The Quad: After Top 2, Oklahoma St. Has Inside Track

The losses by national title contenders Wisconsin and Oklahoma threw the Bowl Championship Series race into a tizzy. College football, after a few weeks heavy on chalk and light on thrillers, re-emerged as the unpredictable and parity-laden beast that had driven the sport’s popularity and television ratings the past few years.

With Louisiana State and Alabama locked into the top two spots until the two teams meet Nov. 5, the biggest question is which team can jockey into position for a possible spot against the Tigers or the Crimson Tide in the national title game.

Right now, Oklahoma State appears to be that team. The Cowboys are No. 3 in the latest B.C.S. rankings, significantly ahead of No. 4 Boise State, No. 5 Clemson and No. 6 Stanford. Jerry Palm said he did not think Oklahoma State’s edge would disappear in the computers because it has a strong schedule.

“Oklahoma State is in the best shape,” Palm wrote in an e-mail. “They have a slight edge over Stanford in the polls (pretty even really), but figure to be the best computer team with the possible exception of an undefeated SEC champ.

“Unless the voters start coming harder for Stanford, the Cardinal won’t catch O.S.U.”

The B.C.S. rankings are determined by three components: the Harris Interactive poll, the USA Today coaches poll and the average of six computer rankings. Each component counts one-third toward a team’s B.C.S. score.

vs. No. 1 Louisiana State, Nov. 5at Southern California, Saturdayvs. Washington State, Saturdayat No. 8 Kansas State, Saturdayvs. No. 11 Michigan State, Saturday

Computer rankings: The six providers are Anderson & Hester, Richard Billingsley, Colley Matrix, Kenneth Massey, Jeff Sagarin and Peter Wolfe. Each accounts for schedule strength in its formula. The highest and lowest ranking for each team is dropped, and the remaining four are added and divided by 100 (the maximum possible points) to produce a computer rankings percentage.

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Sooners making changes after upset loss

Oklahoma prepared for Texas Tech all week as four-touchdown favorites while its rival up north, Oklahoma State, listened to critics place it on upset alert all week heading into a road matchup against Missouri.

The Sooners, you might have heard by now, lost. Oklahoma State won by three touchdowns.

Oklahoma decided to limit its media access following the loss to just one post-practice opportunity instead of the usual three. The move is reminiscent of late last season when the Sooners closed their season with two mammoth road games against Baylor and Oklahoma State and trimmed media access to a few select players.

Did Oklahoma let the confidence of others outside the locker room get in its head? Who knows? But Texas coach Mack Brown, not speaking specifically about the Sooners, says it wouldn't be the first time that's happened to a team.

Brown's wife, Sally, likes to tell him she knows nothing about football, but she's learned at least one thing over the years.

"She says about the time someone says, 'That absolutely cannot happen,' is when it happens," Brown told reporters during the weekly Big 12 coaches teleconference. "Kids sit around all week and listen to the fans. They listen to the media, and when people are talking about the other team not having a chance to win -- or you start talking about a game down the road instead of the one that week -- it is a very, very dangerous thing. That's why coaches get so paranoid about games each week. All of us have been in one of those, and when you've been in one, that's enough. That'll keep your attention for the rest of them."

Oklahoma experienced that disappointment on Saturday. Oklahoma State didn't, but Mike Gundy knows a similar performance from his team could produce a similar result.

"You try to do everything you can as a coach to stress the importance of trying to play at a high level every week," Gundy said. "The example that I've used is that we're in March Madness from Sept. 1 in college football. There are not many opportunities to slip and continue to have a chance to be there at the end of the season."

Oklahoma State is one of just eight remaining undefeated teams left, including two in the Big 12. It's the highest-ranked Big 12 team, five spots above fellow undefeated Kansas State, which hosts Oklahoma this week. The challenge ahead of the Cowboys is clear: avoid the fate Oklahoma fell victim to against Texas Tech.

"We think as a coaching staff that the greatest challenge we have now is to get them to play at a high level 12 weeks in a row," Gundy said.

