John Braun
Line judge: Darren Deckard
Back judge: Robert Lewis
Field judge: Robert Asel
Side judge: Fulton Carson
Center judge: Chris Tallent
Replay Official: Eugene Semko
No holding call at start of third quarter as Ethan Burke is almost wrestled to the ground and he is still able to get pressure and almost come up with a sack.
8:00 left in the 3rd quarter, and Texas facing a 4th and 2, Adonai Mitchell gets laid out before the ball gets to him but no pass interference was called.
10:00 left in the 4th quarter and Texas up by three, Houston was pinned deep but they were able to escape by basically hog tying Barryn Sorrell.
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OU VS. TEXAS
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: David Alvarez
Umpire: Stuart Schake
Linesman: Rick Smith
Line judge: Mark Estermyer
Back judge: Terrance Jones
Field judge: Joseph Martinez
Side judge: Brendon Barnes
Center judge: Abram Anaya
Replay Official: Richard Brown
:00 into the game: Missed facemask by OU against Texas during the opening kickoff of the game.
13:52 left in the 3rd quarter: Missed holding call on Byron Murphy.
11:30 left in the 4th quarter: No facemask called against OU as they tackle Xavier Worthy on the goal line on 4th and goal from the one.
4:45 left in the 4th quarter: Missed pass interference call as OU DB mauled Worthy.
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KANSAS VS. TEXAS
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Kevin Boitmann
Umpire: Apollo Martin
Linesman: Eric Carmouche
Line judge: David Young
Back judge: Joel Wetzel
Field judge: Edward Vinzant
Side judge: Eric Hartman
Center judge: Stacy Hardin
Replay Official: Donald Kapral
No questionable calls.
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TEXAS VS. BAYLOR
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Derek Anderson
Umpire: Michael Henderson
Linesman: Doug Moore
Line judge: Quentin Givens
Back judge: Daniel Young
Field judge: Gabriel DeLeon
Side judge: Mark Graves
Center judge: Brian Alos
Replay Official: Marcus Marsden
9:20 in the third quarter, a questionable holding call.
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WYOMING VS. TEXAS
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Kevin Mar
Line Judge: Bret Bascue
Umpire: Marlow Fitzgerald
Back Judge: Lyndon Nixon
Linesman: Bradford Edwards
Field Judge: Randy Smith
7:27 left in the 2nd quarter: Refs fail to call pass interference during a pass to Ja’Tavion Sanders.
4:44 left in the 3rd quarter: Refs call pass interference against Texas despite the ball appearing to be uncatchable.
2:11 left in the 3rd quarter: The head linesman, Bradford Edwards is standing on the 8 yard line when the Wyoming quarterback runs out of bounds at about the 11 yard line. Edwards is then run over and stands up and marks the ball at the 8 … the exact spot he was standing when Svoboda ran out of bounds yards ahead of him. You can chalk this up to the fact that Edwards was run over in the process, but the Side Judge was standing right there as well and did not correct the mistake.
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RICE VS. TEXAS
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Tutashinda Salaam
Line Judge: Kelly Deterding
Side Judge: Eric Hartman
Umpire: Bill Bishop
Back Judge: Christopher Alston
Linesman: Matt Burks
Field Judge: Rich Almeroth
7:37 mark in the first quarter, the crew blows a replay review calling a X. Worthy catch a drop, despite the fact the ball never hit the ground.
4:45 in the first quarter: missed pass interference call
2:30 left in the third quarter, another missed pass interference call … on the same side of the field
TWEETS OF INTEREST
I mentioned James Madison needs to get a waiver from the NCAA. That could happen. We’ll have to see what happens on appeal.
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I’ve been very critical of Texas’ pass defense this season, but the run defense alone makes PK a worthy candidate for the Broyles Award nominee.
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Talk about Texas’ playoff resume … this certainly shows that UT has earned their record this season and would be worthy of making the playoffs if they win out.
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Of course, if UT loses their final two regular season games, that sets up the possibility of an eight-way tie for first place in the Big 12. Doesn’t that sound like the craziest, Big 12 thing ever? I’m almost, kind of, sort of cheering for this to happen.
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Of course, Texas can erase nearly all doubts about its Big 12 Championship game qualifications with a win on Saturday.
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Good grief USC’s defense is so, so bad. Incidentally, Texas is 24th in stop rate.
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@Ketchum with an excellent point about the Quinn Ewers returning news (which he broke) and portal recruiting.
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He also had a suggestion on who Texas could target.
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If it’s not TCU’s Savion Williams, how about Matthew Golden from Houston? That dude is a speedster who has played some great football this year.
