ESPN College Football

I'm back from an extended weekend jaunt to the Midwest from Texas, and a new BBQ discovery. Bogart's Smoke House in St. Louis gets my highest recommendation. Ribs: it's what's for... lunch? (They're only open until 4 p.m.)

Here's a bit of what we missed while I was away:

Longhorns' receiver plans to sit out 2011

Marquise Goodwin has missed the past two spring camps to focus on his track career. Now, he'll sit out the 2011 season.

Goodwin plans to redshirt the 2011 season in favor of track, and plans to return as a junior in 2012.

Goodwin has won three Big 12 long jump championships, and recently qualified for the World Championships in Korea, which would have caused him to miss all of preseason camp and likely the season opener vs. Rice.

Goodwin won the U.S. Championships with a jump of 27 feet, four inches to qualify for the worlds, and will try and focus on qualifying for the 2012 Olympics in London.

“We are so proud of Marquise," Texas coach Mack Brown said in a release. "What an unbelievable accomplishment to be the U.S. long jump champion and earn a spot in the World Championships, especially at such a young age. Obviously he has established himself as one of the premier long jumpers not only in America, but the world. With the World Championships coming up and the Olympics next August, his focus needs to be on track and field."

Sounds like Goodwin has Brown's blessing. Goodwin caught 61 passes for 603 yards and a pair of scores the past two seasons, and while he was a contributor to the Longhorns' offense, he was hardly an integral piece. His loss hurts, but it's not crippling for Texas' offense, which has a few young receivers who'll get some opportunities with Goodwin gone.

Bears' season-ticket promotion paying off

Baylor drew some nationwide attention for its Fourth of July season-ticket promotion, which allowed fans to purchase a season-ticket package for the price of whatever the high temperature in Waco was on the holiday.

Temperatures reached 101 degrees, and sure enough, the Bears debuted their season ticket package shortly after.

From the release:

"There is tremendous anticipation for the Bears' 2011 season, and we are grateful for those fans who already have purchased season tickets," said Baylor Executive Associate Athletics Director/External Affairs Nick Joos. "The price-point for this special July 4th promotion affords fans a discount of more than 30 percent off our Super Fan ticket price, and we are hopeful that will be appealing to many, especially considering the attractiveness of our 2011 home schedule."

It's a good schedule, no doubt. TCU, Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri all come to Waco this year, where the Bears are preparing for one of the most anticipated seasons in school history (until 2012). The promotion only runs through July 10, but the program has already sold over 1,000 of the packages.

ESPN's Page 2 also helped offer a few other season ticket promotion suggestions, thanks to the Bears.

New KU quarterback difficulties?

Tom Keegan of the Lawrence Journal-World also opined rather loudly that Brock Berglund, the top prospect in Colorado and a Kansas quarterback signee in 2011, would never suit up for the Jayhawks.

Berglund committed to Colorado initially before placing a call to Turner Gill after Dan Hawkins was fired as coach of the Buffs. Since then, he's made plenty of headlines.

He planned to enroll at Kansas a semester early. He did. But he went back home to Colorado before spring practice began. He also made some comments which may not have been interpreted as he intended but rubbed some people the wrong way.

"I would say Tim Tebow, Michael Vick and Peyton Manning, kind of all put together," Berglund said, when asked to describe his game. He expounded on the comments, which are re-hashed in Keegan's column, but Keegan says they're indicative of a larger attitude that has caused problems with his new team in Lawrence.

Keegan writes:

Once he showed up on campus, teammates found him to be the personification of those boastful words. They put him in his place. Now, whether they did so with words or one player took it a step beyond is a matter of conjecture. Either way, he took his ball and went home.

Still, he was given another chance by coach Turner Gill. No way Berglund can get a uniform now that he hasn’t been showing up for the “voluntary” conditioning workouts. Now an exit strategy must be formulated. Gill can’t run him for not attending workouts the NCAA labels optional.

For now, sophomore Jordan Webb sounds like he's taking hold of the job ahead of senior Quinn Mecham. Hopes were high for Berglund, perhaps as high as becoming the starter in 2011. It's far too early to tell if that will happen, but after his spring absence and Webb's apparent emergence, I wouldn't count on that happening.

The NCAA released its report on Academic Progress Rates (APR) this week, and every team in the Big 12 was in good standing for the 2009-10 school year.

The APR measures of eligibility and retention for Division I student-athletes for every sport on a term-by-term basis. It was developed as an early indicator of eventual graduation rates.