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Michigan St Confident After Beating Michigan Again

The Spartans ended up sharing the Big Ten title, while the Wolverines stumbled down the stretch.

Michigan State hopes its 28-14 victory over Michigan on Saturday will have the same effect, while the Wolverines insist this season is different.

"It's easy to say, 'Oh, it's the same Michigan team of the last two years' — but I have no doubt in my mind that we're not," Michigan safety Jordan Kovacs said. "We're going to improve. We're to learn from this game. We're going to win."

The Spartans moved up to No. 15 in the AP poll on Sunday, while Michigan dropped to 18th. Michigan State, which took over sole possession of first place in the Big Ten's Legends Division with its victory Saturday, won't have much of a chance to rest. The Spartans host No. 4 Wisconsin next Saturday night.

The Wolverines, on the other hand, have an open date next weekend before beginning the stretch run with a home game against Purdue.

Michigan State beat Michigan for the fourth straight time, equaling its longest streak in the series. Last year, the teams were undefeated when they met in October. The Spartans went on to lose only once during the regular season, while Michigan went 7-5, was blown out in its bowl and fired coach Rich Rodriguez.

This is the third straight season the Wolverines were undefeated before losing to Michigan State.

"It's very special, and I feel like we as a team and we as individuals have been overlooked and underestimated for a large part of our careers," Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "Wins like this are very satisfying for that reason."

Michigan State beat Wisconsin at home last season — the only regular-season loss for the Badgers, who went to the Rose Bowl anyway because of a Big Ten tiebreaker. The Spartans had to settle for a Capital One Bowl berth and were blown out by Alabama.

Although Michigan State dropped an early game this season to Notre Dame, the Spartans look every bit as capable as last season's team. They are ranked No. 2 in the country in total defense.

"We just want to win on Saturday, that's all that matters," defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi said. "All that defense stuff — stats, you guys know how I feel about stats — it doesn't matter. That win right there, that's the most important thing."

Wisconsin is averaging 50.2 points per game, the best mark in the nation.

Michigan's defense is improved from last season, when it was clearly a liability. The Wolverines had a chance to tie Saturday's game in the fourth quarter, but Denard Robinson was sacked on fourth down deep in Michigan State territory.

Robinson was kept in check by the Spartans throughout the day and eventually left the game in the final minutes after a hit. He'll have an extra week to recover now.

Although another loss to Michigan State stung, the Wolverines will ultimately be judged on how they finish. They host Nebraska and Ohio State to end the regular season next month.

"I know that we have great leadership on this team, including myself," Michigan senior defensive tackle Mike Martin said. "We have a bye week coming up and I know guys are going to be hungry. ... These seniors and these leaders are going to get this team right."

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Buccaneers Still Making Tweaks After Big Victory

Coming off a 45-point setback at San Francisco, the Bucs jumped headfirst back into the NFC South race Sunday by grinding out a 26-20 win over New Orleans.

Tampa's season outlook was shaky at best a week ago thanks to inconsistent quarterback play, a defense stuck in the middle pack among its peers and key injuries to running back LeGarrette Blount and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

Now heading into this week's trip to London for a matchup with Chicago, the Bucs are hoping the resolve they showed on both sides of the ball against the Saints will go a long way in changing the early perceptions about them.

"I got a bunch of tough guys on this football team and no matter what happens, anybody may be considered a star," Morris said. "It's always going to be the next man theory...These guys know how to move on to the next game."

Tampa entered the New Orleans game ranked just 23rd in total defense and 20th in offense, but played well above those numbers Sunday.

The improvement was particularly noticeable on defense where the Bucs forced four turnovers — including three interceptions of Saints quarterback Drew Brees — while allowing New Orleans a touchdown on just one of its four red zone opportunities.

Tampa is now plus-2 in turnover margin for the season and was the biggest takeaway from the win, Morris said, for a unit that played without McCoy, who was out with an ankle injury.

"We're streaky I guess, we're like John Starks, we come out hot some days and some days we're not," Morris said. "But we are on fire and back in, we got the hop-step we've been missing the last couple of weeks, and that's what we've got to be."

