Sports Illustrated has an article this week about high school quarterbacks; Buzz Bissinger's Friday Nights Lights is essential reading for people wanting to understand Texans' love of high school football.

Many Texans’ love of football runs as deep as the oil that made Lamar Hunt the richest of the state’s many oil millionaires.

Sports Illustrated has an engaging article this week about the ascendance of the passing game in the state over the past 20 years. 

Driven in large part by hundreds of seven-on-seven tournaments, the rise has been a steep one.

The article notes that close to 20 percent of NCAA Division I state hail from the Lone Star State.

The slingers’ skill was on full display last Saturday night.

Colt McCoy of the Longhorns made a powerful argument for the Heisman Trophy by throwing four touchdowns and 304 yards and running for 175 yards and another touchdown.  The Longhorns barely held off the Texas A & M Aggies, whose junior quarterback Jerrod Johnson was spectacular in defeat against a Texas defense that had been one of the nation’s stingiest.

Pulitzer Prize winner Buzz Bissinger spent the 1989 season with the Panthers of Permian, a West Texas town in which many residents are subject to the oil economy’s boom-bust cycles.

Bissinger initially expected to see and then tell a heartwarming story of a feisty and resilient town bonded by the valiant struggle of its high school warriors. 

A far darker picture emerged instead in Friday Night Lights.

Young men so pressured to live out their fathers’ and the town’s dreams that they utterly disregarded the damage they were doing to their bodies.  For Sales signs being posted on the coach’s home after defeats.  And, far from the racially united vision that one saw in the movie starring Billy Bob Thornton and Derek Luke, the legacy of the state’s slaveholding past still manifesting itself in players’ relationships and coaches’ attitudes. 

Friday Night Lights later became the basis of a movie and popular television show.  It’s been 20 years since it first was published, and the way the ball travels down the field has changed, but the grip football has on the state’s guts shows no sign of loosening.

Yesterday the longhorns beat the aggies to continue as one of the last undefeated teams. Texas 49    A&M 39

It’s Thanksgiving week, which is also Rivalry Week. We’ll be light on commentary this week, because most of these games speak for themselves. Many of these rivalries are sullied this year with dominant teams facing off against their historic opponents in rebuilding years. However, for those teams with nothing else to play for, these match-ups will be their “championship” because it would bring a team – like Auburn or Texas A&M – no greater pleasure than to spoil the BCS title hopes of their nemeses. So, don’t be surprised to emotional play lead to some surprising upsets this weekend.

Remember to check the TV coverage maps, and note that all rankings are the current BCS standings. Enjoy your leftovers and save room to indulge in your week 13 viewing guide.

Thursday
8:00 PM ET
#3 Texas 49 v. Texas A&M 39
This was…unusually close. Despite the loss, the Aggies might have played their best game of the year – at least offensively. QB Jerrod Johnson looked fantastic, and will continue to be a threat to Texas in the next couple of years. Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will be irate after the way the defense played Thursday night, but my guess is that emotion and momentum kept the Aggies in the game much longer than expected because the ‘Horns offense clicked most of the game. If you’re running behind on Eyes Of TX content, the in-depth game preview can be found here. There is no asterisk as division champs this year, as Texas has plowed their way to the Big 12 Championship game against Nebraska on December 5th.

Friday
11:00 AM ET
Rutgers at Louisville, ESPN2
Exciting! Not. But, football season’s almost over….let’s feast while we still can.

12:00 PM ET
Illinois at #5 Cincinnati, ABC
One final test for the Bearcats. Rumor has it former starting QB Pike will make the start this week. Eyes Of TX says, “why mess with a good thing?” Hope that doesn’t backfire for Cincinnati, but an upset sure would make the BCS happy.

2:30 PM ET
#2 Alabama at Auburn, CBS
Can ‘Bama overcome their biggest rival to give themselves a shot at #1 Florida, the SEC championship and the national championship? We’ll see how Auburn gets up for this game after a killer start, but a late season let-down. If head coach Gene Chizik pulls off the upset, sadly, he will be enshrined as the best coach ever at Auburn.

3:30 PM ET
Nebraska at Colorado, ABC
Nebraska has clinched the Big 12’s North division and will face #3 Texas on December 5th for the Big 12 conference title. This will be the last opportunity to see what Bo Pelini’s squad has to offer, in particular his offense, and while most thought it will be Colorado’s last chance to help head coach Dan Hawkins keep is job, the university confirmed that he would be coaching in Boulder again next season. The NCAA might as well give CU the “death penalty” because they’ve definitely rolled over this year.

7:00 PM ET
#9 Pittsburgh at West Virginia, ESPN2
Does anyone else think Pittsburgh head coach Dave Wannstedt has a funny mustache?

10:00 PM ET
Nevada at #6 Boise State, ESPN2
Close out the night with this late game. Boise State could be shut out of the BCS this year despite being #6 and undefeated. It’s too bad their weak schedule didn’t allow us to see just how good they can be, and perhaps Oregon helped them look better than they actually are… With #5 Cincinnati and #4 TCU as mid-major schools ahead of them in the BCS, it will be a disappointment for the home of the blue turf.

Saturday
12:00 PM ET
Both of these games are intriguing for the in-state bragging rights implications. Neither matchup is particularly compelling but in the context of Rivalry Week, they’re definitely worth watching.

#18 Clemson at South Carolina, ESPN
The ‘ol Ball Coach tries to make a stand in Columbia against a ranked opponent. Win or lose, they could keep Clemson RB C.J. Spiller from winning some post-season awards if they can hold him to a sub-par performance.

North Carolina at North Carolina State, ESPN2
If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around, does it make a sound? In the shadows of the Appalachian mountains, its basketball season folks.

12:21 PM ET
#25 Mississippi at Mississippi State, check local listings
If you can find this, see the same reasons as above. If anything, Texas fans can relish in the fact that when the pressure was on to deliver a big year for Ole Miss, former Longhorn back-up quarterback Jevan Snead fell flat in 2009.

12:30 PM ET
#12 Oklahoma State at oklahoma, Comcast Sports Net
Another one that will be hard to find, unfortunately, because it’s always nice to watch ou struggle. With this year’s ‘Pokes team rolling to a potential BCS at-large bid, it’s hard to imagine them dropping this one, even though they’re away from home.

3:30 PM ET
Florida State at #1 Florida, CBS
Florida’s won the last 21 games of this series, if memory serves. For Seminoles head coach Bobby Bowden, the good thing is he’s old enough to forget each game. Florida wins big, and sets up the ultimate SEC Championship match-up of #1 v. #2 Alabama for the right to play in the national championship.

#14 Virginia Tech at Virginia, ESPN
Virginia is an absolute debacle this year. Expect the Hokies to roll the ‘Roos at home.

#17 Miami at South Florida, ABC
This might actually be interesting, as South Florida started out the year strong, as did Miami. We’ll see what the ACC has to offer up the bowl committees besides a surprising Georgia Tech. Can Miami step up?

(Also in this slot on ABC is Arizona at Arizona State, and Missouri at Kansas.)

5:00 PM ET
#21 Utah at #19 BYU, CBS College Sports
A great in-state matchup between two of the best non-BCS conference teams.

7:00 PM ET
Arkansas at #15 LSU, ESPN
LSU has found out they weren’t quite as good as they thought, in part due to horrible coaching by Les Miles last week. Arkansas has been inconsistent, but could pull off the upset. Unfortunately, Death Valley isn’t an easy place to play, especially the week after an LSU loss.

8:00 PM ET
Georgia at #7 Georgia Tech, ABC
Who would have thought the best team in Georgia would be out of Atlanta? Georgia Tech’s triple-option has proven surprisingly successful this year. Go Yellowjackets!

Notre Dame at Stanford, ABC
What could be head coach Charlie Weis’ last game at Notre Dame will be shown in most of the country. Meanwhile, Stanford will try to stamp their ticket with another win against a big-time program.

Thanks again to LilPete for his 2009 season viewing guides.

✩

November 26, 2009
7:00 p.m. Central
ESPN

Will anyone be up late tonight? Perhaps around midnight? Will you hear the echos from Kyle Field in College Station? Possibly, because the Aggies’ faithful will jam in to the stadium to rouse the demons of the season and hope to bring them upon the ‘Horns on Thanksgiving Day. This is a trap game for the Longhorns, and they need to be prepared for A&M’s best in this final regular-season game. One more game, ‘Horns, and then you prepare for the final step to the national championship.

Since the Aggies have been preparing for this game since they became a university, let’s get to the details.

This Week
Eyes Of TX’s Prediction
Texas 42, Texas A&M 20

Texas A&M Aggies (6-5)
It’s been an up-and-down year for the Aggies, but when you consider where they came from last year, it’s as if they’ve reached the pinnacle of football lore. Unfortunately, despite their turn-around in 2009, the team is still horribly inconsistent, but they have some talent to keep them excited from Thanksgiving this year to August next year.

The offense starts with quarterback Jerrod Johnson, who at 6’5” and 243-pound is a presence in the pocket. Although he has the athleticism to be an all-around quarterback running and throwing the ball, Johnson is primarily a pocket passer. He has accounted for 2,874 yards and 24 TDs on the year, and despite a 59 percent completion rate, he’s only thrown five INTs this season. He actually doesn’t run much through designed rushing schemes, averaging only 32 yards a game, but his long strides do make him a threat when the pocket collapses and he tucks the ball to run. Generally, though, Johnson will use his legs to create time in the pocket or rolling out to find his wide receivers, and that is the concern for Texas on Thursday night.

The receiving corps is led by some familiar names. Wide receivers Ryan Tannehill, Jeff Fuller and Uzoma Nwachukwu are all reliable targets downfield, and even though the Aggies try to focus on the running game, these guys are their best on-field athletes when they have the ball in their hands. Fuller is the possession receiver, and despite a broken leg which sidelined him for four games this year, he is back and productive in the Aggies offensive scheme. Nwachukwu is the deep threat and can lull defenses to sleep until he breaks out for a big play, and the freshman has accounted for 19 yards per reception and six TDs, both team highs. Surprisingly, the most productive wide out is also the back-up quarterback in Tannehill. He has come off the bench to lead the team with 40 receptions on the year, and catches everything thrown his direction. This group will dictate A&M’s success on the offensive side of the ball — can they get open against a stout Texas secondary? Can they break off their routes, come back to the quarterback, and create opportunities when Johnson is under pressure in the pocket? Can they get yards after the catch? If Texas’ tackling in the Kansas game is any indication, don’t think they won’t try.

