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• The Dallas Morning News' Chuck Carlton explains how the AD change at Texas affects Mack Brown's future. Dodds' decision may be the start of a critical Texas two-step. Is Texas or USC the better head-coaching job?
• Baylor coach Art Briles says his team has an image to maintain: Fast and fearless.
• Oklahoma is focusing on improving its short-yardage offense this week. Sooner coaches are excited about what their receivers are doing so far.
• Charlie Weis is not hiding from the streak that Kansas hopes to break this weekend. Is more rushing on first down the answer for KU's third-and-long woes?
• Iowa State hopes its recent growth on defense will carry over into the Texas game. That unit has improved thanks to lightening its playbook.
• TCU's offensive line has held up well but is in for a serious challenge against OU.
• Clint Trickett is practicing, but Dana Holgorsen is still unsure what West Virginia will do at quarterback this week.
• Kansas State knows it has to stop several versatile weapons in Oklahoma State's offense. Its players are embracing a "talk is cheap" mantra to fixing mistakes.
• Texas Tech defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt didn't enjoy watching film of last season's KU game, especially Tech's run defense.
• The numbers Oklahoma State's offense and defense have put up so far don't lie. Joe Bob Clements is ready for the challenge of facing the school he left.

If you haven't already seen the video of Dana Holgorsen sipping Red Bull on the sideline, enjoy.

• Texas AD DeLoss Dodds is expected to announce plans for his resignation today. A look at some potential candidates to replace him. The Longhorns also lost a legend Monday in former quarterback James Street.
• One year after giving up 807 yards in Morgantown, Baylor is ready to show how far its defense has come against West Virginia.
• Could Oklahoma find a way to use both Blake Bell and Trevor Knight to challenge opposing defenses?
• Even after one of the best games of his career, TCU safety Sam Carter remains his own toughest critic.
• Texas Tech is sticking with Baker Mayfield at quarterback this week. Is staring the season 7-0 a realistic possibility?
• Charlie Weis still remembers drafting Kliff Kingsbury while with the Patriots. What's going on with the receivers at Kansas? Ex-Jayhawk Marquel Combs has transferred to Southeastern Louisiana.
• Still no word on whether Oklahoma State CB Justin Gilbert will be punished for getting ejected from the WVU game. J.W. Walsh regrets audibling out of a goal-line run in that loss. OSU landed the fastest recruit in the country Monday.
• WVU is down to one healthy quarterback, creating one big question mark for Saturday.
• Paul Rhoads has found his guy at running back in Aaron Wimberly.
• Kansas State is preparing for a disappointed Oklahoma State team this week and trying to fix its own flaws.

Here are the unsung heroes in the Big 12 during Week 5.

Defensive end Nick Kron, Iowa State: The sophomore wasn’t dominant nor did he have eye-popping numbers. Yet he recovered two fumbles in the Cyclones’ 38-21 win over Tulsa. He was consistently around the football and ready to pounce when Golden Hurricane quarterback Cody Green got sloppy with his ball handling on Thursday night. Kron added one tackle and one tackle for loss as ISU secured its first win of the season.

Linebacker Marcus Mallet, TCU: Teammate Sam Carter grabbed the headlines with his two interceptions but Mallet was a beast in the middle of the Horned Frogs’ defense. The junior had 10 tackles including four tackles for loss, one sack and one fumble forced in TCU’s 48-17 win over SMU. If Mallet is a consistent, productive player in the middle for the Horned Frogs, they should be one of the Big 12's top defenses.

Running back Charles Sims, West Virginia: The Houston transfer was overshadowed by the gutsy performance from quarterback Clint Trickett but led the Mountaineers with 157 all-purpose yards. Sims had 82 receiving yards, 60 rushing yards and 15 kick return yards in WVU’s 31-20 win over Oklahoma State. Sims averaged 6.17 yards per touch on offense. He's been the Mountaineers most consistent and explosive offensive player this season.

Safety Shamiel Gary, Oklahoma State: The Cowboys safety has looked like a different player this season. He’s been solid in OSU’s secondary and made several key open field tackles against WVU to keep the Pokes in the game. The senior finished with nine tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass breakup. Improved safety play is critical for the Cowboys as they look to rebound against Kansas State this weekend and insert themselves back into the Big 12 title hunt.

Defensive end Geneo Grissom, Oklahoma: The most overlooked starting defensive lineman on the Sooners’ squad, Grissom has been solid throughout the season. He lead OU defensive linemen with six tackles including 0.5 tackles for loss in OU’s 35-21 win over Notre Dame. Grissom has joined Charles Tapper and Jordan Phillips to give the Sooners a much improved defensive front in 2013. Now that they have gained respect, it will be critical for Grissom and company to continue to improve throughout the season if OU wants to make a BCS bowl appearance.

Note: Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas and Texas Tech had byes in Week 5.

Taking stock of Week 5 in the Big 12:

Team of the week: Oklahoma. With their victory over Oklahoma State, the Mountaineers deserved strong consideration here. But by winning in South Bend, the Sooners delivered the Big 12 its best win of the year while vanquishing past demons. OU, which fell to 1-9 all-time against Notre Dame last season, controlled this game wire-to-wire in a 35-21 win. QB Blake Bell operated the Sooners' offense like a veteran in just his second career start. And the OU defense took it to QB Tommy Rees to force three first-half interceptions that allowed the Sooners to pad their lead. OU might have been one of the most overlooked teams during the preseason. After Saturday, the Sooners won’t be overlooked anymore.

Disappointment of the week: Oklahoma State. The Cowboys fell in Morgantown 31-21, despite being 18-point favorites. OSU sputtered all day offensively across the board. J.W. Walsh had a QBR of just 38.1 (scale of 0 to 100) and the Cowboys averaged just 2.8 yards per carry. The defense didn’t fare much better, allowing a West Virginia offense that had been completely inept to rack up 21 first downs. Dating to last year, the Cowboys have now lost three consecutive Big 12 games.

Big (offensive) men on campus: Sterling Shepard and Aaron Wimberly. Both the Oklahoma receiver and Iowa State running back sparked their offenses to big wins on the road. Shepard had five catches for 83 yards, and delivered the nail in the coffin to Notre Dame with a 54-yard touchdown reception to put OU back up by two scores in the fourth quarter.

