Around the Big 12: Red River WTH

TCU Football lost yesterday in a game that undid a lot of goodwill from the week before. But the Frogs’ loss to Kansas State wasn’t the only weird and wacky result of the weekend in a conference that is making a name for that through the first month of the season. Let’s take a look at week six in the Big 12.

Oklahoma 53, #22 Texas 45 (4OT)

Look, Sam Ehlinger is a good quarterback, but this Texas Football program is in utter and absolute shambles. Leaving them ranked after the loss to TCU was a joke, as is the Longhorns defense.

Ehlinger put the team on his back once again but didn’t get much help, while his counterpart, redshirt freshman Spencer Rattler, bounced back from a second quarter benching to lead his team to the quadruple overtime victory. Rattler is the fourth different Oklahoma QB to beat the Ehlinger-led Horns, but don’t blame Sam: the senior had 400 all-purpose yards and was responsible for six touchdowns, including four on the ground — two of which came in overtime periods.

The Sooners have problems of their own — namely on the defensive side of the ball — but might have found something in TJ Pledger to fix the ailments in the running game. The junior went over 100 yards on the ground and scored a touchdown. Credit backup Tanner Mordecai as well, who came in in relief of Rattler and got OU back on track with a 5-7, 52 yard stint.

This was a really weird game statistically; 4OT, 98 total points, and neither team had 300 yards passing. It ended in a fitting way, though, with Bob Stoops’ son Drake, a walk-on wide receiver, hauling in the game-winner after an Ehlinger INT.

#24 Iowa State 31, Texas Tech 15

The Red Raiders struck first, taking a 7-0 lead after blocking a Cyclones’ field goal in the first quarter.

That’s where the good times would end for Texas Tech though, as Brock Purdy and Breece Hall had big games for Iowa State, who seems to be rolling now. Purdy went for over 300 yards through the air with a pair of touchdowns, while Hall had 135 on the ground a pair of scores himself. The defense shut down Tech’s O until a meaningless score late, as the Red Raiders ran for just 58 yards on 22 carries and managed just 270 total yards.

Can’t wait for the defensive battle when they play TCU, right?

Texas Tech is now 0-3 in conference and doesn’t seem to have anything in the way of an identity as a team. Alan Bowman was replaced by Colombi for a second straight week, but this time not due to injury, and the former wunderkind seems to not be the answer in West Texas. The team has been bad on both sides of the ball in 2020, and there doesn’t seem to be much hope going forward. Matt Wells’ seat is getting really hot in year two, and winning in West Texas continues to be a challenge, no matter who is in charge.

Next Week’s Schedule:

Kansas (0-3, 0-2) at West Virginia (2-1, 1-1)

#10 Oklahoma State (3-0, 2-0) at Baylor (1-1, 1-1)