Tramel's ScissorTales: Kansas Jayhawks make a case for No. 1 in Big 12 football rankings
First, Kansas routed Tennessee Tech 56-10. Tennessee Tech is neither Tennessee nor Texas Tech, but still. Popping a Division I-AA team is what any self-respecting Power Five Conference football team should do. For the Jayhawks, that’s improvement.
Then Kansas stunned West Virginia 55-42 in overtime, in Morgantown, no less. The Mountaineers are down and might not get up, but still. A road win over a team that just took Pittsburgh to the wire was a nice step for KU.
But now Kansas has whacked Houston 48-30, again on the road, and the Jayhawks dominated. KU spotted the Cougars a 14-0 lead, but over the final 47½ minutes of the game, the Jayhawks outscored Houston 48-16.
Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels rushed for 123 yards, threw for three touchdowns and the Jayhawks suddenly look like a real football team. First time in 13 years.
Here’s how real. I’m ranking Kansas No. 1 in the Big 12.
That’s not a prediction. I don’t think you’ll find the Jayhawks in Arlington this season.
But to this date, Kansas has done more than any other Big 12 team.
Tramel: We know Nebraska football isn’t too good. The OU Sooners? Maybe they're very good.
KU has two solid victories. That’s two more than some Big 12 teams.
Remember, I rank teams on what they’ve done. Not what I think they will do.
OU looks like it could be a College Football Playoff contender. But the Jayhawks have two wins, both on the road, better than any victory on the Sooner résumé.
I’m giving Texas all kinds of props for hanging tough with Alabama, but still, you’ve got to give credence to winning, too. And KU has two better victories than UT’s best.
Iowa State? OSU? Texas Tech? Tech went overtime with Houston in Lubbock. Kansas went to Houston and pushed the Cougars all over the field.
I don’t think the Jayhawks will stay No. 1 long. But for now, they’ve done more than any other Big 12 team.
Carlson:Danger awaits Oklahoma State in Big 12 play, but the Cowboys know they'll need their hard hats
Berry Tramel's Big 12 football power rankings
1. Kansas (3-0, 1-0): Danged ESPN is playing politics. GameDay is going to Knoxville, Tennessee, for Florida-Tennessee, despite CBS broadcasting that game. The Southeastern Conference eventually will be solely on ESPN, so the network is sowing future seeds. KU-Duke would have been a much better choice. Kansas is one of eight Power Five Conference schools to never host GameDay.
2. Texas (2-1, 0-0): Until further notice, the Longhorns’ 20-19 loss to Alabama remains the Big 12’s best victory.
3. Oklahoma (3-0, 0-0): Quick question. Who’s the best team OU has beaten? I would vote Kent State over Nebraska. However, winning at Lincoln probably trumps beating the Golden Flashes on Owen Field.
4. Iowa State (3-0, 0-0): Sign of the public’s new respect for the Cyclones – they are favored over 17th-ranked Baylor on Saturday.
5. Oklahoma State (3-0, 0-0): OSU’s stock dipped when Arizona State lost to Eastern Michigan. Eastern Michigan didn’t just beat the Sun Devils, they dominated. The Mid-American Conference Eagles did what the Cowboys failed to do – get Arizona State’s Herm Edwards fired.
6. Texas Tech (2-1, 0-0): The Red Raiders seem to have a solid defense, but the offense has come up short. Twenty points in regulation against defensive-deficient Houston; 14 points vs. North Carolina State.
7. Texas Christian (2-0, 0-0): The Horned Frogs are mostly untested. A big win at hapless Colorado and a victory over I-AA Tarleton State.
8. Kansas State (2-1, 0-0): Where has all the offense gone? Tulane held K-State to 15 first downs and 336 total yards.
9. Baylor (2-1, 0-0): In the Bears’ only true test, they lost at Brigham Young, which in turn was dominated at Oregon.
10. West Virginia (1-2, 0-1): The Mountaineers have a potential make-or-break game Thursday night at Virginia Tech.
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Batting big boppers leadoff
Yankee leadoff hitter Aaron Judge hit two home runs Sunday to reach the brink of one of the new baseball records that still matter.
