SB Nation - Iowa St. Cyclones

Week 11: Better Be On A Mission

Mark Kieffer — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:29:00 -0000

This football team needs to play like they are on a mission. After them coming out two weeks in a row, tenative and lacking energy, I hope to see a MUCH different team hitting the field this Saturday. With the way the season started, not getting bowl eligible would be an utter dissapointment. In my opinion, if you can't beat Colorado at home, then you don't deserve to go to a bowl anyway.

Iowa State is opening up as a 4.5-5.5 point favorite (depending on where you go), and we will see what happens. The fact that Colorado not only beat A&M, but scored 35 points has to be a cause for concern, as ISU has scored less than that the past 3 games combined!

That said, no more excuses. In previous weeks we could point to A-Rob, Arnaud, or Stephens being out. Then against Oklahoma State, they were all back, and we still sucked it up offensivley. I hope this week they get it together. It going to be Senior day, and I'm sure Stephens, Hamilton, Brandtner, along with others will want to make their last game at Jack Trice Stadium a memorable one.

More on this matchup later in the week. Just hoping these guys play like they're on a mission come Saturday!

What Are Iowa State's Bowl Chances? Week 11 Edition Part 2 - Who To Root For/Against

Mark Kieffer — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:20:55 -0000

Alright. Assuming you've read Part 1, I thought I'd create a list so that Iowa State fans can figure out who they want to see win or lose to give us the best bowl chances. After Week 11 action, I will update the list for Week 12.

Captain Obvious: Root for ISU over Colorado
Root against K-State. With Missouri and Nebraska left, they could lose out. This will get Missouri to at least 6 wins. I think Missouri gets to 6 wins regardless anyways, so might as well root against the team that isn't a definite in with K-State. Having K-State out of the picture would open up possibilities for ISU and Kansas (assuming both get 1 more win, which isn't a sure thing either) to get a Big 12 bowl.
Root Against Michigan. Having a Big 10 team in the At Large Picture would hurt ISU's chances
Root Against Duke. If you hate them in basketball, hate them in football too! Duke needs 1 more win with 3 games left. If Duke doesn't get in, the EagleBank bowl would be open.
Root Against Wake Forest. If Wake loses this week, they are out of the picture, and the chances of the GMAC Bowl being open would be higher.
Root Against Arizona State and UCLA. If neither become bowl eligible, then Nevada will get the Poinsettia Bowl instead of them going to a different open bowl. Hell, root against Nevada too! If they avoid getting to a bowl, the Poinsettia Bowl would be open as well.
~~Root Against UConn~~. Normally I would say to do so, so that Middle Tennessee State would take the St. Petersburg bowl. That would work out better for ISU. BUT, after what UConn had to go through during this season, this is a team I'm rooting for to make a bowl game.

What Are Iowa State's Bowl Chances? Week 11 Edition Part 1

Mark Kieffer — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:55:00 -0000

All Cyclone fans want to see Iowa State get to that magical 6th win. With 2 winnable games left, it's very possible that Iowa State could become bowl eligible. There's a lot of talk out there about whether or not Iowa State would get to a bowl if they had 6 wins. The short answer is "who knows?". If you want the longer answer, here's a look at what the bowl picture looks like:

Overall there are 68 teams selected for Bowl Games. There are already 44 teams that are bowl eligible, with another 27 teams that are only 1 win away (including Iowa State). If you do the math right, that makes 71 teams that have a good chance of being bowl eligible, with only 68 slots.

Here's a breakdown by conference how I think the Bowl Selection will play out.

Big 12: 8 bowl tie-ins including the BCS

BCS: Texas

Non-BCS: Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas Tech, K-State, Missouri, Texas A&M

Bubble: Iowa State, Kansas - Both are only 1 win away, but have been sliding.

Open Bowls: None

Why do I have Missouri and K-State in? I think Missouri can win at least one of K-State, ISU, and Kansas. I think K-State can beat Missouri or Nebraska. If K-State ends up with at least a tie for the North, they are going to get a bid before ISU or Kansas.

Unless Texas loses the Big 12 Title Game, if ISU or Kansas get to 6 wins, they will have hope to get invited by an unfilled bowl from another conference.

So, in order to know if Iowa State has a chance to go bowling, we have to look at how the other conferences will play out. Click the jump for the breakdown!

ACC: 9 Bowl Tie-Ins including the BCS

BCS: Georgia Tech, Possibly Miami also

Non-BCS: Miami, VA Tech, Clemson, Boston College, Florida State, UNC

Bubble: Duke (5-4) with Georgia Tech, @ Miami, and Wake Forest left. Wake Forest is on the bubble also at 4-6 with Florida State and @ Duke left. If Wake gets in, no way Florida State does, so it doesn't change the totals.

Open Bowls: Eaglebank, GMAC

Depending on whether Miami goes to the BCS, and how Duke does, there could be between 1-3 Bowls Open.

Big East/Notre Dame: 6 Bowl Tie-Ins including the BCS

BCS: Cincinnatti, Pittsburgh

Non-BCS: Notre Dame, West Virginia, Rutgers, South Florida

Bubble: UConn

If UConn did not get in, the St. Petersburg Bowl will go to a Sun-Belt team. The Sun-Belt would be able to fill this bid, as Middle-Tennesse State is already Bowl Eligible.

