Genius Observations from Saturday's Games:
- UT true frosh DE Jackson Jeffcoat is the third-best pass rusher in the state, right behind Mario Williams of the Texans and Demarcus Ware of the Cowboys. Jeffcoat abused the TT Oline all game. And he's only 18.
- This is probably only a ton unfair, but watching Tech fail to move the ball almost at all throughout the night makes you wonder if the TT suits are re-thinking their decision to kick Mike Leach out the door. Considering the way that divorce went, however, probably not.
- Texas may not be as good as it was last season, but the Longhorns are the most talented team in the state. QB Garrett Gilbert didn't have a great game - his WRs didn't help - but it's obvious he's going to be a stud.
- Here is what you need to know about the UT game. 1 drive, 23 plays, 80 yards; 9:25 off the clock, 7 points.
- The entire Big 12 South is down this season; Saturday's games proved the race in the South is for third. UT and OU are clearly better than every other team. UT's defense is good enough to beat OU. Its offense is merely average.
- TT QB Taylor Potts' days as the No. 1 on the depth chart may be over. Don't be shocked if Tommy Tuberville opens this competition up. UT proved what I suspected a month ago - Tech is an average team.
- TT has a serious stud d-lineman in JC transfer Scott Smith.
- TCU needs to sweat Air Force. The Falcons pushed OU in Norman, and their triple-option poses a major threat to perfection.
- This is the best offense Gary Patterson has had in his tenure at TCU. But this is not the best defense he's had by a long way.
- The best QB in the state is UH's Case Keenum or A&M's Jerrod Johnson. It's Andy Dalton at TCU. He's a fifth-year senior and a four-year starter who knows what he's doing.
- Baylor QB Robert Griffin is not the same player as he was his frosh season. He has not fully recovered from the torn ACL he suffered last season.
- Baylor LT Danny Watkins will be a pro; he dominated TCU DE Wayne Daniels, who is undersized as a DE. Daniels, if he can make it as a pro, will be moved to OLB.
- A&M's is done with its powder-puff schedule. QB Jerrod Johnson can't have another four-pick game and expect to beat any of the remaining teams on the Aggies' schedule.
- The Aggies are good enough to finish third in the Big 12 South, but self-inflicted wounds are going to be this team's biggest problem.
- Nebraska is going to win the Big 12 title game.
- Not that you noticed, but Texas State had a big win against No. 17 Cal-Poly in San Marcos today. Dexter Imade rushed for 104 yards on 16 carries.
- I'll say this again - the Big 12 North stinks. Kansas State barely beat Iowa St. KU stinks. Missouri needed a late long TD pass from Blaine Gabbert to rally to defeat San Diego State, in Columbia. Colorado won, but who cares? It's Nebraska and no one else.
- Why did Alabama play Duke?
- Northwestern won the Nerd Bowl against Rice, 30-13.
- SMU may have been looking ahead to its game on Friday against TCU. The Ponies defeated a horrid Washington State High School team, 35-21. QB Kyle Padron threw for 280 yards and four touchdowns. TCU should beat SMU by 20.
- Things are actually getting worse in Denton. The Mean Green lost at Army, 24-0. The Mean Green had to start backup Derek Thompson at QB after starter Nathan Tune suffered what is likely a season-ending injury last week. What did Thompson do? Break his leg early in the second quarter. That meant coach Todd Dodge had to go back to his Southlake Carroll days and put his son, WR Riley Dodge, in as quarterback. Riley didn't do much; he completed 8-of-17 passes for 63 yards.
- This was UNT's seven consecutive loss.
- Michigan State's call in OT to beat Notre Dame was the Call of the Year. The Spartans were lined up for a game-tying field goal, but ran a fake instead and converted a pass to win, 34-31.
Call it the Recent Luck of the Irish.
- Mac Engel
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