You read that right. Leadoff hitter.
For the eighth straight game, Yankee manager Aaron Boone placed his slugging outfielder at the top of the New York batting order.
Boone’s motivation is simple. Get Judge as many at-bats as possible and entice opponents to pitch to Judge as much as possible.
Judge’s two home runs on Sunday in Milwaukee gave him 59 for the season, two shy of Roger Maris’ 61-year-old American League record.
The steroid scandals have wiped out most baseball power records, rendering them obsolete and meaningless. Thank you, Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. America turns its livid eyes at you.
But for six decades, Maris’ 61 home runs have been the AL standard, and that magical 1961 season remains cherished among those who still care about baseball.
Some probably want Judge to fall short, to keep the Maris name alive. But never fear. The Maris name will live either way.
Now Judge has 16 games left to hit three home runs.
And Boone is giving Judge every chance.
The 6-foot-7, 282-pound Judge is not a prototypical leadoff hitter. He has 40 career stolen bases, which frankly is quite a few for 714 career games played.
But Boone has Judge No. 2 in the order much of this season, and that’s a great sign of baseball enlightenment.
Batting great hitters fourth (or even third) is a time-honored baseball tradition. Even if it means taking the bat out of your best hitter’s hand 20 or 40 or 60 times a year.
How many games end with the cleanup hitter on deck? Or the three-hole hitter on deck?
If a manager believes his cleanup hitter is his best hitter, why bat him fourth?
Of course, baseball is changing, so the decades-long discrimination against power hitters is mostly gone. Forget chicks. Managers dig the long ball.
Judge is a wildly-productive player. He’s not Dave Kingman or Rob Deer, some one-dimensional player. Judge leads the American League in on-base percentage (.419) and slugging percentage (.701) while also batting .316.
In this crazy new baseball era, only 11 major leaguers are batting above .299. One of them is the guy about to break Roger Maris’ home run record. Judge is one percentage point shy of leading the AL in hitting, a feat which almost surely would give him the Triple Crown.
So kudos to Boone not just for giving Judge every chance to break the record, but for recognizing that Judge needs to bat as often as possible, even in May and June, when a hallowed record is far away.
It’s like Patty Gasso, who batted Jocelyn Alo, the NCAA’s all-time home run queen, No. 2 in that scary OU softball lineup. Traditionalists would have Alo batting third or fourth.
And every Sooner opponent would love it if Alo would have batted third or fourth.
So it’s a strategic solid move. And oh yeah, it helps with history, too.
“Obviously we're in a pennant chase, and Judge sitting where he is, so there's gonna be that added buzz every time he comes up,” Boone said. “I experienced that playing in the NL Central against Sammy (Sosa) and McGwire in '98 where it's like every time, it's an event. And I think the fact that we're where we are in the pennant race and what he's doing hopefully should create for an awesome environment at the stadium.”
And if Judge comes to bat with two outs in the ninth inning, you’ll know who to thank for the extra opportunity.
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Nebraska travelblog: Hello, old friend
The OU-Nebraska revival was mostly about memories. Auld Lang Syne stuff.
Old friends. Old haunts. Old rivals.
The 2021-22 Big Red Reunion gave us one good game (the Sooners’ 23-16 survival on Owen Field last September) and one cringe-worthy game (OU’s 49-14 smackdown Saturday that left Sooners feeling enthralled and sad, all at the same time).
It gave some Nebraskans a chance to visit Oklahoma again and gave some Oklahomans a chance to visit Nebraska again. Count me among the lucky latter.
Our weekend trip to Nebraska was short. We crossed into Nebraska about 4:30 p.m. Friday and crossed out of the Cornhusker State about 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
Twenty-eight hours. But it was good to be back.