Big 10: 7 Bowl Tie-Ins including the BCS

BCS: Ohio State/Iowa

Non-BCS: Ohio State/Iowa, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern

Bubble: Michigan- With Wisconsin and @ Ohio State left, a bowl bid is doubt

Open Bowls: None

Pac 10: 6 Bowl Tie-Ins including the BCS

BCS: Oregon, USC

Non-BCS: Arizona, Oregon State, Cal, Stanford

Bubble: Arizona State, UCLA

Open Bowls: Poinsettia. It goes to #4 WAC team if available, otherwise it's open.

SEC: 9 Bowl Tie-Ins including the BCS

BCS: Florida, Alabama

Non-BCS: LSU, Auburn, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas

Bubble: Mississippi State

Open Bowls: None

Conference USA: 6 bowls

Non-BCS: Houston, East Carolina, Marshall, Southern Miss, SMU, UCF

Bubble Teams: None

Open Bowls: None

MAC: 4 bowls

Non-BCS: Central Michigan, Temple, Ohio, Northern Illinois

Bubble: Kent State

Open Bowls: None

Mountain West: 5 bowls

BCS: TCU

Non-BCS: Utah, BYU, Air Force

Bubble: San Diego State, Wyoming

Open Bowls: New Mexico, Humanitarian

If TCU didn't get to the BCS, then only the Humanitarian would be open

WAC: 4 bowls (1 if unfilled by the Pac 10)

Non-BCS: Boise State, Fresno State, Idaho

Bubble: Nevada

Open Bowls: Poinsettia if Pac 10 doesn't fill, and Nevada does not become bowl eligible

Sun Belt: 3 bowls (1 guarenteed, 2 if other conferences cannot fill)

Non-BCS: Troy,

Bubble: Middle Tennesse State. They are bowl eligible, but only get in if St. Petersburg, Papajohns.com, and Independence are open. With how I have everything playing out, Middle Tennessee State would get into St. Petersburg with the Big East not being able to fill all bowls

Navy: Is locked into the Texas Bowl

Bubble Teams That Cannot Get Into Conference Tie-In if Eligible (in probable order of selection)

Michigan/Big 10 Team (if they got 6 wins, and another Big 10 team had 6 wins, they likely would get to a Big 10 bowl and a different Big 10 team would be out)
Iowa State
Mississippi State
Kansas
Kent State
Louisiana-Monroe
Louisana-Lafayette

Summary of Open Bowls (and selection order):

Humanitarian: Completley open. If ISU got to 6 wins, I'd think we'd probably get invited here (and get our butts kicked by Boise State), since we've been there before.

EagleBank: Duke, Open. I think it will be hard for Duke to get a win, and even if they do, the ACC could get 2 teams and make this open.

New Mexico Bowl: San Diego State, Wyoming, Open. I think there's a strong chance this will be open.

GMAC: Wake Forest, NC-State, Open. I think there's a strong chance this is open, but I could see Wake Forest winning out, as they have been tough

Poinsettia: Arizona State, UCLA, Nevada, Open. Nevada just needs one more win, and I think they take this bowl.

St. Petersburg: UConn, Middle Tennessee State. Middle Tennessee State is bowl eligible. If UConn does not make it, they will get this bowl. If UConn does make it, and Middle Tennessee State gets to 7 wins, they will get to a bowl ahead of any 6-6 teams on the above list.

So in sum, there looks to be a good chance three bowls will be open in the Humanitarian, Eagle Bank, and New Mexico Bowl. With three bowls open, and Iowa State likely being able to get into the top three of the at large, there's a decent chance it could happen. At the same time, this is all really political, and I made a bunch of assumptions.

In Part Two, I will give some tips on how Iowa State fans should root if they want to see us get into a bowl!

Colorado Buffaloes Open As 5.5 Point Underdogs Against the Iowa State Cyclones

irish1611 — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:54:16 -0000

The Colorado Buffaloes (3-6, 2-3) will be an underdog for the seventh straight week as they travel to Ames, Iowa to take on the Iowa St. Cyclones. Currently, Colorado is a 5.5 point underdog. The Buffs are fresh off a come from behind victory against the Texas A&M Aggies (5-4, 2-3), a team many thought was on the upswing in the Big 12 South. WR Markques Simas, QB Tyler Hansen and RB Rodney Stewart led a 35 point offensive output for Colorado, making plays down the stretch to send the Aggies home with a disheartening loss.

Iowa State (5-5, 2-4) will enter next Saturday's game on a two game losing streak after upending Nebraska in Lincoln three weeks ago. Since that game, Iowa State has lost to Texas A&M 35 - 10 and Oklahoma State 34 - 8. In those two games, the Cyclones defense has had difficulty stopping the opposition, allowing 974 total yards including 598 yards on the ground. Last week, Oklahoma State RB Keith Toston ran for 204 yards alone.

read the rest after the jump...

Offensively, Iowa State hasn't been much better the previous two games. The Cyclones had hoped the return of QB Austen Arnaud would jump start the offense after he missed two games with a bruised throwing hand. But the Cyclones only put up 242 yards total and 54 yards on the ground against the Cowboys. Iowa State didn't top 100 yards until seven minutes left in the third quarter. Arnaud finished with 14 of 27 for 188 yards and three interceptions.