The running game, as usual with A&M teams of old, is what they rely upon to help get their offense in rhythm. The two-pronged attack is led by Cyrus Gray and freshman Christine Michael. Gray is the faster of the two backs, and leads the team with 741 yards on the year. He also has good hands out of the backfield, and using him on screen passes and toss plays could make the Longhorns back-off their pass rush early. Michael, on the other hand, is the “between the tackles” back, and he has eight TDs this season. He will be a stud in the years to come in College Station, and it will be interesting to see how many reps he gets on Thursday, as he’s not as consistent as Gray. Comparisons to Texas’ Cody Johnson wouldn’t be uncommon, as Michael has great feet for a bigger back, and they use him a lot in goal line situations.

The offensive line could be the biggest deficit the Aggies have to overcome this week. The line doesn’t have any headliners, and they have played inconsistently over the course of the season. While they’ve given up 24 sacks on the season (good for 73rd nationally), if they can protect Johnson in the pocket and create running lanes for Gray and Michael, they have a chance to show the highlight-reel offensive playbook fans have seen at times over the course of the season. Too bad Eyes Of TX doesn’t see that happening against the Texas front seven.

The Aggies’ defense is also a liability, especially against the offensive game plan Texas will bring to the table. They are led by stud defensive end/linebacker Von Miller, who will surely play in the NFL. Miller is a great pass rusher, and Texas will have to scheme against him to make sure quarterback Colt McCoy has time to throw in the pocket. Miller has tallied 15.5 sacks on the season, and that is good enough to lead the nation. Because of Miller, or opposing team’s need to double-team him, the Aggies are averaging three sacks a game which ranks 11th nationally. Outside of Miller, however, the defense is remarkably unremarkable. The “Wrecking Crew” days are gone in College Station, as the Aggies give up an average of 31.2 points per game, and more than 416 yards per game to opposing offenses. Broken down, that looks like 157 yards per game rushing and 259 yards per game passing. Oh, and they’ve given up a league-worst 43 TDs. Yikes. The defense is going to have to get pressure on McCoy, keep the Texas receivers in front of them, and make sure tackles to have a chance to upset the ‘Horns at home and make their season.

Special teams for head coach Mike Sherman’s squad is neither a strength or a liability, as their kicker has hit 11-of-16 field goals on the year. Their kick return and coverages are both average, although running back Gray back returning kicks has the potential for trouble, especially the way the ‘Horns covered in the kick game against Kansas.

#3 Texas Longhorns (11-0)
If you’re a Texas fan, you have mixed feelings about this game. On paper, the Aggies shouldn’t get in the way of Texas’ run for a chance to make the national championship game. Then again, it’s the Aggies, and they hate nothing more than “t.u.” and would love to knock the ‘Horns from their 2009 pedestal. In College Station, with the 12th Man on their side, anything is possible. But, the ‘Horns are 24-1 since they lost to the Aggies in 2007, and that streak shouldn’t be in jeopardy on Thursday.

Overall, the ‘Horns need to protect McCoy. Miller and the Aggies defense will come after the quarterback all day, trying to force him to make bad throws and trying to hit him hard and often (knowing them, even after the whistle blows). The offensive line has to protect McCoy and give him time to throw downfield. The deep ball against Kansas was a welcome sign in the Texas offense, and this secondary provides another opportunity for offensive coordinator Greg Davis to take advantage of the Aggies as well. This week, the running back-by-committee continues, as Tre Newton will get the start and Johnson will get his fair share of carries as well. Both backs will need to pick up the blitz, or be the check-down receiver for McCoy if he’s seeing pressure. A combined 100- to 120-yard game from the backs would be acceptable.

On defense, the ‘Horns just need to play smart and tackle. Don’t think defensive coordinator Will Muschamp hasn’t been all over his guys for their “poor” performance against the Jayhawks. The secondary will get a solid test from Johnson’s arm and the plethora of talented receivers A&M will bring to the table, and they will need to hold their coverage as Johnson scrambles to buy himself time. The defensive line will need to provide the push up front to make Johnson hurry his throws, and the linebackers will need to remain clean to pick-up the running game, take down Johnson on scrambles, and watch the running backs on screen passes out of the backfield.

Overall, this is the biggest week of the football season for the Aggies. If they won one game year-in and year-out, this would be it. They will be jacked up, ready to play, and will have a huge crowd on hand swaying and “cheering” them to victory. Unfortunately, there won’t be much kissing your girlfriend in the stands at Kyle Field, and Texas will make this a feast. On Thanksgiving, thanks go to the Aggies for pushing the ‘Horns to 12-0 on the season.

Pre-game Resources
2009 Texas Longhorns Roster
2009 Texas A&M Roster
University Co-op Gameday Newsletter / Pod casts

Hook ‘em!

✩

It’s hard to believe, but the college basketball season is upon us. As ESPN gets their NCAA basketball tip-off marathon underway – including a UCLA home loss to Cal State-Fullerton and St. Mary’s feast on San Diego St. on Monday night – let’s take a look at the 2009-2010 Big 12 basketball season schedules.

Of note, the Big 12 Conference has three teams ranked in the pre-season top 25 (#1/#1 Kansas, #3/#3 Texas, and #17/#17 oklahoma), and several conference players to watch for the player of year award (Kansas’ Sherrod Harris and oklahoma’s Willie Warren) throughout the season. The Big 12 title should come down to a fight between Texas and Kansas, with the potential for both teams to make their way to the Final Four in Indianapolis April 3-5, 2010. There is no doubt that the Longhorns have the hardest path to the 20-plus win season, as they play six games against top 25 teams (#1 Kansas, #2 Michigan State, #4 North Carolina, and #17 oklahoma [twice]).

More to come during the course of the season, including an in-depth look at Texas and some of the top Big 12 teams.

Baylor Bears (3-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 1/9 oklahoma; 1/20 @ Kansas; 1/30 @ Texas; 2/27 @ oklahoma; 3/6 Texas

Colorado Buffaloes (2-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 11/23 Gonzaga (neutral location); 1/9 @ Texas; 2/3 Kansas; 2/17 oklahoma; 2/20 @ Kansas

Iowa State Cyclones (2-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 12/5 @ California; 1/6 Duke; 1/13 Texas; 1/23 Kansas; 1/27 @ oklahoma; 2/13 @ Kansas

Kansas Jayhawks (1-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 12/19 Michigan; 12/22 California; 1/10 @ Tennessee; 2/8 @ Texas; 2/22 oklahoma

Kansas State Wildcats (2-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 1/18 Texas; 1/30 Kansas; 2/20 @ oklahoma; 3/3 @ Kansas

Missouri Tigers (0-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 12/23 Illinois; 1/16 @ oklahoma; 1/25 @ Kansas; 2/17 Texas; 3/6 Kansas

Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 1/13 Kansas; 1/30 oklahoma; 2/6 @ Kansas; 2/13 @ Texas

oklahoma sooners (1-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 12/31 @ Gonzaga; 2/6 Texas; 2/22 @ Kansas; 3/1 @ Texas

Oklahoma State Cowboys (1-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 1/11 @ oklahoma; 2/1 Texas; 2/13 oklahoma; 2/24 @ Texas; 2/27 Kansas

Texas Longhorns (1-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 12/19 North Carolina (neutral location); 12/22 Michigan State; 1/23 @ Connecticut; 2/6 @ oklahoma; 2/8 Kansas; 3/1 oklahoma

Texas A&M Aggies (2-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 11/26 Clemson (neutral location); 12/22 @ Washington; 1/16 @ Texas; 1/19 oklahoma; 2/15 Kansas; 2/27 Texas; 3/6 @ oklahoma

Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 12/3 Washington; 1/16 @ Kansas; 1/23 oklahoma; 1/27 @ Texas; 2/9 @ oklahoma; 2/20 Texas

✩

Week 10 games, spreads, picks

Let’s talk about the Big 12.  Unlike its Big counterparts, this name makes absolute sense.  First of all – there are actually 12 teams, which makes the conference big enough to have two divisions.  Additionally, 4 of the 12 teams are located in Texas, where everything is (you know it) bigger.

The Big 12 is a younger conference, only beginning to compete athletically in 1996.  In its first 12 years in existence, the Big 12 has been host to three national championships (Nebraska in ’95, Oklahoma in ’00 and Vince Young—I mean Texas in ’05).  Speaking of teams, here’s how the two divisions are broken down:

North Division: Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska

South Division: Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech

I don’t know about you, but I always think of movies like Varsity Blues and Friday Night Lights when I think about the Big 12.  I’ve obviously never attended high school in TX / OK, but boy oh boy, do they produce some baaad football players (bad in the sense that they’re awesome).  Do yourself a favor though: do NOT repeat this flippant observation in an attempt to impress anyone.  Ever.

Anyway, as per usual, I’ll just focus on a few of the perennial powers to emerge from the Big 12, as well as a few shout outs to teams performing exceptionally well this season / as of late.

University of Texas.  Ahh Texas – second-most winning program in the history of college football (behind only University of Michigan, who is stumbling so badly right now that you can bet they hang their hats on that stat).  Case in point, the Longhorns have taken up one of the top 6 spots on the AP/Coaches polls five times since the 2001 season.  Coach Mack Brown, who took over the program in 1998, began to catch some flak for recruiting and coaching excellent teams that simply did not perform well in the post season.  In January of 2005 and 2006, however, Brown led his team to two consecutive Rose Bowls and beat University of Michigan and USC, respectively.  It’s worth mentioning how important the win over USC was, as very few pundits gave credit to the Longhorns (myself included, if I could be considered a pundit) over the Trojans, in their bid to become unprecedented threepeat national champions.  You girls may remember hottie USC quarterback Matt Leinart, in his final moments of relevancy on the football field, visibly regretting his decision to come back to college for his senior year… all thanks to Vince Young physically carving up a previously unpenetrable Trojan defense.

University of Oklahoma.  The Sooners had a whole heck of a lot of hype heading into the 2009 season.  With 2008 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Sam Bradford returning, under the guidance of Bob Stoops, Oklahoma was considered by many to be frontrunner for this year’s National Championship.  Against Brigham Young University in week one, however, a funny (read— horrible and devastating) thing happened: Bradford suffered a shoulder injury, which left him on the sidelines for the subsequent four weeks.  Despite a loss that evening, freshman QB Landry Jones has performed more than adequately, amassing 1,363 yards and 13 touchdowns with just three losses (all deficits of three points or less).  While this is not the performance everyone had anticipated from this year’s Sooner squad, Jones has nothing to be ashamed of in his first year.  **Update: this past week, Bradford has announced that he will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery in hopes of being 100% physically rehabilitated in time for this year’s NFL draft.

