Hey, where did everybody go? Eight Big 12 Conference football teams are taking a siesta Saturday.
Welcome to the Big Four Conference.
Actually, only Baylor and Texas originally were scheduled, but Kansas and Texas Tech agreed to move their Oct. 16 meeting to Saturday.
Kansas’ primary motive was to leave the fall break weekend open. The KU athletic department had taken heat from students about scheduling football games during fall-break weekend, so the move was a bone tossed in their direction.
Not that the students are 100 percent content. They’re grumbling now that fall break occurs during Late Night in the Phog, which happens to fall on Oct. 15 this year. Darn it. If it isn’t one thing, it’s another.
KU’s other reason for shifting the Tech game to Saturday was the television factor. KU officials knew the paucity of Big 12 games this weekend would enhance the chances of a TV appearance and, sure enough, Fox Sports Net picked it up.
Tech, of course, wanted to be on TV, too, but Red Raiders’ coach Mike Leach also liked the idea of having a week off between games Oct. 9 against Nebraska and Oct. 23 against Texas.
For you fans, fewer games also affords more time to ponder the more important questions of life.
For instance, if Cat Stevens is now known as Yusuf Islam, what name is Englebert Humperdinck using these days? Or will Dan Rather be the weekend news anchor next week in Fargo, N.D.?
Then again, you also have more time to spend on the Wanna Whack Woodling contest. With only three games involving Big 12 teams on tap I don’t want to make it too easy, so I’ve added three games.
All in all, though, it should be easier than ever to outguess me this week. All you have to go is go to KUsports.com, click on the prompts and take a whack at it. Since so many people whack me weekly, be sure to enter your predicted score of the Kansas-Texas Tech game as a tie-breaker.
Each week’s winner will receive a We Whacked Woodling T-shirt — a commodity in much shorter supply than an I Married Britney T-shirt.
Texas 47, Rice 12 — Nation’s leading rushing team stampedes the Uncle Bens, but Longhorns will prove they aren’t perfect. They’ll commit their first turnover of the season.
Baylor 22, North Texas 19 — Two green non-machines battle for bitty bragging rights on the banks of the Brazos. Bears’ Daniel Sepulveda, who hasn’t lacked for opportunities, leads nation in punting (49.2).
Kansas 96, Texas Tech 77 — Wayne Simien scores 22 points and grabs 17 rebounds as the Jayh … wait a minute, that was last February in Allen Fieldhouse. What the heck? This one will be high-scoring, too.
Minnesota 33, Northwestern 16 — Wildcats stopped Kansas’ running game last week, but Jayhawks don’t have Marion Barber III and Glen Mason — has it really been eight years since he left KU? — does.
USC 27, Stanford 11 — No. 1-ranked Trojans invade Leland Stanford Jr.’s farm and run win streak to 13. Cardinal unbeaten in two starts, but wins have been at home over San Jose State and BYU, two of the usual suspects.
Toledo 50, Temple 37 — Defenseless Rockets couldn’t stop the Rockettes, but they’ll have little difficulty stuffing Owls in their pockets.