Still, the Cyclones rank 29th in the nation, third in the Big 12 running the ball, averaging 185 yards per game. RB Alexander Robinson has been solid this season leading the Cyclones with 96 yards/game good for 29th in the nation as well. When Iowa State throws, they have been less effective. Iowa State only averages 181 yards throwing per game, good for 100th in the nation. Defensively, the Cyclones are ranked 94th giving up 404 yards a contest while only getting to the quarterback and average of 1.2 times a game, good for 107th in the nation.

Of course, the Buffs aren't much better in the statistical look although WR Markques Simas and QB Tyler Hansen statistically had their best days as collegiate athletes. Hansen completed 21-of-32 passes for 271 yards, one touchdown and one INT on Saturday shattering his previous total of 191 yards. He also ran for 45 yards. Hansen would have been well over 100 yards rushing if you didn't factor in the eight sacks that Colorado gave up to Texas A&M. Simas hauled in seven passes for 135 yards. His previous high was three receptions for 47 yards against Kansas.

For the year, the Buffs still rank 111th in total offense and 74th in total defense but since week four, Colorado's defense has improved 27 spots from 101st in the nation.

What continues to plague Colorado is penalties, offensive sacks, turnovers and special teams play. Last week against Texas A&M, the kickoff team allowed another special teams touchdown. The Buffs were called for 10 penalties totaling 94 yards, a trend that has spiraled out of control this year. Colorado ranks an abysmal 117th out of 120 in division one football in penalties per game with 9.1. Dan Hawkins' team is not good enough to be giving up 75 yards a game from penalties. From a turnover perspective, Colorado won the turnover battle 2 - 1 this past weekend but for the year, the Buffs are -.67 in the turnover game, ranking 100th in the nation. And of course, you have to mention the poor pass protection that continues to plague the offense. The last two weeks, Colorado has allowed 16 sacks to the opposition. The Buffs have allowed an average of 4.0 sacks a game, which ranks 118th in the college football with only Miami (OH) and Washington State giving up more sacks.

But the stat that will be talked about this week, once again, is Colorado's poor road record. Under Dan Hawkins, the Buffs are 2 - 18 outside the state of Colorado, the main reason why Iowa State is favored by 5.5 points. One of those losses came in 2007 in Ames against an undermanned Cyclones team. In one of those losses in the Dan Hawkins' era that makes Colorado fans cringe, the Buffs jumped out to a 21 - 0 lead in the first half, out gained Iowa State 419 to 351 but were outscored 31 - 7 in the second to lose.

Earlier this year against Kansas State, Colorado players cited that they lacked energy on the road which described their poor play.

The game will not be televised, the first time this season for Colorado.

In another winnable game on the road, Buff fans will be left wondering how their team will respond yet again after another surprise win. The previous two wins, Colorado lost the following game on the road. Iowa State is 3 - 3 at home this season.

Postgame Reaction: KU

TB — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:27:57 -0000

by Charlie Riedel - AP

That, KU fans, is how your force a fumble. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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K-State defeated KU Saturday, 17-10, to return the Governor's Cup to Manhattan. We'll get more into that in a moment, but first, an aside.

To all the KU fans who laughed at Bill Snyder's return, said there was no way he could turn things around because KU and Mizzou were sooo good now, who said after the Colorado and Oklahoma games that K-State wouldn't win another game this year, and to all the fans of all teams who said that K-State was stuck in a spiral of mediocrity from which it was unlikely ever to recover:

Go fuck yourselves. The Legend is back.

Now, before we get into what I liked, what I didn't like and all the other stuff we usually do in this post, I want to look at a few numbers. Here is a comparison of each of K-State's opponent's season averages and what they did against K-State (excepting Texas Tech, because we know they seriously exceeded all season averages in that game):

--Averages: 431 yards per game, 303 passing ypg, 128 rushing ypg, 31 ppg

--Against K-State: 301 total yards, 241 passing yards, 60 rushing yards, 10 points

--Averages: 413 ypg, 274 passing ypg, 139 rushing ypg, 30 ppg

--Against K-State: 458 total yards, 294 passing, 164 rushing, 42 points

Colorado

--Averages: 303 ypg, 217 passing ypg, 86 rushing ypg, 23 ppg

--Against K-State: 244 total yards, 184 passing, 60 rushing, 6 points

Texas A&M

--Averages: 478 ypg, 293 passing ypg, 185 rushing ypg, 36 ppg

--Against K-State: 301 yards, 314 passing, -13 rushing, 14 points

Iowa State

--Averages: 367 ypg, 181 passing ypg, 186 rushing ypg, 21 ppg

--Against K-State: 371 total yards, 164 passing, 204 rushing, 23 points

As you can see, with the exception of the Texas Tech and Oklahoma games, K-State's defense has held its opponents at or below their season averages in yards and points, sometimes significantly so. Let's all stand up and give a big ovation to Vic Koenning and Chris Cosh. This defense was 117th in the nation last season. It currently ranks 43rd. Before the season, we figured that if the defense could improve to even somewhere in the 80s in total defense, it would be a remarkable turnaround. With two games left, it's possible this defense finishes in the top 40, and almost assured that it finishes in the top 50. Simply incredible.

