[2024] [Week 1] Bundy's Big 12 Blitz

[Bundy]

BIG 5

Recapping the five biggest games of the week

UTSA 33, #8 Houston 27

Yikes, might be all that can be said. UTSA outplayed the nationally-regarded Cougars despite DT Sony Ogletree's best efforts (including 3.5 sacks), but Trevon Cothran really looked uncomfortable and, while throwing 4 INTs, had 3 costly interceptions, and they were what separated the teams. 

Player of the Game: TE Quin Blanding 10/14-131-2

Houston was missing their defensive leaders from last year, and it showed, with Blanding exploding and receiving no answer out of the Cougar defense.

#11 Kansas State 34, Oklahoma 14

Yoooooooooooo. This wasn't an upset by any means, but a big beatdown by Kansas State on Oklahoma had the entire Big 12 smiling to see the Sooners frustrated as they enter the SEC. The Wildcats moved through their depth, with 3 different QBs attempting passes. 6 different players carried the ball for KSU, with 5 of them getting at least 4 totes. 

Player of the Game: QB Raymond Patterson 9/13 for 214, 1-1 passing; 15-89-2 rushing

#17 West Virginia 52, Mercer 15

COUNTRY ROADS! Dzanan Reid LIT IT UP, throwing for 5 of West Virginia's 6 passing touchdowns, while Kevin Purcell and Chad Dolis each crossed 150 receiving yards in an electric and newfound WVU aerial assault! DE KhaDarel Gonzalez had 1 of 2 INTs for the Mountaineers, while ILB Bradley Castillo led the team with 8 tackles and a sack. I guess the highlight for Mercer is they didn't get shutout? Coming away with 6 points through 3 quarters and a late TD pass. 

Player of the Game: QB Dzanan Reid 16/23 for 302, 5 TD, 1 INT; 2-4-0 rushing

Colorado 42, #13 Washington 35

The Buffs join the Big 12 this year as well, and my god they exploded onto the scene with a MASSIVE upset against former Pac 12-mate Washington, in front of a national audience in Vegas! It wasn't a perfect game, but football isn't meant to be pretty, and coach @Bingo415 has to be nothing but proud! 

Offensively, there were some hiccups, but the team still passed for nearly 400 yards and added over 100 more on the ground. Defensively, they gave up 3 TDs to Washington's Nick Suarez on the ground, but otherwise limited his yardage and played well enough against a team with postseason expectations.

Player of the Game: RB Joel Worley 15-83-0 rushing; 5/6-87-2 receiving

It was hard to pick a true standout as QB Joel Fitts passed for 394 and 4 TDs (but had 3 INTs), and WR Denyi Sanders hauled in 8 passes for over 160 yards and 3 TDs, but to me Worley's consistency on the ground paired with his receiving finesse has Colorado fans wondering, Oladipwho?

TCU 45, #16 North Texas 31

It was supposed to be a transitional era with @Giambro stepping aside for leave, a new time where the Big 12 could see those horned frogs on the schedule and say "hey, we might be able to win this one." BAM! Like clockwork, like the PLAGUE, in steps @Danger who rips off a MASSIVE upset against in-state, ranked UNT, on the road in Denton. But Solano is gone, they lost so much talent to the draft... Ryan Tucker says LEARN MY NAME!

Player of the Game: QB Ryan Tucker 15/31 for 163, 3-1 passing; 16-173-2 rushing

Who's Hot? Who's NOT!

RB Yoenis Golston, Cincinnati (in the 1st half)

Bro was barreling through defenders when he wasn't just bursting past them in the first half of the game with Pitt. He had Cincy up 21-0 in the first half of the game, and then... for some reason... the Bearcats started passing the ball??? At one point he was nearing 200 1st half rushing yards. He finished with 226 receiving yards and 2 TDs on 9.83 yards/att, and had 3 receptions for 16 yards.

QB Ryan Tucker, TCU

We just talked up Tucker big, but this could be @Danger's breakthrough pupil. If he can pass a bit more efficiently, TCU will be back in Championship contention by October - both Big 12 and nationally.

QB Dzanan Reid, West Virginia

I know Mercer is only FCS, but Dzanan looked like he could, ahem, Reid the defense like a pro. A record performance for the WVU passer, if he can keep the momentum going, he and Chad Dolis could be formidable. 

TE Steel Blue, Kansas

Remember when Kansas coach @Bundy and QB Tyler Summers seemingly had beef during last season, but Summers took it to heart and worked on his game all spring, despite looming threats of (FR) and FR 4-star passing-oriented QBs? Yeah, Steel Blue saw that and considered "that doesn't apply to me." Blue was at one point Kansas' highest rated recruit, a 4-star TE with a cool name coming out of the 2021 recruiting cycle. He then got to play TE2 as a true FR, and then got to start some games at both WR and TE last year behind Alex Atkins, but he still suckkkkkkkks and looks almost more raw than he did as a recruit. The ranked Jayhawks beat Clemson solidly 27-7, but Blue posted a statline of 2 receptions on 8 targets for 2 yards. He has yet to record a TD through now 27 career games, and like Summers, has other blue chippers hungrily biting at his ankles for reps - we might see a switch to any of Travis Campbell, Frank Greco, or Travis Siegrist, with little noticeable dropoff.

Houston's Defense

Trevon Cothran didn't play well, and the offense graduated some solid contributors in the past 2 offseasons, but this defense is looking 😬 But forunately for @mahrowkeen there's still plenty of games left to right the ship.

UCF's Offense

UCF lost to rival USF, and I even forgot UCF was in the conference at first when going through game scores and box scores. A team recruiting in fertile Florida should be putting out better results, and they did NOTHING right. 

Cincinnati's Offensive Coordinator

This man is updating Indeed and deleting LinkedIn because no one wants to be connected to him after his 2nd half collapse against Pitt. I mean, why ponder passing? 👀

 

What to Watch:

Texas A&M at Baylor

Texas A&M should come to Waco ranked, while Baylor is solidly seen as a Top 2 team (and not 2 👀) in the country. 

West Virginia at Indiana

@smackemz's first real test of the year - can Reid and Dolis continue to shine, on the road, against a solidly coached Big Ten team?

Iowa State at Nebraska

Iowa State barely beat in-state FCS Northern Iowa in week 1, so don't expect much, but it's a local matchup and we could see an @alexfall862 special.

Utah State at Utah

This one REALLY matters to @SageBow - an in state game and potentially a redemption game for Alcides Holden, who ran the ball well against Syracuse but deteriorated from spring in the passing game. 

Kansas State at Missouri

This one's personal 👀 Maybe both teams will lose 👀 But Mizzewwww is already 0-2, having lost to Buffalo and @Broletariat's Oklahoma State, so can they get the hat trick?

Tulsa at Cincinnati

Y'know the subset of people who make listening to murder podcasts their personality? Netflix is going to need to fire back up the Making a Murderer franchise, only this time it will be @acewulf blatantly admitting to the crime and cackling gleefully. (Yoenis Golston to transfer portal midseason???)

 

[Danger]

Love the media!

 

I tried to get into Tucker's head that he needs to be balanced, but after seeing what he did this week, I might just have to give in to him dominating with his legs.