In a 38-21 win at Tulsa, Wimberly produced Iowa State’s first 100-yard rushing game in more than a year with 137 yards on 19 carries. He added a 31-yard reception as the Cyclones came alive in their first win of the season.

Big (defensive) men on campus: The Oklahoma linebackers, and Sam Carter. Corey Nelson, Frank Shannon and Eric Striker came up with huge plays in the first quarter to set the tone for the OU defense the rest of the way against the Irish. On Notre Dame’s first series, Striker blindsided Rees from behind, popping the ball loose into the arms of Nelson, who returned it 24 yards for a TD. On Notre Dame's next play from scrimmage, Shannon caught a tipped pass and returned the interception 17 yards to the Notre Dame 32. The Sooners scored again four plays later on an 11-yard run by Damien Williams. OU rode the defensive flurry all the way to the win.

Carter, TCU’s junior safety, had a huge day against SMU. Carter had two interceptions, forced a fumble and recorded a sack in the Horned Frogs’ 48-17 victory over the Mustangs. For his efforts, Carter was named the Walter Camp national defensive player of the week. With cornerback Jason Verrett ailing with a shoulder injury, Carter might have to take an even bigger leadership role in the TCU secondary moving forward.

Special-teams player of the week: Jaden Oberkrom. In a complete downpour, TCU’s place-kicker nailed two field goals to help the Horned Frogs pull away from SMU in the second half. As the rain began to fall in droves early in the third quarter, TCU had the ball on the SMU 5-yard line trailing 10-7. Because of the rain, a botched shotgun snap resulted in a loss of 20. But Oberkrom made sure the Frogs came away with points with the 35-yard field goal conversion. Had Oberkrom missed, who knows how the game would have gone for TCU? Instead, buoyed in part by getting points off the drive, the Frogs dominated the rest of the way.

Play of the week: After Josh Stewart took a screen pass 73 yards for the touchdown and Justin Gilbert intercepted Clint Trickett three plays later at midfield, the Cowboys seemed to be on the verge of blowing the game away in the first quarter. Instead, West Virginia cornerback Ishmael Banks read Walsh’s eyes off a rollout, stepped in front of the pass for the pick, then returned it 58 yards for a touchdown. The Cowboys never found their footing again offensively, as West Virginia held them to just two scores the rest of the game.

Stat of the week: Oklahoma State running back Jeremy Smith rushed for just 1 yard on 15 carries at West Virginia. According to ESPN Stats & Info, Smith’s rushing total was the second worst by an FBS running back with that many carries in any game in the past 10 years.

Quote of the week: "No doubt in my mind that we're a national championship-type of team." – OU running back Brennan Clay, after the Notre Dame win

This week's Power Rankings feature a new No. 1, as last week's No. 1 takes a tumble:

1. Oklahoma (4-0, 1-0 Big 12, last week 3): The Sooners take over the top spot after delivering the most impressive Big 12 win of the season. Notre Dame is not the same team as last season, but the Irish hadn't lost in South Bend since October of 2011. OU has been a different team since Blake Bell took over at quarterback, and Bell was fabulous Saturday, throwing for two touchdowns without a turnover while churning out first downs with his arm and his legs. The OU defense is clearly better, too, picking off QB Tommy Rees on Notre Dame's first two possessions, with linebacker Corey Nelson returning one for a touchdown. The Sooners were clearly a team overlooked in the preseason, and, after five weeks, are looking like a clear Big 12 favorite along with Baylor.

2. Baylor (3-0, 0-0 Big 12, last week 2): After the off week, the Bears' offense will get its first real challenge this weekend from West Virginia's defense that appears to be the most improved unit in the league. Baylor has been unstoppable so far, but the level of competition is about to undergo an uptick. Can the Bears keep it up? They've shown no signs they can't.

3. Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0 Big 12, last week 4): Despite having the week off, the Red Raiders move up a spot with Oklahoma State's loss. The big question in Lubbock is who will be starting at quarterback for Tech come Saturday against Kansas. Baker Mayfield? Davis Webb? Michael Brewer, who has been progressing well from the back injury? The Red Raiders have been solid defensively, and the skill talent is legit. If Tech can get better play from its quarterback, this team could be a handful -- even for OU and Baylor.

4. West Virginia (3-2, 1-1 Big 12, last week 8): What a difference a week makes. The Mountaineers produced the most impressive in-conference win of the season with a 30-21 victory over preseason favorite Oklahoma State. West Virginia's defense continues to play at a high level (Maryland's 37 points were somewhat of an anomaly because of West Virginia turnovers) and Clint Trickett sparked the offense with his energy and leadership. West Virginia's offense is still pretty limited, but at least it no longer looks completely inept with Trickett at quarterback. The Mountaineers can't score with Baylor this weekend, but maybe they can slow the Bears down? Nobody thought West Virginia could slow Oklahoma or Oklahoma State, either, though Baylor's offense is at another level. We'll see.

5. Texas (2-2, 1-0 Big 12, last week 5): The Longhorns have a couple of interesting games looming. Thursday, Texas travels to Iowa State, which looked much better offensively in a 38-21 win at Tulsa this past Thursday. Then, Texas gets surging Oklahoma in Dallas. This figures to be the defining two-game stretch of the season for the Longhorns. Win the next two, and the season -- as well as Mack Brown's status in Austin -- looks totally different than it did two weeks ago. The off week could not have come at a better time for the Longhorns, giving acting defensive coordinator Greg Robinson another week to acclimate to his defense and quarterback David Ash another week to recover from the head injury that knocked him out of the Ole Miss and Kansas State games.

6. TCU (2-2, 0-1 Big 12, last week 6): Did TCU's offense finally uncover an identity during a rainy fourth quarter against SMU? The Horned Frogs poured on 31 points in the final quarter and did it with some new faces, as Ty Slanina, Ja'Juan Story and Cameron Echols-Luper all factored into the scoring onslaught in the first real action of their TCU careers. The Horned Frogs can really turn their season around with a win in Norman this weekend. That won't be easy, though, if All-American cornerback Jason Verrett (shoulder) and defensive end Devonte Fields (foot) can't play.