What I liked...

...riding the D-Train. Whereas a lot of teams and players see their numbers fall when they get into conference play, this guy has just gotten better. Yesterday, it was 184 yards on 24 carries (7.7 yards/carry) and one touchdown.

...more wizardry from Vic Koenning and Chris Cosh. At times this season we've been critical that our defensive coordinators play too much soft zone, but there's a clear reason why they're being paid to do the job while we pay to sit in the stands. Yesterday, as has been the case most of the season, the plan was to keep things in front of us, swarm to the ball and tackle well, and force the opponent into long drives. The longer the drive, the better chance of forcing a fumble or getting a stop on a third down. Even on KU's last drive that resulted in points -- the field goal with 5:20 remaining -- the beaks had to run 16 plays just to cover 57 yards, and required two third-down conversions and one fourth-down conversions. It's frustrating that we didn't get the stops when we had a chance, but when you force third downs, the odds are that you'll get stops eventually.

...more disciplined play from the offense. While this team has more weapons than opponents would like to admit, it's not going to put up big numbers most of the time. The key is that Bill Snyder, Dana Dimel and Del Miller recognize that and don't try to force the issue. Grant Gregory is an average-at-best passing quarterback in the Big 12, but the coaches don't try to turn him into Colt McCoy or Landry Jones. They recognize that running the ball, controlling the clock, and limiting turnovers is how to win games with this team. Amazingly, outside of the late INT against Oklahoma last week, this team has not turned the ball over since the Iowa State game.

...throwing it deep on first downs. I may be in the minority in this one, because the inability to convert ended up leading to three second-and-tens, but the two first-down throws to Brandon Banks were good calls. The coordinators seemed to find a weakness, as Banks was open on both throws. Unfortunately, Gregory missed on the first throw (not to mention Banks didn't make the best play on the ball), and Banks just flat dropped what would have been a touchdown on the second throw. So they didn't work, but here's a copy-and-paste of what happened on first down on the next possession:

Gregory, Grant rush for 13 yards to the KU11, 1ST DOWN KS, out-of-bounds (Dudley, Drew).

Even though we couldn't capitalize on the throws, we got KU on its toes, and it opened up a nice running lane for Gregory.

...KU fans claiming that they gave this game away, and that we did nothing to win it. It's clear that these fans have already forgotten how KU had its success in 2007. There is more than one way to win a football game. One way is to line up with superior athletes, chuck it all over the lot, and put up a ton of yards and points. This works fine if you're Texas or Texas Tech or Oklahoma. But there's another way to win football games, and it's something SEC teams have been mastering for years now. Play sound defense that doesn't give up big plays and makes the offense earn everything they get, and protect the ball on offense.

Along with that, it's laughable to claim that KU had more to do with losing this game by turning the ball over than K-State winning it. On both of Todd Reesing's fumbles, the ball was forced out. Josh Moore forced the first one by getting a hat and shoulder right on the ball, and Jeffrey Fitzgerald (I think) slapped the ball out while pursuing from behind on the second one. Now, could both of those have been prevented? Yes, but just about any mistake in a football game can be prevented, it's whether or not the players actually execute. Reesing didn't slide and didn't protect the ball, and our players made him pay for it. On the interception, Reesing could have prevented it by checking down to Opurum in the flat, but he forced it downfield into double coverage and threw it right to Emmanuel Lamur. Again, entirely preventable, but the game comes down to players executing. Our players were in position, and Reesing didn't make the play he should have.

What I didn't like...

...well, um, not much. Moving on.

What it means and where we're going...

In terms of this rivalry, it means the Governor's Cup is back at Vanier Football Complex and that you have scoreboard for the next year over your friends, coworkers and neighbors who are KU fans. In a slightly different sense, it shows a sea tide of change from last year's result. K-State got run over in Lawrence last season by a KU team that ended 8-5. Though yesterday's win wasn't an utter pwning like last year was, it signals something significant in this series. With what was supposed to be their "History Awaits" squad -- now changed to "History, uhh, waits" -- KU couldn't even beat a K-State team that was a popular pick to finish last in the North. Now, with Snyder back and getting this team into position to make a bowl game and in control of its destiny in the Big 12 North, K-State is a team on the rise while KU will have to pick up the pieces after this year as it loses Reesing, Kerry Meier, Dezmon Briscoe, Jake Sharp and Darrell Stuckey.

In terms of the conference race, it once again means that K-State still controls its own destiny in the North. Nebraska's improbable victory over OU last night is neither here nor there, although it certainly wouldn't have hurt to see them lose. If we win next Saturday at home against Missouri and then go to Lincoln and win on 11/21, we will play in Dallas for the Big 12 Championship. That's not to say I won't be cheering like hell for KU to beat Nebraska this weekend, or for Colorado to beat them in Boulder, because a little help never hurts and it's not like we can just count on winning in Lincoln. But the fact remains that if we go 2-0, we will have won the Big 12 North and Snyder will deserve National Coach of the Year honors.

Previous Opponent Roundup

Massachusetts beat Northeastern, 37-7, to move to 5-4 (3-3 CAA) on the season.

Louisiana beat Arkansas State, 21-18, to move to 5-4 (3-2 Sun Belt) on the season.

