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The NFL draft has come and gone, and I hope you're all prepared for no more NFL anything for awhile. I know I'm not.

Anyway, here's how the Big 12 shook out over the weekend, with a few thoughts to follow.

First round (8)

• No. 2: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M (Denver)
• No. 7: Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri (San Francisco)
• No. 10: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri (Jacksonville)
• No. 17: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado (New England)
• No. 19: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska (New York Giants)
• No. 21: Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor (Cleveland)
• No. 23: Danny Watkins, OL, Baylor (Philadelphia)
• No. 27: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado (Baltimore)

Second round (2)

• No. 34: Aaron Williams, CB, Texas (Buffalo)
• No. 62: Daniel Thomas, RB, Kansas State (Miami)

Third round (2)

• No. 71: DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma (Dallas)
• No. 95: Curtis Brown, CB, Texas (Pittsburgh)

Fourth round (6)

• No. 103: Sam Acho, DE, Texas (Arizona)
• No. 105: Roy Helu Jr., RB, Nebraska (Washington)
• No. 108: Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma (Denver)
• No. 115: Kendall Hunter, RB, Oklahoma State (San Francisco)
• No. 118: Jalil Brown, CB, Colorado (Kansas City)
• No. 120: Alex Henery, K, Nebraska (Philadelphia)

Fifth round (3)

• No. 146: DeJon Gomes, S, Nebraska (Washington)
• No. 155: Niles Paul, WR, Nebraska (Washington)
• No. 164: Chykie Brown, CB, Texas (Baltimore)

Sixth round (1)

• No. 196: Keith Williams, OL, Nebraska (Pittsburgh)

Seventh round (8)

• No. 216: Mikail Baker, CB, Baylor (St. Louis)
• No. 227: Scotty McKnight, WR, Colorado (New York Jets)
• No. 229: Jonathan Nelson, DB, Oklahoma (St. Louis)
• No. 232: Baron Batch, RB, Texas Tech (Pittsburgh)
• No. 234: Andrew Gachkar, LB, Missouri (San Diego)
• No. 246: Jay Finley, RB, Baylor (Cincinnati)
• No. 247: Jeremy Beal, DE, Oklahoma (Denver)
• No. 248: Eric Hagg, S, Nebraska (Cleveland)

Here's how the Big 12 teams ranked in terms of total draftees:

1. Nebraska - 7
2. Baylor - 4
2. Colorado - 4
2. Oklahoma - 4
2. Texas - 4
6. Missouri - 3
7. Kansas State -1
7. Oklahoma State - 1
7. Texas A&M - 1
7. Texas Tech - 1
11. Iowa State - 0
11. Kansas - 0

And the major conferences (counting where players actually played):

SEC - 38
Pac-12 - 33
Big 12 - 30
Big Ten - 29
ACC - 35
Big East - 22

• Texas A&M had just one player drafted, but the Aggies will have plenty next year, including a handful of possible first-rounders. Cyrus Gray, Ryan Tannehill and Jeff Fuller could all go very early in 2012, depending on what happens between now and then.
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Matthew Emmons/US PresswireOklahoma defensive end Jeremy Beal was drafted in the seventh round by Denver.
• Interesting that Miller went 245 selections before the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year, according to the media, Jeremy Beal. Also an interesting coincidence? The same team drafted both. I do think Beal will have a productive NFL career, and there's no denying what he did at Oklahoma, but the measurables were never quite there for Beal. What's not measurable? How difficult he is to block. That said, Miller was my vote for the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year.
• Good to see some hard-working, perhaps under-respected guys get drafted. This was an important year for that, considering those left over won't be able to get into NFL minicamps until the lockout ends and won't be able to do anything to further their NFL careers besides work out on their own. I'll have a post later today on some of those snubs. There's no guarantee that late-drafted guys like Baron Batch, Scotty McKnight, Jay Finley or Eric Hagg will catch on in the the pros, but I'd be willing to guarantee they'll do everything in their power to maximize what opportunities they get.
• One of the most interesting selections? Mikail Baker. He wasn't invited to the combine, and played just one full season on defense at Baylor after working as a kick returner and a cornerback in 2009 before a season-ending knee injury. You don't see that kind of impressive athleticism at Baylor traditionally.
• Let the debate continue: Kendall Hunter vs. DeMarco Murray. Murray getting drafted 40-some spots earlier only intensified that discussion, if you ask me.
• Also, what's more impressive from Art Briles? That Baylor had four picks, the most in school history since 1996? Or that despite those four picks, Baylor's returning an even better team than last season, when it ended a 16-year bowl drought?
• Colorado's draft, meanwhile? Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Dan Hawkins' coaching job in Boulder.
• Alex Henery didn't win the Lou Groza Award, but his fourth-round selection makes him the earliest kicker draft pick since 2006. Will that end the state of Nebraska's blood feud against respectable OSU kicker Dan Bailey, who did win the Lou Groza Award? I doubt it. (Save your emails. For the 100th time, I agree, Nebraska fans. Henery > Bailey.)
• A few guys who went way lower than I thought they would. In order of my surprise level: Beal, Gabbert, Amukamara, Hagg, Hunter.
• A few guys who went way higher than I thought, in the same order: Aldon Smith, Batch, Gachkar, Baker.