University of Nebraska.  The Cornhuskers have an illustrious football history of their own, ranking #4 in all-time program wins.  Unfortunately, the last several years haven’t been too kind to the boys from Lincoln.  Granted (and you will find this to be a recurring theme in college athletics across the board), what’s good for the goose may not necessarily be good for the Cornhusker.  What I mean is, Nebraska’s last BCS bowl appearance was in 2002.  95% of college programs would be thrilled with this appearance (despite the shellacking Nebraska experienced at the hands of “The U”), but for a school with such  high expectations year in and year out, Nebraska fans feel let down.  Nebraska is coming off a win at the 2009 Gator Bowl, over Clemson (**If you just made a “oooh – a big win over an ACC team! How impressive!” joke, I’m going to award you ten points.  Use them as you see fit), but this season the Cornhuskers are sitting on a middling 4-3 record.  Fun fact – since 2002, Nebraska has only appeared in odd-yeared bowl games – ’03, ’05, ’07 and ’09.  Verrrrrry interesting.

In addition to the three overachievers we’ve discussed, the Big 12 has had some great seasons out of a few other schools in recent years.  Most notably, in the 2007-2008 season, Missouri and Kansas both had incredible seasons, culminating in a Big 12 North matchup over Thanksgiving break (I distinctly remember watching this game from Harvey’s Downtown in Lexington – holla!).  The winner of this game would go on to face Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship.  One-loss Missouri emerged victorious, only to ultimately lose to Oklahoma.  Because Kansas had just one loss on record for the season, they were awarded a berth in the 2008 Orange Bowl.  Missouri would go on to play in the Cotton Bowl.  Both teams had successful post-season appearances and finished the season with a collective 3 losses.

Last week Septimus “The Rookie” Rex murdered in the NFL.  Septimus was a perfect 3 for 3 in the NFL, with an overall return on the week of 53.58%.  Last week was my first losing week.  I went a pitiful 3 for 7, losing 8% on the week.  Big Hitter even got in on the action picking the Coogs to win, I can’t remember if there was a money line for the game or not.

I think Septimus and myself should get a wager going on like Bill Simmons and Sal the Sports Guy.  Who ever picks the most winners gets to slap the other one in the face with a Subway sandwich.  We’re talking footlongs, just the way Sexy Rexy likes them in the face.  This could be a perfect opportunity for FaF to get its first national sponsor.

On a completely unrelated note, I saw a preview for a movie called Gentlemen Broncos that comes out this weekend.  The movie is out this weekend check out the trailer, it should be a good flick.

At the very bottom of this post are Septimus and Reginald’s betting stats.  As always, if you have any picks write them in on the comments.  Read on for our weekly picks.

Reginald Blackstone’s Picks

Week 9 NCAA Picks
1.) Spread: Florida Gators -14.5 (-110)
Risk $5 to Win $4.54

2.) Take Team Over: Cincinnati Bearcats 33.5 (-115)
Risk $5 to Win $4.35

3.) Spread: Texas Longhorns -9.5 (-110)
Risk $5 to Win $4.54

4.) Money Line: Mississippi State Bulldogs +145
Risk $5 to Win $7.25

5.) Money Line: USC Trojans -150
Risk $5 to Win $3.33

6.) Spread: Houston Cougars -7.5 (-110)
Risk $5 to Win $4.54

Week 8 NFL Picks
7.) 1st Half Spread: New Orleans Saints -6.5 (115)
Risk $10 to Win $8.69

8.) Money Line: Denver Broncos +145
Risk $5 to Win $7.25

9.) Spread: Chicago Bears -13 (-110)
Risk $5 to Win $4.54

Septimus (The Rookie) Rex’s Picks / Retirement Fund

Week 8 NCAA Picks
1.) Spread: Miami Florida Hurricanes -8 (-110)
Risk $5 to Win $4.54
2.) Spread: Texas A&M Aggies -7 (-110)
Risk $5 to Win $4.54
3.) Spread: Oklahoma State Cowboys +9 (-110)
Risk $5 to Win $4.54
4.) Spread: Washington State Cougars +9 (-110)
Risk $5 to Win $4.54
5.) Spread: USC Trojans -3 (-110)
Risk $5 to Win $4.54

Week 7 NFL Picks
6.) Money Line: Cleveland Browns +600
Risk $5 to Win $30
7.) Take the Under: Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants 44 pts (-110)
Risk $11 to Win $10
8.) Parlay: Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks
Risk $15 to Win $88.12

Reginald Blackstone Betting Stats
Week 2 NCAA (3 for 4) / Week 1 NFL (2 for 2): Correct Picks (5 for 6) – 83%, Return – 37.85%
Week 3 NCAA (1 for 3) / Week 2 NFL (1 for 2): Correct Picks (4 for 7) – 57%, Return – 1.5%
Week 6 NCAA (3 for 5) / Week 5 NFL (2 for 4): Correct Picks (3 for 7) – 43%, Return – Even
Week 7 NCAA (2 for 2) / Week 6 NFL (4 for 4): Correct Picks (6 for 6) – 100%, Return – 125%
Last Week: Week 8 NCAA (2 for 5) / Week 7 NFL (1 for 2 & 1 push) – Correct Picks (3 for 7) – 42.86%, Loss 8%

Septimus Rex Betting Stats
Last Week: Week 8 NCAA (1 for 5) / Week 7 NFL (3 for 3): Correct Picks (4 for – 50%, Return – 53.58%

If you want to waste your time and confirm these numbers yourself, you can find all my old picks in my previous sports betting posts.

Disclaimer: Do not wager any money based on this information.   Fourth and Fifty and myself are not responsible for any losses incurred in using this information.

It was like Christmas Day, only in October.

This goes out to all you Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Texas A&M fans. I heard from all of you Saturday and all with your long list of complaints and excuses.

To make matters worse, these clowns didn’t have a legitimate beef, instead they criticized the Longhorns because they: 1. Were flat offensively (Tech fans), 2. Won against an OU team that didn’t have Sam Bradford (OU fans) and 3. Got help from the officials (A&M fans).

I am now referring to said fans as “The Crybaby Triad”.

For the Tech fans, it doesn’t matter how good your offense is. Defense (check) and special teams (check) are just as important. But in Lubbock, they don’t coach the last two so you wouldn’t know any better. Maybe that has something to do with your lack of 1. Conference titles, 2. National titles and 3. BCS bowl appearances.

For the Oklahoma fans, you were without Bradford for one simple reason . . . we knocked his butt out of the game. End of argument, class dismissed.

For the A&M fans, your team hasn’t been worth discussing in almost a decade. It still isn’t. Happy Thanksgiving!

HOOK ‘EM.

Lately, I’ve been juxtaposing my passions to see what ideas would form. When I fused the game of football with principles of leadership, I realized how underutilized the “12th Man” strategy is as a resource for shaping organizational dynamics.

For some, it is the sunlight dappling on brilliantly colored leaves. For others, it is the crisp air so cool and refreshing. For me, the only reason not to weep openly at the passing of summer into autumn is the screech of referee whistles and the giddy feeling I get at the sound of shoulder pads cracking together.

Though a strong supporter of the home team (Bears), I enjoy the sport too much to be limited to one game a week. The Seattle Seahawks are always high on the list of teams to watch because of Matt Hasselbeck*, the gitchy color of their new uniforms, and my fascination with the power of the “12th Man.”

For those of you who prefer sports with diamonds or hoops, in football, 11 men from each team square off against each other on the field. The Seahawks refer to the fans in their stadium as “The 12th Man.” Due to the acoustics of Quest Field, when the spectators join together in full voice, it makes it nearly impossible for the opposing offense to communicate with each other. Watch some time. During the game, members of the Seahawks defense call the “12th man” into action by pushing their hands in the air palms up. This signals the fans to raise the volume to deafening levels. The “12th Man” has become such a force to be reckoned with, other teams prepare for it by blasting music onto their fields during practices.

What I find most compelling about the “12th Man” is that it broadens the point of view from which to consider how the game is played and won. Typically, the twenty-two men battling it out across the line of scrimmage are the center of attention. When the spotlight is on the quarterback, the linemen, and the snap of the ball, the fans in the stadium are merely blurred images on the periphery. However, the “12th Man” is the eye-in-the-sky camera point of view. It encompasses not only the players on the field, but the atmosphere in which they are playing.

In many businesses, the camera is often closely trained on the marginal difference between the line of scrimmage and the first down. It’s a limited ten yard perspective that captures only the players and the voice of the coaches transmitting messages into the quarterback’s helmet. When it comes time to make organizational improvements, it’s important to consider the broadest range of factors. Changing behaviors by changing processes, systems, or incentives neglects the impact of the environment on people’s ability to adopt these new practices. If the organizational culture is not conducive or accepting of the changes, they will not last.

The “12th Man” is not a Seahawk’s creation. It was started in 1922 when the Texas A&M Aggies played Centre College, the nation’s top ranked team. It was a grueling game that depleted the team’s reserve of players. Out of desperation, the Aggies’ coach had E. King Gill, a former football player, suit up and stand by. Gill was never called in but he remained standing at the ready. When the Aggies are down, the fans stand up for the whole game—ready in case the team needs them.

If your business is fighting the good fight, but can’t seem to win, widen your focus beyond the players on the field. Take a look up into the “stands.” Analyze the stadium in which you are playing. Are the prevailing attitudes, accepted norms, beliefs, and behaviors hindering forward progress? Are there changes in the works that are incompatible with the environment in which they are being installed? Or, is the organization’s culture suited up and waiting for leadership to put it in play?

Sources:

www.seahawks.com

http://aggietraditions.tamu.edu/12thman.shtml

*http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlesports/archives/181310.asp?source=rss (he’ll be back!)

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• Hasselbeck faces key test today in practice return (seattlepi.com)

This article was submitted by CUTigers.com member “gdc123″.  If you would like to contribute a story about an away game (or any other game) please contact me at mcoleman4@austin.rr.com.

