Big 12 Stock Market – Week 1
Aug 31, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys quarterback J.W. Walsh (4) scores a touchdown during the second quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The Big 12 finished 6-3 to open up the season — two losses coming at the hands of the FCS — and finished 1-1 against the SEC. Overall, it was an OK weekend for the conference and here is a look at who is rising, who did just enough and whos stock fell after Week 1 action.
Rising Stock! BUY BUY BUY!
Oklahoma State defense — Holding anyone to just three points is impressive, holding a SEC opponent to just three points when OSU has not been known for playing any defense, even more impressive. The Cowboys limited what may be a 4-8 team to three points on 333 yards overall. Miss. State is not going to be a passing power like what Oklahoma State will face throughout its trip through the Big 12 conference schedule, but it is something to build on.
Lache Seastrunk — Seastrunk looks for real. Let’s pump the brakes a bit and admit it was Wofford he was running against, but he ran for 111 yards on 11 cares (10.2 per carry). His speed and ability to break tackles looked ready for a potential Heisman run. I am not ready to crown him the best, but he looked good on the ground.
Oklahoma — Outside of the quarterback play, and maybe the offensive play the whole first half, the Sooners defense did look good against LA Monroe (LAM knocked off Arkansas last year). The 34-0 knock-off of the Sun Belt squad showed that it is going to be hard to score on the Oklahoma defense this year, and West Virginia comes in next week looking about as impressive as Monroe did on Saturday.
Trevon Boykin — The TCU offense with Casey Pachall taking snaps was lack luster much of the opening half against LSU, then entered Boykin. He may not have the best arm but he made the Horned Frogs offense click. Boykin led TCU to within three of the Tigers, having an opportunity to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. It is way too early to say that Boykin is going to start over Pachall during the season, Gary Patterson already saying Pachall starts next Saturday, but if there was a guy that could bring lightning to an offense, Boykin may be that person.
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Hold onto it, stock’s that did enough
Baylor and Texas — Putting these two together because it is what is is, both played inferior opponents. Taking care of business when you should is important, see later in the list, but while both looked great on Saturday, both still have things to prove this season. Baylor took care of Wofford and Texas obliterated New Mexico State. Better tests are on the schedule to show if these two teams are back in the Big 12 title hunt.
David Ash — Ash put up some numbers through the air on Saturday. Ash was 20-28 for 343 yards and looked in form to have a great season. If Ash is going to live up to the preseason hype though, he will need to put up those same numbers against an Oklahoma defense in a few weeks in the Red River Rivalry.
Texas Tech — If a few calls go the other way, the Red Raiders could have been further down the list, but they did not and Texas Tech lives on. There were 122 passing attempts overall in this contest against SMU and Baker Mayfield completed 43 (out of 60) passes for 413 yards through the air with four touchdowns. The high-flying offense seems to be making a return. The Mustangs did not show anything to stop this offense and Tech broke it open late.
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Stocks that lost value
TCU — The Horned Frogs lost by 10 to LSU on Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, respectable to a team that should contend for the SEC. However, the Frogs did not look good when it counted. TCU let LSU convert on 13 third downs out of 19 tries and the Frogs defense did not provide a pivotal pass rush it needed. That will change when Devonte Fields returns from suspension, but the Frogs will need to watch out next week against SE Louisiana. TCU, and the Big 12, can’t afford a let down against a team that put up 45 points in its season opener.
The Big 12 itself — 6-3 is respectable when you are looking at it without considering who two of the losses came to. The conference had two losses to FCS teams and West Virginia needed late heroics to avoid a major disappointment for the league. Outside of a lone conference game between WVU and Oklahoma, the conference will need to take care of business to cool the fire that the Big 12 is not what it used to be.
West Virginia — Speaking of letdowns, the Mountaineers survived against William and Mary. Survived should never come in the same sentence when playing W&M. West Virginia looked lost without Geno Smith and there are questions on if this team should be in the conference or not just one season and a game in. The Mountaineers are going to have to dig deep in their conference opener next Saturday at Oklahoma.
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There’s no value here, burn it up
Kansas State and Iowa State — What a difference a year makes for Kansas State. Last season the Wildcats were the Big 12 co-champions and played in the Fiesta Bowl, this season KSU opens with a loss to North Dakota State. NDSU was back-to-back FCS champions, but that is not much of an excuse. Iowa State on the other hand fell to Northern Iowa, making the Missouri Valley Conference 2-0 against the Big 12, eek!.