Signing day is exactly a week from today, and it's time to take a look at who needs what in its 2011 class.

Some schools have addressed these with their current class. Some haven't. Others are still trying.

We'll kick things off with the artists formerly known as the Big 12 North and examine the South later today.

COLORADO

Cornerback: Jalil Brown and Jimmy Smith were pretty reliable for the Buffaloes, but both are headed to the NFL, and the Buffaloes could definitely use some depth behind their first-year starters. It's not quite as pressing of an issue considering their move to the less pass-happy Pac-12, but they still like to sling it out west.

Receiver: Colorado isn't exactly starving anywhere on offense, but receiver sticks out a bit. Toney Clemons was good, but maybe not quite what the Buffaloes hoped he'd be in 2010, but they caught a break in getting Paul Richardson back after a great freshman season. The Buffaloes need some complementary pieces around Clemons and Richardson to replace departed pass-catchers Scotty McKnight and Travon Patterson. Next year, that should be tight end Ryan Deehan and receiver Will Jefferson.

IOWA STATE

Receiver: It's been a struggle for Iowa State in recent years, but they have to get better outside to help out their quarterback. Sedrick Johnson's transfer only worsens the Cyclones depth at the position, but Jake Williams and tight end Collin Franklin, the team's leading receiver, are gone. Shontrelle Johnson looks ready to become a big factor in the offense, but the Cyclones filling the space at receiver will make it easier for Johnson to replace running back Alexander Robinson.

Safety: Both starters, David Sims and Zac Sandvig, are gone. So is the Cyclones top reserve at the position, Michael O'Connell. Sims was a top-notch talent that will be tough to replace, but Iowa State needs more depth here. They should be solid at corner with Leonard Johnson, Ter'ran Benton, Jeremy Reeves and Anthony Young, which could make the new safeties' jobs easier.

KANSAS

Defensive line: KU is losing three of four starters on the line, including the team's only All-Big 12 talent, defensive end Jake Laptad. Turner Gill wants more speed, and this is a place to install it. Tackles that tip the scales at 320 pounds aren't too necessary in this league, but speed on the edge can go a long way in stopping the pass.

Quarterback: Neither Jordan Webb or Quinn Mecham look like long-term answers at quarterback for the Jayhawks. Mecham will be a senior, and Webb might develop into a better player as a sophomore next year, but Kansas needs other options. The Jayhawks hope Brock Berglund, the top-rated recruit in Colorado, is the solution to the problem.

KANSAS STATE

Running back: I hear your cries for Bryce Brown, Wildcats fans, but K-State can't expect to hitch their wagon to the former blue-chip recruit turned Tennessee transfer in the same way it did for Daniel Thomas. Thomas and his backup, William Powell, are gone, and the Wildcats need some depth at running back to show up.

Interior offensive linemen: K-State loses both guards and its center from an offense that produced the Big 12's leading rusher in 2010. Don't expect them to do it again in 2011 without Wade Weibert, Kenneth Mayfield and Zach Kendall, as well as Thomas and Powell, but finding some new talent behind them will help them come close.

Cornerback: David Garrett emerged as a budding star in 2010 ready for a breakout senior year in 2011, but the Wildcats lose Terrance Sweeney and Stephen Harrison, as well as safety Troy Butler. Like we've mentioned earlier, good secondaries are a must for success in the Big 12, and K-State had one of the league's worst in 2010.

MISSOURI

Receiver: Missouri has some good ones ready to suit up in 2011, namely Wes Kemp, Jerrell Jackson and T.J. Moe, but the Tigers don't have a true gamebreaker. They have some younger players in Marcus Lucas and Jimmie Hunt who they hope will develop into big-time, All-American caliber receivers, a la Jeremy Maclin and Danario Alexander. In Missouri's system, though, adding a few receivers is always a good idea. They certainly don't need any more running backs.

