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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.

AUSTIN, Texas -- At last, we’ve reached a one-week reprieve after a rollercoaster month of Texas football. Now is a good time to look back and break down what we know and what we’re still trying to figure out about this Longhorn offense.

Here are five things we’ve learned about Texas’ offense after four games:

1. There’s a question mark at quarterback.

David Ash is Texas’ No. 1 quarterback, and nobody doubts that. He gets more than a week to recover from the concussion-related symptoms that forced him out of the Kansas State game, and there’s optimism that he’ll be fine and cleared in time to play Iowa State next Thursday. There’s still a chance, though, that Texas coaches will use the wild card up their sleeve and play freshman Tyrone Swoopes, at least in a limited capacity. Protecting Ash is an absolute necessity, and if he has more issues going forward we’ll see more Case McCoy and more opportunity for Swoopes to contribute.

2. Texas is getting a hang of its tempo

Mack Brown’s ambitious goal in the preseason was 84 plays per game. Texas is doing OK on that front, having surpassed 80 twice this season with an average of 77 per game. The Longhorns struggled early in the season to put the foot on the gas pedal and get off to fast starts, though jumping ahead 10-0 against Kansas State was promising. When the Longhorns are really moving the ball, they can play at a blistering pace and wear down a defense, especially with the run game. Now that the Big 12 slate has begun, expect to see this become more of a factor.

3. Johnathan Gray is taking the next step

The lion’s share of the run game is being entrusted to the former five-star recruit, and against K-State he showed just what he’s capable of when he gets a big workload. At 350 yards he’s the No. 2 rusher in the Big 12, and the mix of agility, vision and power he brings to the table are beginning to set him apart. Gray is getting 60 percent of Texas’ carries in 2013, with Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron splitting the remaining 40 percent evenly. No matter what happens at quarterback, Gray is the guy Texas can lean on.

4. Texas has depth to deal with its pileup of injuries

If you’d told Texas fans in August that Ash, Mike Davis, Daje Johnson, Josh Cochran and several other starters would get injured during the first quarter of the season, they might be a bit more understanding of a 2-2 start. But a handful of second-year players, including Marcus Johnson, Kennedy Estelle and Kendall Sanders, rose to the occasion last Saturday when replacing those key cogs. That depth needs to keep providing for Texas if it hopes to survive (and thrive) in conference play.

5. We don’t know how good this offense can be

If the season opener taught us anything, it’s that Texas can maximize its tempo, speed and versatility when Daje Johnson is on the field. The running back/receiver can hit the home run on any play and creates lots of problems for opposing defenses. The Longhorns offense can start playing up to its potential when its X-factor returns to the lineup from an ankle injury, possibly next week against Iowa State. Unless more injuries derail this unit, its best days and performances are still ahead.

AUSTIN, Texas -- The best teams in college football aren’t the ones that got lucky and avoided injuries.

In 2012, Alabama lost five players to season-ending injuries by the end of September. Notre Dame lost two starters in its secondary for the year early on. Two of Oregon’s best senior starters went down before Week 3. It happens.

The best teams in college football are usually deep enough to replace any missing pieces. Mack Brown knows this. He’s preached the need for depth in each of the past two years, insisting the starting 22 listed on the depth chart don’t matter as much as having 22 more good men.

Now it’s time to walk the walk. By the end of Texas’ 31-21 win over Kansas State, six key starters were injured. Linebacker Jordan Hicks is done for the year with a torn Achilles. Running back Daje Johnson is out indefinitely and hasn’t played in two weeks. An ankle issue kept receiver Mike Davis out of the KSU game.

And then there’s quarterback David Ash, who earned the start and didn’t come back from the locker room at halftime. Concussion-related symptoms are the issue, but the details and severity are mostly unknown.

A case can be made that they’re four of the most important players on this 2013 team, the guys most capable of deciding whether Texas ends up winning 10 games or five.

Against Kansas State, the guys tasked with replacing those game-changers took care of business. In this must-win game, embracing a next man up mentality paid dividends.

Kendall Sanders and Marcus Johnson are a shining example of that. The sophomore receivers both earned starts and did plenty to make up for the absence of Davis.