7. Oklahoma State (3-1, 0-1 Big 12, last week 1): The Cowboys plummet six spots after an uninspiring performance in Morgantown. It was just one loss, but it was a loss that exposed weaknesses across the board. For the first time in seemingly forever, Oklahoma State's kicking game is awful. The Cowboys' secondary gave up 320 yards to a West Virginia passing attack that previously had been completely futile. And on the other side of the ball, when the Mountaineers dared QB J.W. Walsh to beat them deep, he couldn't do it. That allowed West Virginia to stuff the Cowboys' running game, which also doesn't appear to have that bell-cow running back Oklahoma State has been accustomed to featuring. The Cowboys are better than they looked at West Virginia -- but how much better?

8. Kansas State (2-2, 0-1 Big 12, last week 7): Bill Snyder maintains the Wildcats will stick with the two-quarterback system, which has yielded mixed results. K-State has moved the ball better when Daniel Sams has been in at quarterback. But when he's in, the Wildcats are virtually no threat to pass. Sams has 29 rushes and only four passing attempts. Is Sams really that poor of a passer? Maybe it's time for K-State to find out.

9. Iowa State (1-2, 0-0 Big 12, last week 10): It's hard to believe a center could make that much of a difference. But the return of Tom Farniok sure seemed to do wonders for Iowa State's offense, which finally got going in a 38-21 win at Tulsa. The Cyclones also finally involved running back Aaron Wimberly, who ignited the running game with Iowa State's first 100-yard performance in more than a year. With former blue-chip junior-college transfer E.J. Bibbs emerging now at tight end, QB Sam Richardson no longer appears to be on his own. Jack Trice will be rocking Thursday night for the Longhorns, as Iowa State has a chance to land a signature win to build off of for the rest of the season.

10. Kansas (2-1, 0-0 Big 12, last week 9): The Jayhawks have a winning record but have been mostly unimpressive. Can they turn around the offense against Texas Tech? That will hinge almost entirely on quarterback Jake Heaps, who has talent but has been unable to find any rhythm so far with a collection of unproven wideouts. If the Jayhawks can be competitive this weekend, it will be a good sign they are moving in the right direction. If they get blasted, it could be a long season, especially with Iowa State and West Virginia seemingly having found their stride.

Recognizing the best and brightest from around the Big 12 in Week 4:

QB Blake Bell, Oklahoma: In his first career road start, Bell threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another 59 to knock off No. 22 Notre Dame. He was a solid 22-for-30 through the air in the 35-21 victory, and his 54-yard touchdown to Sterling Shepard ended up being the clincher in the fourth quarter. He managed the offense well despite dealing with a leg cramp.

West Virginia defense: What a showing from a unit that was one of the Big 12’s worst last season. West Virginia got so many important stops, including shutting down the nation’s best red-zone offense with a goal-line stop that led to a missed field goal. The Mountaineers silenced the OSU running backs, who combined for 47 yards. They snagged a pick-six in the first quarter and another interception to secure the victory in the fourth. Impressive showing all around.

QB Clint Trickett, West Virginia: Despite a shoulder injury that looked pretty nasty, Trickett came back in and wowed in his first start as a Mountaineer, throwing for 309 yards and a touchdown in West Virginia’s 30-21 win over No. 11 Oklahoma State. The Florida State transfer pulled off perhaps the upset of the day and showed plenty of toughness in doing so.

S Sam Carter, TCU: While Trevone Boykin deserves praise for his fourth-quarter play, we’ll give the honor to Carter for his two interceptions against SMU. The first came when the game was still 10-10 and set up the Frogs’ go-ahead touchdown. They’d score on their next four possession, and Carter finished off the Ponies with a 66-yard interception for a touchdown. He also had five tackles, a sack and forced a fumble.

RB Aaron Wimberly, Iowa State: We could probably give one to Sam Richardson, too, but Wimberly really stepped up in ISU’s 38-21 win over Tulsa on Thursday. The junior college transfer entered the night with 10 carries but thrived with a big workload, picking up 137 yards on 19 rushes. He’ll be a guy ISU can lean on going forward.

This week’s Big 12 mailbag focuses on Texas Tech’s class and underrated prospects committed and uncommitted to conference schools. It also discusses some of the tangibles seen from coaches in a Big 12 wide receiver. We encourage all to send questions each week, either via Twitter to @DamonSayles or @ESPNWilkerson or by email at dsaylesespn@gmail.com or wilkerson.espn@gmail.com.

From @taylormidkiff: Who is the most underrated prospect that a Big 12 team will end up getting?

I think that can be answered in two ways. There are a few underrated prospects already committed to a Big 12 program, but running back Traevohn Wrench (Gardner, Kan./Gardner-Edgerton) will be one to watch next year at Kansas. Wrench has been a 2,000-yard back since his sophomore year and is on pace to pass Bubba Starling this season for career rushing yards at the high school. As for the uncommitted underrated prospects of the world, if wide receiver Del’Michael High (Mesquite, Texas/Horn) can get things right academically, he will be every bit as good as any of the ESPN 300 receivers, top to bottom. High, at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, does so much on raw talent alone; coaching from the Big 12 level could make him an all-conference player as a sophomore.

From PJ Worthen: What are the chances Tech finishes with a top 25 class? After getting Connor Wilson to flip his commit, is Sam Sizelove to follow? What big name recruits have Tech on their radar? Thanks for the time, I enjoy your work!

Thanks for the comments, first of all. Texas Tech is ranked No. 31 in the latest ESPN class rankings. The Red Raiders will need a couple of ESPN 300 commits -- or see some of the teams ahead of it lose some big-name pledges -- to crack the top 25. Texas Tech has 20 commits, which means there’s still room to land some highly ranked players. If the Red Raiders can continue to stay undefeated, they might turn the heads of players still wide open in the process -- such as ESPN 300 cornerback Nick Watkins (Dallas/Bishop Dunne), four-star running back Corey Avery (Dallas/Carter) and high three-star safety Payton Hendrix (Dallas/Bishop Dunne). As for Sizelove (Argyle, Texas/Argyle), he’s said on multiple occasions that he’s still solid with Kansas State -- but the idea of playing with high school teammates Wilson and four-star receiver Ian Sadler is very intriguing.