Defensive backs: Mizzou doesn't have any huge holes that need to be filled with recruiting, but the Tigers lose both corners, Carl Gettis and Kevin Rutland from their 2010 team. Kip Edwards and E.J. Gaines look likely to fill those roles, but the Tigers could use some depth and keep recruiting in the secondary to help add some talent around Tavon Bolden and Matt White, safeties who will replace departed Jarrell Harrison, who actually had to play some linebacker in 2010 because of injuries.

NEBRASKA

Every kind of kicker: Alex Henery, the team's punter and kicker is gone. So is kickoff specialist and lover/producer of touchbacks, Adi Kunalic. Fan favorite Henery was hardly underappreciated by the Nebraska faithful, but they'll miss him even more if the Huskers can't find a suitable placekicker and punter. Bo Pelini was reportedly after Wake Forest commit Mauro Bondi this week.

Receiver: Niles Paul and Mike McNeill are gone. The Huskers need Brandon Kinnie to come through with another good year and it'd be nice if Quincy Enunwa broke through in 2011, but Taylor Martinez needs some more help at wide out, and a couple new recruits could provide it as Martinez's passing prowess matures.

Yesterday, you saw my all-star teams broken down by division.

Before I offer my pick, here's a few thoughts and observations that emerged from selecting those teams.

• In comparing the divisions, there are several lopsided positions. The Big 12 South is every bit the quarterback oasis we thought it was, while the North, outside of Blaine Gabbert's arm and Taylor Martinez's legs, is a bit of a wasteland. All five quarterbacks in the South -- plus Steven Sheffield -- would represent the North after Gabbert, and based on the way Martinez played in conference games, maybe him, too.
• The same goes for the South and receivers. Somehow, Jeff Fuller couldn't make the South team, because he's got a pair of Biletnikoff finalists ahead of him. T.J. Moe and Scotty McKnight can get open in the middle of the field and both catch everything, but it's clear that all the big, fast receivers are in the South. The three aforementioned receivers, plus Kendall Wright, Lyle Leong, Detron Lewis and maybe Ryan Swope could have represented the North.
• Meanwhile, the running backs are the opposite, like we thought at the beginning of the year. Kendall Hunter is the league's best, but DeMarco Murray might have been bumped off the South team by a number of North backs, including Rodney Stewart, Daniel Thomas, Roy Helu Jr. Murray racks up a lot of catches and is probably more dangerous in the open field than any of those previous three, but those three got it done between the tackles way more often than Murray.
• Speaking of tackles, are there any good defensive tackles in the Big 12 North outside of Jared Crick? There are a lot of ends, so I put three on the team. Outside of maybe Nebraska's Baker Steinkuhler and Missouri's Terrell Resonno, there aren't many guys to fear in the middle of Big 12 North defenses. Could that perhaps be an explanation for the success of backs like Stewart, Thomas, and Helu? Can't hurt.

So what would happen?

Like we mentioned before, you'd see both teams rely on their strengths. If Blaine Gabbert is stepping back and throwing the ball 45 times to guys like McKnight and Moe all day, he's going to need a ton of completions to do it. The safer bet is to rely on those backs and a pretty strong offensive line. Ricky Henry and Zach Kendall might be two of the best run blockers in the Big 12, and their ballcarrier teammates benefited, so have them lead the way at the two guard positions.

It'd be a bit of a throwback offense for Gabbert, who is used to the spread at Missouri and in high school, but hey, it's only one game, right? He'll be OK. If the North was going to pull the upset, it'll have to do it with downhill running.

Meanwhile, expect the South to mix in plenty of those downhill runs with wide-open passing like most of them are used to. Swing passes to backs like Hunter and Murray would work well, and Ward served nicely as a lead blocker for Hunter.

Can you imagine the "backs" or "diamond" formation with Hunter, Murray and Ward? That's scary.

Through the air, how fantastic would Amukamara vs. Blackmon on one side and Broyles vs. Dennard on the other be? I want this game to happen. Somebody get Boone Pickens on the phone.

This game would be closer than it might seem coming in because of the North's salty secondary. That said, give me the boys down South by a touchdown.

South 27, North 20.

Like it or not, the Big 12 will be without divisions after 2010, no matter how many legends or leaders made their mark in the league's short history as a two-part conference.

Over that history, the South has been dominant with a pair of national powers, Texas and Oklahoma who were consistently racking up big win totals over the last decade while the North has, more often than not, sent a significantly less impressive team to the title game. That's measurable in plenty of ways, but I'll settle for the 11-4 advantage in the championship game and a 13-4 advantage in BCS bowl game appearances.