Sanders did what David does best: He ran a deep post route and hauled in a bomb on a play-action pass from Ash for a 63-yard touchdown, the first of his career.

“I was really nervous, but I’ve been working my tail off so I was kind of calmed down,” Sanders said. “I just treated it like practice. I’ve been working my tail off for this long so might as well show everybody.”

Johnson added 70 yards on five catches, including two long receptions on third downs to help set up scores. Brown lauded him for playing like he’d been around a long time, when in fact he entered the night with one career reception.

Texas went with another sophomore, Kennedy Estelle, to replace right tackle Josh Cochran. Dalton Santos, whose injury status was questionable entering the game, recovered the tide-turning Jake Waters fumble in the fourth quarter as K-State was about to cut the deficit to 31-28.

He’s likely set to play a major role now that Hicks’ season is over. The guy Santos will help replace was a key cog, but his teammates know they have to move on and trust Texas’ depth.

“If he is [out], he is,” cornerback Carrington Byndom said. “We have to continue to go forward. We have to have people step up and fill that role.”

There was no better example of that mentality on Saturday than when Case McCoy took over for Ash. Longhorn players were surprised by the news that Ash was out, but they’ve been down that road before.

He played the role of reliever well and led two scoring drives. He didn’t need to do much – McCoy handed the ball off on three-fourths of his snaps – but he did just enough. More important, his teammates didn’t flinch. They were unfazed by the sudden change of plans.

“We play behind all our quarterbacks,” running back Johnathan Gray said. “When one is down and the other one comes in, we rally around whoever is in the game. That’s what we did tonight and it was a plus for us.

“I didn’t know David was out. It changed nothing. We kept what we were going to do for our offense. We stayed with it.”

As the injuries continue to pile up, that’s precisely the mentality Texas players plan to maintain. And that’s got to last more than one night, especially if Texas wants to get back to playing like one of the nation’s best.

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.

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

RB Johnathan Gray, Texas

Texas needed the sophomore more than ever against Kansas State, especially when David Ash was sidelined for the second half with concussion-related symptoms, and Gray delivered. He put up a career-best 141 yards and two touchdowns on a career-high 28 carries in the 31-21 win. The Longhorns trusted their workhorse and he came up big.

WR Tyler Lockett, Kansas State

Lockett put on a show against Texas with a whopping 237 receiving yards on 13 catches. That’s the second-best receiving day in the country this season behind Mike Evans' 279 yards last week vs. Alabama. Lockett had catches of 47, 22, 31 and 52 yards and also contributed a 40-yard kick return. He was unstoppable on Saturday.

Baylor Defense

Baylor has one of the best offenses in the country with several guys who are worthy of Helmet Stickers. But isn’t it time to give a little love to that Bears defense? Baylor racked up eight tackles for loss and intercepted three passes in a 70-7 win over Louisiana-Monroe, and two of those picks were returned for touchdowns of 41 and 63 yards, respectively. We’ll see how the defense holds up against better Big 12 competition, but so far so good.

K Matthew Wyman, Kansas

Let’s give some props to the guy who ended Kansas’ 22-game losing streak against FBS opponents. It wasn’t just that Wyman made the game-winning field goal with time expiring to beat Louisiana Tech 13-10 -- don’t forget the degree of difficulty. Wyman connected from 52 yards, causing the Jayhawks to storm the field. Big kick, big win.

QB Davis Webb, Texas Tech

Webb relieved a struggling Baker Mayfield and threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns in a 33-7 rout of Texas State, one that probably reopens the discussion of who should be starting under center for the Red Raiders. Honorable mention to Kerry Hyder for his decision to pitch his fumble recovery and create a 9-yard touchdown return. Way to be selfless, Kerry.

AUSTIN, Texas – Even after a must-win game over the defending Big 12 champion, Texas coach Mack Brown wasn’t ready to celebrate just yet. But surely he’s breathing a deep sigh of relief after this one, right?

“I’m not there yet,” he said. “Not there yet.”