Avoiding turnovers was also key for Tampa's offense and they were turnover-free thanks to one of quarterback Josh Freeman's best efforts of the season.

He completed just 23 of 41 passes, but had two touchdown passes and 303 passing yards. His final quarterback rating for the day was a less than stellar 95.9, but well above the season average of 74.1 he entered the game with.

His leadership was needed without the services Sunday of Blount, who sat out with a knee injury. He will likely miss his second straight game this week.

Earnest Graham did play well in Blount's place, rushing for 109 yards. But at 31 years old and in his eighth season the Bucs probably can't count on that production on a weekly basis if Blount doesn't return to action quickly.

Still, Graham said he's ready to step in as long as he's needed to, but isn't focusing on having to fill that role long term.

"I never felt entitled to being the starting running back or to anything," Graham said. "When you feel that way and just handle your work and handle your career, you want to be able to step up and be ready when it's time."

Freeman said the pieces are certainly there for the Bucs to be playoff team, though there is still a lot of room for growth as they continue a challenging six-game stretch against teams with a combined record of 24-11.

"We're a young team, we're a good team, but at the same time, it comes down to preparation and execution and if we can keep that at a high level," Freeman said. "It's Week 6, nothing's decided at this point, and every win is extremely valuable."

Cornerback E.J. Biggers said it's why nobody in the Bucs' locker room thinks that all of their early season issues are completely behind them.

"We left some plays out there on the field," he said. "It's going to be like that every game. Something going to happen that you could correct and get better at. We are going to do that and get better and keep growing as a team." __

Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter: www.twitter.com/khightower

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Bengals, Palmer moving apart after conversations

Published: October 15th, 2011 | Tags: Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals, Michael Lombardi, Mike Brown, NFL Total Access

Bengals owner Mike Brown is dead-set that QB Carson Palmer will either play for the Bengals or stay retired. As many expected, that hasn’t changed.

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With Tuesday’s trade deadline looming, even a potential trade that looks good on paper — one that could help the Bengals’ young roster — isn’t enough to budge Brown. But that doesn’t mean Palmer hasn’t been working behind the scenes.

“I don’t think (a trade is) going to happen,” NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi said on “NFL Total Access” on Friday. “But, I do know this: Carson Palmer has been in direct contact, himself, with Brown. Those phone calls have proven to be fruitless. … Each phone conversation they get further and further apart.”

Not that it mattered in Brown’s decision-making, but ultimately what the first five weeks of the season have provided is leverage. The Bengals are winning, and rookie QB Andy Dalton is balling. If the Bengals want to move Palmer, it will happen when Brown is good and ready.

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Jags’ McCown looks for answers after Jets mess

Published: September 20th, 2011 | Tags: Luke McCown, Blaine Gabbart, Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars

After Luke McCown‘s implosion in Sunday’s 32-3 loss to the Jets — in which he tallied a woeful 1.8 passer rating — the Jaguars’ journeyman QB took responsibility for the debacle.

“For whatever reason, (I) felt a little short throwing the football,” McCown told The Associated Press on Monday. “It starts with me. The ball’s in my hands first. Obviously, we all have to do better. But it starts with me, and I’m going to get it fixed.”

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Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio was pelted with questions about the QB’s future Monday, but few teams have patience for a guy who goes 6-of-19 passing for 59 yards with four picks. The plan was to give rookie Blaine Gabbert time to learn, but he could be pressed into service as soon as this Sunday at Carolina, where Cam Newton has left no questions about who leads the Panthers.

McCown — job in jeopardy — was operating with noticeably less clout after the Jaguars’ loss, shifting his focus to life’s core values.

“You want to crawl under a rock for a little while last night,” he said. “The great thing about having kids is they don’t care how many picks you throw. I walk in the house and they were glad I was home. Today’s a new day. I woke up this morning and the sun was there. … It’s another day to prepare and get better. As bad as it feels, it only counts as one loss.”