But what about this year? The South is clearly the deeper division when you talk total teams, but then I got this e-mail, which got me wondering:

John in Omaha, Neb., wrote: Bored at work, thought I'd give you a blog topic idea. If you had to pick two all star teams, one made entirely of B12 north players at each position and then a B12 south all star team at each position and then had them play a game. Who would win and who would be the players. Off the top of my head I'd say the south would but I bet it's pretty close once you break it down player by player.

My interest was piqued. We know what the All-Big 12 team looks like, but what if you broke it down by division? For reference, my All-Big 12 team had 11 players from the North and 15 from the South.

Here are my picks, when broken down by division:

Big 12 South

OFFENSE
QB: Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State
RB: Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State; DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma
WR: Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State; Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma
TE/FB: Bryant Ward, Oklahoma State
OL: Levy Adcock, Oklahoma State; Danny Watkins, Baylor; Eric Mensik, Oklahoma; Matt Allen, Texas A&M, Lonnie Edwards, Texas Tech

DEFENSE
DL: Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma; Lucas Patterson, Texas A&M; Colby Whitlock, Texas Tech; Sam Acho, Texas
LB: Von Miller, Texas A&M; Orie Lemon, Oklahoma State; Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
CB: Andrew McGee, Oklahoma State; Jamell Fleming, Oklahoma
S: Quinton Carter, Oklahoma; Byron Landor, Baylor

SPECIALISTS:
K: Dan Bailey, Oklahoma State
P: Quinn Sharp, Oklahoma State
KR: Coryell Judie, Texas A&M
PR: Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma

Big 12 North

OFFENSE
QB: Blaine Gabbert, Missouri
RB: Rodney Stewart, Colorado, Daniel Thomas, Kansas State
WR: T.J. Moe, Missouri; Scotty McKnight, Colorado
TE/FB: Michael Egnew, Missouri
OL: Nate Solder, Colorado; Ricky Henry, Nebraska; Tim Barnes, Missouri; Zach Kendall, Kansas State, Ben Lamaak, Iowa State

DEFENSE
DL: Jared Crick, Nebraska; Aldon Smith, Missouri; Brad Madison, Missouri; Pierre Allen, Nebraska
LB: Lavonte David, Nebraska; Andrew Gachkar, Missouri; Jake Knott, Iowa State
CB: Prince Amukamara, Nebraska; Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska
S: Eric Hagg, Nebraska; Ty Zimmerman, Kansas State

SPECIALISTS:
K: Alex Henery, Nebraska
P: Alex Henery, Nebraska
KR: William Powell, Kansas State
PR: Niles Paul, Nebraska

So, there are my teams. I'll offer some further observations, plus my pick in a post Tuesday. But for now ... who you got?

Don't skimp on linens. Don't compliment a teacher on her figure. And when it comes to my mom, never ask questions I don't want the answers to.

• Nebraska has completed its 2011 schedule. Here's a look.
• Here's a look at who Iowa State signed on the junior college early signing day.
• Colorado receiver Scotty McKnight explains what it's like to have a concussion, and how it's affected his career. He's had five or so by his count.
• Injuries have cost Nebraska quarterback Zac Lee playing time this year, but he's ready to go for the Holiday Bowl, reports Brian Christopherson of the Lincoln Journal Star.
• Don't like the BCS? Neither does Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. He's got a playoff plan with lots of money to back it, and wants to make it happen, reports Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
• The coach-in-waiting situation isn't the way to go, writes Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman. Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen will be the coach-in-waiting at West Virginia.
• Texas A&M defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter says he hasn't heard from anyone about other coaching jobs, reports Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News.
• Three Texas A&M defenders' statuses are up in the air for the Cotton Bowl.
• Kansas State is putting extra emphasis on missed tackles in its bowl preparations, writes Kellis Robinett of the Wichita Eagle.
• Gary Pinkel is glad linebacker Andrew Gachkar didn't go unnoticed by the All-Big 12 teams, writes Dave Matter of the Columbia Tribune.
• New Oklahoma offensive coordinator Josh Heupel addressed the media for the first time on Tuesday.
• Texas Tech added a receiver on the early signing day for junior college players on Wednesday.

Brandon Kinnie caught his second touchdown pass of the day, this one from Cody Green, and the Huskers added another on the next possession to put Nebraska up 31-3 early in the third quarter.

Rex Burkhead, a running back, threw his second touchdown pass of the day to take the four-touchdown lead.

That means the Buffaloes won't be able to lean heavily on running back Rodney Stewart, their best offensive weapon.

He'll still get plenty of touches, but quarterback Cody Hawkins is going to have to bring back the Buffs. The chances of that happening: slim.

Hawkins is 1-of-11 today, and his only completion came on a 26-yard pass on a pitch-and-passback trick play that spurred Colorado's only scoring drive.