From @bryantwing: Does Texas have a legitimate chance of reviving their season and win the Big 12? Why or why not?

The losses to BYU and Ole Miss will be short-lived if the Longhorns can score a win against Oklahoma on Oct. 12. The Red River Rivalry is considered by some as the end-all, be-all for Texas’ season. Currently, the Longhorns are undefeated in Big 12 play, and if they can beat the Sooners, they will have the confidence to take out anyone in the conference. If they take a bad loss to Oklahoma, questions about beating TCU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Baylor will begin to spread.

From @dmiller37: Do you see RB/WR Justyn Oliphant (Mesquite, Texas/Horn) fitting into a Big 12 program and which one?

Through four games, Oliphant has 49 rushes for 286 yards. He’s still looking for his first offer, but his seven touchdowns show he can get the job done when his number’s called. He’s not the biggest player at 5-8 and 170 pounds, but he has similar physical qualities as Iowa State running back James White. Although the Cyclones have two big, three-star backs committed in 6-0, 196-pound Tommy Mister (Chicago/St. Rita) and 6-0, 200-pound Martinez Syria (Houston/Nimitz), Oliphant would make for a nice change-of-pace back for the program, someone who also can line up as a slot receiver.

From @AdidasKing5: What kind of receivers fit in well in the big 12

In short, coaches want playmakers. They want receivers who specialize in results. Size, speed and agility preferences differ with every coach, but all coaches will agree that they want a reliable option to the passing game and someone who scores touchdowns or puts them in great position to score, runs great routes and won’t drop passes. Coaches want receivers who will make the lives of opposing defensive backs miserable. There’s still time for uncommitted receivers to make a name for themselves, but the window closes each week.

From @cody_winning: Which Big 12 team is performing the best in terms of recruiting nationally?

If you’re talking about how teams are performing on the field with past recruits, you’ve got to look at Oklahoma State. The Cowboys look really good right now, but Baylor is looking equally dangerous. Both have solid 2014 classes that will only enhance what’s been done. As for the Big 12 team with the top 2014 recruiting class, you have to look at the Texas Longhorns. With seven ESPN 300 commits, the Longhorns have a top-10 class, and they could land one or two more big names. Defensive end Solomon Thomas (Coppell, Texas/Coppell) and safety Edwin Freeman (Arlington, Texas/Bowie), two ESPN 300 players, are among the players still very high on Texas.

There's no crying in baseball, but I guess it's OK here.

• The Cyclones found their footing, and an offense, at Tulsa, according to the Ames Tribune's Bobby La Gesse. Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register writes about how QB Sam Richardson overcame injuries to guide Iowa State to the 38-21 win. The paper's Bryce Miller explains how center Tom Farniok shored up the Cyclones offensive line.
• Saturday, Clint Trickett will become West Virginia's third starting quarterback already this season. The Charleston Daily Mail's Mike Casazza breaks it down. The Mountaineers are also ready to pick up the pace, writes Dave Hickman of the Charleston Gazette. Opposing defenses, meanwhile, have the blueprint for stopping the West Virginia offense, in the opinion of Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
• The Sooners are expecting a big-time atmosphere in South Bend. The Oklahoma players talk about playing in big-time games. The Oklahoman's Jason Kersey breaks down the OU-Notre Dame matchups. The Dallas Morning News does the same.
• Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich is getting the opportunity of a lifetime, writes The Oklahoman's Gina Mizell. Running back Jeremy Smith has been a reason for Oklahoma State's 3-0 start.
• Baylor coach Art Briles is hoping his book, “Looking Up: My Journey from Tragedy to Triumph," inspires. The Bears expect to get back tight end Jordan Najvar and running back Glasco Martin next week in their Big 12 opener against West Virginia. The Dallas Morning News compares the Baylor and Oregon offenses side-by-side.
• TCU is the best in the Big 12 when it comes to non-conference scheduling, according to The Oklahoman's Ryan Aber. The Horned Frogs need an offensive spark, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Jimmy Burch and Stefan Stevenson. E.J. Holland of the Dallas Morning News predicts the Frogs will keep the Iron Skillet in Fort Worth.
• The Lawrence Journal-World's Matt Tait writes that the Kansas offensive line is trying to get tougher during its open week.
• A bye week on the schedule doesn’t mean Kansas State has taken it easy, either, according to Ken Corbitt of the Topeka Capital-Journal.
• Texas Tech is planning some reunions.
• Could there be crimson on the burnt orange side? The AP reports that Texas students have not claimed all their tickets for the Red River Rivalry.

Oklahoma and Notre Dame have tradition that is readily apparent in the college football record books, while Oklahoma State makes its first trip to Morgantown, W.Va., since the 1920s. Those tidbits and more are featured in another great package of Big 12 stats thanks to ESPN Stats and Information.

Did you know ...