If any team scores below 925 out of 1,000 it will incur scholarship losses, practice restrictions and other penalties may follow. The rates are based on scores from the 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 academic years.

That 925 ranking equates to about a 60 percent graduation rate.

Here's where the Big 12's programs ranked. Nebraska and Colorado are included, for obvious reasons. Last year's rating in parentheses. You can see any program using the NCAA's database.

1. Missouri -- 967

2. Oklahoma -- 960

3. Nebraska -- 958

4. Kansas -- 952

5. Baylor -- 951

6. Texas Tech -- 944

7. Oklahoma State -- 942

8. Texas -- 941

9. Kansas State -- 940

9. Texas A&M -- 940

11. Iowa State -- 932

12. Colorado -- 929

Additionally, you can search the database by coach, and here's how the coaches ranked according to their single-year rankings. (last year's score in parentheses.)

1. Gary Pinkel, Missouri -- 975 (977)

2. Bo Pelini, Nebraska -- 970 (934)

3. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma -- 966 (954)

4. Art Briles, Baylor -- 964 (985)

5. Dan Hawkins, Colorado -- 958 (929)

6. Turner Gill, Kansas -- 948 (first year)

7. Paul Rhoads, Iowa State -- 946 (889)

8. Mike Sherman, Texas A&M -- 942 (902)

8. Bill Snyder, Kansas State -- 942 (908)

10. Tommy Tuberville, Texas Tech -- 940 (915)

11. Mack Brown, Texas -- 924 (959)

12. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State -- 913 (944)

To re-emphasize, the four-year, program-wide numbers are the only ones that can bring about penalties, but it's interesting to see the year-to-year fluctuation within each program. Kudos to Rhoads, Snyder, Pelini, Sherman and Hawkins.

You can see any coach in any sport by using this database.

Oh, it's back. America's most polarizing holiday (sorry, Thanksgiving!) is here, and it's time to pass out a few Valentines to various things across the league that did things deserving of love in the past year.

1. The Big 12. Congratulations, you exist! Sure, it sounds simple, but if I were a betting man in June, I would have bet against it, at least in terms of being one of college football's elite leagues. Commissioner Dan Beebe convinced the Longhorns and their West Coast-eyeing tagalongs to keep playing their games exclusively in flyover country. Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri love you lots for it. Sources indicate that edible bouquets have been sent by all five schools to the Big 12 offices in Irving and UT president William Powers' offices. Athletic director DeLoss Dodds, too.

2. Taylor Potts. Potts wins easily for gesture of the year. After coming off the bench (following a week of being passed over for Steven Sheffield for the first time all season and taking it like an adult in practice) and leading Texas Tech to its biggest win of the year, a 24-17 win over then-No. 12 Missouri, Potts had plenty to beat his chest about. That's when a rare thing happens: answering reporters' questions is fun. Potts didn't take any after the game, instead electing to read a statement to the media paying homage to those in the armed forces. Texas Tech wore camouflage jerseys during the game as part of the Wounded Warrior project. Potts said speaking with soldiers during the week made enough of an impact on him that he chose to use his platform to honor them. You've got to love everything about that.

3. Fans' patience. Entering the 2011 season, there's nary a Big 12 coach on a realistic hot seat. Colorado's Dan Hawkins got the ax in midseason, but all 10 Big 12 coaches return with rather comfortable seats heading into the season. Mike Sherman at Texas A&M looked headed for a rough offseason at 3-3 early in the year, but a late push and a share of the Big 12 South title means he's sitting pretty entering 2011. Turner Gill hauled in a great recruiting class at Kansas to take some heat off a disappointing debut season. Minor doubts, annoyances and worries aside, every other school in the Big 12 is much closer to a dizzying love affair with their head coach.

4. Oklahoma. Thank them, the rest of the Big 12. A "laughingstock" is certainly too strong, but there would have been noticeable snickers from around the country if Nebraska had won the Big 12 and skated off to the Big Ten with the trophy in hand. But the Sooners climbed out of a 17-0 hole and knocked off the Huskers in Cowboys Stadium in the Big 12 title game. The loss sent the Huskers to the Holiday Bowl, where they self-destructed and faced a coaching overhaul in the offseason, rather than a coronation. If you're a fan of a Big 12 team, you ought to shake the hand of Sooners fans the next time you see them. They saved the league a lot of grief.