That's no surprise against a Nebraska pass defense that entered today's game ranked No. 2. DeJon Gomes picked off Hawkins second pass of the third quarter, and Eric Hagg picked off another on his first of the next drive.

Good luck finding a team that wins a game--or is even in a game--while completing more passes to the opposing secondary than their own team.

Also notable: Colorado senior receiver Scotty McKnight has caught a pass in every game of his career, a streak of 48 consecutive games. He has been held without a catch so far today.

Nebraska fans, it's probably safe to stop worrying about having to cancel your hotel rooms in Dallas. Instead, tune into Bedlam (ABC, 8 p.m. ET) on Saturday night to learn who you'll see in Cowboys Stadium next week.

Best offensive player: Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State. For all of Texas' struggles this year, the secondary has still been pretty good, ranking second in pass defense this year. Well, before they ran into Weeden, who torched them for 409 yards through the air on 29-of-43 passing, including a gorgeous 67-yard rainbow to Justin Blackmon for a touchdown.

Best defensive player: Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma. More good performances this week than any other this year, but Carter owned the back line against a dangerous passing attack, helping keep Texas Tech at just seven points. Carter made 17 tackles, the most of any Oklahoma defensive back since Brandon Everage in 2002. He also had a pass breakup. Honorable mention: Orie Lemon, LB, Oklahoma State; Michael Sipili, LB, Colorado; Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska; Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska

Best team performance: Texas A&M. The Aggies pitched a second-half shutout against a big-time Baylor offense and earned a 42-30 comeback victory on the road against the Bears to keep their slim South hopes alive. Honorable mention: Oklahoma.

Best offensive freshman: Paul Richardson, WR, Colorado. Richardson's becoming a consistent target opposite Scotty McKnight, and the lanky 6-foot-1, 175-pounder caught five passes for 121 yards in a win over Iowa State. Honorable mention: Kenny Stills, WR, Oklahoma.

Best defensive freshman: Tre Walker, LB, Kansas State. Walker repeats this week, once again leading the Wildcats in tackles with 12. He also picked off a Blaine Gabbert pass and returned it 17 yards.

Classiest gesture: Dan Hawkins. He said in his farewell news conference he'd be his team's biggest fan down the stretch, and he made good on his word on Saturday, watching the game from a low-key perch on a balcony outside the offices he occupied for four-plus seasons in Boulder. You won't see many other coaches do that.

Best play: Weeden-to-Blackmon. Texas cornerback Aaron Williams covered the play perfectly, but Weeden hit a pinpoint pass over the top right into Blackmon's arms for a game-changing 67-yard touchdown that put Oklahoma State up 16-3 in the second quarter.

Most underrated play: Wes Kemp, WR, Missouri. Kemp hit the key block that freed up the last few yards of Blaine Gabbert's 32-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. He decleated one defender, and blocked another on his follow-through to help give the Tigers an early 14-7 lead.

Most heartbreaking play: Terrance Frederick, Texas A&M. Frederick returned a blocked field goal 71 yards at the end of the first half, but went out of bounds at the 1-yard line after time expired, meaning his play was all for naught.

Worst play: K-State's fumblerooski. The Wildcats version was slow to develop, but John Hubert got the ball from under his legs, ran to his left and fumbled. Missouri's Jacquies Smith recovered the ball. Dishonorable mention: Kansas State's goal-line fumble at the end of the first half with a chance to tie the game.

Worst quarter: Texas' second quarter. The Longhorns hung around early, but got outscored 23-0 in the period. Playing starters vs. starters, we could have played this one through Tuesday and the Longhorns might not make up a 23-point deficit on Oklahoma State, even if the Cowboys offense wasn't allowed to play.

Best game: Texas A&M 42, Baylor 30. The Aggies rebounded from a terrible start that featured Robert Griffin III's longest run of the season, a 71-yard touchdown to earn a dramatic win in the Battle of the Brazos and set up a huge game against Nebraska in College Station on Saturday.

» Predictions: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-10 | SEC | Non-AQ

OK, I'm done not listening to myself. I told you last week I picked against my gut twice last week, trusting Texas' defense to wake up like it did against Nebraska, and putting confidence in Missouri to be able to run the ball against Nebraska like it did against Oklahoma.

Nope. I whiffed on both picks. This week, I went with my gut on all six picks.

Last week: 4-2 (.667)

Overall: 59-12 (.831)

No. 17 Oklahoma State 51, No. 21 Baylor 44: In no way is this a joke. Come back later this afternoon for a video of me explaining my pick.

