Tramel's ScissorTales: New Colts starting QB Sam Ehlinger must not have been UT's problem

Colt McCoy’s final college game was the 2009 national championship, a game in which he suffered a shoulder injury early and gave way to Garrett Gilbert.

Gilbert committed five turnovers, Alabama won 37-21 and two programs went widely disparate directions. Bama became the Nick Saban Monster. Texas became the sixth-best program in the Big 12.

And for more almost a decade we blamed UT’s fall on quarterbacking. From Gilbert to Case McCoy to David Ash to Tyrone Swoopes to Jerrod Heard to Shane Buechele to Sam Ehlinger to Hudson Card to Casey Thompson to Quinn Ewers.

Just a week ago, we saw Ewers throw 30 incompletions or interceptions as Texas lost yet another game it should have won, 41-34 at OSU.

And there is credence to the theory that UT’s malaise goes no deeper than quarterbacking. Look at OU’s quarterbacks since Sam Bradford and look at UT’s quarterbacks since Colt McCoy. It’s a little one-sided.

But quarterbacking can’t tell the whole story. The first post-McCoy QB, Gilbert, transferred to Southern Methodist, where he had a decent career. Then he went to the National Football League and still is getting paid, on the Patriots’ practice squad. Gilbert has started one game each of the last two years, for the 2020 Cowboys and 2021 Cardinals.

More:Insider: Colts QB Sam Ehlinger will look to calm nerves, play smart and free vs. Commanders

Now Ehlinger, a 3½-year Texas starter, is about to make his starting debut. Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich announced this week that Ehlinger will replace Matt Ryan as the Indy starter.

It was a stunning development for a 3-3-1 team, which still is in the hunt for first place in the American Conference South. But Colts veteran Matt Ryan is banged up and has been ineffective.

“Extremely difficult decision, obviously, given the respect and admiration that we have for Matt Ryan and what he’s done and what he’s brought here,” Reich said. “He is a pro’s pro. This guy (Ryan) is special, special, special. We know at the quarterback position that our poor production on offense is not on one person. It’s not on Matt Ryan.

“But we also know, as Matt and I talked it through, as head coach ultimately it doesn’t matter, I’m judged on wins and losses. Quarterbacks are judged on points and production and turnovers. We understand that’s how it is in this league.”

Few at Texas saw Ehlinger as a potential NFL quarterback. He’s a big, raw-boned leader, a guy who could take a hit but didn’t have a massive arm.

The Sooners went 4-1 against Ehlinger, but he never made it easy. Ehlinger beat OU 48-45 in 2018, a memorable shootout with Kyler Murray. Ehlinger’s losses in Red River were tight – 29-24 in a 2017 showdown against OU’s best team of the decade, a 39-27 thriller in the 2018 Big 12 Championship Game, 34-27 in 2019 and the historic, four-overtime 53-45 game in 2020.

At Texas, Ehlinger completed 62.7% of his passes, for 11,436 yards, 94 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He also ran for 1,903 yards. Ehlinger was a total load.

But that didn’t equate to NFL success. The Colts picked Ehlinger in the sixth round. He impressed at times in training camp as a rookie, but when the Colts traded for Ryan in the off-season, the quarterback job seemed sealed.

Ryan, 37, was a 14-year starter with the Falcons. He rarely missed a start and was a franchise quarterback in every sense of the word.

But with Indy, Ryan has thrown nine interceptions in nine games, and the Colts’ offense has been blah.

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Reich said Ryan has a shoulder separation and will be inactive Sunday against Washington. Nick Foles will serve as the backup against the Commanders. But Reich said Ryan’s benching was coming injury or not.

"You want to make sure you make this move that it is truly the best thing for the team, and you don’t want to rush into this kind of a judgment,” Reich said. “I don’t think we did that. It wasn’t like we’re sitting here saying, ‘Let’s wait until he throws another interception and then we’re going to make a switch.’ It was the exact opposite.

“At some point as a head coach, you have to make hard decisions. You have to work through these things and they are not easy decisions to be made.”

