Big 12 NotebookBy Calvin Watkins Dan Hawkins is no longer in the Western Athletic Conference. Hawkins can't go back and coach Boise State, where he was employed before leaving for Colorado. In five seasons there, Hawkins was 53-11 overall as a coach. But no loss was as hurtful as the one on Saturday that pushed his won-loss record to 53-12. This is the Big 12, and expectations are a little higher around here than the WAC. And Hawkins must solve the Buffaloes' problems and clean up the image of the program after it endured years of it under former coach Gary Barnett. On the field, Colorado won the last two Big 12 North titles, but that seems long ago now. A 19-10 loss at home is embarrassing, and Hawkins knows it. 
"We understand that most people here will jump on our loss, but we all find out about ourselves when we're losing," Hawkins said to reporters following the loss. "And in some respects, it might be a blessing." Really? Maybe this loss was in the works for a while. Colorado finished 2005 with a four-game losing streak. What made the streak painful, and what cost Barnett his job was a 70-3 loss to Texas in the Big 12 title game. And then, a 19-10 loss to Clemson in the Champs Sports Bowl ended the season. Montana State coach Mike Kramer told the Rocky Mountain News the Texas loss will have a lasting effect on the Colorado program. "It was devastating and may take years for them to overcome, because this school is one with great pride -- it's just going to take a very long time." Next is Colorado State, which is a two-point favorite over Colorado on wagerweb.com. Hawkins and his crew better get their act together before Big 12 play begins. If not, Hawkins' won-loss record will get heavy on the right side of the ledger. Texas: The second-ranked defending champs have landmark game this week when No. 1 Ohio State comes to Austin. There should be huge plays on this game on WagerWeb.com (Longhorns -2 1/2). It's probably Texas' biggest home game since 1999 when then No. 18 Texas defeated No. 3 Nebraska, 24-20. The big key for the Longhorns is the running game. As a unit, Texas rushed for 212 yards on 44 carries in the win over North Texas last week. Selvin Young (44 yards) started and shared carries with Jamaal Charles (77 yards). If Texas can run the ball, maybe, just maybe, the Longhorns can pull off the victory. Texas Tech: New quarterbacks were all over the place in the opening week of the season and no quarterback gets looked at more closely than here. Is it the system? The coach? The quarterback? What makes the Texas Tech offense work? Well, for one thing, sophomore Graham Harrell is pretty good. He threw for 342 yards and five touchdowns in his debut against Southern Methodist on Saturday. Harrell looked poised in the pocket, and his big offensive line gave him the time to throw the ball. What also helped was receiver Robert Johnson, who caught a single-game school record 15 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Of Johnson's 15 receptions, six were for either a first down or touchdown. Oklahoma: Entering the season, the Sooners' defense was thought of as a strength. But after allowing 304 yards to UAB and struggling to stop the run at times, OU coach Bob Stoops didn't appear happy. "The defense has gotten a lot of attention, and they've been bragged on," Stoops said in the Dallas Morning News. "They weren't nearly as good as they were billed to be." Just how upset are the OU coaches with the defense? Well, usually talkative co-defensive coordinator Brent Venables wasn't around for the post-game news conference. Kansas State: Ron Prince made his coaching debut a good one when the Wildcats held off Illinois State. The Wildcats made a big defensive stand, stopping a 2-point conversion try in the final minute and scoring two special teams touchdowns in the victory. K-State has now scored in 116 straight games dating to the 1996 season. That streak should continue this week with a game against Florida Atlantic. K-State is a 22 1/2 point favorite on WagerWeb.com. The Wildcats are poised to go to at least 3-0 before a Sept. 23 clash against Louisville.
--- by Calvin Watkins at wagerweb.com on September 08, 2006
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