5. A fresh start in 2011. I'm extremely sad to see the Big 12 Championship go. I loved the game, it was almost always interesting, and a great event in a great venue. That said, 2011 should be pretty interesting with 10 teams all gunning for the same title and no more divisions. What will that ultimately do, and what will it change in the league? Who knows? We'll find out in 2011, and I'm loving the anticipation of finding out.

6. Returning stars. You've got to love Oklahoma State stars Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma stars Ryan Broyles and Travis Lewis and Texas A&M star Jeff Fuller. Thanks to them, the Big 12 should be a whole lot more fun to watch in 2011. And really, that's what it's all about. All five could have entered the draft early, but elected to stay, preserving some big-time star power in the league in 2011, something that seemed to be missing a bit early on in 2010. Because of Lewis and Broyles, Oklahoma should enter the season as one of, if not the favorite for the national title. Oklahoma State and Texas A&M should be top 20 teams at worst, and the two co-Big 12 South champs in 2010 look ready to give the Sooners a run for their money in 2011. Who doesn't love that?

Colorado is new to the Pac-12 but old to the Big 12, so it makes sense to check in with Big 12 blogger David Ubben to get his take on the state of the Buffaloes as they welcome new coach Jon Embree.

Just who are these Buffaloes? What are their strengths and weaknesses and how will they fit into the Pac-12, specifically the Pac-12 South?

We went looking for insights and Ubben obliged.

Ted Miller: Well, David you -- and the Big 12 -- have to say goodbye to Colorado, with the Buffaloes looking to their future out West in the Pac-12. First of all, give Pac-12 fans a CliffsNotes description of the state of the program. Things haven’t gone so well in Boulder lately. Why?

David Ubben: Colorado is certainly in rebuilding mode as they kick off a new start under coach Jon Embree after firing Dan Hawkins in the middle of the 2010 season. They bring back two stars in quarterback Tyler Hansen and running back Rodney Stewart. But fitting those guys into Embree's new system and greatly improving from their 5-7 record seems like asking a lot.

Hawkins came to Boulder promising big things but never delivered. As for why it didn't go well? Any number of reasons. One that angered fans is Hawkins' tendency to play less talented players who knew the system well over more talented players that maybe didn't have as solid of a grasp of what they wanted to do on the field. Embree has said he'll do essentially the opposite, so I guess that's a start in the eyes of fans.

TM: OK, let’s look forward then. Tell Pac-12 folks about Embree, his new staff and the talent the Buffaloes have returning. What are strengths and what are question marks heading into the 2011 season?

DU: He's stocked his coaching staff with quite a few Buffaloes, but most of the names would be more recognizable as players. The biggest name is his offensive coordinator, former Buffs great Eric Bieniemy, who spent the past few years coaching Adrian Peterson as the running backs coach at the Minnesota Vikings. They also swiped Bobby Kennedy, a Boulder native, from Texas to coach receivers.

Last year, they ran the ball pretty well, and Stewart is back. He's a small, shifty back that seems way, way underrated. He rushed for more than 1,300 yards last year, and the only Big 12 backs who had more were Daniel Thomas and Kendall Hunter, who should be drafted this year. They lose tackle Nate Solder, another first-round pick, but Ryan Miller is back, and he's an all-conference level guard.

The big question for them next season will be if their defense can stop the pass -- which my sources tell me, is pretty important in the Pac-12. Maybe not as important as in the Big 12, but still necessary for big success. Both corners from last year, Jalil Brown and Jimmy Smith, should be drafted. They weren't great at stopping the pass last year (9th in the Big 12) so it's hard to see them being better at it next year.

TM: OK. Good stuff. Let’s wind it up. How would you have projected them in the Big 12 next fall? And do you have any feeling for how they might do in the new Pac-12 South?

DU: They definitely looked like a team in the bottom third of the Big 12 next year, and it seems like it'll be tough for them to finish in the top half of the Pac-12 South in 2011.

Right now, it's just about being competitive and maybe stealing a game or two that people didn't think they'd win. If that happens enough, a bowl game isn't out of the question. We don't have any idea what to expect out of an Embree-coached team, and that could be a good or a bad thing. We won't know for sure until next year, but if Embree can bottle up whatever Colorado had inside of them the way they played down the stretch last season after Hawkins was fired, it could be a real surprise 2011 for the Buffs.

We saw plenty of great moments and great games across the Big 12 in 2010.

We also saw a lot of weird moments.

So with a nod to the guys at Monday Night Football, here are the five biggest plays of 2010 that made everybody give a hearty, "C'mon, man!"