Until the current crop of Sooners, the Longhorns have a better NFL quarterbacking history than does OU, starting with Bobby Layne. The Texas star of the 1940s was an NFL star of the 1950s.

Chris Simms went 7-9 as an NFL starter, and Vince Young was a robust 31-19. Hard to predict Ehlinger getting 31 NFL victories, or even 16 NFL starts. But he’s got a chance, at least.

“It’s a big step, but we think he’s ready,” Reich said. “This guy is special. You all know it, everybody knows it. Talk to anybody in that locker room ... he’s got that about him, he carries himself in a way, he practices in a way. He’ll be ready. He’ll be ready. Is he going to have some growing pains? Of course. Is he going to make mistakes? Of course, he’s going to make mistakes.

“But I think Sam will make plays. Sam is going to make plays. He’s proven that everywhere he’s been, and we believe that’s what he’s going to do for our offense. He’s going to make plays.”

Ehlinger took a few snaps last season, but Carson Wentz made all 17 starts for the Colts. Then Indy continued its quarterback quest by bringing in a veteran for the third straight season – Philip Rivers in 2020, Wentz in 2021, Ryan in 2022.

“We did not hold up to our end of the bargain,” Reich said he told Ryan. “We promised a top-NFL rushing game and  promised great protection and we haven’t really, as an offense, delivered on that, and that really starts with me.”

But Ryan takes the fall, and Ehlinger is the beneficiary, a reminder that not all of Texas’ problems have been quarterbacking.

Let’s get to the predictions:

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Berry Tramel's Week 8 NFL predictions

Ravens at Buccaneers: Baltimore 26-10. I assume Tampa Bay will not bench Tom Brady.

Broncos vs. Jaguars in London: Jacksonville 17-14. I assume Denver will not bench Russell Wilson, but you never know.

Panthers at Falcons: Atlanta 23-13. The Falcons are tied with Tampa Bay atop the NFC South, each at 3-4. Makes that bogus roughing-the-passer penalty called on Atlanta *(against Brady) a few weeks ago even more severe. Give the Falcons that victory over Tampa Bay, and the lead today would be two games.

Bears at Cowboys: Dallas 19-6. Chicago got QB Justin Fields untracked against New England, but the Cowboy defense is a different animal.

Dolphins at Lions: Miami 24-16. Tua Tagovailoa’s return Monday night was quite promising for the Dolphins.

Cardinals at Vikings: Minnesota 27-24. The Vikes quietly are tied for the third-best record in the NFL.

Raiders at Saints: Las Vegas 30-20. These two-win teams are among the NFL’s most disappointing, but the Raiders have been better. Just like last year, losing close games is their problem, and that’s an easier problem to fix than losing by bigger margins.

Patriots at Jetropolitans: New York 21-18. The New York teams are a combined 13-3. It’s sort of like the 2014 college season, when the first playoff rankings were announced, and both Ole Miss and Mississippi State were in the top four.

Steelers at Eagles: Philadelphia 27-16. Pittsburgh has lost its last nine games in Philly. Not since 1965, a quarterback matchup of the Steelers’ Bill Nelsen vs. the Eagles’ Jack Concannon, has Pittsburgh won across the state.

Titans at Texans: Tennessee 28-10. If the AFC South falls in the woods, and there’s no one there to hear it, does it make a sound?

Commanders at Colts: Washington 20-17. Taylor Heinecke vs. Sam Ehlinger. Not exactly Elway vs. Marino.

49ers at Rams: Los Angeles 23-21. Remember when we thought the NFC West was loaded? Now, every team is 4-3, 3-3 or 3-4.

Giants at Seahawks: Seattle 18-17. A Cinderella special. We thought the ‘Hawks were tanking and we thought the Giants were just bad. But New York is 6-1; Seattle is 4-3 and leads that NFC West.

Packers at Bills: Buffalo 31-20. Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense needs a breakout game, and Buffalo is nowhere to go to get one.

