DDT

Checking in on the Big 12

Big 12 notes:

Dec. 3, OU and Okie State will end their quest for Big 12 grail, when they meet in the game called “Bedlam.” Winner claims the league title and waits to see if enough other Top Ten teams lose, which could open a back door to the Final Four for the Big 12 champ. Unlikely, but doable.

In conference play last weekend, OU abused West Virginia, Texas committed the unpardonable sin of losing to Kansas (the lowest ranked Power 5 team in the country), and Texas Tech, once known as a scoring machine, gave up 66 to Iowa State, while scoring only 10 in a 66-10 blowout loss. Those Red Raiders just don’t play D (they’ve never played D). And now Coach Kingsbury’s job description is being read to him. “Win, son. You must win,” said the fortuneteller.

Baylor also had a bad week, but given the year they've had it wasn't exactly breaking news, so we left them out of the graphic.

Texas still treads lightly on the bubble after an embarrassing possibly job-ending loss to KU for Charlie Strong. A win over TCU this weekend could salvage coach’s career in Austin, a loss pretty much ends it.

The Texas players have rallied around coach, even threatening to boycott the final regular season game against TCU if Strong is sacked this week. “Boycott not happening,” said coach in his Monday morning press conference. “We just need to go out and win this game.”

It is DDT’s position that Coach Strong should be given one more year so that his first recruiting class, who will be seniors next year, can show their metal. “This team is going to win ten games next year, no matter who’s coaching them in 2017,” said coach. DDT concurs. Let some other team have Tom Herman.

Five Big 12 squads are now bowl eligible: OU, Okie State, West Virginia, KState and Baylor. Winner of the Texas/TCU game in Austin Thanksgiving will have six wins and become eligible.

Updating DDT’s Bubble Watch

The Good:

Clay Helton, USC: Turned the program around, and in spite of three early-season losses the Trojans have won seven in a row and are feared in the PAC12.

Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech: A respectable 7-4 and a chance to beat state rival Georgia will probably save coach.

Bob Davie, New Mexico: Early season losses to two of the worst squads in the land (New Mexico State and Rutgers) didn’t look good, but the Lobos won five in a row. The loss to Colorado State last weekend doesn’t look good, but if the UNM beats Wyoming in the season ender and make a bowl game, things will look up and Davie may survive.

The Bad, the Ugly and the Ambiguous:

Brian Kelley, Notre Dame: Anything short of the national championship is viewed with skepticism by the disciples of Touchdown Jesus. However, in spite of another disapointing season, the high priests of the campus have indicted that Kelley has their support and may survive just one more year.

Gus Malzahn, Auburn, appears to have survived. Six wins in a row and a close loss to Georgia could have locked it down for Malzahn. A win against Alabama in the Iron Bowl would guarantee continuity. A blow-out loss to the Tide might summon the Turk to coach’s doorstep again.

Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern: Another mediocre record at 5-6, which may become 6-6 and lock up a bowl game if the ‘Cats beat Illinois in the final regular season contest.

Darrel Hazell, Purdue: A record of 6-30 in four years and 2-10 last year didn’t add up. Coach got the sack a few weeks ago.

David Bailiff, Rice: The Owls aren’t winning and rarely win. A 3-8 record this year with a probable loss to Stanford in the final game of the year doesn’t look good for Baillif.

Tim DeRuyter, Fresno State: Sacked, replacement already hired.

Rich Rodriguez, Arizona: No announcement, yet, but it’s hard to see RichRod making the cut. A record of 2-8 with seven losses in a row is indefensible.

Ed Orgeron, LSU: Still on the bubble. The loss to a crippled Florida team didn’t help, but coach didn’t inherit much of an offense, so it’s hard to tell what he can do.

Add to the list:

Cliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech: A 2-6 conference record in the Big 12, and 4-7 overall and, whoa! what’s this? a 66-10 blow-out loss to Iowa State last weekend. The times they may be a-changin’ in Lubbock.

Sean Kugler, UTEP: Last in Conference USA at 1-6 in conference play and 3-8 overall for a total record of 17-31 in five years in El Paso. The former NFL offensive line coach reached his level of incompetence* with his hire as Premier Jefe at UTEP. Home attendance is down, fan support eroding. *The Peter Principle.

Mark Whipple, UMass: Another basketball school that, in the case of football, is wondering aimlessly in the wilderness of major college play as an Independent. The Minute Men are 2-9 on the year with their only wins against Florida International and DivOneAA Wagner. Whipple is now 8-27 at his current employment, but he may be safe only because who’d want that job? But four years in DivOne for the school and four losing seasons. Current team record: 10-49. Time to reconsider their role in DivOne. Might be time to go back to FCS.

Penn State and Minnesota in the Big Ten Conference Championship game?

After all the hype about Ohio State and Michigan, neither may wind up in the Big Ten Conference Championship game. It could happen. In the East Division of the conference, if Ohio State beats Michigan this weekend, and Penn State beats Michigan State, it creates a tie between the Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions, and the Nits would advance based their win over the Bucks. If Michigan beats Ohio State and Penn State beats Michigan State, the Wolverines go based on their win over the Nittany Lions. If Penn State loses their game, the winner of Ohio State Michigan advances.

In the West Division Division, if Nebraska beats Iowa, and Wisconsin beats Minnesota, the Badgers get in because they beat the Children of the Corn. But, if Minnesota beats Wisconsin and Nebraska loses to Iowa it creates a three way tie between the ‘Huskers, Badgers, and Gophers. Then Minnesota would get in, because the other two have played in the conference championship game recently. A Nebraska win and a Wisconsin loss puts NU in. And so it goes.