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Speaking of @Ketchum … he and I both share a love of soccer. As does Texas right tackle Christian Jones.
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The Texas Longhorns are still above the Alabama Crimson Tide in the college football playoff rankings … for now.
I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but the debate over whether the Tide should jump the Horns is understandable. Since Texas strolled into Tuscaloosa and won by 10 back in September, the Horns have picked up one loss and have scraped by with some ugly wins.
Alabama, on the other hand, seems to have figured out how to maximize quarterback Jalen Milroe’s talents and the team is soaring as a result.
Texas fans being irritated every time someone talks about putting the Tide above the Horns is understandable as well. Wins on the field have to count for something, right?
So if you were sitting on the playoff committee, it would be up to you to decide whether you put more value on the head-to-head win versus how the two teams are playing right now.
But, and this is the important part, the odds are that if you are reading this article, then you are not on the college football playoff committee and therefore you do not need to debate that at all. I mean, certainly you can debate it on the Orangebloods message boards, the Spec’s chat line on the OB Live shows or even social media. But whether you debate it or not, you can not change it. Whether or not Texas makes the playoffs is completely out of your control.
There is one other simple truth you need to hear as well. Whether or not Texas makes the playoffs is completely out of the Longhorns' control as well.
Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, Florida State and Washington all control their destinies. It is really simple, win and they’re in.
Texas does not have such a luxury. Thanks to the loss to OU, Texas has to hope that some of those teams lose at least once over the next three weeks.
But it’s not that simple.
Texas also has to hope that Oregon and maybe even Alabama lose as well.
The College Football Playoff committee has already shown that it values Oregon over Texas. The Ducks are second in total offense in all of college football (Texas is 14th). Oregon is also 18th in total defense (Texas is 37th). In other words, they are very good and if they win out, they will get into the playoffs before Texas does.
And of course, then there’s Alabama.
But again, none of that is in your control. Seriously. And that undeniable fact has to have some kind of freeing effect, right?
You do not need to worry about Texas making the playoffs. You can just sit back and enjoy the ride.
I will concede that enjoying the season is sometimes easier said than done. It is hard to watch the game realizing that the Horns are not living up to their full potential. You KNOW what they are capable of doing because you’ve seen it. And yet – they just keep playing with their food and letting weaker teams feel like they actually have a shot.
But if you’re that frustrated watching it, just imagine what head coach Steve Sarkisian feels like on the sidelines. Probably something like this.
The fact that snippet happened while Sark was trying to figure out what play to call next in the red zone is appropriate for how this season has gone.
Look, for most fans, the playoffs weren’t the goal coming into the season. If it happened, then that would be fantastic, but the goal has always been to win the Big 12 Championship and that goal is very much within Texas’ own control.
IOWA STATE
It is only fitting that the road to Arlington has to go through Ames, Iowa. If Texas is going to exorcise the ghosts of past Big 12 failures, then what better place to do that than Jack Trice Stadium, a place that haunts the dreams of many a Longhorn team. The Longhorns did defeat the Cyclones in Austin last year, but overall, Iowa State has won three of the last four against UT.
“A night game at Jack Trice against the No. 7-ranked team, you can’t get anything better than that,” said starting quarterback Rocco Becht. “It’s gonna be fun on Saturday and we’re gonna put some good football out there, hopefully.”
This year may be the best coaching job of Matt Campbell’s career. The Cyclones entered the season without their starting quarterback or running back due to a gambling scandal. And yet, Iowa State is 5-2 in conference play and in contention to make the Big 12 Championship game themselves. They are also 6-4 and already bowl-eligible. That’s no small feat for a team that has had seven players play six or more games this season.
“I’ve always said it is hard to get better at football if you are not playing football,” Campbell said Tuesday. “I think the one nice thing that bowl season gives you is it just gives you time; time to continue to grow and develop in the sport.”
Yes, those extra bowl practices will be big for Iowa State, but that’s putting the cart before the horse for them (a little farm lingo – just because it’s Iowa State). First, the Cyclones need to take on an experienced Texas Longhorn squad.
“What a great challenge,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said on Tuesday. “For this young team to step into an arena with this kind of football team. We’ll have to have a great team game plan to be able to win the football game.
“You’re playing against some of the absolute best players in college football,” Campbell said. “I’ve got the utmost respect for Coach Sark. How he goes about it, what he’s done for that program, just the elevation he’s had in a couple of short years has been very special to watch.”
