Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma State
Posted: November 4th, 2008, 1:58 am
They don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee, but they might want to start, because the center of the college football world could very easily wind up being the Sooner State.
With Texas Tech's dramatic win over Texas last weekend, four teams are in a position to win the Big XII South. There's little reason to believe the South winner will not represent the entire conference in a BCS game, and might even play for a national championship.
The murderer's row for UT has already passed, but Texas Tech is just getting there's under way. After jumping from number seven to number one in the BCS standings (albeit after defeating one team with any credibility, and two I-AA teams that they actively scheduled) Texas Tech now gets to take on an Oklahoma State team that very well might be the best team in the whole conference. And after that, they get to travel to Norman to take on Oklahoma: A team that very well might be the best team in the whole conference.
Oklahoma State is also just getting into the meat of their conference schedule. Their loss a few weeks ago to Texas ended up almost as good as a victory. The national media fell in love with Oklahoma State, and with good reason. But the Cowpokes have anything but an easy road to finish their season. They may have lucked out a little bit, though. Oklahoma State has the benefit of playing lesser teams between their tough ones, instead of taking a tour through the dungeon of doom like Texas and Texas Tech. They had Baylor between Missouri and Texas, Iowa State between Texas and Texas Tech, and they get Colorado between Tech and Oklahoma.
Needless to say, there are still three remaining games in the Big XII South that are simply monsterous. Game one of the late-season, three-team round robin kicks off this Saturday in Lubbock.
Defense may be optional again this week, like it has been this whole season in the Big XII, and the obstacles ahead for both of these defenses seems almost insurmountable.
The Texas Tech defense has definitely made strides this season under Ruffin McNeill, playing much more inspired football. The Red Raiders also look to be a lot better prepared, mentally and physically, than in seasons past. Even so, the Tech defense is still ranked 54th nationally in total defense. The bright spot has been the run defense, where they are ranked 10th. But in pass defense... Tech is 100th, despite having two players tied for 2nd nationally in interceptions (Charbonnet and McBath) with five apiece. As a team, the Raiders are ranked 4th in the country with 15 picks.
The Tech defense isn't the only one that needs to show up this weekend if they want a win. Going into this season, most pencil-necked geeks knew that Oklahoma State was a team that had the potential to really cause problems on offense. Defense was going to be what hampered the State chances at winning any hardware. But the Cowpoke defense has been playing above expectations, despite the defensive rankings. They are 62nd in total defense, 36th against the run, and, like Tech, the pass defense leaves a little to be desired: They are ranked 92nd nationally. They do however have 11 team INTs, and average 2.67 sacks a game.
Those defensive rankings against the pass are not what you want in a game like this. These are two of the best offenses in the country, and neither of them are afraid to use the forward pass. Ennis hero Graham Harrell is the next in a long lineage of college greats at Tech. He is currently 8th in the nation in QB rating, with 165.9 and is 1st nationally in yardage. Harrell has thrown for 3,621 yards and has an insane 30-5 TD-INT ratio. His opponent this weekend isn't much his lesser. Zac Robinson, who already owns records at Oklahoma State, is 2nd nationally in QB rating, with 192.46. He is 22nd in yards at 2,082, with 20 TD's and only 5 INTs. Robinson has not been running as much in 2008, but he still possesses the ability to ruin people's lives with his feet.
The QBs are not the only ones playing who are amongst the best in the country. Carter's Michael Crabtree is not only the best WR in the game, but he is also the best player in all of college football. Crabtree's last-second TD versus Texas is just the latest chapter in his amazing career. Ranked 6th in the nation in yards with 921, he is also tied for 3rd in scoring, with 90 points. As for TDs... well, he is tied for 1st.
...with Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant.
The Cowboys have a lineage of their own, with wide receivers. The latest, and possibly the best to date, is Bryant. Bryant is only four yards behind BYU's Austin Collie, who is ranked 1st nationally in receiving yardage. On the year, Bryant has 1,054 yards and 15 TDs. He is also 2nd nationally in scoring, with 102 points. Those 102 are 1st place in the conference. In addition to Bryant, Okee State has John Tyler RB Kendall Hunter, who ranks 4th in the country in yards with 1,220, and 11 TDs.
There's even more similiarities. Both teams are stout in special teams, and both rank in the top five in scoring. They are also undisciplined. Texas Tech is 1st in the conference in penalties, and 5th nationally. State is 3rd in the Big XII, and 9th overall. They also both have head coaches who are just as big of stand-outs as the players on their teams. Mike Leach is long known for his risky playcalling, eccentric demeanor, and his inability to get out of his own way. Mike Gundy, with his Southern drawl and press-conference greatness, is a coach who makes less mistakes each season. Texas Tech got lucky Saturday night when the UT secondary made three head-shaking blunders in the 2nd half. Oklahoma State is a program that has the funding, the smarts, and the ambition to explode nationally.
Leach can't do it two weeks in a row. Mike Gundy is leaving Lubbock, TX 9-1.