We drove to Omaha on Friday, and I saw a new-to-me section of northern Kansas and southern Nebraska, on U.S. 75, straight north out of Topeka. Lots of farmland, few towns of note, but Holton, Kansas, and Auburn, Nebraska, seemed quite charming.
We drove to Nebraska City, the old river town, where we crossed the mighty Missouri into Iowa for the drive to Omaha. Yes, we left Nebraska so that we could get to Omaha. You’ve got to love American geography.
It’s been 13 years since I’ve been to Omaha. Still never have been to the College World Series and I’m not likely to go now. It stretches too long. But I’ve always liked Omaha. Seems like a twin of Des Moines, only with more hills. Sort of a small Kansas City. Very similar to Tulsa.
Greater Omaha’s population is up to about 967,000, almost 20% bigger than 20 years ago. So it’s a thriving place. Really nice place. Hills, lakes, trees.
The College World Series is bigger than ever in Omaha, and I suppose the same is true of Nebraska football, but Creighton basketball has become a major player on the Omaha sports scene.
We had dinner with old pal Tom Shatel, long-time columnist at the Omaha World-Herald. I don’t get to see Shatel much anymore, since he’s a Big Ten man now.
Shatel and Dennis Dodd, now of CBS Sports and a former World-Herald staffer, met us at Oscar’s Pizza & Sports Grille, which was right next to our Fairfield Inn and close to Shatel’s home.
Shatel is a regular at Oscar’s. It’s one of those places that hangs framed jerseys of local athletes on the wall. The one that jumped out at me is former Creighton sharpshooter Doug McDermott, a Thunder alum. But next to McDermott’s jersey is a framed sportscoat belonging to Tom Shatel.
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So that was cool. We sat around watching Florida State-Louisville and reminiscing about old Big Eight days, which is probably what 1.6 million Nebraskans did over the weekend.
I met Shatel and Dodd both in 1992, if my memory is right. That’s 30 years.
But that’s what this series was about, right? Remembering old and glorious times? Sometimes, journalism feels like it has fallen as far as Nebraska football, so we had plenty to commiserate about.
It had been a long day, so I retired early, watched the rest of FSU-Louisville and conked out.
We left the hotel about 7:15 a.m. Saturday for the 40-mile drive to Lincoln.
We avoided some traffic, got into Lincoln by 8 a.m. and found our way to the stadium by 8:30 or so. Parked right next to the massive old stadium that looks on the outside much like it did when Barry Switzer and Tom Osborne were sending out football teams to play games still remembered today.
Lincoln feels like an old town, though it was founded in 1856, just 33 years before Oklahoma City. Lincoln became the Nebraska capital in 1869, the same year the university was established.
It’s growing like Omaha. Lincoln’s population is about 290,000, up from 225,000 or so in 2000.
Lincoln has similarities to Austin, except for the two million people and the insufferable traffic and all the, shall we say, unique people. The state university and the capital complex and downtown all sit next to each other in both cities.
The fervor for Nebraska football has not abated since the Cornhuskers left the Big 12. The success is long gone. The success was waning in the Big 12, and now the 1-3 Huskers face their sixth straight losing season. But the Big Red hordes remain. Seemed to be as classy as ever, though the old tradition of Husker fans lining the pathway under the stadium to clap for the visiting teams has changed. The visitors now are in the old Husker locker area, so the journey onto the field is much shorter, and Saturday, after OU’s 49-14 rout, the pathway was lined with crimson-clad not scarlet, fans.
I saw several former colleagues from the old days, be it writers or university personnel. There aren’t a ton of us left from the really old days, but the trip reminded me that Lincoln and Omaha are good places to live. Many people stay.
Shatel brought me a gift – a commemorative book the Omaha World-Herald published in 2011, when the Huskers left the Big Ten, about Nebraska’s old rivals in the Big 12 (mostly from the Big Eight). It made me kind of sad.
As we left the stadium about 7 p.m., we were reminded of the rivalry’s change. In the old days, trips to Lincoln were a freeze-fest.