1. Needed: Onside kick practice. Texas Tech's players were standing and staring, which is rarely a good idea on the football field, but usually acceptable in kick coverage. Not this time. The Red Raiders tried an onside kick, but it didn't travel the necessary 10 yards for a Texas Tech recovery. So, while three Red Raiders hovered over the ball, Baylor's Terrance Ganaway picked it up and outran the Red Raiders for a 38-yard touchdown. That was bad (and rare) enough, but Texas Tech gave up a touchdown on a desperation onside kick against Iowa State a week earlier, too. Jeremy Reeves caught it and returned it 42 yards to ice the 52-38 win. Here's hoping Tech puts in a few more onside kick reps this spring, and a YouTube video titled "Texas Tech onside kick goes horribly wrong" doesn't rack up almost 4.5 million views again in 2011.

2. Victory formation isn't supposed to go like that. Oklahoma State looked ready to trot off the field as 41-38 winners over Troy in their second game of the year. Cowboys quarterback Brandon Weeden lined up in the victory formation, but fumbled the snap, unbelievably giving the ball back to Troy on their 34-yard line with just under a minute to play. Lucky for Weeden, his teammate, Justin Gent, sacked quarterback Corey Robinson on the next play, and Orie Lemon recovered Robinson's fumble to end any notion of what could have been one of the most embarrassing losses in recent history. In Weeden's defense, he was playing with a ruptured tendon in his thumb, which meant pain during any snap under center, but it'd be tough to find a worse time to fumble a snap than in that situation.

3. Creative losing will key a coaching search. Listen, I respect my man Herm Edwards when he rather emphatically states that coaches and players should "Play to win the game." But when you're up 45-17 in the fourth quarter and you've got a running back in Rodney Stewart who ended up with 175 yards on the day, there's no other way to put it: Run. The. Ball. Dan Hawkins' puzzling refusal kept the clock stopped more than it should have been, and the Buffaloes did plenty more turning it over late in the game than moving the ball. Somehow, Colorado turned that 28-point lead into a seven-point deficit with less than a minute to play. "We just didn't want to be one-dimensional," Hawkins said. What? His explanation didn't cut it, and because of the meltdown, Hawkins never coached another game for the Buffs.

4. Throw it to Mom in the stands, man. Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert shredded a soft Iowa zone defense for 434 yards in the Insight Bowl, and the Tigers looked in complete control with a 24-20 lead and a drive that had reached Iowa territory. With less than six minutes to play, Gabbert was flushed to his left and tried to throw across his body to receiver Wes Kemp. Iowa's Micah Hyde picked off the ill-advised pass, reversed field and returned it 72 yards for a game-winning pick six. Gabbert admitted after the game that he got "greedy," but the probable first-round pick would probably throw that ball away 90-plus times out of 100 if he had it to do over again.

5. Filling up the stat sheet: Not always good. Texas A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson rallied his team from a 35-21 fourth-quarter deficit on the road against Oklahoma State, and got the ball back on his own 29-yard line for a possible game-winning drive with just more than a minute to play. He'd already thrown three interceptions -- along with 400 yards and five touchdowns -- but his fourth pick of the game cost the Aggies. He overthrew a well-covered receiver, and Cowboys linebacker Shaun Lewis made an easy interception, returning the ball 28 yards back to the Aggies' 40-yard line. Oklahoma State won the game shortly after on a 40-yard field goal from Dan Bailey. If Texas A&M wins that game, they also win the Big 12 South outright.

Honorable mention: Iowa State reserve punter Daniel Kuehl's attempted pass against Nebraska on the Cyclones' fake extra point in overtime for the win.

To those six, I think we can all say: C'mon, man.

It's a difficult task to narrow down a season into 10 moments. My definition of the "top" 10 is the 10 moments that we'll look back on from this season and remember them, good or bad. So, here goes.

1. A&M makes the switch. College football can be a cruel game. Texas A&M entered the season with the Big 12's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Jerrod Johnson, hoping to lead the Aggies to their first Big 12 title since 1998. But offseason surgery sapped the zip from his throwing shoulder and produced an ugly start to his season, leading the Aggies to switch to Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill set the school record for passing yards in his first start, a win over Texas Tech, and helped the Aggies finish the regular season with six consecutive wins and a berth in the Cotton Bowl.