Colorado 27, Kansas 20: This one is by far my least confident pick. That comes with picking Colorado to win on the road, where it suffered 26-, 33- and 42-point losses this year. But here goes. Rodney Stewart has a big day, and Cody Hawkins hits Scotty McKnight enough times to halt the Buffaloes' 15-game road losing streak.

No. 7 Nebraska 38, Iowa State 20: Iowa State's pulled off a pair of wins nobody thought it would at the season's start, knocking off Texas and Texas Tech. But then again, neither team has been anywhere near as good as most thought in the preseason. Nebraska is considerably better, thanks to Taylor Martinez. No passing necessary in this one. The Huskers don't reach the double digits in pass attempts and roll over the Cyclones.

No. 8 Oklahoma 30, Texas A&M 28: Consider me a believer in Oklahoma's struggles on the road. It's probably unfair to say it necessarily struggled on the road last year, it just played much better competition. This year, though, the Sooners were a muffed punt return away from having a real chance to lose to a bad Cincinnati team and one bounce of the ball away from possibly going into overtime against Texas. Both sides of the ball fell apart in the fourth quarter against Missouri. The Sooners lead 27-14 midway through the third quarter of this one, but hang on late. The Aggies will miss Christine Michael dearly. Cyrus Gray is very good. Michael is better.

Texas 21, Kansas State 20: For all the curves Oklahoma State and Baylor should bring, this game's bringing the hairy moles. Kansas State and Texas might play the ugliest game of the year in the Big 12. Somebody's got to win, and Garrett Gilbert engineers a late drive, continuing his maturation process, and bringing along freshman receiver Mike Davis.

No. 12 Missouri 34, Texas Tech 24: Missouri won't blow out the Red Raiders; it is Lubbock, after all. But it will win comfortably if corners Carl Gettis and Kevin Rutland continue their solid play. The offense will move the ball consistently for 60 minutes, but chalk the Tigers up for an inexplicable turnover in one of the toughest places to play in the Big 12.

Missouri captain and cornerback Kevin Rutland has gotten plenty of compliments and kudos on campus and elsewhere in Columbia. That's because he is the head of a unit that leads the Big 12 in scoring defense and his 14 forced turnovers is tied for second in the conference.

"It's been special so far, and you take note of it and would like it to keep going," Rutland said. "But we take it with a grain of salt. We know things can change, but we know if we keep our play at the level it’s been, we’ll be just fine."

He would know. Rutland played corner for a defense that ranked outside the top 100 in pass defense a year ago, frustrating fans with its penchant for giving up backbreaking big plays.

This season, limiting those big plays has been goal No. 1.

"That’s always gotten us, whether it’s the big pass play or big run play, and not that we haven’t experienced those things because we have, but we're trying to keep those things to a minimum," he said.

There was a 93-yard touchdown run by San Diego State's Ronnie Hillman and a 42-yard run by Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure this year. None of those cost Missouri a game, unlike the 400-plus yards Baylor quarterback Nick Florence racked up in the Bears' lone conference win in 2009, highlighted by a 59-yard touchdown pass to Kendall Wright.

Missouri was never better this year than on Saturday when they shut out Colorado in a 26-0 win. Rodney Stewart's 22-yard run and a Scotty McKnight's 22-yard catch were the only sizeable chunks of yardage the defense gave up. Missouri is 5-0, thanks largely to its defense, and is headed to College Station for its first game outside the state this season.

"We’re getting better each week and with a lot of the little things, attention to detail things that we need to do and we haven’t arrived in any way, I’m not implying that, we’ve got some great tests ahead of us, including this week, but it seems like we’re playing real well as a team, together, as a unit," said coach Gary Pinkel.

They've had to do it without a full squad. Suspensions and injuries have kept contributors at every level of the defense off the field. Star defensive end Aldon Smith, who had 11.5 sacks a year ago, is out with a broken fibula and is expected to miss Saturday's game against Texas A&M.

"I’ll give some of the credit to experience and some of it to trust between coaches and players," Rutland said. "We go out there and we know what’s expected of us. The coaches have enough faith in us and enough trust in us to get job done, whatever the call may be. Whether we’re blitzing or we’re in zone coverage or man coverage. The coaches have so much trust in us, from the secondary down on to D-line, that it’s really opened up the playbook."

Rutland, a senior, has been one of the reasons why the coaches trust the unit. Rutland has adjusted to the team's more aggressive style under coordinator Dave Steckel and life as a team captain.

"My role is a lot more important than it’s been," Rutland said. "When there's a time to step up and say something, I enjoy being that guy. That’s the biggest thing, but even in practice or before a game or after the game, during the game, anything I can do. I like to go out there, make sure I’m doing my best and send a positive message with a great example to my teammates."