UCLA finally got a Pac-10 win, beating Washington, 24-23, to move to 4-5 (1-5 Pac-10) on the season.

Nobody cares how Tennessee Tech did.

Recaps for Big 12 opponents are below (Texas Tech was idle).

Texas 35, UCF 3

A bit of a sluggish start (scoreless after one quarter, 14-3 UT lead at halftime) gave way to an easy victory over Central Florida. Colt McCoy put up huge numbers on the day, throwing for 470 yards. A mere 273 of those yards went to Jordan Shipley (did you know he's McCoy's roommate?!?!). Texas has it set on cruise control toward Dallas, with only games against KU, Baylor and Texas A&M remaining.

For more: Burnt Orange Nation

Up next: Baylor (Waco, Texas), 11/14

Colorado 35, Texas A&M 34

I've given up trying to figure out either Colorado or Texas A&M. Colorado hasn't been able to move the ball against a stiff breeze most of the year, and suddenly the Buffs go off for 437 yards against A&M. Hey Aggies, be sure to take your medication this week, this bipolar act is getting old.

For more: The Ralphie Report, I Am The 12th Man

Up next: Colorado vs. Iowa State (Ames, Iowa), 11/14; Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma (Norman, Okla.), 11/14

Oklahoma State 34, Iowa State 8

This game was a real snoozer. I tried to listen to some of it on XM on my way back to Kansas City, but Okie State led 27-0 in the third quarter and nothing of interest was happening. Despite getting Austen Arnaud and Alexander Robinson back on offense, ISU couldn't do anything right in tallying only 242 total yards and one touchdown with the game already well in hand. Good bounceback for Okie State, as the Cowboys are positioning themselves for a nice bowl trip if they finish strong. Meanwhile, the Cyclones are searching for that one more win they need for bowl eligibility.

For more: Clone Chronicles

Up next: Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech (Stillwater, Okla.), 11/14; Iowa State vs. Colorado (Ames, Iowa), 11/14

Nebraska 10, Oklahoma 3

I consider this game some small measure of the universe righting itself after Nebraska turned the ball over eight times in a home loss to Iowa State two weeks ago. Landry Jones apparently was not informed before the game that ~~Shawn~~ Matt O'Hanlon was not on his team, as he proceeded to throw the ball into the Irishman's waiting arms three times (he had five total interceptions in this game). Nebraska's only touchdown drive of the night was a remarkable one-yarder after Landry Jones, you guessed it, threw an interception. For the night, Nebraska "gained" 180 total yards (I want someone to tell me who the last Big 12 team was to win a game in which they gained less than 200 total yards). Nebraska now has a closing stretch that includes road games with KU and Colorado and a home game with K-State. Their defense will shut down or severely limit all three of those teams, but the question is whether their offense can do enough to win (or, at least as was the case last night, not turn the ball over).

For more: Corn Nation, Crimson and Cream Machine

Up next: Nebraska vs. KU (Lawrence, Kan.), 11/14; Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M (Norman, Okla.), 11/14

Random Thoughts About Week 10 (Clone Chronicles)

Mark Kieffer — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:00:26 -0000

My takeaways from Week 10's College Football action:

1. Football is a team sport

Iowa Fan - it has to be really frustrating in what happened on Saturday. At the same time, if your backup QB can't come in and contribute, you don't have as a good team as you thought. There are other teams winning with their backup QB, ask Cincinnati. .You need to have backups that can step up. In football, they are one play away from going in. Yes your team is better than Iowa State's, you still have a chance at the Rose Bowl (with the consolation going to a very good bowl game), but now you can see why the national media didn't respect you as a legit national champion.

Oklahoma - If your kicking game was better, you would have beat Nebraska. Yes a lot of turnovers were committed, including an interception that set up the only TD in the game, but if your kicker made some of those gimmes, you may have won. Still, it's a team sport. If you have a crap kicker, then it's going to hold your team back.

2. WTF?

Cyclones- You forgot to show up to the game yesterday. If playing at home, on ABC, with a chance to get bowl eligible, isn't enough to get you up for the game, I have no clue what is.

Kansas - W-T-F?????? Seriously. A 4 game losing streak including Colorado and K-State? Are they even trying anymore? I just can't believe with the talent they have on the offensive side of the ball, that they are sucking this much. With games against Nebraska, Texas, and Missouri, I am seriously wondering if they can even get one more win to get to a bowl.

Texas A&M - WHAT is going ON???? Against Oklahoma State you looked good. The following week against K-State, you looked like shit. Then against Texas Tech you looked really good, Iowa State's crap defense made you look great. But then you go up to Boulder and allow 35 points?? Colorado isn't some high scoring attack. Hell, you sacked their QB 8 times and LOST! W......T.......F

Houston - You are a paper tiger. After pulling two wins out of your ass in consecutive weeks, I don't think Houston is a good team. A ranked team should be rolling through the CUSA, not struggling. The polls have them ranked way too high!

Notre Dame - I don't know what's crazier, the fact you lost to Navy, or the fact that Navy got a safety on you. I cannot believe that people had this team in the BCS conversation. Navy is a solid team, but if you're thinking BCS, you gotta beat that team... Especially at home.