7:00 PM ET, September 18, 2004 Kyle Field COLLEGE STATION, TX Clemson vs. aTm

Just a little background (to expose any potential biases I have) – I am a Clemson grad and have been a Clemson fan as long as I can remember. I live in Houston amongst Aggies, Longhorns, Red Raiders, etc. I am an engineer which means I tend towards an analytical approach. I am not sure if engineers pick their major because they are already engineers or their major makes them so analytical….I guess it’s a little of both…I am a fan of college football in general and have partaken of games in/at Clemson’s Death Valley (obviously), Georgia Tech, Univ. of SoCar,, Auburn, Oklahoma, UNC, FSU, ASU, etc…    

Without further prelude here are my thoughts:

Campus: Nothing in particular stood out about the aTm campus. It was nice enough I suppose, and somewhat spacious and “spread out”. However – I would definitely recommend a visit to the Memorial Student Center. Texas A and M celebrates and embraces their military heritage in many ways. The walls are lined with medals, portraits, and biographies of Aggies that gave their lives in service to the United States (during a World War). This is of particular interest to a Clemson fan, as outside of the service academies – aTm followed by Clemson (formerly A and M) provided more World War military officers than any other institution.

Tailgating: Perhaps due to the “spread out” nature of the campus I found tailgating to be minimal. I saw more Clemson fans than aTm fans partaking of food and drink. It’s entirely possible that I was in the wrong part of campus, but I did not see much tailgating going on (certainly not in comparison to what I have seen at Auburn, Clemson, etc.).

Sportsmanship: This is where aTm really shines – they are the most welcoming and generous fans I have ever encountered at an away game. Rivals may argue it’s “hokey”, but it’s hard to resist 100’s of folks telling you “howdy” all over campus. Any ribbing that took place was good natured and almost apologetic. I am sure Longhorns will disagree, but I think that is the nature of any rivalry. Even after Clemson lost in embarrassing fashion the prevailing sentiments from aTm fans – “Wow – we must be good if we beat Clemson like that (basically complementary “smack talk”), and sympathetic “We feel for you – we’ve had our share of butt whippings recently too”…I remember thinking as I walked away from the stadium..what is this place a bizarre world Athens, Georgia?

Pageantry: Again this is where aTm impresses…one should not miss the band before the game and at half time. With proper military pomp they enter the stadium – and the collie – Reveille marches in with the band as well. The half time show features one of the finest representations of military style precision marching I have seen.

 Traditions: There are probably too many traditions to list, and I am sure more that I am unfamiliar with. Any fan of college football will appreciate the numerous and longstanding traditions of “Aggieland”. I’ll list and comment on a few:

1.  Reveille, the first lady of Aggieland, is the official mascot of Texas A&M University. Reveille is the most revered dog on campus.

Reveille

If she is sleeping on a cadet’s bed, that cadet must sleep on the floor. If she is in class and barks while the professor is teaching, the class is to be immediately dismissed. I would love to be in class with this dog (whilst and undergrad) – I’d take bacon to class at least once a week.

2.  “Howdy” – I mentioned this above, but it deserves a second mention (very friendly campus).

3.  Mug down – Kissing one’s date during yell practices and football games. Can any red blooded American male fault this tradition?

4.  Yell Leaders – Texas A&M’s equivalent of cheerleaders — These five men, three seniors and two juniors, lead the student body in synchronized yells throughout all sporting events and yell practices. I understood the history, but this one I can fault. Clemson used to be an all male military school as well, but once the girls were admitted we realized that they make far better cheerleaders. I can’t argue with the aggie results though – they yell and cheer as loud as anyone.

In Game Atmosphere: Impressive – decibel wise I have been in stadiums equally as loud, but there is something different about an aTm game.

Kyle Field

 I can’t fully describe the crowd noise – naturally it was loud but the whole stadium seemed to resonate. I suppose this is a result of all the cheers being in unison. At times it sounded like a million angry bees buzzing in unison – somewhat overwhelming. I can’t imagine what it sounded like on the field. No doubt the 12th Man is real – I can imagine the combination of sheer loudness and the unity of the noise are a definite advantage.

Editor’s note: Texas A&M defeated Clemson 27-6 as Charlie Whitehurst suffered 3 interceptions.

2009 Big 12 Week 4 Predictions 90% correct!

Big 12 Week Five Picks

• West Virginia Mountaineers @ Colorado Buffaloes Winner: West Virginia Mountaineers

• Iowa State Cyclones @ Kansas State Wildcats Winner: Kansas State Wildcats

• New Mexico Lobos @ Texas Tech Red Raiders Winner: Texas Tech Red Raiders

• Kent State Golden Flashes @ Baylor Bears Winner: Kent State Golden Flashes

• Arkansas Razorbacks @ Texas A&M Aggies Winner: Texas A&M Aggies

• Oklahoma Sooners #8 @ Miami Hurricanes #17 Winner: Oklahoma Sooners #8
  

What Do You Think?

How did I do with my picks?

Updated 9/30: Texas A&M wide receiver Jeff Fuller out 4-6 weeks with broken leg. More in Comments.

As with every week so far this college football season, some highlights and lowlights from week four. Unfortunately, most of the news out of the Big 12 Conference this week isn’t good. Let’s look in to what’s going on.

Baylor QB Robert Griffin Injured, Out For The Season
Very early in the game against Northwestern State, star quarterback and leader of the Baylor Bears football team, Robert Griffin, injured his knee. While he was taken to the sideline and briefly sat out, Griffin returned to the game in the first half with his knee heavily wrapped to throw for 226 yards and three TDs. At halftime, another examination of his knee revealed a slight tear of his ACL, and he will be out for the remainder of the season. With the lifeblood of the Bears offense out, what looked to be optimism in Waco has suddenly turned in to despair. Filling the QB void will be senior Blake Syzmanski, who looked decent in the second half, was 3-for-5 for 58 yards and one TD. The Bears won the game handily, 68-13, to go to 2-1 on the season, and they take on Kent State on Saturday.

Texas Tech Suspensions…and Twitter
Not only has head coach Mike Leach put a ban on his players using Twitter due to a player’s Tweet that he shouldn’t have to be at a team meeting when the coach was running late, but starting offensive lineman Brandon Carter has been suspended indefinitely for breaking team rules. So far, no additional details have come out on his suspension, but we suspect he might have used too much face paint during last week’s game. OK, not really, but that guy is scary for many reasons. The lack of Twitter content coming from Lubbock is a huge setback for the growing Eyes Of…Twitter resource on this blog for sure. Can you imagine how awesome it would be to have Leach Tweeting? It’d be journalistic gold.

‘Horns Set Big 12 Conference “Player of the Week” Record
After another spectacular defensive performance on Saturday, the ‘Horns were rewarded with another surprise early this week. Safety Earl Thomas was tabbed the Big 12 Conference’s Defensive Player of the Week after tallying two INTs against UTEP. It’s the third week in a row that a Texas defender has been named the conference’s player of the week – a conference first, no matter the category – and Thomas follows Lamarr Houston (Wyoming game) and Rodderick Muckelroy (Texas Tech). There are 12 players on defense, and more than 12 weeks in a good football season…hmmm. Who’s stepping up against Colorado?

New York Yankees…Bowl Game?
Yep, you read that right. The New York Yankees have announced that, beginning in the 2010 bowl season, the new Yankees stadium will host a college football bowl game. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to play a bowl game in New York City in December when its cold, rainy and possibly snowing? What will they call it? The Steinbrenner Bowl? The Salary Cap Bowl? The Raise Money To Get Another Yankee Hall of Famer Bowl? Rumor has it that the bowl will be tied to the Big East and Big 12 Conferences, so expect to see a middle-of-the-road Big 12 team (probably the #7 conference team) taking on a Big East wannabe (#4 conference team) – can you feel the excitement in the air? If a Big 12 team isn’t eligible, then the Yankees would defer to Notre Dame. Does that mean NBC will broadcast it? In addition, the Yankees organization has signed up Army to play four regular season games at the stadium over the next five years, including tilts against Notre Dame and Rutgers.

Texas Longhorns Denied NCAA Reinstatement
While defensive back Deon Beasley was recently reinstated by the NCAA for academic ineligibility in advance of the Texas Tech game, his fellow ‘Horns were not so lucky. Safety Christian Scott and wide receiver Brandon Collins were denied their appeals to the NCAA on Monday, and will not play for the Longhorns this season. They will still be allowed to practice with the team, and both have two years of eligibility remaining – Scott is a redshirt sophomore, and Collins is a junior. Luckily for the ‘Horns, the offense has begun to click with quarterback Colt McCoy getting comfortable with wide outs John Chiles and Dan Buckner, and the defense has looked extremely solid despite the lack of Scott, although fans might see less nickel packages against the Big 12’s potent passing attack from defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. Barring any injuries this season at those critical positions, head coach Mack Brown’s squad should be able to get by just fine without those players.

Texas, no…Baylor, no…an SEC school?
Standout Midway (Waco, TX) High School safety Ahmad Dixon, who initially verbally committed to play for the Texas Longhorns in February 2009, and later switched his commitment to the Baylor Bears in May 2009, is now apparently taking visits to some SEC schools, ESPN reports. Dixon is the #15 player on the ESPNU top 150 list. To be a fly on the wall when Dixon is trying to pick out what to wear to school each day – it’s amazing he ever makes it to class.

✩

A lot has happened in the much ballyhooed Big 12 conference. The conference was supposed to challenge the SEC for supreme dominance, but has faltered several times so far.

• Sam Bradford went down in the first half of the the Sooners first game. The Sooners BCS Title hopes are not dead thanks to the faltering of teams like USC, Ohio State, BYU, Oklahoma State and others
• Oklahoma State came out the gates and rocked Georgia. The letdown against Houston in Stillwater was obviously a case of overlooking an opponent following a big win
• Texas hasn’t seemed invincible early in the 2009 season
• Colorado opened with losses to Colorado State and Toledo; so much for 10 wins Dan Hawkins
• Iowa State and Kansas State are struggling against weaker non-conference opponents
• Baylor surprised many with a win over Wake Forest and then gave it back with a close loss to Connecticut
• Kansas has shown its dominating offense and surprisingly strong defense, albeit against weaker opponents
• Texas Tech’s offense is not skipping a beat and their defense is once again decent
• Nebraska’s offense has sputtered some, while their defense is as stout as expected; the close loss at Virginia Tech cannot make Bo Pelini happy
• Missouri’s offense has been surprisingly efficient, especially in their season opening win over Illinois
• Texas A&M has improved, but it remains a question if they will climb out of the gutter

The Big 12 has several big non-conference games that can redeem the respect from the country. Kansas faces Southern Miss and Texas Tech faces Houston this upcoming weekend. Other games in the future include: West Virginia vs. Colorado, Miami (FL) vs. Oklahoma. Other than that, conference games are approaching and it’s important for the strength of the conference the top teams win the games they are supposed to. In the North, it should be a 3-team race between Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri. In the South, Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, although Texas Tech could mess it up for one of those teams.