2. Texas' loss to UCLA. The red flags were there. Texas looked uninspired in wins over Wyoming and Rice, but looked dominant on defense in a road win over Texas Tech. Then the cellar-dwelling Bruins and their Pistol offense came to town. The Longhorns got rolled 34-12 in their own stadium. The loss shocked just about everyone, but it was a sign of what was to come: a 5-7 season the Texas faithful would rather forget.

3. Don't call it a comeback. Actually, you could probably call it a comeback. It was no Cam Newton in the Iron Bowl, but Landry Jones helped rally Oklahoma from a 17-0 deficit to Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship to knock off the Huskers, 23-20. The win gave Oklahoma its seventh Big 12 title of the decade.

4. T-Magic runs wild. Kansas State packed Bill Snyder Family Stadium for a Thursday night game with its eyes on an upset of the undefeated Huskers. Taylor Martinez had other ideas. The Nebraska quarterback ran for 241 yards and five touchdowns, injecting himself into the Heisman race and making people think very seriously about Nebraska as a national title contender. Who would have thought Martinez would go the season's final nine games without a rushing touchdown after scoring 10 in the first four? Yes, K-State ended up finishing the season as the Big 12's worst defense, but Martinez put on a show and previewed what Nebraska fans hope is to come in the future.

5. We got a tip drill. Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones thought he'd thrown it away cleanly. Not so, said Brodrick Brown. The Oklahoma State corner skied for Jones' pass headed for the sideline, tipped it back inbounds to his teammate, linebacker Shaun Lewis, who caught it as one of Jones' three interceptions in the first half of the Big 12 South's deciding game.

6. Taylor Martinez's injury. Nebraska already had a loss on its record, but one harmless-looking hit late in the first half of a big win changed Nebraska's season. Martinez was running laterally looking for a crease in the defense when Missouri safety Kenji Jackson flew in from the secondary and laid a hit on his lower body. Martinez sat the entire second half, and later revealed he had a sprained ankle. The freshman quarterback was never the same, and aggravated the injury again in a loss to Texas A&M.

7. Saluting your fans is bad, mmmmk. Adrian Hilburn made one of the biggest plays of Kansas State's season, catching a short pass and taking it 30 yards for a possible game-tying score with his team down eight. But after scoring, he saluted a group of Kansas State fans in the stands, and the official tossed a flag for excessive celebration after telling Hilburn he'd made the "wrong choice, buddy." The 15-yard penalty moved the Wildcats back, and Carson Coffman's pass on the conversion fell incomplete. Kansas State lost by two.

8. Moe's miracle. Missouri's season already looked off the rails. Blaine Gabbert threw a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions. The Tigers trailed San Diego State 24-20 with a minute to play and 68 yards between them and the end zone. Don't worry about it, said T.J. Moe. The sophomore receiver caught a short pass, made two defenders slam into each other and sprinted for the game-winning score that helped Missouri jump out to a 7-0 start to its season. Teammate Carl Gettis told Moe in the end zone, "Thank you for saving our season."

9. Last five minutes of Bedlam. Bedlam lived up to its moniker with a crazy finish that ended with the Sooners on top. Four touchdowns were scored within 92 seconds in the game's final five minutes. Oklahoma State scored to get within two points with just over four minutes to play, but on 3rd-and-long, Landry Jones found Cameron Kenney over the middle for an 86-yard touchdown pass. The ensuing kickoff? Oklahoma State's Justin Gilbert took it 89 yards to get back within two. But 17 seconds later, Jones found tight end James Hanna down the left sideline for a 76-yard touchdown that all but sealed the Sooners' win.

10. The Jayhawks win one for the ages. Kansas and Colorado were the Big 12's only teams still without a win in conference play. Something had to give. Few figured the Buffaloes 28-point lead would be what buckled. Colorado led 45-17 with just over 11 minutes to play, but the Jayhawks scored a frenzied 35 points to finish with a 52-45 win, their only conference win of the season. Buffaloes coach Dan Hawkins never got to coach another game for Colorado after being fired following the loss.

Inspired by our friends at the Big East blog, we'll take a look back at what we thought the best- and worst-case scenarios for each team were in August, and how it shook out now that January has arrived.

Next up: Colorado.

Best case: 6-6, with losses to California, Georgia, Missouri, Texas Tech and Oklahoma. A trip to a bowl game could save Dan Hawkins job, but he'd probably need to win it.

Worst case: 1-11, with the only win coming over Colorado State. Frustration hits an all-time high in Boulder, and Tyler Hansen gets benched for Cody Hawkins.