• Coaching staffs at Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia and TCU will be wearing Coach to Cure MD patches this week to help raise awareness and funding for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research.
• Baylor leads the nation in points per game (69.7), point margin per game (62), total yards per game (751.3), total yards margin (454), yards per play (9.84) and passing yards (444.33).
• Baylor's defense has been superb in its own right. BU ranks No. 5 nationally in yards per play allowed (3.82), yards per carry allowed (2.3) and No. 2 in points allowed (7.7).
• BU's Lache Seastrunk is averaging 10.97 yards per carry, ranking No. 2 nationally behind Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon.
• Seastrunk's seven straight games with at least 100 yards rushing is the nation's longest current streak.
• BU quarterback Bryce Petty is averaging 25.89 yards per attempt on third down.
• Baylor's defense has scored more touchdowns (4) than it has allowed this season (3).
• The Iowa State Cyclones were one of three teams that have played only two games heading into this week's action. Colorado, which postponed its Sept. 14 meeting with Fresno State due to flooding, and Navy are the others.
• Iowa State receiver Quenton Bundrage's three-touchdown receptions against Iowa was the third time in 11 games that a Cyclone receiver has recording three touchdown catches. Yet, it only happened three times from 1951 to 2005, a span of 590 games.
• Nigel Tribune, ISU's true freshman cornerback, is the only true freshman who has played for the Cyclones during the past two seasons.
• Kansas running back/receiver Tony Pierson is averaging 11 yards per touch. He has 26 touches for 286 yards and one touchdown.
• Kansas ranks No. 9 nationally in yards per pass attempt allowed, with a 4.9 yards per pass attempt allowed average.
• KU punter Trevor Pardula's 78-yard punt against Louisiana Tech is the second-longest punt in the FBS this season.
• Pardula's 49.7 yards per punt average leads the Big 12.
• Kansas State leads the nation averaging 33.75 per punt return.
• Wildcats receiver Tramaine Thompson is the main reason for KSU's outstanding return game. He's averaging 33.75 yards per punt return (4 for 135 yards) and 56 yards per kickoff return (2 for 112 yards, 1 touchdown).
• KSU receiver Tyler Lockett leads the conference with 7.2 receptions per game for 117.2 yards. Lockett also leads the Big 12 in all-purpose yards with 157.2 per game.
• Oklahoma is looking to become the first current member of the Big 12 to defeat Notre Dame since Texas knocked off the Fighting Irish, 21-17, in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 1970.
• OU has won 36 straight games when leading at halftime.
• OU and Notre Dame have combined to win 1,702 games. ND is third nationally with 868 all-time wins; OU is sixth nationally with 834 all-time wins.
• OU and Notre Dame combined have spent 1,476 weeks in the AP Poll.
• OU is 11-7 against ranked teams on the road under Bob Stoops.
• Notre Dame is 28-4-1 all-time against current Big 12 opponents.
• Oklahoma State has outscored its first three opponents 108-13 in the first three quarters of its games this season.
• Four different Cowboys have scored a special teams touchdown during their career at OSU.
• Oklahoma State and West Virginia will meet for just the fifth time ever on Saturday. It's the Cowboys' first visit to Morgantown, W.Va. since 1928.
• WVU has three members of its staff with strong OSU ties. Head coach Dana Holgorsen was OSU's offensive coordinator under Mike Gundy in 2010. Special teams coordinator Joe DeForest coached at OSU from 2001-11 and graduate assistant Andrew McGee played at OSU in 2009 and 2010.
• Holgorsen recruited OSU quarterback J.W. Walsh to play in Stillwater. Walsh kept his commitment to the Cowboys after Holgorsen left for WVU in Dec. 2010.
• OSU has gained at least 400 yards in 28 of its last 29 games.
• Cowboys linebacker Shaun Lewis has started 35 straight games.
• OSU has scored 15 touchdowns in 15 trips to the red zone this season.
• Ten different players have scored touchdowns for OSU this season.
• Texas is averaging 6.98 yards per play on second down, helping them gain 41 first downs on second-down plays. They've gained 48 first downs on first- and third-down plays combined.
• Texas Tech's Jace Amaro leads the Big 12 with 12 receptions on third down for 205 yards and one touchdown. KSU's Lockett is second with seven third-down catches.
• TCU is 3-1 in 11 a.m. games during the past two seasons.
• TCU coach Gary Patterson is 9-2 as a head coach against SMU.
• TCU has a seven-game win streak in games following a bye week.
• Under Patterson, TCU is 25-8 in games following a loss.
• TCU has won five of the last six games against SMU.
• TCU has faced SMU 92 times, tying the Mustangs with Texas A&M for the second-most meetings with the Horned Frogs.
• Trevone Boykin's 101 rushing yards against Texas Tech made him the first TCU quarterback since David Roscoe (vs. BYU in 1987) to reach 100 rushing yards in a game.
• Texas Tech ranks No. 4 nationally with 408.5 passing yards.
• The Red Raiders rank No. 4 nationally in red zone efficiency allowed at 22.2 percent.
• Texas Tech ranks No. 5 nationally in goal-to-go efficiency allowed at 16.7 percent.
• The Red Raiders rank No. 7 nationally in kickoff return yardage allowed at 16.63 yards per return.
• Fourteen players have made their first start for West Virginia this season, including quarterback Ford Childress and running back Charles Sims.
• West Virginia is eighth nationally with 30 underclassmen on its depth chart, making the Mountaineers the Big 12's youngest team.
• West Virginia is 97-93-1 all-time in nationally televised games. Saturday's game against OSU is WVU's 192nd network television appearance.
• WVU's shutout loss to Maryland was the first time in 151 games that the Mountaineers were held scoreless since Oct. 6, 2001, against Virginia Tech.

You can't accuse Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard of mincing words:

• Cyclones linebacker Jeremiah George will be facing off against Tulsa QB Cody Green for a fourth time tonight, the Des Moines Register's Randy Peterson points out.
• Texas Tech's linebackers are bringing the hammer, writes the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal's Don Williams.
• The Dallas Morning News analyzes Baylor's hot start to the season.
• It's been the same plan with worse results for West Virginia, writes the Charleston Gazette's Dave Hickman.
• Kansas State has many questions going into its open date, writes the Manhattan Mercury's Joel Jellison.
• Even after Texas' win over Kansas State, the Daily Texan lays out possible replacements for Mack Brown.
• Much has changed in Norman since the first time Bob Stoops faced Notre Dame, writes The Oklahoman's Jason Kersey.
• Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer is concerned about West Virginia's running backs and the way they catch the ball, according to The Oklahoman's Gina Mizell.
• Sophomore defensive back Derrick Kindred has been a versatile option for the TCU defense, writes Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Close victories haven’t resulted in momentum for the Jayhawks, writes the Kansas City Star's Blair Kerkhoff.