– Marc Sessler

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Cowboys’ Jenkins sent to locker after hard hit

Published: September 11th, 2011 | Tags: Week 1 injuries 2011, Dallas Cowboys, Mike Jenkins, New York Jets, Plaxico Burress

Cowboys CB Mike Jenkins walked off the field and into the locker room after taking a hard hit from Jets WR Plaxico Burress in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game.

The hit occurred on a running play, when Burress cracked back and delivered a hard shot to Jenkins’ upper body, resulting in an injury to his left shoulder.

Jenkins returned to action in the fourth quarter.

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The Morning After: Don’t count out No. 18

Of all the memorable moments that Week 16 served up on the menu for The Morning Afternoon After … Mike Singletary’s sideline argument with another quarterback, Tom Brady’s interception-less brilliance and Ryan Fitzpatrick’s epic beard … that canny slide by Peyton Manning can’t be ignored.

It should have served as a subtle reminder to never count out No. 18.

Manning may have slid out of MVP consideration behind Tom Terrific and Michael Vick, but as Brian Baldinger pointed out last week, his brilliance has been on display in other ways during a season that hasn’t been exactly typical for the Colts or their quarterback.

Leading 31-26 with 1:39 remaining against the Raiders, Manning took off (sort of) on a naked bootleg, the perfect call. He … um, rumbled … 27 yards before realizing he would be caught from behind by Matt Shaughnessy, and then did what only the most aware of players would do. He slid.

Manning then took a knee on the next two plays in the beloved victory formation.

It didn’t win the game, but The Slide is a microcosm of Manning’s preparation and awareness of situational football. None of it — the call at the line of scrimmage, selling the handoff or his slide — was by accident. In fact, Manning said after the game he called his own number and told no one, so that his teammates would carry out what they thought was the play call.

“My dad (Archie) always told me that’s the best way to do it,” Manning told the Indy Star. “I didn’t decide until … the last minute.”

Collectively, we bag on players and coaches every week for not knowing the current game situation, so kudos to Manning.

Here’s the best part: If you watch closely, you can see Manning can’t help but grin as he looks up at the scoreboard for the replay.

Smart. Even amusing. And typical Manning. Although, clearly he didn’t have himself on his fantasy football team. But it’s only fitting he sealed the win in atypical fashion, putting the Colts on the doorstep of a seventh AFC title in the past eight seasons and tying the NFL record with a ninth consecutive postseason appearance.

Again, typical the Colts are right there in December.

If the Colts reach the playoffs, it’s hard to bet against Manning. Echoing an earlier thought by Warren Sapp, opposing players check the “I don’t want to see him” box next to Manning’s name when it comes to the playoffs.

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Dolphins’ Procter helped off after knee injury

Published: November 18th, 2010 | | Tags: Miami Dolphins, Richie Incognito, Cory Procter, Week 11 injuries 2010, Pat McQuistan

Dolphins center Cory Procter was helped off the field during the first quarter of Thursday night’s game against the Bears, a tough blow for a team already battling injuries along the offensive line.

Procter injured his left leg while running downfield on a screen pass, although he wasn’t touched on the play. His left leg simply gave out, and he was in immediate pain as he was down on the turf. Procter wasn’t able to put much weight on the leg as he was helped off.

Procter was soon carted off the sideline with his left knee in a brace. He is questionable to return with a knee injury.

Procter was in the lineup at center replacing Joe Berger, who is out with a knee injury. Pat McQuistan came in to play left guard, with guard Richie Incognito sliding over to center. With Tyler Thigpen making his first start of the season, the combination of a new quarterback and the third-string center could be an issue for the Dolphins.

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BYU nearly bowl eligible after 1-4 start

Six weeks ago, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said he needed to uncover the heart and soul of his football team. [+] Enlarge AP Photo/Jim UrquhartAfter a rough start, Bronco Mendenhall's Cougars have won four of their past five.His Cougars, so used to winning and winning consistently, had just lost to Utah State for the first time since 1993. The Aggies stormed the field around the bewildered BYU players, who had lost four straight for the first time in their careers, dropping to 1-4.