Texas A&M will be the toughest test yet for Missouri, and it won't get any easier. The Tigers host Oklahoma next week and travel to Lincoln for what could be a de facto Big 12 North championship game on Oct. 30. They will face the Huskers dynamic running game spearheaded by freshman quarterback Taylor Martinez.

So far a defense that returned nine starters from last year's team, but lost linebacker Sean Weatherspoon and defensive tackle Jaron Baston, has been as good or better than anyone might have expected.

"Players, athletes get better, if they’re good athletes and they keep working hard to improve and get better. People say they have so many starters back, but if the starters aren’t very good, it’s not going to matter," Pinkel said. "We have many tests to go here, but very pleased with the progress so far."

Colorado Buffaloes

Record: 3-2 (0-1 Big 12)

Colorado has been resilient at home, erasing double-digit deficits to beat Georgia and Hawaii, but has been blown out by 26 and 45 on the road at Missouri and California. The Buffs raced to a 3-1 start, quieting some of the hot-seat talk surrounding coach Dan Hawkins, but the loss to Missouri last week proved that this team still has to get much better to get through conference play and finish as a bowl-eligible team. Quarterback Tyler Hansen was benched during the Missouri shutout in favor of Cody Hawkins, but the move was solely to find a spark and Hawkins maintains his son Cody will remain the backup. The offensive line looks much improved for Colorado after giving up a league-worst 43 sacks last year. They're still in the bottom half of the league, but that number has fallen to 14 through five games this season. The team's yards per carry in 2009 (2.78), also the worst in the Big 12, is up by almost a full yard. They'll need that to remain constant once conference play starts. Touted newcomer Toney Clemons has gotten off to a nice start for the Buffs as well, with 16 catches for 204 yards and a touchdown, both the second-highest marks on the team, behind senior Scotty McKnight.

Offensive MVP: RB Rodney Stewart. It's become very clear so far this season: When Colorado runs the ball well, it's a pretty good team. That starts on the offensive line, but when Speedy gets loose, that means good things for the Buffaloes. He carried the ball 19 times for 149 yards in Colorado's big win over Georgia, and topped 100 yards in the win over Hawaii, helping the team reach 200 yards in the back-to-back wins. His 491 yards rushing and three touchdowns rank sixth in the Big 12.

Defensive MVP: LB B.J. Beatty. Beatty might win this award based solely on the biggest play of Colorado's season, a forced fumble late against Georgia to end a drive in Buffaloes' territory that preserved a two-point win. He poked the ball out of Caleb King's hands and fellow linebacker Jon Major recovered it. Beatty also leads the team with 6.5 tackles for loss and has 14 total stops. He's also added 2.5 sacks.

Momentum has been an issue for Colorado, helping on a neutral site against its rival in Week 1 and hurting on the road against a future Pac-10 opponent in Week 2.

"I think we’re just learning," Buffaloes coach Dan Hawkins said. "We certainly addressed that and talked about that. We talk to our guys about that all the time, that bad things are going to happen and you’re going to have to work your way through. And how all that works."

Colorado hosts Hawaii this weekend with hopes of avoiding similar results after last week's loss to California, where the Buffaloes fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter and 31-0 by halftime.

"It’s like in any job, you have a bad day, you don’t just quit," said senior receiver Scotty McKnight. "You come back the next day and try to have a better day. That’s what we’re trying to do."

McKnight was pleased with the energy in Tuesday's practice -- the first since the loss -- but both he and Hawkins know the team has to prevent the problems that led to Saturday's blowout loss. Most importantly, it would seem, is preventing those problems from happening early on.

"Drop one ball it just stays in your mind. If it’s in your mind, you’re probably going to drop another ball," said McKnight, who stretched his streak of games with at least one reception to 39 on Saturday. "You’ve just got to move on."

Hawkins was pleased with the team's progress in the second half, but facing a 31-0 halftime deficit meant those positive steps did nothing to influence the game's outcome.

One second-quarter drive stretched 17 plays and 36 yards for the Buffaloes but ended with a missed field goal.

Meanwhile, California's first three scoring drives started on Colorado's 19, 31 and 21-yard lines, the final two courtesy of Tyler Hansen turnovers.

"We always work on those situations. We put them in bad spots, we put them in good situations. Everybody has situational categories that you work on," Hawkins said. "We’ve just got to continue to rep it."

That's not a twist! That's a completely different movie about a talking dog scientist with the voice of Dolph Lundgren!