3. The Bottom Line

College football is crazy and this is an awesome time of year! Anything can happen, and this is feeling a little bit like March Madness with the hoops! All that I will say is that if there's going to be this much parity in the game, there needs to be another way to crown the champion. The current system works better if you have 8 or 9 dynasties, and we simply don't have that.

I can't wait for Week 11!

Corn Flakes: Back in Black

JLew — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:57:59 -0000

More photos » by Nati Harnik - AP

Nebraska's Prince Amukamara is getting NU back in black (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

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Is NU back? No. But those bone throwing boys in black are.

Back in black
I hit the sack [A QB sac?]
I've been too long I'm glad to be back [I bet you know I'm...] [It has been to long]
Yes, I'm let loose
From the noose
That's kept me hanging about
I've been looking at the sky
'Cause it's gettin' me high
Forget the hearse 'cause I never die
I got nine lives
Cat's eyes
Abusin' every one of them and running wild [Yes Nebraska has been abusing opponents]

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Big Red Today - What they said

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Big Red Today - Tom's Takes: Nebraska vs. Oklahoma

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Big Red Today - Five things

Game notes: Helu gets back in his comfort zone

Steven M. Sipple: Tough defense makes trip to Dallas possible

Blackshirts shut down OU

NE StatePaper.com - A Master Class of Coaching

HAMAR: Huskers may have found their identity > The Independent > Sports > Huskers Hq

Scout.com: Instant Analysis - Nebraska 10, Oklahoma 3

Husker Mike's Blasphemy: Blackshirts Hold Sooners in Check

Big 12 helmet stickers: Week 10 - Big 12 - ESPN

The Nebraska defense: Hard to split this one up among so many producers who held Oklahoma to its lowest point production in the 142-game coaching tenure of Bob Stoops. Matt O’Hanlon provided a team-high 12 tackles and three interceptions, including the clincher with 27 seconds left. Ndamukong Suh was all over the field with a pass deflection, four tackles and a blocked kick. Phillip Dillard had eight tackles, including two tackles for losses, a sack and an interception. The entire defense divvied up five interceptions and 12 pass deflections by 10 different players in a stellar effort that keeps their North Division title hopes alive.

Just Good Enough - Nebraska Football

Curt McKeever: O’Hanlon finds redemption against Oklahoma

Huskers sweep Cyclones, gain revenge

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Big Red Today - Blackshirt beauty

Green starts, but Lee gets most of the snaps
Who starts next week?

Report card: Nebraska vs. Oklahoma
Almost straight A's across the board for this one.

Nebraska's defense key in upset of No. 24 Oklahoma - NCAA College Football Recap - ESPN

Sunday Buff Bites - Playmaking, Timely Defense Leads the Way To Buffs' Victory

irish1611 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:33:16 -0000

More photos » by JACK DEMPSEY - AP

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The talk around the web this morning centers around a few topics.

-It is good to have Tyler Hansen at quarterback. Watching the highlights on cubuffs.com, the Buffs could have given up 20 sacks instead of the eight they actually were tallied with if it wasn't for Hansen's mobility. The kid has to be sore after the last two weeks where the Buffs have given up a total of 16 sacks. But just alluding the pressure wouldn't have been enough yesterday. Hansen was able to move well, make throws on the run or tuck the ball and keep the ball for big gains. If you remove the sacks, Hansen would have had over 100 yards rushing to go along with his 270 yards passing. He was hitting receivers in both the deep and intermediate passing game as well as going through his progression successfully hitting many second and third reads. He is still young and growing, behind a poor performing offensive line albeit, but Hansen looks to have the potential for a bright future. Now only if he can get the protection he needs to be successful. The Buffs are flirting with disaster letting Hansen take the number of hits he is in a game. Hansen is not a big kid and will wear down with all of the abuse. The Buffs need to get it figured out up front fast.

-WR Markques Simas introduced himself to the rest of the Big 12 with a break out performance. Along with Hansen and Rodney Stewart, who also ran for over 100 yards and two scores, the Buffs might have some playmakers developing. Once again, you would love to see these three aided by a solid offensive line rather trying to compensate for them. Simas finished the day with 7 catches and 135 yards, good for a 19 yard average. That 19 yard average has been unheard of this year for a Buff player and is certainly a good sight to see for Buff fans. Simas made big catches in key situations. What is nice is that Hansen, Stewart and Simas are all sophomores and could form to be the key trio for Colorado's future. Throw in WR Toney Clemons and potentially WR Andre Simmons, that is a pretty nice corp. Again, it all comes down to getting the offensive line to perform and limit the mistakes the offense seems to make. Without fixing those things, winning will be constant battle against stacked odds, especially against teams with better defenses than the poor one we saw in Texas A&M.

-The defense continues to play pretty well. They still gave up 27 points but key turnovers and crucial drive stopping plays that resulted in field goals and a turnover on downs was spectacular. Also impressive was holding what was an explosive offense to under 375 yards when they came into the game averaging 490 yards per contest, good for first in the offensive minded Big 12 and third in the entire nation.

