Sun Belt casts dark cloud over the Big 12
The Sun Belt, which began sponsoring football in 2001, has won nine times against 70 losses in games against Big 12 competition. A third of those wins came on Saturday.
This is the debut no one could’ve predicted for the Big 12, which harbored somewhat realistic hopes of placing multiple teams in the College Football Playoff hunt during a season currently lacking the Pac-12 and Big Ten.
Then-No. 25 Iowa State lost to Louisiana-Lafayette. Kansas State lost to Arkansas State. Kansas lost to Coastal Carolina for the second year in a row. While the Sun Belt teams are talented, this start for the Big 12 deals a real blow to the league’s national credibility.
That won’t stop No. 6 Oklahoma, for example, from once again winning the conference championship and finding a spot in the national semifinals. (Maybe the same could be said for No. 14 Texas, though the Longhorns haven’t earned the benefit of the doubt.)
What this sort of start does, however, is eliminate some of the Sooners’ margin for error — the Big 12 as a conference won’t be afforded the same level of respect among members of the playoff selection committee as the ACC and SEC. With just one non-conference game on the schedule, these losses might prevent the Cyclones and Wildcats from reaching bowl eligibility, in turn impacting the overall
strength of schedule for teams such as the Sooners and Longhorns.
Here are the rest of Saturday’s winners and losers:
WINNERS
Louisiana
The Ragin’ Cajuns roared into the Amway Coaches poll at No. 21 after Saturday’s 31-14 win at Iowa State, though they probably should have been there already. But a spot in the pool is a major milestone for the program and the latest sign that third-year coach Billy Napier is destined to land on the short list for several Power Five openings, should schools decide to make a coaching change amid this environment.
Arkansas State
While the Red Wolves are an annual lock for the postseason, the program had notched only one victory against Power Five competition: an 18-14 win against Texas A&M in 2008. Perhaps the most impressive parts of Saturday’s win at Kansas State? The ASU defense held the Wildcats to 91 yards on the ground and allowed the Wildcats to convert just one of 11 tries on third down.
West Virginia
The Mountaineers’ 56-10 win against Eastern Kentucky qualifies as the Big 12’s best win of Saturday afternoon. It was also the only win. (This is where we mention that in-state rival Marshall beat EKU 59-0 last weekend.)
Army
The Black Knights have been ready to go from the start. After a spotty and fairly disappointing 2019, Army has opened with a 42-0 win against Middle Tennessee State and Saturday’s 27-7 win against Louisiana-Monroe. Last year’s downturn seems like a temporary dip rather than a sign of things to come.
Spencer Rattler
Oklahoma’s latest Heisman Trophy contender finished his starting debut against Missouri State with 290 passing yards and four touchdowns against three incompletions. Not bad for the redshirt freshman. The season opener showed how the Sooners’ passing game will expand under Rattler after a year leaning on a more balanced offensive scheme under Jalen Hurts, who finished second in the Heisman voting as a senior.
The Texas offense
Texas coach Tom Herman attempted an offseason reboot by hiring two new coordinators: Mike Yurcich on offense and former Rutgers coach Chris Ash on defense. The early returns are positive. The Longhorns’ 59-3 win against overmatched UTEP saw senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger throw for 429 yards and five touchdowns in the first half.
LOSERS
Florida State
Two years ago, Willie Taggart was ripped for Florida State’s lackluster performance in a loss to Virginia Tech in his debut. What will be said of new coach Mike Norvell after a 16-13 loss at home to Georgia Tech in his first game? His tenure is off to a miserable start after the Seminoles lost to an opponent picked to finish last in the conference. The scary part: Georgia Tech outplayed FSU and should have won by more than just three points. The Yellow Jackets committed multiple turnovers and had two field-goal tries blocked.
North Carolina
Yeah, the first three quarters of the 31-6 win against Syracuse were ugly. The fourth quarter, which saw No. 19 North Carolina score three touchdowns, showed why the Tar Heels have been trendy since ending last season with a win against Temple in the Military Bowl. Is that enough? It was for Syracuse, but the same sort of sluggishness would put UNC in danger against teams such as Virginia Tech and Miami, let alone Notre Dame and Clemson.
South Alabama
After beating Southern Mississippi last weekend, the Jaguars seemed on the verge of another upset after pulling ahead 24-6 on Tulane midway through the third quarter. The Green Wave would score the game’s final 21 points to win 27-24, with the win secured after South Alabama committed a 15yard penalty on fourth down as it was set to retake possession with little more than a minute left.