Expect this to be a grind-it-out slugfest Saturday night. The Cyclones are basically the originators of the 3-3-5 defense which has given Sark’s offense trouble this year. That could be especially true this week after losing star running back Jonathan Brooks for the season.
“Just schematically, they have a very sound system,” said Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy. “Their DBs, they play well together, they fit together. So we have our work cut out for us.”
Iowa State’s best defender, defensive back Jeremiah Cooper, who leads the Big 12 with five interceptions, is trending towards playing Saturday after missing last week’s game with an injury.
Iowa State is 36th in the country in rush defense and 34th in pass defense.
But then again … maybe this is the week that Sark really cuts it loose and lets quarterback Quinn Ewers cook?
“We’re more than comfortable — If the plan needs to be that we need to throw it around, we’re more than capable,” Sarkisian said. “Our offensive line is more than capable, Quinn is more than capable. Receiving corps and tight ends, things of that nature.”
The best way to attack the 3-3-5 defense through the air is by hitting the seams. That could bode very well for tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders who is finally back healthy and had the second most catches against TCU (behind Worthy’s 10 receptions).
One area where Brooks loss may be felt even more than in the run game is in pass protection. The Horns will now have to rely on freshman CJ Baxter to be able to step up and take on linemen and linebackers. Star left tackle Kelvin Banks said the o-line will have to work well with the running backs this week.
“Just the communication throughout the whole interior, especially with the running backs as well,” said Banks. “Giving calls and making sure they hear or know where we’re going so they know what to pick up.”
Iowa State’s offense isn’t exactly setting the world on fire. The Cyclones are 94th in the nation in total offense, 78th in passing offense and 98th in rushing offense.
Running back Abu Sama is one of the freshmen who has stepped up and really helped this team, and he is starting to figure it all out. Sama ran the ball eight times last week versus BYU for 110 yards and two touchdowns. The performance earned him the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week award.
“His confidence is just going to keep building up,” said Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht after the BUY game. “Us as a team, we need to be by his side, keep helping him gain his confidence as well.”
Running against BYU is one thing, doing it against this Texas team is a much bigger ask. The Horns are ninth in the country in run defense allowing just 90 yards per game. Iowa State’s offensive line thinks they’re up for the challenge.
Good luck with that buddy.
If there’s one area where the Horns can be had, it’s through the air. Texas now sits 107th in the country in pass defense.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Rocco Becht’s stats are good, but not great. He’s thrown for more than 2,000 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Still, he’s a gamer who plays with a toughness that fits in well with the Cyclones. And really, let’s be honest, anyone named Rocco had better be tough. You probably won’t find many Rocco’s who go on to become butlers or seamstresses.
“They’re one of the best defensive lines in the country, so we’re really gonna have to be physical on them with the offensive line,” Becht said. “They’re gonna have to come out ready to play and I know they will.”
Becht has had a lot of time to throw this season because Iowa State is one of the best teams in the country at keeping the quarterback clean. The Cyclones have given up only nine sacks all season, tied for seventh-best in the country.
Iowa State spreads the ball around fairly evenly between the two leading receivers, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. The Cyclones also always seem able to find a good tight end and Benjamin Brahmer is following in those footsteps.
Texas will definitely have their work cut out for them Saturday. The Horns can expect a fight until the end. But if you want my advice, I say don’t sweat the closeness of the game, just enjoy the ride. After all, there are only three, maybe four football games left this season.
THE GALEY POLL ….
Screw the AP and the Coaches poll … the ONLY poll that matters is the Galey poll. This is my official/unofficial ranking of college teams following week one games.
| RANK | TEAM | PREVIOUS RANKING |
| 1 | GEORGIA | 1 |
| 2 | MICHIGAN | 2 |
| 3 | OHIO STATE | 3 |
| 4 | FLORIDA STATE | 4 |
| 5 | WASHINGTON | 5 |
| 6 | OREGON | 6 |
| 7 | TEXAS | 7 |
| 8 | ALABAMA | 8 |
| 9 | LOUISVILLE | 11 |
| 10 | OREGON STATE | 12 |
| 11 | PENN STATE | 10 |
| 12 | MISSOURI | 13 |
| 13 | OKLAHOMA | 19 |
| 14 | OLE MISS | 9 |
| 15 | UTAH | 14 |
| 16 | LSU | 17 |
| 17 | NOTRE DAME | 20 |
| 18 | JAMES MADISON | 21 |
| 19 | TENNESSEE | 18 |
| 20 | TULANE | 24 |
| 21 | NORTH CAROLINA | UNRANKED |
| 22 | IOWA | 25 |
| 23 | OKLAHOMA STATE | 15 |
| 24 | KANSAS STATE | 22 |
| 25 | LIBERTY | UNRANKED |
THOUGHTS ON MY POLL: (and yes, I hear it … )
I caught a lot of flack last week from people who were upset that I had Oregon ahead of Texas. Well, guess what, they’re still ahead of Texas. I’m sorry, but the Ducks, no matter what their schedule looks like, just look like a better team. They took care of USC last week, they get Oregon State next week and they’ll likely finish with Washington in the Pac-12 championship game. Their strength of schedule will be just fine. If they win out, their resume will look just fine.