Bengals at Browns: Cincinnati 34-14. Here comes Joe Burrow. The last two games, Burrow has completed 81% of his passes for six touchdowns, no interceptions and 781 yards

Last week: 8-6. Season: 59-48-1.

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National Pregame: Michigan & Ohio State pack a TV punch

The Big Ten in August agreed to a seven-year, $7-billion television contract with Fox, CBS and NBC. The deal figures to beat even the Southeastern Conference’s contract with ABC/ESPN, though not all the details have been released concerning how the addition of OU and Texas will impact the agreement.

Have you wondered why the networks would pay such big prices for the Big Ten, which beyond Ohio State and Michigan rarely produces entertaining football?

Eyeballs. Put Ohio State or Michigan on the tube, and people watch.

Ohio State-Penn State is Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff game Saturday, and the game figures to get boffo ratings. Even if it’s a dud.

Fox has staged seven Big Noon Kickoff games this season and has won the 11 a.m. (Oklahoma time) time slot six times. And only once (Alabama-Texas) has Fox not used a Big Ten team for its marquee time slot.

Last week, ABC’s Syracuse-Clemson game outdrew Fox’s Ohio State-Iowa 4.75 million to 4.38 million. Fairly close, especially for a game that was over in the first quarter (Buckeyes-Hawkeyes) against a game that went to the wire.

Otherwise, Fox has won the window. Fox even went with Michigan four straight weeks in Big Noon Kickoffs, testifying to the power of the Wolverines. Here are those Michigan games:

Sept. 24: Michigan-Maryland drew 4.38 million; on ABC, Clemson-Wake Forest drew 3.18.

Oct. 1: Michigan-Iowa drew 4.2 million; on ABC, OU-Texas Christian, a battle of then-unbeatens, drew 2.47 million.

Oct. 8: Michigan-Indiana drew 4.01 million; on ABC, OU-Texas drew 3.36 million, though that game, too, held no interest after the first half.

Oct. 15: Michigan-Penn State drew 6.45 million (Texas-Iowa State drew 2.35 million).

Fox has won the window with Big 12 teams.

On Sept. 10, Alabama-Texas drew 10.6 million; on ABC, Penn State-Ohio drew 1.55 million. And on Sept. 17, OU-Nebraska drew 3.41 million; on ABC, Michigan-Connecticut drew 2.03 million.

Still, those ratings show the power of the Big Ten. Particularly Ohio State and Michigan.

All of those numbers also show why OU and Texas sought refuge in the SEC, and why the SEC sought OU and Texas. Trying to keep up with the television prowess of Ohio State and Michigan and the Big Ten.

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Coach on the hot seat: Kirk Ferentz

Ferentz is an Iowa institution, and the Hawkeyes have the greatest stability in America.

On Dec. 10, 1978 – Bob Stoops was completing his first semester as an Iowa freshman – the Hawkeyes hired Hayden Fry as coach. They’ve made one head-coaching change since, in December 1998, hiring Ferentz, who had been a 10-year Fry assistant, to replace his retiring mentor.

Ferentz now is the longest-tenured head coach in Division I-A, with Mike Gundy and Utah’s Kyle Whittingham trailing by six seasons.

And Ferentz has been mostly successful, going 181-114 in 23½ seasons, with two Big Ten co-championships and three major bowl appearances.

But Ferentz has fallen prey to the allure of nepotism. His son, Brian, is a 11-year Hawkeye staff member, the last six of which as offensive coordinator.

But Brian Ferentz’s offenses have become increasingly ineffective, countering an outstanding Iowa defense. A year ago, Iowa scored 30 offensive touchdowns in 14 games. That’s not winning football in the 21^st century. But this season has been much worse; the Hawkeyes have seven offensive touchdowns in seven games.

Iowa is 3-4, with victories over South Dakota State, Nevada and Rutgers. Kirk Ferentz has come under increasing scrutiny for his son’s offense, and the dad has dug in his heels. This isn’t expected to end well.