Reality: Colorado shot out of the gate and knocked off Hawaii and Georgia to begin its season at 3-1, but Dan Hawkins was fired after the Buffaloes blew a 45-17 lead in just more than 11 minutes to the last-place team in the Big 12, Kansas. Hansen was eventually relegated to the bench, but only because of an injured spleen that led to Hawkins leading Colorado to a pair of wins late in the year over Iowa State and Kansas State before a loss to Nebraska kept them out of the postseason.

Analysis: Colorado, outside of the aforementioned 11-minute stretch, didn't have anything close to a nightmare season, and was one of the league's big surprises in nonconference play. Hawaii and Colorado both ended up being decent teams, but the Buffaloes couldn't put it together in conference play. Hawkins' firing lit something under Colorado, an "energy that just wasn't there previously," as interim coach Brian Cabral described it. It wasn't enough for Colorado to pull a monumental upset over Nebraska in Lincoln to clinch a bowl bid, but Colorado started and ended its season playing some of its best football. They'll need that to continue into the Pac-12 to see success on the West Coast.

Andy, look, all I know is that if I was a girl, and I had to choose between the tall dude who loved Asia, and the you looking dude who loves sweaters and wearing sweaters ... I'd choose you.

• New Kansas athletic director Sheahon Zenger's top three priorities should all be improving football, writes Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star.
• Kellis Robinett of the Wichita Eagle pegs his best and worst of 2010 for Kansas State football.
• By not inviting TCU to join the conference, the Big 12 proved it was shortsighted and not looking to thrive long term, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman.
• Is Mike Leach a legitimate candidate for Oklahoma State's new offensive coordinator? Bill Haisten of the Tulsa World examines the question.
• Leach told the Associated Press that he doesn't believe his pending lawsuits are preventing him from landing a job.
• Mitch Sherman of the Omaha World-Herald takes a look at Jamal Turner, one of Nebraska's two incoming quarterbacks for 2011.
• Justin Harper of The Oklahoman does the same for the Sooners. Kendal Thompson will enroll early at Oklahoma.
• Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller explains to Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News how he shook off a slow start to rebound and win the Butkus Award.
• Former Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert has officially signed with an agent.
• New Colorado Jon Embree coach won't be taking the same national approach to recruiting as former coach Dan Hawkins, writes Kyle Ringo of the Boulder Daily Camera. He wants to focus westward.

We took a look at how Texas missed a bowl game earlier today, and here's what happened to the Big 12's other three teams home for the holidays:

Colorado

The Buffaloes started hot, finishing their nonconference season at 3-1 with wins over bowl-bound opponents Georgia and Hawaii, but didn't get it done in conference play. The defense held conference opponents under 30 points just three times, and in one of those games, Colorado was shut out. The offense, despite a solid year from Rodney Stewart, just couldn't keep up. Playing the second half of the season without quarterback Tyler Hansen (spleen) didn't help, either. A meltdown at Kansas (blowing a 28-point lead in the game's final 11 minutes) led to coach Dan Hawkins getting fired, and the Buffaloes rallied to win their only two conference games of the year, but to reach a bowl they needed to beat Nebraska in Lincoln with the Huskers playing for a Big 12 North title. That wasn't going to happen.

Iowa State

Iowa State's schedule ended up not being quite as difficult as it seemed in the preseason, thanks to disappointing years from Texas, Texas Tech and Utah, but the Cyclones got a chance to play for a bowl berth against Missouri in their regular season finale. The problem was they had to do it without three-year starter at quarterback Austen Arnaud, and lost 14-0. Iowa State got a lot closer to a bowl game than most thought, and beat Texas for the first time in school history. Nebraska and Iowa State went to overtime in Ames, and when the Cyclones scored what looked like a game-tying touchdown, they faked the extra point. Tight end Collin Franklin was open, but the pass was intercepted, costing the Cyclones a precious sixth win for the second consecutive season.

Kansas

Kansas lost its three best players, receivers Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier and quarterback Todd Reesing, from a 5-7 team in 2009, and 2010 looked like a rebuilding year all along. That's exactly what football fans in Lawrence got. The Jayhawks lost their first three conference games by a combined score of 159-24, but for the most part, they were at least competitive and got a comeback conference win against Colorado. They also found some reliable offensive options in running back James Sims and receiver Daymond Patterson. Expect more uncertainty at quarterback through next season, though.

