Top 5

We got a really exciting game against Colorado, but let's try and temper the enthusiasm by remembering that it WAS a triple overtime win over a (now) 0-6 team. It's great to be 2-0 in the Big XII, but we've done so against two of the worst three teams in the Big XII (the other being OSU).

But we DID do some very good things and a win on the road against ANYONE is not something to be flippant about in the Big XII. Really, all we have to do (yeah "all we have to do") is win out at home to get to a bowl game. And we also have a game against OSU on the road that is definitely winnable (though I expect a CU-like dogfight up there).

Now let's look at the Top 5 positive and negative things we did this past weekend.

#5 Negative - Whoever was Spying Jackson
Come on!! The guy is a great athlete, cool, I got that. But the play that could have ended the game is a 4th and 1 and we give up a 19 yard run. I know the penalty at the end was bogus, but the 19-yard run was what killed us.

#5 Positive - Sepulveda/Special Teams Coverage units
10 yards on one kickoff return. 2 50+ yard punts. 44.2 yards NET per punt. Great effort and great job making up for the inconsistency of our offense.

#4 Negative -Defensive Line
Where is our pass rush? OK, the guy is mobile, so maybe we don't get a bunch of sacks, but 276 yards rushing!? We better learn how to defend the run this week or Texas is going to maul us. This is where the defense needs to find themselves. Rhodes and Lamb sound like they are coming on, but they need those seniors to step up and be leaders.

#4 Positive - Offensive Line
Great job blocking for the run and the pass. We gave up two sacks, but paved the way for a 110 yard rushing day and 70% completion in the passing game. And the line gave Bell time to find Shelton on 4th down in a play that extended the game.

#3 Negative - Interceptions
Two interceptions just really killed the possibility of this being a game we had in hand much earlier. The first came on our first drive while trying to answer Colorado's opening scoring drive. The second was even more disturbing since it came at the 4 yard line in the endzone. Why didn't we rush the ball on first down? I don't know, but we really can't, can't, can't throw a pick inside the five yardline.

#3 Positive - Trent Shelton
Clutch, playmaker, leader. This guy has it all. Great catch to extend the game, and four other catches that kept the offense moving.

#2 Negative - Special Teams turnovers
Turning over the ball on the opening kickoff of the second half is a great way to kill any momentum you brought INTO halftime. We've got to cut these turnovers out. Thankfully, Cosby missed this field goal from 36 yards (proving we were destined to win the game) and it didn't hurt us. We do it against Texas and that's a touchdown.

#2 Positive - Paul Mosley
20 carries for 85 yards and two touchdowns. Mosley alone exceeded Colorado's previous rushing yards allowed, and gave the offense the rushing threat that it desperately needed.

#1 Negative - Rush Defense
The defensive line got called out by themselves, but we had a lot of guys throughout the defense with the Roy Williams syndrome (Going for the big hit and missing the tackle). Wrap up, secure the man, and let somebody else knock him silly. Like I said about the defensive line: Our performance in this area won't cut it against Texas.

#1 Positive - Joe Pawelek
You know, I wondered if JoePa was getting too much credit for what he did in this game, even if I gave too much credit on this blog last night. Not that he didn't have a good game, but I wondered if his accomplishments were being blown out of proportion. They weren't. 14 tackles (11 solo), a quarterback hurry, a tackle for a loss, and the game-winning interception. No other player came close to impacting the game the way JoePa did.