1. Can Oklahoma strike for the Big 12 Conference? The Sooners have the chance to earn the biggest nonconference win of any Big 12 team this season if they can knock off Notre Dame in South Bend on Saturday. OU has its eye on inserting itself into the BCS title conversation and that could begin with a win against the Fighting Irish.
2. What does Dana Holgorsen have in store for his former colleagues at Oklahoma State? Holgorsen spent one season as the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State before he was named coach in waiting at West Virginia. He played a major part in transforming OSU’s offense into what it is today so both teams will be very familiar with the other’s offensive attack. Add in the Mountaineers’ struggles on offense this season and you have to expect Holgorsen will have some new, creative wrinkles to confuse OSU’s defense and spark WVU’s offense.
3. How will TCU respond to a 1-2 start? TCU coach Gary Patterson didn’t like how his team was handling its start to the season, saying his group was "feeling sorry for themselves." Yet the Horned Frogs have had two weeks to get things going back in a positive direction and, even though they’ve stumbled at the start, they still have one of the top defenses in the conference. And that’s a terrific foundation to build upon.
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David Purdy/Getty ImagesPaul Rhoads and Iowa State are off to a slow start.
4. Can Iowa State get its first win of the season? The Cyclones opened the season with losses to Northern Iowa and Iowa. Worst yet, Paul Rhoads’ crew has played just two games heading into tonight’s game at Tulsa, making it tough to find any kind of rhythm and confidence on either side of the football. ISU’s defense has been particularly bad allowing 27.5 points and 417.5 yards per game thus far. It’s a young roster, full of inexperience, so if the Cyclones don’t win tonight, things could snowball in a hurry for the Cyclones.
5. Will OSU stumble in Morgantown? The Cowboys will be a big favorite when they step on the field in Morgantown, W. Va., after WVU’s embarrassing 37-0 loss to Maryland last weekend. It would be easy for the Pokes to overlook the Mountaineers and stumble on the road in a conference play, particularly since WVU does have some talented, albeit young, players on the roster. WVU will be looking to prove it is better than it showed against the Terps while OSU will simply be looking to get off to a good start in conference play. Motive advantage: WVU.
6. Can TCU find some type of offensive identity? What is TCU’s identity on offense? Does anybody know? The Horned Frogs have looked uncertain during their first three games, particularly with Trevone Boykin under center. Don’t be surprised if TCU re-commits its offense to the running game with talented runners B.J. Catalon and Waymon James in the backfield while putting Boykin on the back burner.
7. How will OU quarterback Blake Bell do in his first road start? The Sooners signal caller has the opportunity to send a message with a stellar performance in his first road start. The Fighting Irish will be looking to stop the run and play physical, forcing Bell to beat them with his arm. If he can do it on a national stage, the junior will remove all doubt who should be leading the Sooners’ offense for the next two seasons.
8. Is OU’s defense the real deal? The Sooners' defense has been terrific in OU’s first three games. Yet it hasn't been tested like it will be against the Fighting Irish. OU’s defense is built for speed and handling the spread offenses in the Big 12 so if ND comes out and tries to ram the football down OU’s throat, the Sooners will have to have an answer or risk being compared to last season’s disappointing unit.
9. Will Ford Childress reward Holgorsen for sticking with him? The WVU quarterback has kept his starting job after throwing more touchdown passes to Maryland defenders than his teammates last weekend. He threw more interceptions than he completed passes to WVU receivers in the loss. Yet Holgorsen didn’t hesitate when asked if he was sticking with the redshirt freshman. Childress will be looking to reward that loyalty against OSU.
10. Will Iowa State find an answer to its offensive woes? This was supposed to be a breakout season for quarterback Sam Richardson. It’s not looking good for the sophomore thus far. His numbers aren’t horrible (502 passing yards, 62 completion percentage) but he’s been unable to spark the Cyclones offense and take the entire team to another level like ISU fans would have hoped. If Richardson hopes to turn things around, he can start against a Tulsa defense that gave up 51 points to Oklahoma on Sept. 14.

Thanks for all of your questions during my chat. You can find the full transcript here.

Chris Fiegler (Latham,NY) What Big-12 college football team has the best and the worst defense in 2013?

Brandon Chatmon That's an interesting question Chris because I don't think every team has been tested yet. For the best defense, I'm still going to go with TCU for now although I think Oklahoma State and Oklahoma are both better defensively this season. … As far as the worst defense? I'd have to say Iowa State. I don't like what I've seen from the Cyclones' D thus far. There's some talent there but they are so young it could make for a long season in Ames.

Jay (Michigan) How do you see OU/ND playing out?

Brandon Chatmon Jay, I initially had the Notre Dame winning this one. But as the week has gone on I'm starting to give OU the slight advantage. I think the Sooners have more playmakers on offense and I think their defense has improved. There isn't any outcome that would really surprise me though. I don't think we know a whole lot about OU yet.

Dale, the open-minded Sooner fan (<---That blew your mind huh?) People need to start giving it up to Baylor, I think they are the real deal. Dating back to last year, they have won seven straight games with an average margin of victory of 35 points, and three of the games were against K-State, OSU, and UCLA. Yeah their schedule sucks, along with OU and all other Big 12 games played so far (I don't count losses like TCU vs. LSU). I am more worried about OU vs. Baylor than OU vs. Notre Dame, even though OU could easily lose this weekend.

Brandon Chatmon I'm right there with you Dale. There's a bit of denial I have noticed among fans of other Big 12 schools when it comes to Baylor. The Bears are legit and they won't be an easy win for anyone. If that game happened today, I'd be picking Baylor.

Mike P (Greater KC) Any concerns over K-State and the way they played against Texas. … Or was Texas the better team and just outplayed KSU.

Brandon Chatmon Not really. I just think Texas was the better team.

Dominic (Irving Texas.) how much is Mack Brown truly hurting the University of Texas for future recruits and as a program in general?

Brandon Chatmon Not much. Texas will always be able to recruit, that's not a problem. Texas will always be Texas, so that's not a problem either.

Ted Flint (Kansas) Pick one coach to give a speech to get your team fired up for a must win, who is it and why.

Brandon Chatmon Rex Ryan … because I'd like to go get a snack. … But seriously, it would probably be Urban Meyer at Ohio State … in the Big 12? That's tough because of the limited opportunities to see those guys in their element but I'd probably go with Mike Gundy or Paul Rhoads.

Show me don't tweet me:

• Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds tells the Dallas Morning News' Chuck Carlton he'll make the tough decision if he has to. But Dodds also says that Mack Brown is energized and everything is in place for the Longhorns to turn the corner.
• TCU hopes its running back duo can help spark a stagnant offense, writes the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Stefan Stevenson.
• Kansas is still tinkering with a faster tempo, according to the Lawrence Journal-World's Matt Tait.
• The Cyclones are preparing to make the season's first road trip a boom, writes Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register.
• Texas Tech picked up a commitment from a junior-college defensive tackle.
• Oklahoma center Gabe Ikard will have his hands full on Saturday, says The Oklahoman's Ryan Aber.
• The Mountaineers are hoping a looser attitude will help, according to the Charleston Gazette's Dave Hickman.
• The Tulsa World's Kelly Hines goes up close with Oklahoma State linebacker Caleb Lavey.
• The Bears are cruising, but they can't relax, writes Brice Cherry of the Waco Tribune-Herald.
• K-State is regrouping after its loss at Texas, report the Topeka Capital-Journal's Ken Corbitt.

