10 BIG 12
KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
Wildcats to take on Iowa State at Arrowhead
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas State wide receiver Brandon Banks runs into the end zone to score a touchdown in the first quarter of the Wildats' game against Tennessee Tech last Saturday, in Manhattan. Kansas State travels to Arrowhead Stadium to play Iowa State this weekend.
By Justin Nutter Kansas State Collegian
MANHATTAN — It looks like Wildcat Nation may have witnessed Brandon Banks' comingout party last weekend against Tennessee Tech.
- When I watch replays of his two touchdowns, I can't help but imagine Mitch Holthus' radio calls of David Allen returning punts back in the glory years.
- Hopefully, Banks can recreate some of that success this weekend against Iowa State at Arrowhead Stadium. Chances are the team will need it.
- Daniel Thomas should post another 100-yard performance, but I'd be really surprised if Bill Snyder has Carson Coffman take too many shots downfield.
- No offense to K-State's offense, but if the Wildcats want to win this one, they'll probably have to do it on defense and special teams.
- Coffman has been spotty, at best, this year, and Snyder said himself that Iowa State's secondary is "lights out."
- It wouldn't have been a bad idea to give Coffman more than nine passing attempts last weekend, but Snyder kept the ball on the ground in attempt to keep the team's point total down. Not a bad decision, but the starting signal-caller could have used the practice.
- Which streak is more depressing: Iowa State's nine-game conference losing streak or Coffman's streak of 14 straight quarters without a touchdown pass?
- I'd be willing to bet one of those streaks comes to an end this weekend. Unfortunately, I'm not sure which one it will be.
- I sure hope early ticket sales for this weekend aren't an indicator of the number of purple-clad fans making the trip to Kansas City, Mo. As of Monday night, the number of K-State tickets sold hadn't reached 10,000. That's downright embarrassing.
- I know trips cost money and we're all college students, but let's be real. It's a three-day weekend and most of us would spend just as much on booze. Come on, K-State fans. Do the right thing. See you at Arrowhead on Saturday.
MISSOURITIGERS
Big 12 North teams are weaker than expected
By Matt Gerstner The Maneater
COLUMBIA, Mo. — An observation shook me Saturday as I watched Kansas (to my disappointment) eek one out against Southern Mississippi. There is no Big 12 North team that looks BCS-worthy right now. Hell, they don't look Cotton Bowl-worthy.
Nebraska is not as good as people thought it would be. Iowa State is a nonfactor, as is Colorado. Kansas State — wow. And Missouri and Kansas are sputtering and coughing against Western Athletic Conference, Mid-American Conference and Conference USA teams, which should not happen.
Missouri is getting the wins. I understand that. We knew it wasn't going to be as easy as it was the last two years. But the Bowling Green game was a sad excuse for effort. It took a couple of three-and-outs to get going against Furman. We made Nevada look much better than they are.
So the two teams who have the only real
The good thing with the Tigers right now is they're kind of flying under the radar, even with two out of their first four games on national television and another coming up. Unfortunately, the Tigers probably won't enjoy that conspicuity much longer after that upcoming game.
shot at a Big 12 North title are just waiting to go to the slaughterhouse against the Texas Longhorns. The Big 12 South is just too stacked.
Here's the way I see it. If Missouri wins, big time or not, the Tigers aren't a secret anymore. Now, they have a target and a top 25 ranking on their back. Teams actually focus on the Tigers, and when we play teams like Texas and Oklahoma State, things could get ugly.
If Missouri loses, well, you can kiss any confidence goodbye. Big 12 Championship and any respect from Kansas you might have had going into the Border War, which actually could work out for the Tigers. That opens up the door for an upset. That is, if Kansas doesn't follow a similar path.
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
Defense earns Huskers first shutout since 2006
By Max Olson
Daily Nebraskan
LINCOLN, Neb. — Can we call them Black- shirts yet?
Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini isn't so sure now's the time to be passing out those coveted black practice jerseys, but his defense certainly made a case for them Saturday against Louisiana-Lafayette.
"That'll be a staff decision, but I thought we had a heck of a performance tonight," Pelini said.
Thanks in large part to three takeaways and five forced three-and-outs, NU's defense stifled the Ragin' Cajuns' spread offense, holding Lafayette to zero points and showing little hangover from last weekend's heartbreaking loss to Virginia Tech.
That fatal final drive against Tech overshadowed an otherwise dominant performance, but junior defensive end Pierre Allen said the drive gave NU's defenders a chip on their shoulders entering Saturday's game.
After forcing no turnovers against the Hokies — a stat Bo Pelini called "unacceptable" — the Huskers responded with the team's first plus-3 turnover margin in a game since 2005.
"With all the difference-making plays that could have been a week ago, a turnover could've changed our result," Carl Pelini said. "We wanted to be more aggressive to the football, take chances, get after it and don't let an opportunity go by."
Though Pelini was happy with the shutdown play of his starters Saturday, the fact that NU still earned its first shutout since 2006 was even more pleasing.
NU's defense is now ranked No.3 in the nation for points allowed after giving up only 7 per game during the non-conference schedule. That stinginess will be put to the test on the road against Missouri.
"That's going to be a great game — Thursday night, everybody's going to be watching," he said. "If I were to sit here and say I don't want to get them from last year, I'd be lying."
THE WAVE OCTOBER 2,2009
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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