Below is my 1st Team All-Big XII through the first 3 weeks. I exclude OL, since I don’t follow that closely enough to be able to provide an accurate position.

QB: Blaine Gabbert, Missouri
RB: Roy Helu, Jr., Nebraska
RB: Jake Sharp, Kansas
WR: Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma
WR: Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State
TE: Mike McNeill, Nebraska

DE: Maxwell Onyegbule, Kansas
DT: Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
DT: Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma
DE: Jake Laptad, Kansas
LB: Joe Pawalek, Baylor
LB: Ryan Reynolds, Oklahoma
LB: Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri
CB: Trent Hunter, Texas A&M
CB: Quentin Carter, Oklahoma
S: David Sims, Iowa State
S: Von Miller, Texas A&M

K: Grant Ressel, Missouri
P: Quinn Sharp, Oklahoma State
KR: Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State
PR: Jordan Shipley, Texas

I hope you all had a great weekend but now it’s back to the grind. However, I can’t get into full work mode without releasing some of the junk still in my head from the weekend, so here goes:

• Texas Tech fans are the biggest babies. I had a friend over last year (a Tech fan) to watch the game against the Texas Longhorns. Once it was over, I accepted defeat, commented on how great Tech played and congratulated the friend. This weekend, that same friend has done nothing but complain about illegal hits by the Longhorns instead of returning the good-sport favor. Needless to say, I have lost all respect for the guy. HOOK ‘EM!

• The Dallas Cowboys will never win a Super Bowl with Tony Romo at the helm. For every good throw he makes, he’s good for two awful decisions. Romo’s three turnovers led to 17 points for the New York Giants on Sunday night and cast a dark shadow over a dominant effort from the running game. The Cowboys should seriously start looking for that QB of the future, because it’s time to leave Romo in the past. At least he held himself accountable this time . . .

• Anytime USC loses, I get all tingly inside. It’s the same feeling I get when Oklahoma, Texas Tech or Texas A&M lose. There are four schools I absolutely HATE right there.

• Texas defensive end Sergio Kindle gets my vote for Hit of the Year.

What’s in store for tomorrow?
I will grade the Terrell Tigers in their win over Bishop Lynch and also have my NFL Week 2 Review.

2009 Big 12 Week 3 Predictions 83% correct!

Big 12 Week Four Picks

• Southern Miss Golden Eagles @ Kansas Jayhawks #20 Winner: Kansas Jayhawks #20

• Missouri Tigers @ Nevada Wolf Pack Winner: Missouri Tigers

• Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns @ Nebraska Cornhuskers #25 Winner: Nebraska Cornhuskers #25

• Army Black Knights @ Iowa State Cyclones Winner: Iowa State Cyclones

• Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles @ Kansas State Wildcats Winner: Kansas State Wildcats

• UTEP Miners @ #2 Texas Longhorns Winner: #2 Texas Longhorns
  

• Texas Tech Red Raiders @ Houston Cougars #17 Winner: Texas Tech Red Raiders

• Northwestern State Demons @ Baylor Bears Winner: Baylor Bears

• UAB Blazers @ Texas A&M Aggies Winner: Texas A&M Aggies

• Grambling State Tigers @ Oklahoma State Cowboys #16 Winner: Oklahoma State Cowboys #16
  

What Do You Think?

Are my picks right on or right wrong?

ElViento: With all of the excitement around the Cougar football team, it may be hard to think about the upcoming seasons of other Cougar sports, but let’s take a minute to do just that. The Cougar baseball and women’s basketball teams recently released their full schedules, so let’s take a look.

The Cougar lady hoopsters return their top four scorers of a year ago, and 87% of the team’s total scoring is back. Newcomers include Ohio State transfer Lesslee Mason (the #4 power forward in the country coming out of high school), and a trio of freshman in guard Macy Morton (sister of Cougar junior guard Megan Morton), center Zalika Dyson, and guard Megan Workman. For all of their experience, the Cougar roster still features just two seniors, and the top six returning scorers are non-seniors.

Houston opens with a scrimmage against the Houston Jaguars on November 9^th, and begins the season with six of its first seven games on the road. Still, the non-conference slate features home matchups again Oregon State, North Texas, Princeton, Kansas and TCU. Top non-conference road opponents include LSU and Miami. Conference-USA play begins on January 8^th at Tulane, and concludes with three straight home games to end the regular season, culminating with a game against Rice at Hofheinz Pavilion on March 4^th.

Despite a disappointing 27-31 campaign in 2009, the Houston Cougar baseball team did not shy away from a tough schedule for the upcoming season. In fact, the non-conference slate looks noticeably more difficult than last year’s.

UH will open the season inside the Houston city limits for the seventh consecutive year with a weekend series against Texas State, starting off a streak of ten straight games in Houston to open the season. That run of games includes a weekend series against Santa Clara, a Tuesday game at Rice, and games against Missouri, UT-Austin and Texas Tech at the Houston College Classic, in Minute Maid Park. After that, however, the Cougars hit the West Coast for a brutal eight-game stretch. It starts in San Luis Obispo, California against a Cal Poly team that won 37 games a year ago, posted a 24-7 mark at home, and beat Houston two of three at Cougar Field. The Cougars have back-to-back midweek games against San Francisco and California, before a three-game tilt in Tempe, Arizona against Arizona State. The Sun Devils have been a top-8 seed in the NCAA baseball tournament each of the last three years, making it to Omaha twice in that span.

Other highlights of the schedule include a weekend home series against TCU, and an 8-game home stretch from May 7^th to May 18^th that includes two C-USA weekend series (Tulane and Marshall) and Tuesday games against Texas A&M and Rice.

Houston ends the regular season at East Carolina. Having met some ECU baseball fans last year, I say thank God we don’t have to host the Pirates this year. The Cougars do host the C-USA tournament, from May 26^th to May 30^th.

Cougar Fans won’t have to travel far for the Conference tournament

With a daunting schedule ahead of them, the good news is that the Cougars have a lot of talent returning from last year’s squad. Houston returns 98.9% of its hits from a team that batted .282 as a squad. Where the Cougars need to show improvement is earning the extra-base hits. UH slugged just .388 as a team last year, earning 18 fewer XBH than their opponents. Cougar baserunning decisions need to improve as well, because while small ball can work, it doesn’t work when the other team steals 18 more bases than you in just 12 more tries. In addition to all the returning talent (and hopefully increased health for guys like Matt Murphy and David Murphy), there are a plethora of newcomers on the offensive side. San Jacinto JC transfer Ryan Still should contribute on the infield, and freshmen M.P. Cokinos and Alex Anastas have the talent to see the field right away. LSU-Eunice transfer Matt Creel could also see some action.

The Cougars need to see the most improvement out of their pitching staff. Houston got off to a very slow start in that department last year, but the arms slowly improved, and as they did, so did Houston’s record – the Cougars started the season 3-14, but finished 24-17, including a 13-11 mark in C-USA play. The pitching staff will be without Donnie Joseph and Wes Musick, both of whom were drafted and signed after their junior seasons in 2009. Joseph was utterly dominant out of the bullpen last year, ending the season with a 2.16 ERA, a 3-1 record, and 75 K in 50 IP. Joseph – one of the classiest athletes ever to pass through UH – was drafted in the third round by the Cincinnati Reds. Musick struggled again in 2009, and never seemed to have “it” back after a stellar freshman campaign in 2007. Best of luck to both Cougar pitchers in the pros.

The Cougar pitchers who will be back include sophomore Michael Goodnight (4.43, 5-5), junior Jared Ray (5.34, 4-4), sophomore Mo Wiley (6.55, 2-4) and junior Chase Dempsay (5.00, 4-0; also a .275 hitter). For all four, the talent is unquestioned. All have shown flashes – Dempsay was a freshman all-American relief pitcher in 2008 – but need to prove that they can put everything together for an entire season in 2010. If Goodnight, Ray, Wiley and Dempsay can pitch to their potential, and Noble & co. can find some serviceable newcomers to use around them, 2010 could be a very successful year for the Cougars.

Looking around the college football world on Houston’s off-week…

The big news of the weekend is Washington upsetting #3 USC. But is Southern Cal’s annual choke job against a weak Pac-10 opponent really still news? I mean, I guess so. But barely.

UT-Austin got by Texas Tech, 34-24. What we learned about Tech, in a nutshell: their defense is pretty good, their passing game is very good, their running game stinks. So, everything we already suspected was just kind of proven.

Looking around C-USA, it wasn’t a real successful weekend. It took a late rally for Southern Miss to scrape by hapless Virginia. ECU showed that last year’s world-beating tendencies haven’t returned, as they looked overmatched against North Carolina. Tulsa got slaughtered by Oklahoma, to the tune of 45-0. UAB fell to previously winless Troy. SMU choked away the game against the country’s worst BCS-conference team, Washington State.

Doing an adequate job were Rice (lost by “just” 17 to Oklahoma State) and Memphis (took care of business against Tennessee-Martin).

Outperforming expectations were Marshall, who defeated Bowling Green for its second win of the season; Central Florida, who earned C-USA revenge against Buffalo; and UTEP, who thoroughly dominated New Mexico State, for the first win of the season for the Miners.

Aside from the UH-Texas Tech game this coming weekend, I’ll be keeping an eye on the following games:

• Southern Miss @ Kansas…The Golden Eagles, the trendy pre-season pick out of the east, have looked uninspiring in getting off to a 3-0 start. Playing at a ranked Kansas team will be their first true test of the season.
• UCF @ East Carolina…This one looked like a laugher before the season started, but it suddenly looks like it’ll be competitive. And every game matters in a lousy C-USA East division.
• UTEP @ Texas…Can the Miners make this one respectable?
• UAB @ Texas A&M…A battle of two freakishly athletic QBs (Joe Webb and Jerrod Johnson) on otherwise sorry teams. The Ags are 2-0, but 8-point victories over the Utah States of the world don’t make it look like aTm is a whole lot better than last year’s 4-8 squad.
• Vanderbilt @ Rice…The Owls haven’t really been in a game yet, but they can take some moral victories away from this weekend. They actually outgained Oklahoma State, for example. Expect a low-scoring affair against Vandy. Rice might have a chance in this one if they can keep it close and make some big plays late.