The following day, Mendenhall fired defensive coordinator Jamie Hill and took over. He also announced he would take a more hands-on approach to his team.

He has captured something all right. BYU has won four of its past five games since that low point, with the lone loss coming at No. 3 TCU. The Cougars (5-5, 4-2) need a win Saturday against New Mexico (1-9, 1-5) to become bowl eligible, a thought that seemed so far from their minds in early October.

"It is as gratifying, if not more, than any season I have coached here,” Mendenhall said earlier this week. “Because, again, of where we have come from, and the improvement I see and the change in the players -- not only how they are playing, but the way they carry themselves. I have always just kind of professed that coaching is nothing but teaching, and teaching is service-driven. And that’s to help the players.

“And when you see them growing in confidence, and just their spirit and how they are walking around, it is fun. And that’s more important to me than the scores. But let’s be honest, without the scores being on our side, sometimes they won't get to that point.”

BYU was decidedly un-BYU like early on for several reasons. First, the opening stretch of the schedule was brutal. After beating Washington to open the season, BYU had to play at Air Force, at Florida State, and then Nevada. Mendenhall also could not decide on a starting quarterback, so he went with two – Riley Nelson and Jake Heaps.

That hamstrung the once-prolific BYU offense and made it difficult to get anything going offensively. After Nelson went out for the season, the true freshman Heaps had to handle the entire offense himself. No playmakers emerged at receiver. About the only thing working was the run game behind J.J. DiLuigi.

But perhaps all Heaps needed was a little bit of time, and for some players to step up around him. One of those receivers has been Luke Ashworth. In the first five games of the season, he totaled 11 catches for 53 yards. In the last three, he has 15 catches for 253 yards, including 113 yards and four touchdowns last week in a 49-10 win against Colorado State.

“I took it upon myself to step up and practice extra hard,” Ashworth said in a telephone interview. “We were pretty frustrated when we were at that low point, especially the seniors. I thought we were going to do a lot better. But being a young offense, we’ve progressed a ton since that point. The bowl game is in the back of our minds, but we’ve been really focused on each game in front of us.”

Both the offense and defense have improved since the 1-4 start. Here are a few examples to prove it:

After averaging 15.2 points over the first five games, BYU has averaged 31.2 points over the last five. On defense, BYU allowed 28.8 points in the first five but has improved to allow 17.8 points over the last five.

In the last five games the Cougars have held their opponents to first quarter rushing totals of minus-10 (San Diego State), 20 (TCU), minus-31 (Wyoming), zero (UNLV) and 8 (Colorado State) yards, respectively.

BYU led UNLV 38-0 in the first half, and then Colorado State 35-0 in the first half in the last two games, marking the first time the Cougars scored at least five first half touchdowns in consecutive games since getting seven against Tulane and five against Nevada to open the 2001 season.

Heaps has thrown for 536 yards in the last two games. Mendenhall said it was a matter of finding balance in the offense.

“It has kind of been a progression to being able to run the football, to run it with a little play-action, and then to be able to make some short throws, and now being able to make some intermediate throws with more consistency -- now sprinkled with a few plays over the top that help us score points,” he said.

As for what that slow start did for the team, Ashworth said, “It was almost like a character, attitude goal-setting check, just seeing that we were at the bottom of the barrel compared to last year. It’s been a huge growing experience.”

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Chiefs LB Mark Simoneau to retire after being placed on IR

The Chiefs have placed linebacker Mark Simoneau on injured reserve, and the 33-year old says instead of trying again to make it on a roster in 2011, he’s going to retire.

Simoneau, who missed the past two seasons with New Orleans because of injuries to his back and triceps, was a product of Smith Center, Kansas and played collegiately at Kansas State. He made suburban Kansas City his off-season home three years ago and signed with his hometown team as a free agent on October 27th.

Simoneau was injured in the first half of Sunday’s game while covering a kickoff on special teams. After absorbing a hit, Simoneau was escorted into the Chiefs locker room and did not suit out for the second half.

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