Texas moves back up in this week's Power Rankings, West Virginia moves back down and the top four remain steady:

1. Oklahoma State (3-0, 0-0 Big 12; last week: 1): When he was the coordinator in Stillwater, Dana Holgorsen recruited quarterback J.W. Walsh to Oklahoma State. This Saturday, Holgorsen's Mountaineers must deal with stopping Walsh, who’s been terrific since taking over the starting quarterback job in the opener. Walsh ranks sixth in the country in QBR and is a major reason why the Cowboys are three-touchdown favorites for their game in Morgantown.

2. Baylor (3-0, 0-0 Big 12; last week: 2): The Baylor-hasn’t-beaten-anybody argument only holds so much water. Who in the Big 12 has really beaten anybody? Oklahoma State over Mississippi State? Texas Tech over TCU? Oklahoma over West Virginia? The fact is, even against three doldrums, Baylor has been as impressive as any team in the league. This offense has a chance to be as prolific as the 2011 Oklahoma State Cowboys or the 2008 Oklahoma Sooners.

3. Oklahoma (3-0, 1-0 Big 12; last week: 3): After opening with three home victories, the Sooners will finally find out about their team during a road trip to South Bend, Ind., this weekend. They should find out a lot about quarterback Blake Bell, too -- he was marvelous after replacing Trevor Knight two weeks ago against Tulsa. But that was against Tulsa in Norman. This is Notre Dame in South Bend. If OU wins this game, people will begin to mention the under-the-radar Sooners as a possible dark horse national title contender.

4. Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0 Big 12; last week: 4): The Texas Tech defense continues to play well, but the offense was sluggish again in a 33-7 victory over Texas State. Kliff Kingsbury has to decide whether he’s going to stick with Baker Mayfield as his starting quarterback or go with Davis Webb, who has made plays the last two weeks in relief of Mayfield. Kingsbury might secretly and anxiously be waiting on the return of Michael Brewer, who’s been injured since the summer with a bad back but is close to rejoining the team on the practice field.

5. Texas (2-2, 1-0 Big 12; last week: 8): After winning their Big 12 opener 31-21 over Kansas State, the Longhorns still have plenty to play for. But they are also beaten up. Linebacker Jordan Hicks is out for the season again with a ruptured Achilles tendon, quarterback David Ash continues to deal with concussion issues and offensive playmaker Daje Johnson remains out with an ankle injury. The game with Oklahoma (Oct. 12) looms, too. A victory in Dallas is about the only thing that can save Mack Brown’s job and completely reverse momentum in Austin.

6. TCU (1-2, 0-1 Big 12; last week: 5): Gary Patterson was not pleased with his team during the off week. Patterson told reporters last week the Horned Frogs were “feeling sorry for themselves” after the 20-10 loss at Tech. “If we don’t grow up,” Patterson said, “we’re not going to win any more ballgames.” The Frogs had better grow up quickly if they want to avoid letting this season turn into a catastrophe. TCU faces road trips at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in October.

7. Kansas State (2-2, 0-1 Big 12; last week: 7): Even though Texas had been a sieve stopping opposing quarterbacks on the ground, Bill Snyder elected to use Daniel Sams sparingly in Austin. Sams averaged 6 yards a carry but got only eight carries as Jake Waters again took the bulk of the snaps at quarterback. Even though wideout Tyler Lockett is having a monster season, the Wildcats with Waters behind center have been just average offensively, which is flirting with disaster in the Big 12. Especially when the defense is just average, too.

8. West Virginia (2-2, 0-1 Big 12; last week: 6): So much for the idea that the Mountaineers could just replace Geno Smith, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey. West Virginia looked completely inept offensively in a 37-0 loss to Maryland, which is a good team, but not that good. The Mountaineers, who had one of the best passing attacks in the country last year, suddenly can’t pass. Quarterback Ford Childress threw for just 62 yards with two interceptions Saturday, not that Paul Millard fared any better in West Virginia’s first two games. Holgorsen said he’s sticking with Childress at quarterback, which is a sign the Mountaineers are building for the future. The present is not a pretty sight.

9. Kansas (2-1, 0-0 Big 12; last week: 9): With the bottom half of the Big 12 struggling so much, the Jayhawks have the opportunity to win a couple of games in the league. But Kansas has its own problems. An offense that was supposed to be improved actually has been worse so far this season. After scoring just a field goal over three quarters against Louisiana Tech, the Jayhawks had to scramble late to escape with a 13-10 win. Jake Heaps owns the worst Total QBR (32.2) in the league and the Kansas wide receivers so far have been a disappointment. There is some talent on Charlie Weis’ offense, especially in the backfield. But it has yet to manifest on the field.

10. Iowa State (0-2, 0-0 Big 12; last week: 10): The Cyclones have back-to-back Thursday night games on deck: at Tulsa and at home against Texas. If Iowa State can’t prevail in either, this will end up being the worst season of the Paul Rhoads era. The only way the Cyclones can avoid that fate is by conjuring something in the run game, which has been abysmal so far this season.

In today’s mailbag, Longhorns search for answers, Sooners hype up the Bellicopter and Red Raiders begin talking big after last week’s win over TCU.

To the bag:

Brian in Colorado writes: Texas has been trying to move toward becoming an SEC-style team, so what are the odds that Texas will have Mack Brown step down and then try and steal Kirby Smart from the Tide? Smart would be a perfect fit for a talented team that needs a younger coach to bring an energetic style.

Jake Trotter: Smart is a tremendous coordinator, but I imagine Texas will go after an established head coach first. Besides, Texas only tried to become an SEC-style team because of Brown.

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Josh in Oklahoma writes: Given Texas' inability to stop the option, how great would it be to see the BellDozer turn into the BellBone for OU-Texas?