-Consistency and building momentum will be the big discussion this week. You know the stats from the Ralphie Report. Only twice in the Dan Hawkins era has a Buffs' team won consecutives (two three game streaks). Obviously, this year Colorado has not won back to back games. After the prior home victories against Wyoming and Kansas, the Buffs had to go on the road to try and get a win streak going, both of which resulted in a loss. Along with a lack of winning consecutive games, CU is 2 - 18 away from the state of Colorado in the last four years. Colorado will need to win on the road if they want to get that important back to back win with that has not happened in the past. Next week they play an Iowa State team that was the talk of the Big 12 after Nebraska turned the ball over eight times giving Iowa State a victory in Lincoln. Since that game, Iowa State has been outscored 69 - 18. Against Oklahoma State, the Iowa State offense was non-existent, totalling only 242 yards with 54 rushing yards. Cyclones QB Austen Arnuad threw three interceptions while Oklahoma State running back Keith Toston rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns. The game was played in Ames, Iowa where Colorado will play next week. Moral of the story: this is a winnable road game, no question about it. Part of the frustration with yesterday's win is the fact that you have to temper excitement because of what might happen next week. Colorado has been so inconsistent that many of us have bitten on a solid performance and started believing only to be dissapointed the next week (see Kansas this year). This game against Iowa State next week is a game the Buffs usually lose that leaves us scratching our head.

Buff bites are after the jump...

ESPN Highlights

Here is some game highlights from ESPN from the Buffs game against Texas A&M. Also, check out these highlights from former Buff commit now Utah QB Jordan Wynn. Wynn started last night for Utah as a true freshman and he impressed, going 18 - 28 for 297 yards and two scores. Good performance from Mr. Wynn.

Woelk: Now, CU Buffs must learn to build on win - Boulder Daily Camera

What we know for sure this morning: Tyler Hansen can play quarterback. The kid who a few weeks ago led Colorado to a win over Kansas by virtue of pure athletic ability continues to grow into the position. His play in the fourth quarter on Saturday, when the Buffs overcame a 31-21 deficit, showed a level of maturity that wouldn`t have been present even a couple of weeks ago. There`s a future there.

However, we`ve been through this drill before. After a win over Wyoming. After a win over Kansas. And now ... Now we`ll wait. Wait to see if the Buffs can actually build off of a big victory. Skeptical, you say? Darned right. Consistency has never been a Buff trademark in the Hawkins era; in fact, it might be the biggest missing component since his arrival. It`s been a maddening trend.

Hansen, CU Buffs regain winning form against A&M - Boulder Daily Camera

Hansen looked more like the quarterback who led the Buffs to an upset over then-No. 17 Kansas three weeks ago. He threw for 271 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 45 yards. He actually gained 105 yards on the ground on 20 carries, but losses from eight sacks severely reduced his total rushing yards. It was the second consecutive week he was sacked eight times. The sophomore quarterback, who took over the starting role at midseason, led four different scoring drives of at least eight plays. He committed only one turnover after consecutive weeks of multiple miscues against Kansas State and Missouri. "This was probably the first game that Tyler has played where he really looked to me like he was in a groove," coach Dan Hawkins said.

Buffs give up eight QB sacks again - Boulder Daily Camera

Here is a statistic to chew on. Anyone wondering why the Buffs will be hard-pressed to qualify for a bowl game this season need look no further than the inability of the offensive line, tight ends and running backs to protect the quarterback this fall. The last time the Buffs went bowling in 2007, that team gave up 16 sacks the whole season. These Buffs have done it two weeks.

A week ago, the Buffs began making themselves run for penalties committed in practice. It doesn`t seem to be having much of an effect. Colorado came into the Texas A&M game as one of the most penalized teams in the country. Only four teams had committed more penalties this season than the Buffs prior to Saturday. CU committed 10 more penalties against Texas A&M and has now committed 82 penalties for 683 yards this season. The Buffs are probably not going to threaten the CU single-season record for penalties, set at 116 in 2005.

Great game in Simas' grasp - The Denver Post

Simas' 135 receiving yards were more than double any of his previous games. "I feel real good about it," Simas said. "I feel like I've had that in me the whole time, and now I had a chance to show it. I was able to give everyone a taste of what's to come."

Buffs' Perkins picks great time for first interception - The Denver Post

Not so blue. A protest of CU's football program organized on Facebook urged fans to wear powder blue (per CU's teams in the Chuck Fairbanks era) to the game to show their disgust at the state of the team. It didn't go unnoticed in CU football camp. "Real Buffs fans wear black and gold," CU coach Dan Hawkins said.

Playmakers put spark in Buff offense - Boulder Daily Camera
Stewart, Simas, Devenny all come up with big plays

CU Buffs rally late to defeat Texas A&M - The Denver Post

Colorado's gritty defense did its job too. Jerrod Johnson, second nationally in total offense at 328.9 yards a game, had only 251. The Buffs held A&M (5-4, 2-3) to field goals on back-to-back drives in the fourth quarter.

Colorado-Texas A&M Notes - CUBuffs.com

Colorado-Texas A&M Quotes - CUBuffs.com

Givens returns to CU offensive line - The Longmont Times-Call

CU reported the attendance at 47,227. Athletic director Mike Bohn said 2,500 tickets were sold for the game over the previous week. ... CU linebacker coach Brian Cabral wore his trademark lava lava for the game, his 300th (254th as a coach, 46 as a player) with the program. ... CU had four plays of 30 yards or more; it entered with seven in 2009. ... Rodney Stewart now has 1,210 rushing career yards; good for fifth all-time for a sophomore at CU. ... Scotty McKnight extended his reception streak to 33 straight games with at least one. ... Texas A&M went 6-for-9 on third down conversions in the first half, 0-for-5 in the second.