Iowa hosts 1-6 Northwestern on Saturday. The Wildcat defense has been susceptible. Duke, Maryland and Southern Illinois all scored 31 points on Northwestern. Wisconsin scored 42.

If Northwestern holds down Iowa, the pressure will only increase on Ferentz, a loyal Hawkeye but even moreso a loyal father.

More:Tramel's ScissorTales: K-State football's atmosphere a far cry from Mike Gundy's QB days

Upset special: Auburn over Arkansas

The Arkansas season began with high hopes, courtesy of a 2021 season that produced wins over Texas, Texas A&M and Penn State, plus a scare of Alabama.

But the Razorbacks haven’t built upon their momentum. They defeated South Carolina before anyone knew the Gamecocks had a pulse, and Arkansas has beaten future Big 12 members Cincinnati and Brigham Young.

But the Hogs have lost to Texas A&M (egads), Alabama and Mississippi State, the latter two in routs.

Now 4-3 Arkansas plays at 3-4 Auburn, a dysfunctional program but not necessarily a dysfunctional team. The Tigers have been routed by Penn State and Georgia but played tough against Louisiana State (17-14 loss) and Ole Miss (48-34 loss).

Auburn coach Bryan Harsin isn’t so much coaching for his job as he is coaching for his dignity. His Tigers are 3½-point underdogs, but let’s go with Auburn in the upset.

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Ranking the top 10 games

1. Kentucky at Tennessee, 6 p.m. Saturday, ESPN: The unbeaten Volunteers have Heisman Trophy contender Hendon Hooker, but Kentucky counters with Will Levis, who is challenging to be the first quarterback taken in the NFL Draft.

2. Oklahoma State at Kansas State, 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Fox: The winner joins Texas Christian as the likely favorites to reach Arlington for the Big 12 Championship Game.

3. Ohio State at Penn State, 11 a.m. Saturday, Fox: With an upset, the Nittany Lions could throw the Big Ten East into chaos, potentially even a three-way tie.

4. Florida vs. Georgia in Jacksonville, 2:30 p.m. Saturday: Until last season, Florida-Georgia had been a top-10 showdown three straight years. But the Gators fall to 4-4 with a loss.

5. Notre Dame at Syracuse, 11 a.m. Saturday, ABC: As big for the 4-3 Fighting Irish as the 6-1 Orange. Notre Dame could struggle to reach a winning season.

6. Ole Miss at Texas A&M, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, SEC Network: The 7-1 Rebels haven’t been eliminated from SEC Championship Game contention. The 3-4 Aggies haven’t been eliminated from total meltdown. In fact, they’re almost there.

7. Illinois at Nebraska, 2:30 p.m. Saturday, ABC: With a victory, Illinois draws ever so close to clinching the Big Ten West.

8. Utah at Washington State, 9 p.m. Thursday, Fox Sports1: Hey, a really smart scheduling move by Fox, putting a Pac-12 After Dark game on Thursday and hoping the NFL game is a dud, so viewers can jump at halftime.

9. Wake Forest at Louisville, 2:30 p.m. Saturday, ACC Network: The Demon Deacons aren’t likely to reach the ACC Championship Game but absolutely could make a major bowl.

10. Texas Christian at West Virginia, 11 a.m. Saturday, ESPN: The unbeaten Horned Frogs are 4-0 in the Big 12 but have played three home games, and the only road win was at Kansas. Morgantown won’t be easy.

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Will Adrian Martinez play for KSU?

OSU goes to Kansas State on Saturday for a Big 12 showdown in which the Cowboys have no idea which K-State quarterback will play.

Adrian Martinez or Will Howard?

Martinez is the Nebraska transfer who was playing great this season but got dinged up against Iowa State and tried to play last week at TCU, lasting just one series.

Howard is the three-year backup who has played quite a bit, in relief the last two years of Skylar Thompson and in relief of Martinez against the Horned Frogs.

K-State coach Chris Klieman said this week that Martinez’s fate will be determined by practice Thursday.

