THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2014
PAGE 7
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Big 12 Notebook: Oklahoma, Baylor still leading
STELLA LIANG
@stelly_liang
BIG 12 REPORT
The top two teams in the Big 12 continued to separate themselves from the pack as Oklahoma and Baylor turned in the most dominant performances this weekend.
In nine non-conference games, the Big 12 went 6-3; Kansas State had a bye week. West Virginia and Iowa State played in close games and earned the victories. Texas was the only team to face a ranked opponent, and the Longhorns came out with a close loss to UCLA.
In the Associated Press poll released Sunday, the Big 12 gained a new team ranked in the Top 25, as Oklahoma State makes its debut at No. 25. Oklahoma holds steady at No. 4. Baylor gains a spot at No. 7.
and the idle K-State drops one spot to No.20.
Many teams are going into a bye week before the start of their conference schedule.
BIG 12 POWER RANKINGS
1. OKLAHOMA (3-0)
Last time out: Won vs. Tennessee
34-10
The Sooners defeated the SEC team with an overall efficient performance. Receiver Sterling Shepard had five catches for 109 yards. The defense forced three Tennessee turnovers, including a 100-yard interception in the fourth quarter to seal the game.
Trending: Same Next up: At West Virginia
2. BAYLOR (3-0)
Last time out: Won at Buffalo
63-21
The Baylor offense showed no signs of stopping. Quarterback Bryce Petty threw four touchdowns, and the running game produced another four scores.
Trending: Same Next up: Bye week
Next up:
3. KANSAS STATE (2-0)
Last time out: Won at Iowa State
32-28. Two weeks ago The Wildcats were off this week, but still sit at the top of the Big 12 standings with their victory against Iowa State.
Next up: vs. No. 5 Auburn
4. OKLAHOMA STATE (2-1)
Last time out: Won vs. University
of Texas-San Antonio 43-13
The Cowboys may have lost quarterback J.W. Walsh for the season with a broken foot. Daxx Garman started in his place Saturday, and the offense didn't miss a beat. The team entered the Top 25 of the AP
Trending: Same
Next up: Bye week
rankings.
Last time out: Won vs. Minnesota 20.7
5. TCU (2-0)
30-7
The Horned Frog defense smothered its Big 10 opponent. TCU forced five turnovers and held Minnesota to 99 yards rushing.
Last time out: Won at Maryland 40-37
Trending: Up Next up: Bye week
The Mountaineers tried to give this one away as they watched a 22-point lead disappear. Quarterback Clint Trickett was 37 for 49 for 511 yards, and had four touchdowns and one interception. West Virginia defeated Maryland on a last-minute field goal.
6. WEST VIRGINIA (2-1)
Trending: Same Next up: vs. No. 4 Oklahoma
7. TEXAS (1-2)
Last time out: Lost vs. No. 12
UCLA 20-17
7. TEXAS (1-2)
In what turned out to be a battle of the backup quarterbacks, Texas held its own. Tyrone Swoopes threw for two touchdowns and no interceptions while starting for quarterback David Ash. The offense has shown some improvement.
8. TEXAS TECH (2-1)
Trending: Up
Next up: Bye week
Last time out: Lost vs. Arkansas
49-28
The Red Raider defense could not stop the Arkansas run game. The Razorbacks ran all over for 438 yards and seven touchdowns.
Trending: Down
Next up: Bye week
9. IOWA STATE (1-2)
TWO-WAY TERRANCE?
Trending: Up
Last time out. Won at Iowa 20-17 After a near victory against K-State, Iowa State picked up a victory against in-state rival Iowa. The Cyclones kicked a field goal with two seconds left. At one point, they were down 14-3.
Trending: Up
Next up: Bve week
10. KANSAS (1-1)
Knighton is a nose tackle with a nose for the ball, and
Last time out: Lost at Duke 41-3 The Jayhawks were defeated soundly on the road. Quarterback Montell Cozart is completing 45 percent of his passes through two games.
Trending: Down
Denver's defense secures 24-17 win over Kansas City
Next up: vs. Central Michigan
Edited by Rob Pyatt
ASSOCIATED PRESS
DENVER — The Denver Broncos have their issues on third down. Goal-line stands are another matter altogether.
For the second straight week, Denver's remodeled defense mustered a pair of goal line stands to fend off an opponent in a tight game.
