The Cyclones play a big one while other offenses hope to keep rolling

Big 12 Report: Texas takes step back

Big 12 Report: Texas takes step back
@LSUfootball

Texas comes close

The Longhorns couldn't get it done. They played their ass off in their second half but the Tigers were too tough down the stretch. Joe Burrow made every throw he needed to make and is clearly not last year's Joe Burrow. The Texas offense was inconsistent on the ground but got some solid runs from Roschon Johnson.

I truly believe if Keaontay Ingram doesn't drop the touchdown early Texas wins. I also believe if Todd Orlando doesn't blitz on 3rd and 17 in the fourth quarter Texas wins as well. Just a baffling move by Orlando.

Texas is clearly an elite team, but LSU was just better Saturday night. The Longhorns have no margin for error if they have designs on a playoff berth. Only perfection from here on out can get them into the playoff. That likely means two wins over Oklahoma.

Three studs

Texas WR Devin Duvernay

When Texas needed something, they found Duvernay. He finished the day with 154 yards on 12 catches with two scores. He was a key player all night and in the biggest moments he was making plays in Austin.

Oklahoma State WR Tylan Wallace

How about five catches in back to back weeks. This week though, Wallace made it even better. He almost doubled his week one yardage total with 180 yards and added an extra score over week one with three touchdowns this week. He's a talented pass catcher in a conference loaded with them.

Must-watch game: The Battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy

Iowa State and Iowa play for potentially the worst-named trophy in sports in the Cy-Hawk Trophy. That being said, this game is usually very fun to watch. Iowa has won four straight and Iowa State isn't nearly as talented as last year but with College Gameday in town, and potentially the last year with Cyclones coach Matt Campbell coaching in this one, it should be a blast.

This game also has a decent implication for the Big 12 as a whole. Imagine if Iowa State beats ranked Iowa and is undefeated on Nov. 11 when they play Oklahoma. That would be a huge feather in the Sooners cap or put the Cyclones in the Big 12 driver's seat.

Who better ball

TCU's safeties

They have to try to cover Rondale Moore. Oh my. One of the most dynamic players in the nation will be a tough cover. Vanderbilt had trouble with him and they're better on defense than TCU. That being said, TCU sees spread success each year. It will be fun to see if they can contain the Heisman candidate.

Iowa State RB Johnnie Lang

When you are playing Iowa you are going to have to match their physicality. Lang has to be able to run the ball, you can't just throw and throw against Iowa that won't work. Lang will have to help the Cyclones control the clock if they have a lead. If they are behind, they have to keep some semblance of balance

Big 12 Rankings

1. Oklahoma

2. Oklahoma State

3. Texas

4. Baylor

5. Texas Tech

6. TCU

7. Iowa State

8. Kansas State

9. West Virginia

10. Kansas

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Looking for an inspiring underdog or a glass slipper lying around in San Antonio? This year's version of the Final Four is not for you.

Fittingly for an NCAA Tournament in which big schools from big conferences took record numbers of spots in the first week, then hogged them all for the Sweet 16, the last week will bring a collection of all four teams seeded No. 1 to the sport's biggest stage to play for the title.

When Florida meets Auburn in an all-Southeastern Conference clash and Duke faces Houston in a meeting between the Atlantic Coast and Big 12 conferences, it will mark only the second time since seeding began in 1979 that all four No. 1s have made it to the final weekend.

The last time it happened, in 2008, one of the teams was Memphis, which hailed from Conference USA.

This time around, there are no mid-majors or small majors. Only the best teams from the best conferences — except the Big Ten, which will hasn't had a team win it all since 2000 — who also have the nation's best players.

Here's a look at the best player on each team (for Auburn, Duke and Florida, they are AP All-Americans ), along with another who might make an impact in San Antonio once the games start Saturday.

Johni Broome and Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn

Broome hit his elbow hard in the second half of the Tigers' 70-64 win over Michigan State. He left the court, but then came back, saying team doctors told him there was nothing wrong. He averages 18 points and nearly 11 rebounds and had 20-10 games in both wins this week. Clearly, his health will be a storyline.

If NBA scouts only look at backup guard Pettiford's tournament, where he has averaged 17.2 points and sparked Auburn on a huge run in the Sweet 16 win against Michigan, they'd pick him in the first round. If they look at his overall body of work, they might say he still needs work. Either way, he could be a difference-maker over two games.

Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach, Duke

There are times — see the 30-point, seven-rebound, six-assist skills clinic against BYU — when Flagg just looks like he's toying with everyone. There are other times — see Saturday's win over Alabama — when he looks human. Which is more than enough, considering all the talent surrounding him.

Maluach is 7-foot-2 and has a standing reach of 9-8. If any opponent overplays him, they can expect a lob for an alley-oop dunk. He shot 12 for 15 over Sweet 16 weekend, and pretty much all the shots were from 4 feet or closer.

Walter Clayton Jr. and Will Richard, Florida

Clayton made the tying and go-ahead 3s in Florida's ferocious comeback against Texas Tech. He finished with 30 points and his coach, Todd Golden, said, “There’s not another player in America you would rather have right now than Walter Clayton with the ball in his hands in a big-time moment.”

During one two-game stretch in February, Richard had two points in one contest and 21 the next. During another, he scored zero, then 30. Fill in the blanks here, but he could be a big factor for the Gators either way.

Joseph Tugler and L.J. Cryer, Houston

Fittingly for the team with the nation's best defense, a player who only averages 5.5 points could be the most valuable for the Cougars. Tugler is on everyone's all-defense list, and for Houston to have any chance at stopping Flagg, it'll have to figure out ways to use Tugler to do it.

Cryer is Houston's leading scorer at 15.2 points a game. If the Cougars end up as national champs, it will have to be because he played the two best games of his life.

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