Wow, it was another big weekend to forget in Big 12 football last Saturday. Big time upsets, a few scares, and some teams maintaining their focus and continuing their string of non-conference wins. In fact, it’s only been two weeks, and the Big 12 is already being considered the most overrated conference in all of college football – ESPN has an interesting segment arguing the conference’s value at this point in the game. For the record, Eyes of TX would never hire Lou Holtz to represent the Big 12 – can you even understand him? – no wonder he gets taken to task by Mark May. Thanks, ESPN.

Let’s take a quick look back at week two in the Big 12 football.

Baylor Bears
Bye week. Can the Bears continue their good start this week in their first home game of the 2009 season? Connecticut has been one of the better teams in the Big East over the past few years, although their starting quarterback is out for this game in Waco, which is expected to bring more than 40,000 Bear fanatics to the season-opener. No dancing allowed, though. Next up: Connecticut (1-1)

Colorado 38 v. Toledo 54
The story in Boulder just keeps getting worse for head coach Dan Hawkins. Playing for the second time in five days, the Buffaloes looked horrendous against the Rockets. The Buffs defense gave up a whooping 624 yards of offense, more than 300 in both passing and rushing. Watching this game, it shouldn’t have even been this close – the Rockets thought they had it sealed at halftime, and Colorado crept back in to the game before the Rockets exploded for more points in the second half. The rushing game continues to be a struggle, only 95 yards the entire game, but running back Darrell Scott accounted for 85 of those yards on 12 carries, all in the first half. To their credit, the Buffs were throwing the ball trying to catch up all game. Think Hawkins might be out as coach next season? Don’t be so sure – former coach Dan McCarthy stepped up to defend Hawkins this week, and the cash-strapped CU athletic budget might not allow for a buy-out. Next up: Wyoming (1-1)

Iowa State 3 v. Iowa 35
Apparently the Hawkeyes got their wake-up call last week when they nearly lost to Northern Iowa. And, playing for the annual CyHawk trophy, the Cyclones were outplayed in this game from the start, and turnovers played a huge role in the result, as Iowa hawked five INTs in the game, four from starting quarterback Austen Arnaud and one from back-up Jerome Tiller. All told, the Cyclones only culled together 303 yards of offense. A tough loss for Iowa State, but they should be able to get back on track next week against Kent State, especially with a freshman quarterback expected to start for the Golden Flash. With a tough road schedule in 2009, this could be the Cyclones only chance for a road win this season. Next up: @ Kent State (1-1)

Kansas 34 v. UTEP 7
Who knew? The Jayhawks defense showed up in a big way in El Paso, and held the Miners to seven first downs on the game, only four yards rushing, and kept them scoreless until late in the 4th quarter. While quarterback Todd Reesing was 25-of-41 for 260 yards, with one TD and one INT, it was the KU running game that surprised coach Mike Price’s UTEP team this week, as senior running back Jake Sharp accounted for 104 yards and two TDs on only 16 carries to lead the Jayhawks to another solid victory. The return of suspended wide receiver Dezmond Briscoe didn’t hurt either, as he notched 8 catches for 154 yards on the day. This week, Reesing faces the only other D-I football program to offer him a scholarship – Duke – and he should have no trouble showing the Blue Devils how his SAT scores have helped him command the KU offense. Next up: Duke (1-1)

Kansas State 15 v. Louisiana-Lafayette 17
Ouch. While several Big 12 teams lost last weekend, this could be the most embarrassing. Wildcats coach Bill Snyder might be writing his own team’s obituary before his own. Despite outgaining the Ragin’ Cajuns by almost 100 yards on the day, the KSU defense gave up a late, 42-yard field goal for the win – the first of the Ragin’ Cajuns junior kicker’s career. Wow. Wildcats running back Daniel Thomas continues to be the highlight of Synder’s offense, as he rushed for 136 yards and one TD on 27 carries. With the resurgence of UCLA in the Pac-10, and head coach Rick Neuheisal leading the charge in L.A., you can bet (sorry, Rick) that the Wildcats are in for another tough ride this weekend. Next up: @ UCLA (2-0)

Missouri 27 v. Bowling Green 20
After looking amazing in his first career start, Tigers quarterback Blaine Gabbert struggled in week two against Bowling Green, but managed to finally get things on track in the second half to lead Mizzou to the win in Columbus. Behind 20-6 in the third quarter, the Tigers’ offense picked up behind the strong running effort of Derrick Washington who had 120 yards on 23 carries, and one TD. Can you believe this stat – Bowling Green had more passing yards than Missouri. Yep, it’s true. Even the Tigers’ punter got used seven times on Saturday, after being used only 26 times all of last season. Gabbert’s still got some growing up to do, but fans can see the potential, and that should once again be on showcase this weekend against lowly Furman. Next up: Furman (2-0)

Nebraska 38 v. Arkansas State 9
Granted, it was Arkansas State, but the Nebraska offense looked unstoppable on Saturday, as the Cornhusker scored on five of their first 6 possessions to take 24-6 lead at halftime. Quarterback Zac Lee continues to impress, as he completed 27-of-35 passes for 340 yards and four TDs, completing passes to 11 different receivers. It’s funny, now, to think of Nebraska as a wishbone offense back in the day. Nebraska seems to be clicking on all cylinders, although they’ll get their biggest test this weekend at Virginia Tech. Next up: @ Virginia Tech (1-1)

oklahoma 64 v. Idaho State 0
Well, something sure clicked in Norman since week one. With stars Sam Bradford and Jermaine Gresham out, freshman quarterback Landry Jones used his work with the first team offense to absolutely decimate the Bengals in week two. Jones threw for 286 yards and three TDs – all to wide receiver Ryan Broyles – as ou put this game away early in the first half. The stout sooners defense held Idaho State to minus-2 yards in the first half, and only 44 yards of offense on the day, and the Bengals never made it past ou’s 49-yard line in the game. Running back Demarco Murray also rushed for 101 yards on 12 carries, scoring two TDs. The re-tooled offensive lane appears to be working for coach Bob Stoops in week two, but they will have a tougher test against one of the most proficient offenses in NCAA football the last few years in the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes this Saturday. Next up: Tulsa (2-0)

Oklahoma State 35 v. Houston 45
Whoops. Someone forgot to tell Oklahoma State that they play more than one game in a season. After defeating former #13 Georgia in week one, the Cowboys looked flat all game against the potent Cougars offense, which racked up 512 yards on the day, behind quarterback Case Keenum’s 366 yards passing. ‘Pokes quarterback Zac Robinson, on the other hand, threw for only 240 yards, including a TD and INT on the day. In addition, the Cowboys lost starting running back Kendall Hunter for the game in the second quarter, and standout wide receiver Dez Bryant also suffered through cramps all day while accounting for 85 yards on five catches. All told, the Cougars outplayed the ‘Pokes on their home turf (with a little luck to go along with their courageous play), and the Sports Illustrated cover jinx continued this week in Stillwater. Head coach Mike Gundy finally has a chance to get his team in rhythm and on track this week against Rice, and with a few key victories could bring the ‘Pokes back in to the top 10 by season’s end. Next up: Rice (0-2)

Texas 41 v. Wyoming 10
So, the altitude WAS an issue. In front of the third biggest city in all of Wyoming (the stadium) last Saturday, thriving at more than 7,000 feet above sea level, the Cowboys and their fans were jacked up and ready to play – and it was very evident from the get-go that the ‘Horns were either flat or pushing too hard, looking miserable in the first half on the offensive side of the ball. Thankfully, the defense showed up ready to play and basically pitched a shut-out as Wyoming only put points on the board after Texas special team’s mistakes – a blocked punt for TD and a missed fake punt conversion. Quarterback Colt McCoy turned it on the second half, and ended up 30-for-47 for 337 yards, three TDS, and an INT. While wide receiver James Kirkendoll might have led the team in receiving yards, it was the play of tight end/flex receiver Dan Buckner that raised some eyebrows in Laramie. Buckner ended the day with six catches for 86 yards and a TD, and it appears he has adapted to the position and has become a go-to outlet for McCoy. The defense really was the story of the game, giving the ‘Horns a chance going in to the second half, as they held Wyoming to 273 yards of total offense. This week, the ‘Horns secondary gets their big test against head coach Mike Leach’s lethal spread offense. Can the ‘Horns overcome last year’s disappointment – it’s the question everyone wants answered. ESPN’s College Gameday will be in town for the early season conference match-up. Next up: Texas Tech (2-0)

Texas A&M Aggies
Bye week. This year’s Big 12 mystery team suits up for their second game on Saturday against Utah State. After a big win in week one against New Mexico, the Aggies need to show they’re not a one-show circus. Quarterback Jerrod Johnson looks much more comfortable this year in the pocket, and the running game behind freshman Christine Michael looks solid. Two in a row, Ags? Yell practice might be paying off in College Station. Next up: Utah State (0-1)

Texas Tech 55 v. Rice 10
Has there ever been a quarterback that has thrown 10 TDs in a game? And, if not, has head coach Mike Leach called the Guinness Book of World Records to have them come to town for the fireworks? Geez. Well, the Red Raiders got their offense on track in week two, as quarterback Taylor Potts nearly tied a school record for TDs thrown with seven against the struggling Owls. With three quarterbacks playing for Rice, the Owls couldn’t get much of an offensive rhythm, managing only 257 yards on the day. Potts’ ended the day with 456 yards, and he completed passes to 13 different wide receivers, including his high school teammate Lyle Leong, who caught three TD strikes. The defense looked solid, but not remarkable – especially after losing NFL talent off the defensive line since last year. Once again, Potts didn’t have to deal with any pass rush, and it will be interesting to see how Potts reacts under pressure from the front seven and his first road game in a hostile environment in Austin. Next up: @ Texas (2-0)

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Good morning, Vandal Nation — and this morning sure smells like gametime.

There’s a full-up slate of news links this morning, as everyone prepares for the Idaho Vandals home football opener tomorrow.

On tap today at Vandal Nation, we’ll Better Know a Foe by talking to a Mountain West blogger about the San Diego State Aztecs, shine the Vandal Spotlight on quarterback Nate Enderle and cover the Vandals women’s soccer team as they aim to defend home turf against Eastern Washington at 4 p.m.

As with every Vandal home game, we’ll have an play-by-play interactive liveblog from the Kibbie Dome beginning at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow. Or, you can follow along with regular score updates and highlights on the Vandal Nation Twitter. Either way, join us!

Also remember, it’s Vandal Spirit Friday — wear your Vandal gear!

Football

• The Argonaut’s Jennifer Schlake has a preview of tomorrow’s Vandals/Aztecs matchup.

• Also in The Argonaut, I call this a must-win game for Idaho.