Penn State only drops one spot after losing to Michigan last week. Yes, their offense leaves a lot to be desired, but their defense is still really damn good. Frankly, I’m kind of cheering for a Texas vs. Penn State bowl matchup (assuming UT doesn’t make the playoffs). I think the Horns match up very well with the Nittany Lions.
Honestly, everything after Penn State is pretty much meh. They are all deeply flawed teams.
Kansas State stays in the top 25 because I still think they are probably the second-best team in the Big 12.
Of course, I will continue to cheer for James Madison to get bowl eligible. The NCAA needs to do the right thing and let them compete for their conference championship and a bowl game. It’s just ridiculous that the Dukes are being stymied by the NCAA.
Welcome to the Galey poll Liberty! The Flames are undefeated and rolling under new head coach Jamey Chadwell. Frankly, Chadwell should have gotten a better job last season after the work he did at Coastal Carolina. Maybe his stay in Lynchburg, Virginia won’t be long. He could do interesting things at Mississippi State if he were to replace Zach Arnett.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW …
As Texas embarks on its last season in the Big 12, I’m keeping track of questionable calls against the Horns in every game officiated by a Big 12 crew.
TEXAS VS. TCU
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Tutashinda Salaam
Umpire: Bill Bishop
Linesman: Matt Burks
Line judge: Kelly Deterdin
Back judge: Christopher Alston
Field judge: Rich Almeroth
Side judge: James Murphy
Center judge: Dan Scanlan
Replay Official: Eugene Semko
I’ll be honest, I was worried about this crew as soon as I saw who was calling the game. This is the exact same crew that worked the Rice game earlier this season, which was the worst-called game of the year. It is also the same crew that worked the Texas vs. Oklahoma State game last season which saw UT get 15 flags versus none for Oklahoma State.
It turns out, I was right to be worried … just not for Texas. TCU ended up getting way more questionable calls against them than against Texas. In fact, I didn’t log any truly questionable calls against UT. Maybe T’Vondre Sweat had all jersey when he was called for a facemask penalty, but the runner’s head did jerk. I truly think Sweat got a bit of facemask and then let it go quickly. But there really wasn’t anything all that bad from a UT point of view.
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KANSAS STATE VS. UT
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Kevin Mar
Umpire: Marlow Fitzgerald
Linesman: Bradford Edwards
Line judge: Bret Bascue
Back judge: Lyndon Nixon
Field judge: Randy Smith
Side judge: James Murphy
Center judge: Darren Winkley
Replay Official: Dee Anderson
2:33 left in the 2nd quarter: Xavier Worthy clearly interfered with but no flag.
:41 left in the 3rd quarter: T’Vondre Sweat held but no penalty.
4th quarter: Worthy held or interfered with on a 3rd and 5 in the red zone, no call. Texas had to settle for a field goal.
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BYU VS. TEXAS
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Derek Anderson
Umpire: Michael Henderson
Linesman: Doug Moore
Line judge: Quentin Givens
Back judge: Daniel Young
Field judge: Gabriel DeLeon
Side judge: Mark Graves
Center judge: Brian Alos
Replay Official: Marcus Marsden
14:08 in the 1st quarter: The refs failed to call a pass interference against Xavier Worthy.
12:36 in the 1st quarter: Byron Murphy is put in a choke hold but not holding is called.
12:30 in the 1st quarter: Byron Murphy is again attacked without a holding call.
11:41 in the 3rd quarter: Byron Murphy, one again, does not get a penalty called on him.
1:10 left in the 3rd quarter: Refs call hands to the face on Vernon Broughton (which was a good call) but not the holding on Alfred Collins.
9:28 left in the 4th quarter: Barryn Sorrell just gets mauled but there is no holding call.
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TEXAS VS. HOUSTON
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Michael VanderVelde
Umpire: Rick Podraza
Linesman: John Braun
Line judge: Darren Deckard
Back judge: Robert Lewis
Field judge: Robert Asel
Side judge: Fulton Carson
Center judge: Chris Tallent
Replay Official: Eugene Semko
No holding call at start of third quarter as Ethan Burke is almost wrestled to the ground and he is still able to get pressure and almost come up with a sack.