JT: Great for who? Certainly not Texas. Then again, I’m not sure Blake Bell’s skill set is tailored for the read option. Bell is tough to tackle, but he doesn’t have the requisite quickness to operate the option, play in, play out. That’s one reason why Trevor Knight beat him out during the preseason. But if Bell throws like he did against Tulsa, he won’t need to run the option all that often, anyway.

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Ric in Moore, Okla., writes: My guess is Blake Bell will be a very average QB, and OU loses 3-4 games this season. Your thoughts?

JT: Bell showed me a lot in that Tulsa game. I think he’ll hold onto the job. I still don’t see OU winning more than 10 games, though.

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Nicholas in Houston writes: In the last chat, you said, "Bottom line, if Texas and OU aren't carrying their weight, the Big 12 is going to be viewed as a sub-par conference.” Do you think that if one non-OU-Texas team goes undefeated and another comes really close, would that Big 12 perception improve?

JT: Honestly, not really. Oklahoma State went 12-1 in 2011 and it didn’t do much for the conference’s perception nationally. The Cowboys still got left out of the national title game, even though really they were more deserving than Alabama on paper. Now, if OSU and Baylor won 10 games annually over the course of a decade, that would be something different. But the OU and Texas brands were built over the course of 70 years, and when their brands suffer, so does the Big 12. A great season here or there from the non-flagship schools does little to change that.

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John in Tulsa, Okla., writes: I know it's not the case for every team, but I'm wondering what the advantages and disadvantages are for having the defensive coordinator on field level. Logic would say that having the coordinator in the box would aid in reading the formations, personnel, tendencies and plays of the opposition. The only explanation I could come up with was that having the defensive coordinator on field level helps make adjustments real time instead of via headset. But how effective are the adjustments that are made at that point?

JT: John is correct -- offensive coordinators usually call plays from the box, while defensive coordinators often call plays from the sideline. Maybe it’s because offense is more analytical, and defense, more emotional? Also, offensive coordinators are on their own time to some degree when making adjustments, giving them time to relay calls from the box. Defenses are on the offense’s time, meaning defensive coordinators have just moments to holler in their adjustments before the snap.

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Jeff in Austin writes: The perception is that if UT, OU, or OSU were undefeated after the regular season they would likely play for the trophy in January. What would the likelihood of Baylor or Texas Tech playing for the national championship if they went undefeated while everyone else was at 12-1?

JT: Assuming the SEC filled one side of the title game, Baylor and Tech would probably need Oregon, Stanford, Clemson, Ohio State, Louisville, Florida State, UCLA, Michigan, Notre Dame and Miami to all go down. The Bears and Red Raiders, however, have never won a Big 12 title. Isn’t it a bit premature to be talking national title after three games?

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Ali in Fort Worth, Texas: What do you make of three Big 12 teams beginning conference play against West Virginia?

JT: I didn’t even realize this was the case until you brought it up. It should be an advantage for West Virginia in the Oklahoma State and Baylor games.

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Brian from the Apache forward operating base in Afghanistan writes: Jake, love the blog. If Mack Brown does lose his job what are you early thoughts on the man who would replace him? I mean, I would think Texas would warrant a big name guy for the job right?

JT: Given its proximity to high school talent and its infinite resources, Texas is probably the most attractive head-coaching job in college football. Stanford’s David Shaw was the name I kept hearing when I was in Austin last weekend. But don’t rule out Texas making a pitch to Nick Saban, either.

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Shelby in Big Spring, Texas, writes: How concerned should Raider Nation be that Tech's offense did not move the ball much during the TCU game? Scoring on the first and last possessions is a little unusual for Tech's offense? Also, yay or nay on the gray unis?

JT: I’m a fan of the gray uniforms. I’m not overly concerned. Despite its problems on the other side of the ball, TCU is still really good defensively. The one concern I might have is the Tech offensive line. Can they protect the quarterback? If so, the skill talent is there for this Tech offense to be prolific.

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P.J. in El Paso, Texas, writes: How much of UT’s woes can be attributed to lack of a top QB? It seems that the top teams in the Big 12 all boast pretty good QBs. Texas has top talent everywhere else.

JT: Quarterback is the least of Texas’ worries this season. Have you seen this defense? Even with Johnny Manziel back there, this Texas team would not be going anywhere.

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Clint in Houston writes: Looking back, Texas failed to recruit or offer a scholarship to some of the best QBs in the country. With Texas' shoddy QB play and comparatively horrible record since Colt McCoy, shouldn't Mack be let go for the program's lack of interest in Andrew Luck, RG3, Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston?

JT: This will ultimately be part of Brown’s undoing. But only part of it. Brown has also whiffed on coordinator hires, failed to forge offensive and defensive identities since the ’08-09 teams and struggled to recruit mentally tough players.

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SoonerPaintJob in Oklahoma City writes: After an impressive performance through the air, where do you see Bellicopter and company ending up by season’s end? Does it feel a little like 2000?

JT: I don’t see a Roy Williams on defense or a Josh Heupel on offense. So no, this doesn’t feel like 2000. Bell looked good against Tulsa, but it was against Tulsa. I’m nowhere near ready to proclaim this a team of destiny after home wins over Louisiana-Monroe, West Virginia and Tulsa.

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Jay in Midland, Texas, writes: Jake, you promised a revised ceiling for Texas Tech should they beat TCU. Time to get your Guns Up!! How do you see the conference shaking out, now that we are three weeks into the season?

JT: I still see the conference title being decided by OU, OSU and Baylor. But the Red Raiders are looming. If they slip past these next four games -- all winnable games -- to get to 7-0, I might be compelled to move them into the upper tier.

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Finkaboutit in Ames, Iowa, writes: The past two years Iowa State has had some talent on the offensive side of the ball, and we have not had any form of solid offense. Does ISU need to start looking for a new offensive coordinator?

JT: Why do Iowa State fans keep insisting the Cyclones have had talent on the offensive side of the ball? The last Iowa State offensive skill player to get drafted was Seneca Wallace 10 years ago. A different play-caller doesn’t change the fact that Iowa State is deft of playmakers offensively. The Cyclones’ offensive woes stem from mediocre recruiting more than anything else.