Terrance Knighton deflected Alex Smith's fourth-and-goal pass to Dwayne Bowe from the 2 with 15 seconds left Sunday, preserving Denver's 24-17 win over the injury-riddled Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs (0-2) also came up empty on a 19-play drive to start the second half that ate up 10 minutes and ended when Cairo Santos, who beat out veteran Ryan Succop in camp, was wide right on a 37- yard field-goal try.
The Chiefs converted 11 of 16 third downs and controlled the clock in the second half, keeping Peyton Manning on the sideline for all but 9:46.
As coach John Fox told his team afterward: "Never apologize for getting wins in this league, men."
"It's part of football," said Manning, who was 21 of 26 for 242 yards and three TDs with no interceptions. "I've been in games like that where you get excited on third-and-long, start warming up, ready to get out there. The defense out there, they were maybe bending a little, but not breaking."
The Broncos aren't pretty but they're perfect heading into next week's showdown in Seattle, where they'll face a Seahawks team that handed them a Super Bowl shellacking and then talked trash about them in the offseason.
"I'm so ready for this week," cornerback Chris Harris, Jr. said. "I'm going to make sure everybody's on point and make sure that we don't kill ourselves and beat ourselves. Because if we're going to beat the Seattle Seahawks, we can't go down there with these mental mistakes and dumb penalties that we've been having."
Whenever things got tough during offseason training for the Broncos, players took to hollering, "35!" — their margin of defeat in that nightmare at the Meadowlands eight months ago.
Aqib Talib's interception return for a TD earlier in the drive was negated when Quanterus Smith jumped offside. And Nate Irving's fumble recovery following DeMarcus Ware's sack and strip was changed to an incomplete pass after a review.
Twice before Knighton's game-saver, the Broncos thought they'd turned back the Chiefs on their final drive.
Other takeaways from Denver's 12th win in its last 13 games against AFC West opponents:
for good reason: he was tight end in high school.
"I have great ball instincts being an ex-wide receiver," Knighton said after deflecting Kansas City's last gasp by reaching up and deflecting Smith's pass with his right arm.
So, what would it take for Manning to have Knighton line up with him as a not-so-secret offensive weapon, like J.J. Watt did in Oakland on Sunday?
"Might have to send two guys out of the game to put Terrance in there," Manning deadpanned. "Believe it or not, I have thrown some passes to him in practice and he does have good hands. I will vouch for that. High school receiver, he says."
VICKERSON'S UNHAPPY HOMECOMING
Chiefs defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson had just one tackle in his return to Denver, dumping Monte Ball for a 2-yard loss in the first quarter.
"It was a little bit different. Just my familiarity with these guys helped me out a lot," Vickerson said. "But other than that, the game is the game. Football don't change, players do."
The ninth-year veteran was the final cut in Denver this season, beaten out by a younger, cheaper and healthier Mitch Unrein.
Vickerson signed a one-year deal with Kansas City last week after defensive tackle Mike De-Vito got hurt.
"They made a business decision, I made a business decision." Vickerson said. "I get another shot at them. We're going to do a split. They got us this one, but we're going to get them next time."
INJURY EPIDEMIC
The rematch is Nov. 30 at Arrowhead.
After losing three starters to season-ending injuries in their opener, the Chiefs lost two key starters to ankle injuries.
They had hoped to get All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles more carries after he ran just seven times in the opener, but Charles left with an ankle injury in the first half, as did safety Eric Berry.
Charles had just two carries for 4 yards and one catch for 8. Backup Knile Davis ran 22 times for 79 yards and two touchdowns, but the Chiefs sorely missed Charles on their two drives that stalled after getting inside Denver's 5-yard line.
"Everything is magnified down there," Smith said. "It hurts to have him out."
Notes: While Bowe returned from his one-game suspension and caught three passes for 40 yards, the Broncos were without WR Wes Welker again. His four-game suspension could be rescinded this week if the NFL signs off on the new drug policy that the NFLPA rubber-stamped on Friday.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas City Chiefs running back Knile Davis scores against the Denver Broncos during the second half of the game last Sunday. The Broncos defeated the Chiefs 24-17.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Denver Broncos defensive end DeMarcus Ware, Nate Irving, left, and Terrance Knighton, rear, stop Kansas City Chiefs running back Knie Davis short of the goal line to force a fourth down during the second half of last Sunday's game in Denver.