This 2022 season in the Big 12 has been an incredible ride for all the conference members. But as we review all the Big 12 week eight takeaways, it’s important to remember “you are what your record says you are.” Yes, the separation between the top and bottom of the Big 12 is not as cavernous as other conferences (*cough* SEC *cough* Pac 12 *cough*). But with all teams having played seven games now, there isn’t a lot of room to hide from the wins and losses earned this year.
Big 12 Week Eight Takeaways
TCU Still On Top
For the second consecutive week, head coach Sonny Dykes somehow got his team to rally back from another three-score deficit in front of the home crowd in Fort Worth. With their 38-28 victory over Kansas State, the Horned Frogs remained the conference’s only remaining undefeated team. The skeptic would be quick to point out that TCU has basically played all of its Big 12 opponents in a vulnerable state. It started with facing Oklahoma with their backup quarterback. Then Kansas’ backup quarterback for one half of football, before almost getting run out of their stadium by a wounded Spencer Sanders and Oklahoma State.
In their latest game, TCU got to see the entire quarterback depth chart for the Wildcats as, at one point in the game, it was the third-string quarterback having to take snaps. Now, it’s important that in all of these games, TCU’s own quarterback has not flinched. Max Duggan, who was not the week one starter, finished 17-of-26 passing for 280 yards, three touchdowns, and zero turnovers in another comeback effort. Again, this team is 7-0, full stop. But the Horned Frogs have not grabbed the “favorite” banner just yet to win the Big 12.
Texas Not Quite Back
Despite the decades worth of results in games like this, we were ready to believe Texas and this offense were ready to put it all completely together. And it was all coming to fruition for the first half of their game with Oklahoma State. Quarterback Quinn Ewers wasn’t at his best, but he didn’t need to be. They were running all over the Pokes with Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson. And with 3:43 in the first half, Texas held a 31-17 lead. But maybe this is when all that empirical data should have rung bells in the minds of anyone wanting to believe Texas had turned a corner.
Instead of their race car offense refilling for a lengthy pit stop at halftime, they just could not regain that same flow in the second half. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian watched as the Longhorns only scored three points in the second half. Meanwhile, Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy somehow conjured up enough duct tape and glue to keep his injury-riddle team together. The Cowboys clawed and scratched for a come-from-behind victory by the score of 41-34. And here we are, again, towards the end of October and Texas already has three losses. You are what your record says you are.
Kansas Honeymoon Is Over
After week five, Kansas was the new hotness. But just like Tommy Lee Jones not so subtly reminds Will Smith, the “old and busted” programs of the Big 12 still are doing the driving. This is the most deflating of the Big 12 week eight takeaways only because Kansas’ story was so much fun. It is very clear, after Kansas’ third consecutive loss, that this team just isn’t the same without Jalon Daniels. In their 35-23 defeats at the hands of the Baylor Bears, the picture of Kansas has come into full focus. This is a team with major deficiencies on the defensive side of the ball but was overcome thanks to the heroics of Daniels. The Jayhawks are entering a much-needed bye week where they are hopeful Daniels can return as they host Oklahoma State on November 5th.
Have We Seen Enough Out Of Neal Brown?
There are approximately $20 million reasons why West Virginia head coach Neal Brown will still be employed in his current role next year. But after getting throttled by Texas Tech, 48-10, it appears the script on Brown is not going to be revised any more. In the previous three seasons, he has only won more than five games in the regular season one time and that was six wins last year. The Mountaineers, who currently sit 3-4, have quite a mountain to climb to even hit the five-win mark.
The current top three teams in the Big 12 standings still remain on their schedule. A tricky road spot in Ames, and a visit by (when healthy) a potent Sooners attack, leaves no room for error. For a program facing financial uncertainty, a big decision looms if this team truly is unable to flip the three-and-a-half-year script that Brown has composed.