“I don't know if he'll be available,” Klieman said. “I don't. Last week we tempered some things with him in practice. And he felt pretty good. And as the game got started, he couldn't go, and that's the bottom line.

“Luckily, we had Will Howard that could come in and play, that's played football for us. And so I hope Adrian is available. I don't know if he'll be available.”

Howard, much like Martinez, is more notable for his running than his passing. But Howard, a 6-foot-4, 245-pounder, is not nearly as elusive as the swift Martinez.

Howard’s career passing numbers: 54.7% completions, 11 touchdowns, 12 interceptions.

Howard’s career rushing numbers: 579 yards on 119 carries, with eight touchdowns. Those include sacks and scrambles.

Martinez this season is passing less than in his four years as the Nebraska starter. He’s averaging 23 passes a game, completing 62%, with four touchdowns, no interceptions and about 150 yards a game. But Martinez has rushed for 565 yards, including back-to-back totals of 148 vs. OU and 171 vs. Texas Tech.

“Will is going to have to get north and south and stick it up in there,” Klieman said. “Adrian, it's a little different. He can stick it up in there and he's gonna beat you on the edge and stuff and Will's not slow by any means. But they are able to operate our offense pretty much the same.

“I don't see Collin (Klein, offensive coordinator) making many changes based on who's playing quarterback, because they both have a skill set that allows them to run the football.”

Howard directed four first-half touchdown drives against TCU, but the Frogs shut down K-State in the second half.

Howard puts KSU in that loaded Big 12 category of teams with quality backup quarterbacks, which this season has shown to include TCU, Kansas, Texas and Texas Tech.

“It’s huge because of the opportunity Will had as a true freshman here” in 2020, Klieman said of Howard’s extensive playing time. “And a lot of things went awry in that pandemic year, but he grew a ton from that year, and then he was going to sit that year then sit this year, or sit last year and then Sky got hurt we had to play him. And he's a team guy.

“And then this year, we kind of made it a competition, but if he didn't win the competition, we were going to do everything we could to preserve his year (redshirt). For him, hopefully at Kansas State. I think that's his plan.”

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Howard didn’t play in KSU routs of South Dakota and Missouri. Klieman was limiting his games, so that he could play if needed but still potentially stay under five games played and retain a redshirt year. That strategy has paid off.

Martinez is one of the long list of mercenary quarterbacks, who used the transfer portal to find a new beginning.

Howard, from Downingtown, Pennsylvania, is the old school quarterback who has stayed in one place for a long time.

“I don't go up to Will Howard, say ‘I hope you're not transferring today,’” Klieman said. “Because Howard's not that guy. Howard loves K-State, and I think everybody that had any doubts about Howard or doubted Howard either was like oh, maybe I was wrong about that kid. But I know this, I smiled ear to ear for him (over the TCU success). Because he's dealt with a lot of ridicule for a couple years.

“And he just goes to work. Great example – he has no idea if he's going to play a snap at all (vs. TCU), and on Friday, we're doing all of our meetings and stuff. He's out on our game field with a net throwing and throwing and throwing and work in his own craft. Not because he figured Adrian was going to play three plays, but just because he wants to continue to improve and continue to get better and continue to push it so that when his opportunity comes whether it was last week, this week, or whenever it is, he would be ready. That's the sign of a winner. That's the sign of a competitor.

“That's the sign of the culture that we want here, that you have a kid that says if I'm not the guy, I'm going to prepare like I am and when that opportunity comes, I'm not missing it. I'm not missing it. And to watch him play last week, I was so excited for him and every one of our guys on the team were excited for him.”

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Mailbag: Lamenting conference realignment

This is an historic year for the Big 12. The last season in which it resembles what it once was. Next year, Brigham Young, Cincinnati, Houston and Central Florida enter the conference, meaning six schools that weren’t in the league as recently as 2011 will be competing.

Some readers lament the loss of what was.

Don: “At the age of 82, I personally regret that at the end of the current academic year, the Big 12 Conference as an academic and athletic alliance of regionally and culturally affiliated schools, as I have known it, will be brought to an end.

