For my week 8 Big 12 football picks, check out the latest episode of ConferenceChatterTV:
The national perception of the Big 12’s ability to light up the scoreboard is hurting the University of Texas football team this season.
Texas recently dropped from No. 2 to No. 3 in the Associated Press poll, despite being undefeated at 6-0. The Longhorns also were ranked No. 3 in the first BCS poll of the season, released on Sunday.
Problem is, Texas did nothing to deserve that bump to No. 3. I get the sense that just because UT isn’t obliterating its opponents, it’s being punished in the polls. That’s not right.
Here’s a thought: The two teams ranked ahead of Texas — No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Florida — haven’t been obliterating opponents lately, either. The Gators turned the ball over four times against Arkansas and narrowly won, 23-20, at home. The Crimson Tide turned the ball over four times against South Carolina but won, 20-6.
Texas held off Oklahoma, 16-13, and all of a sudden, the Longhorns are dropping in the polls. The general knock on Texas was the Longhorns won ugly and didn’t earn any style points. On a larger scale, Colt McCoy, a preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, hasn’t looked the part, with only 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season (he threw eight INTs all of last season).
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Thanks to these last few years, people have grown accustomed to seeing points scored in bunches in the Big 12. If Texas isn’t putting up 40 points every time it takes the field, certainly something’s wrong. That’s the national perception.
My question: Why can’t Texas play an SEC brand of football and remain at No. 2? The Longhorns have a considerably improved defense from last year and currently sit at No. 1 in the country (by a wide margin) in rushing defense with only 35 yards allowed per game.
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As for those offensive struggles? Texas is No. 1 in the country with 42 points scored per game this season.
The Longhorns should still be No. 2 in the polls.
Here’s the good part for coach Mack Brown and UT: The Longhorns pretty much control their own destiny. Win out — it looks possible — and Texas will play in the BCS Championship game.
Alabama and Florida will likely face each other in the SEC Championship. Someone’s gotta lose. I find it tough to believe an undefeated team from a power conference would be left out of the BCS Championship.
That should be all for now, friends. As always, discuss.