• The Reno Gazette-Journal’s Dan Hinxman has yet another quality article about the links between Colorado State and Nevada, who also do battle tomorrow. The Vandals will take on CSU in two weeks, so Vandal fans should pay attention to this one.

• The Lewiston Tribune’s Jesse Baumgartner breaks the news that Idaho has picked up two blue-chip recruits out of Lewiston High — quarterback Justin Podrabsky and offensive tackle Spencer Beale.

• The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Brent Schrotenboer has an in-depth look at the unorthodox 3-3-5 defense espoused by Aztecs defensive coordinator Rocky Long. (h/t to Jesse’s Lewiston Trib blog)

• The Fresno State Collegian previews the Fresno State/Boise State WAC grudge match.

• Dave Southorn of the Idaho Press-Tribune says Fresno State and Boise State have a “civilized rivalry.” Not like the one between Boise State and Idaho, then…

• The Idaho Statesman’s Chadd Cripe writes that Boise State’s defensive unit is finally getting the respect it deserves.

• The Idaho Statesman’s Nick Jezierny has a nice feature writeup on Vandal wideout Daniel Hardy.

• Josh Wright of the Spokesman-Review has yet another Idaho/SDSU preview, this one focusing on improved linebacker play.

• The Spartan Daily has a video preview of the annual SJSU/Stanford game.

• The Logan Herald-Journal’s Wade Denniston previews the all-Aggies fight between Utah State and Texas A&M.

Volleyball

• The Argonaut’s Lisa Short has a look at the team’s final preseason tournament before the WAC battles begin.

Tennis

• GoVandals.com has the official word on the 2009-10 men’s tennis schedule.

Soccer

• The Argonaut’s Ilya Pinchuk previews today’s Idaho/Eastern Washington battle.

Cross country

• The Argonaut’s Ilya Pinchuk has a look at this weekend’s Sundodger Invitational in Seattle and a feature story on freshman runner Laurel Draper.

2009 Big 12 Week 2 Predictions 70% correct

Big 12 Week Three Picks

• Duke Blue Devils @ Kansas Jayhawks Winner: Kansas Jayhawks

• Furman Paladins @ Missouri Tigers Winner: Missouri Tigers

• #22 Nebraska Cornhuskers @ #14 Virginia Tech Hokies Winner: #14 Virginia Tech Hokies

• Iowa State Cyclones @ Kent State Golden Flashes Winner: Kent State Golden Flashes

• Kansas State Wildcats @ UCLA Bruins Winner: UCLA Bruins

• Wyoming Cowboys @ Colorado Buffaloes Winner: Colorado Buffaloes (last 2 weeks I have been wrong about the Buffaloes.  This week I give them the benefit of the doubt.)
  

• Texas Tech Red Raiders @ #2 Texas Longhorns Winner: #2 Texas Longhorns (I believe this one will be close.  I can’t wait to see it on national tv this weekend.)
  

• Connecticut Huskies @ Baylor Bears Winner: Baylor Bears

• Utah State Aggies @ Texas A&M Aggies Winner: Texas A&M Aggies

• Tulsa Golden Hurricane @ #13 Oklahoma Sooners Winner: #13 Oklahoma Sooners

• Rice Owls @ #5 Oklahoma State Cowboys Winner: #5 Oklahoma State Cowboys (Cowboys will win but their ranking will drop below the top 5)
  

What Say You?

Are my picks right on or right wrong?

It proved to be a weekend full of surprises in the 2009-2010 Big 12 football season, as many marquee match-ups and big question marks were answered – and more questions begin to emerge for teams in both the North and South divisions. After opening weekend, the Big 12 has five teams in USA Today’s Top 25 rankings (Texas, Oklahoma State, oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas), while Missouri, Texas Tech and Baylor all received votes as well.

Let’s break down week one in the Big 12 conference.

Baylor 24 v. Wake Forest 21
Coach Art Briles has the Bears off to a good start in 2009. On the road, the Bears used trick plays, a balanced offensive attack which amassed 100 more yards than the Demon Deacons, and the stellar play of quarterback Robert Griffin and linebacker Joe Pawelek to secure their first road win in nine attempts dating back to last season. The Bears will be a team to watch this season. Next up: Connecticut (1-0)

Colorado 17 v. Colorado State 23
Ouch. Coach Dan Hawkins’ “hot seat” in 2009 just got a little warmer. Colorado, who named Hawkins’ son Cody the starting quarterback at game time, looked out of sync the entire game and he couldn’t bring the team back from its game-long deficit at home. Prized running back recruit Darrell Scott, now in his second year, saw little action, and there has been talk in Boulder about why he didn’t play more in the game – the Buffs had only 29 yards rushing. On top of their offensive woes, Colorado lost their starting center, Mike Iltis, to a knee injury in the first quarter – his potential return is unknown. Next up: @ Toledo (0-1)

Iowa State 34 v. North Dakota State 17
The Paul Rhoads era in Ames started off well, given the Cyclones played a D-II team, as they pulled out a solid win in week one. Quarterback Austen Arnaud looked solid in his debut as well, leading a balanced offensive attack, with 227 yards passing and two TDs. The Cyclones gave up 388 yards to NDSU, however, so there are still some question marks on the defensive side of the ball. Next up: Iowa (1-0)

Kansas 49 v. Northern Colorado 3
With Northern Colorado dropping back seven and eight defensive players in to the secondary, the Jayhawks adapted their offensive game plan and ran all over the field in their opening weekend win. All told, KU rushed for 328 yards, while quarterback Todd Reesing controlled the game throwing for a paltry 208 yards and two TDs, but rushed for two more. The defense looked solid, although it has yet to be tested after losing several starters from last year’s team. Next up: @ UTEP (0-1)

Kansas State 21 v. Massachusetts 17
It was a special weekend in Manhattan, KS, as “Family Reunion” weekend brought back more than 300 former players for the opening game, although head coach Bill Snyder probably thought the “special” was the worst part. The Wildcats special teams was horrific, and despite an 18-point lead, mistakes in the KSU kicking game let the Minutemen back in to the game. Starting quarterback Carson Coffman struggled, throwing for only 182 yards and two TDs, and the running game was equally as mediocre. Snyder might be in for a long season until he can find the junior college transfers to give his future teams some experience. Next up: Louisiana-Lafayette (1-0)

Missouri 37 v. Illinois 9
Chase who? Head coach Gary Pinkel appears to have found his replacement at quarterback with Blaine Gabbert, who threw for 319 yards and three TDs, while running for another, in a statement game against the Illini. Even more impressive, perhaps, was the Tigers defense, which held Illinois quarterback Juice Williams in check all night, as he threw for only 179 yards and no TDs. Keep an eye on Mizzou wide receiver Danario Alexander, who had 10 catches for 132 yards and seems to be Gabbert’s top target downfield. The Tigers won their 11th straight non-conference game, a school record, dating back to 2005. Next up: Bowling Green (1-0)

Nebraska 49 v. Florida Atlantic 3
The problem with a defensive-minded coach? Giving up only three points to an opponent wasn’t good enough: “soft,” to be exact. In all actuality, head coach Bo Pelini probably should have been a bit disappointed in his defense’s performance, as they gave up 358 yards, but the defense stood tall when it needed to and the offense commanded the game with 490 total yards, 231 passing and 259 rushing. Running back Roy Helu, Jr. turned it on in the third quarter against FAU for two TDs, and is averaging 7.7 yards per carry (662 yards) over his last five regular season games. Next up: Arkansas State (1-0)

oklahoma 13 v. BYU 14
Big. Time. Upset. Playing without tight end Jermaine Gresham, and working with a re-tooled and inexperienced offensive line, the sooners couldn’t get their Mike Leach-esque offense going against BYU. More importantly, and as noted in a previous post, 2008 Heisman Trophy quarterback Sam Bradford was knocked out of the game at the end of the first half with a third-degree sprain of his right, throwing shoulder. Freshman back-up quarterback Landry Jones looked relatively calm and collected in his debut, despite some ridiculous facial hair, but couldn’t will the sooners to the win in Dallas. Head coach Bob Stoops will begin the re-building process in Norman, although he’ll do it without Bradford for at least two games (Idaho State and Tulsa, at a minimum), and now Gresham for the season, who confirmed earlier this week he will have surgery on his injured knee. In addition, former tight end-moved-to-center Brody Eldridge will move back to tight end and play this week against Idaho State despite a broken pinkie finger. Texas, now hear this: ou’s run defense looked stout, giving up only 27 yards on BYU’s 32 rushing attempts (less than a yard per carry), but the secondary suffered to the tune of 329 yards and two TDs. Expect heavy doses of the running game from the sooners in the coming weeks – they’ll still contend, but their season success now has several more question marks than when it began. Next up: Idaho State (0-1)

Oklahoma State 24 v. Georgia 10
What does a $286 million dollar football stadium renovation get you? Well, when combined with an explosive offense and an ever-improving defense, it secured a key win for the ‘Pokes against upper echelon SEC team #13 Georgia. After a slow start, the OSU offense clicked, and quarterback Zac Robinson and standout wide receiver Dez Bryant showcased their lethal passing attack. The defense – under new defensive coordinator Bill Young – after being rolled over in the first Georgia drive of the game, stood up to the challenge and only allowed three points the rest of the game. While it was a solid win, Eyes Of TX believes expectations are still much higher in Stillwater, and the offense still has something to prove, especially as it jumps in to Big 12 conference play. Next up: Houston (1-0)

Texas 59 v. Louisiana-Monroe 20
The ‘Horns don’t look like they’ve lost a step since last season, as they dominated the Warhawks in Austin. The offensive juggernaut continues – a total of 568 yards – as quarterback Colt McCoy (21 of 29 for 317 yards, two TDs, and one INT) and wide receiver Jordan Shipley (180 yards receiving on eight catches) looked unstoppable. The running game still has question marks, as starter Vondrell McGee lost two fumbles – the first in more than a season by the running back core – although Cody Johnson had three short-yardage TDs and freshman D.J. Monroe was the highlight reel, as he returned his first touch of the football in a game situation for a 89-yard kick off return for a TD in a blink of the eye while also rushing for 64 yards on 9 carries (7.1 yards per carry). The defense, however, looked suspect and gave up 20 points – the highest total to an opponent in 10 years. McCoy, who didn’t look quite as sharp as usual and admitted his disappointment, did set a record as he became the first Longhorn quarterback in history to throw for more than 10,000 yards. The ‘Horns are unscathed going in to week two, however, as offensive lineman Michael Huey and linebacker Jared Norton are out indefinitely with ankle sprains (OL David Snow and LB Dustin Earnest will replace them), as well as back-up OL Mason Walters (right foot injury). Next up: Wyoming (1-0)