“The above will not only come from the pending departure of the Universities of Texas and Oklahoma, but from the immediate joining of institutions that only mildly or remotely belong in the Big 12.

“I am a Big Six guy, who cut my teeth on the Big Seven (when Colorado joined in 1949), followed by reckoning with the Big Eight Conference as representative for athletic interests of schools in the Midwestern plains. “I acquired my appetite for college sports through radio broadcasts of Oklahoma's 1947 national basketball tournament finalists, with heroes like Norm Pilgrim, Tom Churchill and Ted Owens. I learned for the first time the name of ‘OU’ as the fractured name of my first fanciful college team.

“Then (in 1948), I found that the Big Six had a football team of interest, when I saw the Santa Clara-Oklahoma football score emblazoned top of the masthead of my granddad’s Oklahoman. By the time of the 1949 Sugar Bowl, OU 14, North Carolina (and Charlie Choo Choo Justice) 6, I was hooked, also, on OU football.

“In reality, it was the Big Seven that augured OU’s predominance under Bud Wilkinson. The Big Seven was synonymous with Wilkinson, as the Sooners won every football title of the incipient conference from 1947 through 1959. I relished each week during football season watching the Tuesday night ‘Big Seven Football Game of the Week,’ sponsored by the Champlin Oil Company. The Company's motto of ‘A Great Name in the Great Plains’ said it all.

“The Big Seven was the conference of the great midwestern plains. Oklahoma State's admission to the league in 1959 did little to alter that regional association. “We held the Big Eight tight to our chest. With Oklahoma's demise, we rooted for whomever carried the Big Eight’s banner. And when the Big Eight finished 1-2-3 in the final 1971 AP football poll, that pride was solidified.

“The 1996 merger of schools from the defunct Southwest Conference to form the Big 12 was a mild departure. All those institutions were regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), rather than the North Central Association (NCA). But their proximity did make regional and cultural sense.

“The Big 12 began to loosen ever so slightly the regional pride. At first it was only Texas schools who joined, which we learned to support as being of our own kind, then in the 2000s we lost two of our Great Plains stalwarts, Nebraska and Colorado, followed by fellow Big Six charter member Missouri.

“The Big 12 was now stretched to loosen its tiedowns. TCU was OK. (They reportedly had the largest Baptist Student Union in Texas).  But West Virginia was a problem. Why not Houston? (Cougar High was a stretch, too). But hey, West Virginia had a lot of good ol’ boys and girls; and they had Wednesday prayer meetings in the hills, too. So the Mountaineers also became one of our own.

“Now comes Brigham Young (with its supposed apostasy), and back comes Cougar High, accompanied by Cincinnati and Central Florida. Central Florida? Central Florida was a juco not too long ago; and Cincinnati is a town.

“Well, at least Brigham Young students behave themselves (we hear), and they live in the Mountains (like West Virginia), and the Rockies are a barrier to the dreaded West Coast. So, OK to Brigham Young. And to Houston (which was formerly in the Southwest Conference). Cincinnati, you have to swallow. At least it’s closer to the Midwest than West Virginia.

“But Central Florida? Central Florida belongs in the ACC (at best). Central Florida is a region buster to the Big 12. You may as well collapse and ask the dreaded West Coast apostates of Oregon and Washington. Then it becomes all about football and TV revenue. Which I guess it already is.

“And nothing about collegiality; academic viability and Wednesday night prayer meetings.”

Tramel: I ran Don’s essay because I thought it was quite instructive on the emotions people are feeling. The idea that things have changed, not just in football or sport, but in American life. The idea that things are not as good as they used to be.

Maybe that’s true. I don’t know. Some things are better, some things are worse.

I like nostalgia as much as the next guy. I like history as much as the next guy. I remember Champlin Oil from my childhood. The reference brought a smile to my face.

I don’t remember ever hearing about the Tuesday night Big Seven Game of the Week. What a cool thing in the 1950s that must have been. Getting to watch Kansas-Nebraska, or Colorado-Iowa State, on television, when sports broadcasts were quite rare.