It’s safe to say the significance of Texas’ 31-21 win over Kansas State isn’t lost on him. Nobody needed a win on Saturday more than Brown and Texas.

Many will knock Kansas State and say Texas just beat a team that had lost to an FCS school. Big whoop. Some will go a step further and laugh at Texas for celebrating a win over Kansas State, calling it a sign of the times if that’s the Longhorns' standard.

But Texas has every reason to overreact to a win over the Wildcats, its first since 2003. The Longhorns were entering season-on-the-brink territory. Win or fall apart. Frustrated players, angry fans, wild rumors. Lose this game and it all gets a whole lot worse, and we start questioning how Texas will even get to six wins.

Brown needed this to stave off all the negativity, to send a message that the season isn’t over.

“We had to get this game tonight. We had to get back on the right track,” Brown said. “I don’t think this team will let up, I really don’t.”

Ever the optimist, Brown can point to plenty of things he saw Saturday night that reinforce his belief in this team. His veteran offensive line finally began playing up to its potential in paving the way for 227 rushing yards, including 141 and two scores from Johnathan Gray.

"This was a crucial step for us to get things turned around, and it is a great feeling to get that accomplished and know that we are back on the right track," senior guard Trey Hopkins said.

And that maligned Texas defense, that one that was as porous as any in the country through three games, at last showed progress in Week 2 of the Greg Robinson regime. Holding Kansas State to 115 yards on the ground is tangible, unmistakable progress.

Somehow, the Longhorns overcame losing quarterback David Ash at halftime to concussion-related symptoms and linebacker Jordan Hicks in the second half to a sprained ankle.

The laundry list of Texas starters who are injured keeps growing, but the team has a week off before traveling to Iowa State for a Thursday night showdown.

More than anything, Texas just needed positive energy and momentum. The two losses made Brown and his team a national punching bag. Everyone got in their shots. Much of the chatter wasn’t unfair.

What Texas did to Kansas State won’t shut everyone up, but it’s a start. Brown tried his best to block out the negativity, but he let his players deal with it however they pleased.

“I actually said to those guys what I’ve said to you all: Handle it any way you want to, but beat Kansas State,” Brown said. “The rest of it doesn’t matter. If it bothers you, don’t look at it. If you enjoy drama, look at it. It’s up to you.”

Defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat has argued for weeks that this would be a player-led team. Texas was playing without six injured starters, and its players embraced a next-man-up mentality.

“I give all the credit to the players. This week was a tough week, obviously,” offensive coordinator Major Applewhite said. “We lost, lot of criticism, lot of chances to kind of get rabbit ears. But everybody put their nose to the grindstone and worked.”

The fourth-quarter stops and turnovers are a sign this season can get better. Leaning on and trusting the run game when Ash exited was a sign. Ending three straight years of futility against K-State was a sign, too.

There are reasons -- not many, but a few -- to believe Texas can eventually become the team it was hyped up to be. Brown saw that on Saturday.

“This is part of the team that I expected to see and expect to see for the rest of the year,” Brown said. “This can be a really good football team before we finish.”

It’s just one win. The intense scrutiny probably won’t dissipate much. But the toxic cloud over Brown’s program lifted for one night. Now would be a good time to exhale.

Instead of going to a game this weekend, I stopped by Waco, Texas, earlier in the week to check out Art Briles’ bunch in person.

Our guest picker this week is Roger Berman, a Red Raider who hails from Orange, Texas. Here is Roger’s guest picker submission:

I have been around a few years. Just turned 60 in August. I attended Texas Tech, and got my B.S. in chemical engineering in 1976. Older brother went to Oklahoma State. Little brother was smart -- he graduated from Texas Tech. I have been following the Southwest, Big 8 and Big 12 conferences for more than 45 years. I know I can pick 'em better than a young pup like you. What you say to that?

Well, Roger, compared to you, I suppose I am a young pup. Challenge accepted.

By the way, thanks to Roger’s Red Raiders, I dispatched of last week’s guest picker, James. Get ready to join him, Roger.

If you want to be next week’s guest picker, contact me, and tell me why. And, as always, creativity counts.