• Vince Young's mother says she and her son have no interest in Reggie Bush's Heisman.
• Colorado quarterback Tyler Hansen is tired of quiet trips home, and he'll get a chance to sing the fight song on the way home this weekend, writes Tom Kensler of the Denver Post.
• Daniel Thomas broke out for Kansas State on Saturday, but so did his backup, William Powell. Nobody seems to know much about him, but Kevin Haskin of the Topeka Capital-Journal digs for a few things.
• Kansas AD Lew Perkins stepped down on Tuesday, but Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star weighs in on who should replace him.
• Oklahoma State linebacker Justin Gent has been a modest contributor for three years for the Cowboys, but he's trying to make the most of his last shot, writes John Helsley of The Oklahoman.
• KU players heard the boos in Lawrence this past weekend, and tell Tully Corcoran of the Topeka Capital-Journal what they thought of them. Elsewhere, Turner Gill's positivity refuses to waver, in spite of Saturday's loss.
• There's a Stoops Bowl in Norman this weekend, the first time Mark (Florida State's DC) and Bob Stoops will have faced off on the field, writes Jake Trotter of The Oklahoman.
• Nebraska OC Shawn Watson talks about Taylor Martinez's media handlings, and the Lincoln Journal Star's Steve Sipple offers his take.
• The Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year is back on the field: Iowa State safety David Sims will play this weekend against Iowa.
• Texas Tech's secondary is young, but it passed its first test of the season in SMU, writes Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
• Nebraska safety Rickey Thenarse has been through a lot in Lincoln, but it's all been worth it now that he's back on the field, writes Nick Rubek of the Omaha World-Herald.
• Len Goldman of the Columbia Missourian writes about Missouri's new defensive front with four defensive ends.

• Definitely an impressive 24-3 win for Colorado, even though Colorado State isn't on the level of competition the Buffaloes will see for most of this season. After winning just three games last year, beating anyone 24-3 is a great sign for Colorado, who may have convinced a few more folks that all the optimism out of coach Dan Hawkins and the rest of his players is different than what they've been saying for the past few seasons. I'll reserve judgment until we get closer to conference play, but the Buffaloes should be one of the more intriguing teams in the Big 12.
• Tyler Hansen's stat line (17-26, 191 yards, 2 TD, INT, 1-yard rush TD) isn't going to make anyone say, "Wow!" but he moved the offense for most of the day, and helped set up Rodney Stewart, who finished with 69 yards on 16 carries. Good sign for Hansen, though, who continued his solid play from last year and should take some good vibes into next week's game against soon-to-be (or perhaps later) Pac-10 roommate, Cal.
• Scotty McKnight proved once again why he's one of the conference's best, giving Hansen a nice target with six catches for 78 yards and a score. The newbies I wrote about earlier today got off to nice starts, but Travon Patterson and Toney Clemons didn't do a lot after Colorado jumped out to a 17-0 lead at halftime. We'll learn more about them if Colorado gets down in nonconference play and Hansen is forced to throw the ball around 40 times.
• This will sound backhanded, but I don't mean it to: I'm very impressed with the three interceptions, even if they came at the expense of true freshman Pete Thomas. Colorado only had nine INTs all of last season, so that's a very good sign for the development of Colorado's defense, which was getting torched this time last year.
• Colorado was very close to Iowa State as having the most impressive debut of any team in the Big 12 so far in Week 1.

Colorado's defense struggled early last season. So did the offense. The result? An 0-2 start that keyed off a frustrating 3-9 season in Dan Hawkins' fourth season at Colorado.

No such problems this year on either side of the ball. With a new quarterback, Tyler Hansen, Colorado's flipped the script against their rivals, jumping out to a 17-0 halftime lead.

A year ago, the Buffaloes never rebounded from a 17-0 hole of their own in a 23-17 loss, made respectable by a late touchdown.

Hansen has completed 10 of 15 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns, including a 27-yarder to Scotty McKnight, one of the league's best receivers. Meanwhile, true freshman Pete Thomas has thrown two interceptions for the Rams. Colorado intercepted just nine passes all of last season.

Colorado welcomed three new receivers to the field this season, Travon Patterson from USC, Paul Richardson from UCLA and Toney Clemons from Michigan, who was named the preseason Newcomer of the Year after sitting out last season.

So far, they're helping out quarterback Tyler Hansen, who beat out Cody Hawkins to win the starting job this preseason.

Patterson caught an 18-yard touchdown pass that has the Buffaloes up 7-0 in the second quarter against rival Colorado State at Invesco Field in Denver.

Clemons also logged his first catch, an eight-yarder. Richardson has yet to make a grab from Hansen.

Meanwhile, it's still the same old Scotty McKnight, who has the day's longest catch -- 20 yards -- to extend his streak of making a reception in all 38 games he's played at Colorado.