8:00 left in the 3rd quarter, and Texas facing a 4th and 2, Adonai Mitchell gets laid out before the ball gets to him but no pass interference was called.
10:00 left in the 4th quarter and Texas up by three, Houston was pinned deep but they were able to escape by basically hog tying Barryn Sorrell.
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OU VS. TEXAS
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: David Alvarez
Umpire: Stuart Schake
Linesman: Rick Smith
Line judge: Mark Estermyer
Back judge: Terrance Jones
Field judge: Joseph Martinez
Side judge: Brendon Barnes
Center judge: Abram Anaya
Replay Official: Richard Brown
:00 into the game: Missed facemask by OU against Texas during the opening kickoff of the game.
13:52 left in the 3rd quarter: Missed holding call on Byron Murphy.
11:30 left in the 4th quarter: No facemask called against OU as they tackle Xavier Worthy on the goal line on 4th and goal from the one.
4:45 left in the 4th quarter: Missed pass interference call as OU DB mauled Worthy.
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KANSAS VS. TEXAS
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Kevin Boitmann
Umpire: Apollo Martin
Linesman: Eric Carmouche
Line judge: David Young
Back judge: Joel Wetzel
Field judge: Edward Vinzant
Side judge: Eric Hartman
Center judge: Stacy Hardin
Replay Official: Donald Kapral
No questionable calls.
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TEXAS VS. BAYLOR
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Derek Anderson
Umpire: Michael Henderson
Linesman: Doug Moore
Line judge: Quentin Givens
Back judge: Daniel Young
Field judge: Gabriel DeLeon
Side judge: Mark Graves
Center judge: Brian Alos
Replay Official: Marcus Marsden
9:20 in the third quarter, a questionable holding call.
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WYOMING VS. TEXAS
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Kevin Mar
Line Judge: Bret Bascue
Umpire: Marlow Fitzgerald
Back Judge: Lyndon Nixon
Linesman: Bradford Edwards
Field Judge: Randy Smith
7:27 left in the 2nd quarter: Refs fail to call pass interference during a pass to Ja’Tavion Sanders.
4:44 left in the 3rd quarter: Refs call pass interference against Texas despite the ball appearing to be uncatchable.
2:11 left in the 3rd quarter: The head linesman, Bradford Edwards is standing on the 8 yard line when the Wyoming quarterback runs out of bounds at about the 11 yard line. Edwards is then run over and stands up and marks the ball at the 8 … the exact spot he was standing when Svoboda ran out of bounds yards ahead of him. You can chalk this up to the fact that Edwards was run over in the process, but the Side Judge was standing right there as well and did not correct the mistake.
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RICE VS. TEXAS
BIG 12 CREW:
Referee: Tutashinda Salaam
Line Judge: Kelly Deterding
Side Judge: Eric Hartman
Umpire: Bill Bishop
Back Judge: Christopher Alston
Linesman: Matt Burks
Field Judge: Rich Almeroth
7:37 mark in the first quarter, the crew blows a replay review calling a X. Worthy catch a drop, despite the fact the ball never hit the ground.
4:45 in the first quarter: missed pass interference call
2:30 left in the third quarter, another missed pass interference call … on the same side of the field
TWEETS OF INTEREST
I mentioned James Madison needs to get a waiver from the NCAA. That could happen. We’ll have to see what happens on appeal.
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I’ve been very critical of Texas’ pass defense this season, but the run defense alone makes PK a worthy candidate for the Broyles Award nominee.
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Talk about Texas’ playoff resume … this certainly shows that UT has earned their record this season and would be worthy of making the playoffs if they win out.
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Of course, if UT loses their final two regular season games, that sets up the possibility of an eight-way tie for first place in the Big 12. Doesn’t that sound like the craziest, Big 12 thing ever? I’m almost, kind of, sort of cheering for this to happen.
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Of course, Texas can erase nearly all doubts about its Big 12 Championship game qualifications with a win on Saturday.
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Good grief USC’s defense is so, so bad. Incidentally, Texas is 24th in stop rate.
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@Ketchum with an excellent point about the Quinn Ewers returning news (which he broke) and portal recruiting.
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He also had a suggestion on who Texas could target.
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If it’s not TCU’s Savion Williams, how about Matthew Golden from Houston? That dude is a speedster who has played some great football this year.
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Speaking of @Ketchum … he and I both share a love of soccer. As does Texas right tackle Christian Jones.
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