Daily briefing: On Kansas State-Oklahoma State, the not-so-great Big Ten and a 3-in-1 ACC game
Ivan Maisel’s “Daily Briefing” for On3:
Oklahoma State can put itself in prime position in Big 12
At first glance, it didn’t seem as if there’s a lot at stake Saturday when No. 9 Oklahoma State plays at No. 22 Kansas State. Look closer. In the era of no-division football and neutral-site championship games, second place is as important as first. The winner between the Cowboys and the Wildcats takes sole possession of second in the Big 12 behind No. 7 TCU. For Oklahoma State, a win would provide a one-game lead over Kansas State, idle Texas and the winner of Baylor-Texas Tech, all four of which Oklahoma State has beaten. That means the Cowboys would have what amounts to a two-game lead over the rest of the Big 12 with three conference games remaining. With the health status of Kansas State quarterback Adrian Martinez up in the air – “We’re going to get him back at some point,” Wildcats coach Chris Klieman said, referring to the season, on his radio show Wednesday night – Oklahoma State is poised to take a big step forward Saturday.
Big Ten is not having a good year
On the last weekend before the College Football Playoff Selection Committee convenes its first meeting of the season, No. 2 Ohio State needs to display the same type of dominance at No. 13 Penn State that it has shown against the mediocrities it has beaten to date. Best record: Toledo (5-3). Best record among Power 5 opponents: Notre Dame and Rutgers (4-3). The fact is, the Big Ten is not having a good year, and the Michigan-Ohio State winner won’t have the same number of quality wins as the SEC’s playoff contenders (Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama). I’m not saying that an undefeated Michigan-Ohio State winner won’t get in the playoff. But an undefeated Michigan-Ohio State winner won’t get the benefit of the doubt from the selection committee, either.
Ebb and flow – and ebb and flow again in NC State win
They played about three different games Thursday night at Carter-Finley Stadium. Virginia Tech’s offense played so poorly in the first half against No. 24 North Carolina State that even Iowa winced. We’re talking epically bad: two first downs, seven false starts, 46 total yards and never crossing midfield. The Hokies awoke in the third quarter, gaining 251 yards and, more important, scoring 21 points. Virginia Tech quarterback Grant Wells began taking – and completing – shots downfield. He also stretched the defense with some quarterback draws. At which point the Wolfpack, trailing 21-3, came alive. Freshman quarterback MJ Morris took over for the ineffective Jack Chambers and found his rhythm, throwing for 265 yards and three touchdowns to lead NC State to a comeback 22-21 victory. For what it’s worth, in the fourth quarter, the Hokies finished with minus-4 yards.