Colorado wasn't the worst team in the Big 12 this season, but in the final weeks of Dan Hawkins' tenure, the Buffaloes played like it. They also lost starting quarterback Tyler Hansen for the year in the middle of the season after he injured his spleen and had to spend a few days in the hospital.

Colorado was blasted by Oklahoma and blew a 28-point lead to their main competition at the bottom, Kansas, in just 11 minutes.

That loss meant Hawkins would be shown the door (and handed $2.1 million to walk through it). That gave way to one of the best stories in the Big 12 this year: the Buffaloes' resurgence under interim coach Brian Cabral.

Colorado rocked an Iowa State team desperate for a win to achieve bowl eligibility, and Rodney Stewart ran for 195 yards in a win over Kansas State. The Buffaloes ran into a Nebraska team in Lincoln with a lot to play for in the season finale, and couldn't win to qualify for a bowl, but Cabral had the team playing good football at the end of the season.

It sounds like Cabral will be retained under the new staff, and he won't be forgotten any time soon for his efforts to close the season.

Offensive MVP: Rodney Stewart, RB. No competition here. Stewart ran for 1,316 yards and 10 touchdowns on the year, and finished third in the Big 12 in rushing. He also had six 100-yard games and three more with at least 85 yards rushing. Next time, when the Buffaloes are up 28 points in the fourth quarter, they should give him the ball.

Defensive MVP: Michael Sipili, LB. Sipili led an average at best defense in tackles with 74 tackles for a solid junior season, and also made eight tackles for loss with 2.5 sacks.

Turning point: The loss to Kansas and subsequent coach firing. The Buffaloes were never the same team afterward, and that's a good thing. Instead of Kansas going winless in conference play, the Buffaloes looked likely to do it after the Kansas loss. They didn't come close, and even got to play for a chance at a bowl game after Cabral helped rally the team.

What's next: A move to the Pac-12 with brand-new coach Jon Embree. Embree is a former Buff who wanted the job badly. He is a first-time head coach, so it's hard to say what to expect. Stewart should be back, and so should Hansen. Receivers Paul Richardson and Toney Clemons should give the Buffaloes a solid group of targets next year, and offensive lineman Ryan Miller will return as well.

Colorado was already moving to the Pac-12 with a new coach.

It could have needed a new right guard and receiver, too. That won't be the case.

Receiver Paul Richardson and offensive lineman Ryan Miller remained non-committal immediately following the season, but both pledged commitments to the Buffaloes in 2011 over the weekend.

Miller could have tested the NFL draft waters, and Paul Richardson could have made the decision to transfer. Both will stay.

I'm with the black and gold regardless of what coach is hired," Miller said in a statement. The Buffaloes hired Jon Embree, making the announcement official on Monday morning. "I didn't want to talk about this immediately following the NU game because it was neither the time nor the place. I will play my senior season in a University of Colorado jersey."

Richardson told Brian Howell of the Longmont Times-Call on Saturday that he'd stick with the Buffs move west, too.

"I'll be back," he said. "I've been getting a lot of love [from teammates] and I feel like this is where I should be and I should finish out my college career here."

As a true freshman, Richardson caught 34 passes for 514 yards (a Colorado freshman record) and six touchdowns, but just seven catches for 64 yards came in the first half of the season.

• Dallas police are not investigating threats against Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe, but they are providing extra patrols around the family's home. Threats previously believed to be sent to the Beebe home were sent to Big 12 offices.
• Dirk Chatelain of the Omaha World-Herald explains what makes Nebraska's pass defenses so effective.
• Nebraska fans don't understand why the rest of the league is annoyed at them, writes Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star.
• The Big 12 shouldn't give up on its championship game, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman.
• Colorado and former coach Dan Hawkins have settled on a separation agreement that pays Hawkins $2.1 million.
• Kansas coach Turner Gill goes on video with the school's website to talk about his visit to a local elementary school.
• Oklahoma president David L. Boren sent a letter to several newspapers in Nebraska in anticipation of Saturday's game.
• Former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach says he hasn't heard from any schools about possible openings.
• Rumors of changes on Texas' staff were "absolutely untrue," reports Randy Riggs of the Austin American-Statesman.
• Choosing Jon Embree as the new Colorado coach is a family matter, writes Woody Paige of the Denver Post.
• Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis was going to be a Husker. Then it snowed on his visit to Lincoln, writes Jimmy Burch of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Does an aggressive style lead to Nebraska being more penalized? Is it more aggressive? Jon Nyatawa of the Omaha World-Herald examines the question.