I, too, think it’s a bummer that OU no longer will be in a conference with Iowa State, Kansas State and Kansas, schools with which it has been aligned since 1920.

Maybe Auburn and Kentucky can provide the same kind of collegiality. Put me down as skeptical.

But I’m also lucky. I’m not leaving the Big 12. I still cover OSU, so half my eventual Saturdays will be in the Big 12. I’ll still get to Ames and Waco, Manhattan and Lubbock.

OSU fans face a smaller adjustment than OU fans, but it’s still an adjustment, with BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF coming aboard.

I think it’s exciting. I think it’s the best of both worlds. New blood, while retaining old friends.

The previous new blood in the Big 12 has been great. TCU has been a fabulous addition to the conference. And I love West Virginia. I literally can’t remember what the conference was like before the Mountaineers arrived, and this is just their 12^th year of membership.

It’s a great life lesson. Truth is, nothing stays the same. And often things change for the better.

And let’s not romanticize the past too much. You want some bad football. Go check out the history of the Big Seven. Power to you, Champlin Oil, for trying to sell that product. The Big Eight in 1971 was glorious. The Big Eight in 1981, not so much.

The Big 12 has been wonderful, for both OU and OSU. Maybe the SEC will be the same for the Sooners. Probably will be. I also believe the new Big 12 will be great for the Cowboys.

Life goes on, often for the better, nostalgia be damned.

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The List: Overachieving programs

My pal Brad Lund, who you remember as the long-time general manager of Oklahoma City Blazers hockey, remains a sports promoter but a closet statistician. Lund is forever crunching numbers and charts, particularly on college football, which is one of his passions.

Lund sent me a project he worked up, comparing Rivals’ recruiting rankings over the last 10 years with the final Associated Press poll. He produced a top 10 of the most overachieving and underachieving programs.

Today, I’ll list the overachievers. Friday, the underachievers.

1. Boise State: No surprise. The Broncos’ average rank in recruiting was 64^th. Yet Boise State’s average AP poll finish was No. 32.

2. Iowa: Whoa. Enough bashing of Kirk Ferentz. His Hawkeyes averaged 43.5 in recruiting ranking but 30.8 in the AP poll.

3. Wisconsin: Beware, Ferentz. The Badgers just fired a coach, Paul Chryst, we thought was completely safe. Wisconsin averaged 36.4 in recruiting but 24^th in the AP poll.

4. Baylor: The Bears would rank much higher had they not gone through the Art Briles scandal, which caused a program teardown (and quick rebuild). The Bears have averaged 42.4 in recruiting, 31.7 in the AP poll.

5. Oklahoma State: You were waiting on the Cowboys, and here they are. Perennially mediocre recruiting rankings (36.2) but a 26.0 average AP poll finish (I was surprised it was that low).

6. Utah: Wow. We’ve got something going on here. Ferentz, Gundy, the Utes’ Whittingham. The programs of the three longest-tenured coaches in Division I-A are on this list. Seems to say something about stability. Utah averaged 41.1 in recruiting, 35.4 in the polls.

7. Clemson: Wait, this one is out of left field. The Tigers are a superpower, with six straight College Football Playoffs, 2015-20. But Clemson averaged 9.8 in recruiting, 6.1 in the AP poll.

8. Oklahoma: Clemson Light, with four playoff appearances. The Sooners averaged 12.1 in recruiting ranking and 9.6 in the AP poll.

9. Louisville: The Cardinals averaged 41.9 in recruiting, 39.5 in the AP poll. The small difference in those two numbers surprises me. Tells me a lot of schools ended up close to their ranking.

10. Ohio State: The Buckeyes averaged 5.3 in recruiting and 4.5 in the AP poll. Fairly impressive.

Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at 405-760-8080 or at btramel@oklahoman.com. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM-98.1. Support his work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today. 

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Colts QB Sam Ehlinger was never the problem with Texas football