Texas A&M 41 v. New Mexico 6
Wow, where did that come from? A total of 606 yards on offense, including 349 yards passing and three total TDs (two passing, one rushing) from quarterback Jerrod Johnson, who completed 31 of 41 attempts. To top of the stellar week one performance, the “Wrecking Crew”-style defense that A&M had been known for in the early ‘90s returned, holding New Mexico to 21 yards rushing and sacking the opposing quarterback five times. The running game seems to have potential in 2009 as well, as stud freshman running back Christine Michael rushed for 93 yards and a TD on only 11 carries (8.5 yards per carry). Wide receiver Jeff Fuller also showed up with 10 catches for 111 yards and a TD and continues to be the top target in the passing game. Could the Aggies turn it around in only a year? Even former coach R.C. Slocum hasn’t given them the nod quite yet – but, Eyes Of TX suggests this is “one to watch” in the weeks ahead. Next up: Utah State (0-1)

Texas Tech 38 v. North Dakota 13
Not the usual score we’d expect out of the West Texas desert, but with a new quarterback in Taylor Potts, the Tech offense was obviously struggling to regain last year’s firepower. In fact, despite Potts’ 405 yards passing and the Red Raiders’ 40 yards rushing, three of their five TDs came on the ground. Potts also threw three INTs on the day, although he completed passes to 10 different Tech wide receivers, with Detron Lewis leading the charge with 146 yards on only eight catches. The defense looked good, giving up only 207 total yards to the Fighting Sioux – only a D-II team and not much of a gauge for the Big 12 spread offenses Tech will see later in the year. Next up: Rice (0-1)

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Welcome back to The Rival Rundown! If you’ve always wanted to give props to your school on CC, now’s your chance! Shoot us an email explaining what’s awesome and unique about your school (or what stinks about Rival U) at rivalrundown@collegecandy.com!

When you think of school spirit, it’s customary to think of stadiums awash in school colors, spine-tingling chants, and deep-seated hatred for the rival school’s (obviously) inferior traditions. But in Texas, “spirit” comprises all that and more. This week, while we examine the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University- College Station, we learn of traditions and campus lore as large as the Lone Star State itself.  In a world of hand signals, slang, and centuries-old cheering teams, the Texas-Texas A&M rivalry pervades all nuances of life.

1. Mascot Matchup

Texas- Bevo the Longhorn, a particularly menacing-looking brand of cattle, is the pride of UT. The school’s colors, white and burnt orange, are an homage to Bevo’s hide.  Bevo has made the rounds at several important functions, including the inauguration of President George W.  Bush. Should you ever find yourself in conversation with someone from UT, say “Hook ‘em, horns!” and flash the Longhorn hand signal.
Texas A&M- The Aggies–short for agriculture, as per the school’s name–also have a catchphrase and hand signal. It’s commonplace in College Station to sign off by saying “Gig ‘em!” and giving the thumbs-up.  Their official mascot is an American collie named Reveille, who is addressed by the student body as “Miss Reveille, ma’am,” since she is considered a Cadet General in the Aggie cadets.

Three credits to: Texas, where Bevo has the presidential seal of approval.

2. Terrific Traditions

Texas- The Hex Rally is held the week before the Texas-Texas A&M game, featuring performances by student organizations and a large candle-burning ceremony to unify the Longhorns before their most anticipated match up of the season.
Texas A&M- You’re not an Aggie unless you can sport your Aggie class ring. Awarded to seniors who have met certain degree requirements (and alumni upon graduation), the Aggie ring is the ultimate symbol of school pride and a networking device for life. Many believe the day an Aggie receives her ring is more sacred than commencement.

Three Credits to: Texas A&M, throw your (ring-adorned) hands up!

3. Lone Star Showdown Record

Texas - In the annual points-race competition between the two schools (where points are awarded for head-to-head match-ups or best Big 12 conference standing in each intercollegiate sport offered at both schools), Texas has taken home the title three times in the Showdown’s five-year history.
Texas A&M- The Aggies have won the Lone Star Showdown trophy for the past two years. However, despite an even tie last year between the schools, the title was awarded to A&M because Showdown rules dictate that in the event of a tie, the previous year’s winner retains the title.

Three credits to: Texas, for having three wins and a tie in the five-year event history.

4. Crowd-Rousing Cheers

Texas– Texas Fight, the official fight song of the Longhorns, is simple yet powerful. When the orange-and-white score, it’s time to throw up your horns and chant T-E-X-A-S TEXAS FIGHT!
Texas A&M- Instead of cheerleading, Aggies have Yell Leaders to pump up school spirit. The five-member Yell Leaders, a team since 1907, are comprised of three seniors and two juniors–traditionally all-male, because no females have yet been elected to the representative positions.

Three credits to: Texas, where the cheering is egalitarian (hey, this is a ladies’ website!).

5. Acceptance Rate Agony

Texas- 43.5% for the class of 2012
Texas A&M-  70.1% for the class of 2012.

Three credits to: Texas- the Longhorns by a long shot.

And the diploma goes to: Texas! They say everything’s bigger in the Lone Star State, and when it comes to this Southern rivalry, the Longhorns win big.

Big 12 Week One Picks

• Baylor Bears @ Wake Forest Winner: Baylor

• Colorado State @ Colorado Winner: Colorado

• North Dakota State Bison @ Iowa State Cyclones Winner: Iowa State Cyclones (already played)

• Northern Colorado Bears @ Kansas Jayhawks Winner: Kansas Jayhawks

• Massachusetts Minutemen @ Kansas State Wildcats Winner: Kansas State Wildcats

• Missouri Tigers @ llinois Fighting Illini Winner: Missouri Tigers

• Florida Atlantic Owls @ Nebraska Cornhuskers Winner: Nebraska Cornhuskers

• Oklahoma Sooners @ Brigham Young Cougars Winner: Oklahoma Sooners

• Georgia Bulldogs @ Oklahoma State Cowboys Winner: Oklahoma State Cowboys

• Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks @ Texas Longhorns Winner: Texas Longhorns

• New Mexico Lobos @ Texas A&M Aggies Winner: Texas A&M Aggies

• North Dakota Fighting Sioux @ Texas Tech Red Raiders Winner: Texas Tech Red Raiders

What Say You?

Do you think that the Big 12 Conference will sweep the 1st week or did I get some of these predictions wrong?

Go to 2009 Big 12 Week 2 Predictions

College football is finally here. Eyes of TX is giddy with excitement. So many good games today, so many games that are lame-ducks, both of which can be found in the Big 12’s week one schedule. Some quick looks at today’s Big 12 Conference college football games.

Thursday, September 3
Iowa State 34 v. North Dakota State 17
Just as it should have been. Congratulations to Cyclones head coach Paul Rhoads, he may have just won more games than former coach Gene Chizik in Ames.

Saturday, September 5
Baylor v. Wake Forest
It is to be seen if, after all of the off-season hype for quarterback Robert Griffin, Baylor can turn it around after 2008 season’s 4-8 campaign – they got more hype than other team in the Big 12 coming in to the year. If the Bears can keep up with the Demon Deacons early, expect the Bears to lock in a nice non-conference win.

Kansas v. Northern Colorado
Let Jayhawk quarterback Todd Reesing’s long-shot Heisman Trophy campaign begin. This should be a blowout, and the Fighting Magino’s offensive line should make sure Reesing don’t get a single grass stain on his jersey. KU wide receivers Dezmond Briscoe and Kerry Meier will have a girl fight on the sideline to see who can catch more passes on the day.

Kansas State v. Massachusetts Minutemen
In 1996, if you dismiss “official” NCAA records, Massachusetts had a good basketball team. You may remember, Marcus Camby played for them and they went to the Final Four. Kansas State coach Bill Snyder must have been in his 70s at the time, and now he’s back on the sidelines again in Manhattan. Expect the Wildcats to pull this one out, although it won’t be pretty. Kind of like Camby’s NBA career.

Missouri v. Illinois
Illinois has a quarterback named “Juice” and a coach that goes by “Zook.” There was once a Texas football coach that came from Illinois, and he didn’t leave a good impression on Eyes Of TX or any other UTexas alum. Missouri’s re-loading across the board, and with the exception of star linebacker Sean Witherspoon, they will be searching for their identity while the Illini are running away with the win.

Nebraska v. Florida Atlantic
This might be interesting for a quarter or two, but Nebraska should win handily. Owls quarterback Rusty Smith has a good arm and the talent to create some opportunities, but the Cornhuskers will overpower them down the stretch with coach Bo Pelini’s defense. For the sake of FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger’s moustache, let’s hope they score 10 points.

oklahoma v. Brigham Young
“BCS Bob” has made sure all his players were off work at the Norman, Okla., car dealership and have made the jaunt to Dallas for the game in Jerry Jones’ new Dallas Cowboys stadium – that’s a start. ou tight end Jermaine Gresham is out of this game with a knee injury. This could go BYU’s way if Stoops and crew aren’t careful; otherwise, expect oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford to look lost on the field (seriously, doesn’t he always look confused, mouth hanging open?) on his way to Heisman Trophy candidacy again.

Oklahoma State v. Georgia
The highest pre-season rank for OSU, and a Bulldogs quarterback making his second career start and that has been sick all week with the flu. With the ‘Pokes offensive balance, they should win (assuming their defense finally helps keep them in a game down the stretch), but SEC talent is nothing to shake a stick at. If coach Mike Gundy and crew can get past one of the SEC’s upper echelon, then they deserve their high pre-season ranking.

Texas A&M v. New Mexico
There are 12 football games on the Aggies schedule this year, assuming they don’t go to the post-season. If everything goes as planned, this will be one of coach Mike Sherman’s only wins this year. Bottom dwellers unite!

Texas Tech v. North Dakota
Is it exciting for the North Dakota players to go to Lubbock, Texas? Hopefully, it is the highlight of their season – the city, of course – because this game will be a debacle. Really, Eyes Of TX is just waiting to see how many yards Red Raider quarterback Taylor Potts shaves off his 4,000-yard season goal, as well as coach Mike Leach’s post-game press conference sound bites. Will he brag about his win to Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman? Likely.

Sunday, September 6
Colorado v. Colorado State
Does anyone outside Colorado care about this game? They both hate each other, and both coaches have something on the line. Colorado should win, with the talent they have on the sidelines, but then again they are the kings of under-achieving.

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