But a morning that started rainy, gray and in the 60s had turned into a late-afternoon of sunny and about 90. It was hot. Neither the game nor the weather seemed like OU-Nebraska. I changed clothes before we started the trip back.
We drove through some of old Lincoln before heading out, and I enjoyed the sights.
In the old days, we rarely drove to Lincoln. But driving is easier than flying now, so we headed west on Interstate 80. Never been that direction before, at least past Lincoln. We drove an hour to York, then headed south on U.S. 81 all the way to Salina, Kansas.
Saw a lot of the Great American Prairie and a fabulous sunset. Soon enough darkness fell and a big-time thunderstorm swept across the Kansas night and the Oklahoma state line beckoned.
Nebraska again seemed long ago and far away. I wondered when I’d return. I wondered if I would ever return.
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The List: Mid-majors vs. Power Five
Through three weeks of the season, the Sun Belt Conference has stolen the show among college football’s mid-major leagues. The Sun Belt has more victories over Power Five Conference opponents than the other four mid-major leagues combined.
Here’s how the five mid-major conferences rank this season, with their record against the Power Five:
Sun Belt 4-11: I know, it seems like the Sun Belt has run roughshod over Power Five opponents. But it’s tough to beat the bigger-budgeted programs. That’s what makes that Sept. 10 trifecta – Marshall over Notre Dame, Appalachian State over Texas A&M, Georgia Southern over Nebraska – so special. The Sun Belt also got Old Dominion’s home victory over Virginia Tech. Plus some anguishing, close defeats like Appalachian State against North Carolina and South Alabama at UCLA.
American 1-9: The AAC was shut out until Tulane stunned Kansas State 17-14 last Saturday in Manhattan. But Cincinnati played tough at Arkansas, only place-kicking misses kept East Carolina from upsetting North Carolina State, South Florida had Florida on the ropes late in the Swamp and Houston went two overtimes at Texas Tech.
Mountain West 1-13: Down year for my favorite league. Air Force’s rout of hapless Colorado is the only victory over a Power Five. Fresno State’s last-play loss to Oregon State was a notable near-miss, and the Bulldogs were hanging tough with Southern Cal until quarterback Jake Haener’s injury.
Mid-American 1-15: Eastern Michigan’s victory at Arizona State is the MAC’s only win over a Power Five. And the MAC hasn’t played many big boys close.
Conference USA 0-7: C-USA's only close call came from Western Kentucky at Indiana, though Texas-San Antonio held tough at Texas.
Oklahoma State football: Braydon Johnson hits 1,000-yard mark & more key stats vs. UAPB
Mailbag: Nebraska fan sees Switzer
OU waxed Nebraska 49-14 Saturday, much to the dismay of Cornhusker fans, but at least one Nebraska fan had a good day.
Peter: “Speaking as a Nebraska fan, the game itself wasn’t pleasant at all, but the lead-up and the memories and one special moment more than made up for it. My son and I sat in a section full of Sooners fans. After some initial reticence, I soon realized that I had nothing to worry about - these weren’t fans from Iowa or Colorado. One particular couple shared warm and respectful conversation with us about past games, coaches and the game itself. The gentleman told us, ‘Don’t worry, you guys will get back. We remember the ‘90s OU teams.’ It epitomized the mutual respect I’ve always felt between these teams. To top things off, before the game, my son and I made our way along a tunnel-like construction barrier behind the stadium. Who should we pass by but Barry Switzer himself, a couple feet away. No entourage or security force, just what I presume to be family members. All I could muster in the brief moment was a few claps and a ‘BAR-RYYYY!’ His eyes met mine, and he gave me a brief wave of his hand - he noticed me, and I got chills. My son wondered who ‘that old guy’ was. Here’s to OU, and to us to giving you a better game in seven years.”
Tramel: Nebraskans’ admiration of Switzer remains strong, almost 50 years after he first became a thorn in their flesh. It’s a remarkable thing, and it’s quite real.
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: Big 12 football power rankings: Put Kansas ahead of Texas & OU