Aggies stunned by Colorado

What was wrong was that A&M's defense surrendered 35 points to a CU team averaging a Big 12-low 21.8 coming in. The Buffs, also last in the league with 286.1 yards of total offense a game, gouged the Aggies for 437. That was most in a Big 12 game and second-highest total overall for the Buffs (3-6 overall, 2-3 Big 12) this season.

Colorado Edges Texas A&M 35-34 - CUBuffs.com

Buffs answer critics - The Longmont Times-Call

Scott's transfer puzzle for CU - The Denver Post

"He should have stuck it out," Hagan said. "(The lack of playing time) was no fault of his own. The guy just wasn't healthy. If he could have gotten healthy, he could have been a dynamic back here. One day, he'll realize his decision was not the right one." Asked if he would have changed anything about the way he handled his prized prospect, Hagan said he would have been more stern. "I wasn't hard on him at all," Hagan said. "I gave him a lot of leeway. In retrospect, maybe (stronger discipline) is something Darrell should have had. But that's not the way I was coached (by Bill McCartney). It's not the way I like to coach."

Kiszla: CU blues start with loyalty - The Denver Post
I really don't know what Mark Kiszla is trying to say with this article, maybe you guys can figure it out. Below is all I could really figure out:

It has been trendy to suggest athletic director Mike Bohn start looking to replace Hawkins and his 16-30 record. The frustration is understandable, but from a practical standpoint, how many proven coaches would be gung-ho to take the whistle at a football program that ranks outside of the top 40 in attendance and lacks top-of-the-line facilities?

Week 10 Wrap-up: Iowa State 8, Oklahoma State 34

Mark Kieffer — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:52:38 -0000

More photos » by Steve Pope - AP

Today, the OSU running backs had holes like whoa!

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In my preview, I talked about some of the questions the Cyclones needed to answer to win the game.

I think we found out that the #16 rushing offense can't not rush well against the #6 rushing defense. We also found that that the #101 passing offense cannot pass the ball against the #107 passing defense. When Iowa State had the ball, it was classic strength on strength, with OSU's being better.

The Iowa State defense is still somewhere in Lincoln Nebraska. Our offense is out of sync right now. The frustrating thing is that this wasn't even a game for any period of time. I can handle losing. I think Oklahoma State is a really good team. I've had them at #3 in my Big 12 weekly power rankings. I didn't expect us to win.... But I did expect us to be competitive for at least a half.

Whatever kind of passion and intensity this team played with in Lincoln did not make it's way to College Station, nor in Ames. This team did NOT look ready to play at all, and it showed. Oklahoma State had their way with us. If they hadn't played it so conservativley late in the 2nd quarter and in the 4th quarter, they would've put up 50.

So what happens now? Everyone assumed that the Colorado game would be the one where we got bowl eligible. With Colorado scoring 35, let along beating A&M, and with the way Iowa State's offense has been playing, how can anyone be confident that Iowa State will win? I can tell you that if they come out next week the way they did this week, they stand no chance.

It just seems to me that this team felt like "they made it" against Nebraska, and haven't had any kind of edge. We've looked soft, and are playing the way we did down the stretch last year. This team has it in them to play hard, but they just aren't right now.

Also, when you're down by 27 late in the 4th quarter and you come up with a stop on defense, don't celebrate on the field. It looks foolish.

This team needs to put in a lot of work this next week, because they need to win the following week.

Week 10: Oklahoma State Preview

Mark Kieffer — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:34:16 -0000

I'm going to keep this preview short and sweet, as I was behind on it.

The game is at 2:30pm Central time. It's regionally on ABC. It's at Jack Trice against a #19 (in the BCS) team in Oklahoma State.

This is a big game for the Cyclones as they continue their question to push for a bowl bid. Pulling the upset here would almost ensure that. With the weather reaching 70, there's really no reason that a Cyclone fan in the area should NOT get to this game. There are plenty of tickets available. If you're reading this and have the chance to go, roll on up! The team could use it. Just buy a hillside and then sneak into an upper corner section and sit there! I did that all year last year!

How We Match Up:

Look at how the teams fare:

1. Iowa State's #16 rushing offense (199 yards/game) vs. Oklahoma State's #6 rushing defense (90 yards/game)

2. Iowa State's #101 passing offense (173 yards/game) vs. Oklahoma State's #107 passing defense (263 yards/game)

3. Oklahoma State's #43 rushing offense (158 yards/game) vs. Iowa State's #63 rushing defense (144 yards/game)

4. Oklahoma State's #63 passing offense (214 yards/game) vs. Iowa State's #95 passing defense (253 yards/game)

All of my questions about this game surround Iowa State. Will they be able to run against this defense? If not, will they be able to take advantage of facing a bad passing defense? Defensively, can Iowa State stop the run? Also, can Iowa State hold Oklahoma State to their passing averages?

That's why the play the game. Let's go State! Let's pull this off!