Washington Redskins tight ends coach Jon Embree has been offered the head-coaching job at Colorado, according to a report in the Denver Post.

However, Colorado spokesman Dave Plati refuted the report to ESPN.com on Thursday afternoon.

"[Athletic director] Mike [Bohn] has not offered the job to anyone at this point. Rumors, everyone wanting to be first," he said.

Former Colorado coach Bill McCartney told the newspaper that the offer had been made.

McCartney also was a candidate for the job. He told the Post that one plan was for him to take the job, bring in Embree and Minnesota Vikings running backs coach Eric Bieniemy as assistants, and groom one of the two to become the head coach after a period of a few years.

Colorado elected to eliminate McCartney from contention, and the Buffaloes coach from 1982-94 said he pushed for Embree and Bieniemy, two of his former players, as the successor to Dan Hawkins.

"It was never about me doing it again," McCartney told the paper. "It was about setting the table for a black man to come in [as head coach]. And [Bohn] hired one. Now, give him a chance."

According to the report, Colorado would like Embree to take the job and hire Bieniemy as his offensive coordinator.

Cody Green got the start, as expected, for the Huskers, and he's doing what he needs to do for Nebraska to win: Play efficiently. His numbers might be uninspiring (3-of-5, seven yards; two rushes, six yards), but he nearly threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Curenski Gilleylen in the front left corner of the end zone.

Taylor Martinez is dressed and battling an ankle injury on his right foot and turf toe on his left, but my guess is we won't see him today.

That said, if Nebraska wins this game, Roy Helu Jr. and Rex Burkhead will carry them there, buoyed by a strong defensive performance. When they get chances in Colorado territory, they have to leave with points, and so far, that's what's happened.

Alex Henery's 42-yard attempt was good to put Nebraska up 3-0 late in the first quarter.

Colorado has yet to reach Nebraska territory, but the Huskers first possession neared midfield.

Former coach Dan Hawkins, whose son Cody Hawkins is the Buffaloes' starting quarterback, is also in attendance at the game, watching from the press box.

We'll bring this back for the last week of the season. As usual, these are not my picks. My picks were posted this morning.

ESPN columnist Pat Forde:

Oklahoma State 34, Oklahoma 28. The Sooners are a bit of a disappointment, continuing their unexceptional play away from Norman. The Cowboys rank among the biggest surprises in the country. Oklahoma has won seven straight in this rivalry, but they'll struggle to slow down the explosive Pokes.

Nebraska 23, Colorado 20: Colorado has won two straight -- and looked pretty good doing it -- under interim coach Brian Cabral. Quarterback Cody Hawkins has played his two best games of the year since his dad, Dan [Hawkins], got the ziggy as head coach. If there's true turmoil between [Bo] Pelini and Nebraska QB [Taylor] Martinez, this could get interesting.

See more of Forde's picks in his weekly Forde-Yard Dash.

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ESPN senior writer Bruce Feldman:

Texas A&M 24, Texas 17. UT had 57 carries and still didn't have a single rush go for more than 18 yards against [Florida Atlantic]. This isn't a great Aggies D, but it has improved, and A&M has more firepower and confidence on offense at this point.

Nebraska 38, Colorado 17. Brian Cabral has CU playing harder and more physically. The recommitment to the ground game has been a good change, but the Buffs really are stepping up in weight class going to Nebraska. I'm curious how the Huskers will respond, given the way their loss to A&M played out. My hunch is Bo Pelini will have them focused and ready and this won't be a distracted team.

Missouri 34, Kansas 7. Gary Pinkel's team is coming off a shutout at Iowa State, and KU has managed just 17 points in the past two games combined and has lost six of its past seven, with all of those losses came by double digits, and four were real routs.

Oklahoma State 42, Oklahoma 41: The Cowboys offense has been spectacular all season, and Brandon Weeden has completed more than 70 percent of his passes and thrown for an average of more than 400 yards in the past three games. The bad news: OSU is 108th in pass D and 95th in TFLs. The Sooners are loaded on offense, too, and have been very sharp in their past two games.

See more of Feldman's picks in his weekly column.

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National blogger Andrea Adelson:

Texas Tech 34, Houston 28. The Cougars have lost three straight in their attempt to become bowl eligible and now have to rely on a victory over the Red Raiders to get to six wins. Their running game has abandoned them, and so has their defense. Houston has given up 137 points in its past three games. The final stretch of the season has simply been brutal -- they had to close against four teams that have six or more wins.