Baylor (2-2)•Story so far: New coach Art Briles has said the future is now and is playing mobile freshman quarterback Robert Griffin and getting results. The rout of Washington State and near-win at Connecticut have turned heads, and the Bears no longer seem like the South’s last choice.
•Reason for concern: The Bears are doing things better on both sides of the ball. Their defense ranks in the upper half of the conference in most categories. But a strength, Griffin, is a weakness. He’s wildly talented, but inexperience will create some problems as he learns to read defenses on this level.
Colorado (3-1)
•Story so far: The victory over West Virginia provided the season-defining moment, but the Buffaloes couldn’t capitalize and looked bad against Florida State. The emergence of freshman running back Rodney Stewart has been the most positive development.
•Reason for concern: The offensive line took another hit against the Seminoles when right tackle Ryan Miller fractured his lower left leg. He became the second lineman last week and third this season to be lost for an extended period because of an injury. Miller had taken every snap this season.
Iowa State (2-2)
•Story so far: Two convincing victories and two winnable losses mean progress in coach Gene Chizik’s second season. Austen Arnaud is getting more snaps as the starting quarterback, and the defense has played well at times.
•Reason for concern: Chizik said Monday that his staff took the open week to detail the cause of the team’s uneven play and came up with a simple answer. “Inexperience,” he said. “We’re playing 10, 11 freshmen, and many of our mistakes are coming from the young guys.”
Kansas (3-1)
•Story so far: The Jayhawks, like several conference teams, had only one opponent to make a statement in September and lost at South Florida. Quarterback Todd Reesing has been exceptional, and the linebackers continue their outstanding play.
•Reason for concern: Kansas averages 3.45 yards per rushing attempt, the second-worst figure in the Big 12. Coach Mark Mangino has been careful not to point the finger at running backs, saying the blocking of the line and wide receivers plays a major role.
Kansas State (3-1)
•Story so far: Quarterback Josh Freeman is on his way to another big season passing, and his six rushing touchdowns are the most of any league quarterback. Wide receiver Brandon Banks leads the league in yards per game (115.8), and it looks as if the Wildcats have found a running back in converted wide receiver Lamark Brown.
•Reason for concern: The defense has been abysmal the last two games. K-State has allowed 300-plus-yard rushing games against Louisville and Louisiana-Lafayette, and now major offensive tests await in Big 12 play, starting Saturday when Texas Tech visits.
Missouri (4-0)
•Story so far: It took the Tigers 11 games to reach the top five last year. It happened after three games this year. Quarterback Chase Daniel and wide receiver/return specialist Jeremy Maclin somehow have improved, and Missouri hasn’t lost a step at running back with Derrick Washington. The offensive line, an issue in the preseason, has exceeded expectations.
•Reason for concern: Is this a championship-level defense? Getting stung by Illinois can be explained by opening-game circumstances. But Buffalo racked up some yardage two weeks ago. The biggest questions are in the secondary.
Next page >