Now, to the picks for Week 4:

SEASON RECORD

Last week: 7-1 (.875)

Guest picker last week: 6-2 (.750)

Overall: 21-4 (.840)

Guest picker overall: 6-2 (.750)

Saturday
Kansas 33, Louisiana Tech 21: Jake Heaps struggled in the loss at Rice, but Charlie Weis said this week the one player he's not worried about is Heaps. I’m not worried about the Kansas quarterback, either. As for the rest of the team, well, that's another story. The Jayhawks will be fine in this one, before they embark on another long season in the Big 12.

Roger’s pick: Heaps takes it up a notch with more than 200 yards passing. Kansas, 28-17

West Virginia 30, Maryland 27: The Terrapins are 3-0, but their best win came last week over Connecticut, which fell to Towson in its opener. In other words, Maryland has yet to play anybody. The Mountaineers lost at Oklahoma, but they hung tough. That moral victory should give them the confidence they can win this game. Especially with Ford Childress now at quarterback.

Roger’s pick: I think Childress has a great day; once again, a freshman steps up in the Big 12. West Virginia, 35-27

Baylor 63, Louisiana-Monroe 10: By picking the Bears to score nine touchdowns, I’m actually picking them to have a down day. Baylor, which is averaging 70 points a game, has scored four touchdowns in the first quarter of both games this season. Mercifully for Monroe, the Bears don’t touch that first-quarter mark this game, due to a little rust coming off an open week. Not that it really matters. Baylor drops off four touchdowns in the second quarter to put another game away before halftime.

Roger’s pick: Bryce Petty has another good day; not sure who can stop this offense. Baylor, 49-7

Texas Tech 45, Texas State 13: The Red Raiders won ugly last week. This week, they get back to winning pretty. Boosted by Kliff Kingsbury’s vote of confidence, quarterback Baker Mayfield gets back on track with a 400-yard passing game. The Tech defense gives up a couple of scores early, but settles in to keep the momentum going from last week’s gutty performance against TCU.

Roger’s pick: Jace Amaro has a coming-out party; 150-plus yards and three touchdowns. Texas Tech, 56-14

Texas 31, Kansas State 28: The reasons to pick against Texas are many. The Longhorns have been an embarrassment stopping the run, and K-State’s Daniel Sams runs as well as any QB in the league. The Wildcats also own Texas with a five-game winning streak in the series. But QB David Ash should be back in the lineup for Longhorns, and K-State has had its own problems defensively this season. Plus, after K-State linebacker Tre Walker accused Texas this summer of always rolling over, the Longhorns -- if they have any heart at all -- have to show up for this game, right?

Roger’s pick: Texas finally gets it together; plus, very rarely has Texas lost three games in a row. Texas, 24-21

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas could be the next to follow Big 12 brethren Oklahoma, TCU and Texas Tech in altering its quarterback plan due to an untimely injury.

David Ash did not practice Tuesday and continues to recover from head and shoulder injuries suffered against BYU. He could return to the practice field on Wednesday, but it seems increasingly likely Case McCoy could make the start against Ole Miss.

If that’s the case, McCoy will be ready and his teammates won’t consider it a setback for the Longhorns’ chances. They know the senior can handle the opportunity.

“I feel like we’re always really confident in our quarterbacks,” UT receiver Jaxon Shipley said Tuesday. “Obviously we’re not happy that David is out this week, but we’ve got Case and Case has done a great job over the years of coming in and just making plays. We’re getting our timing down with Case and really excited about the way this practice has gone today.”

Texas offensive lineman Trey Hopkins said he doesn’t expect any drop-off from the offense if McCoy is indeed at the helm, and said McCoy has earned his full confidence.

McCoy has made six career starts. He’s led big wins and comebacks. But don’t forget that, for all his experience, he's been asked to throw 15 or more passes in a game only seven times in his career.

The numbers in those seven games -- five in 2011, two in 2012 -- are indicative of the mixed results he’s had. McCoy had a TD-INT ratio of 8-7 in those games, his average raw QBR was 43.4 and Texas went on to lose five of the seven contests.

McCoy has thrown for 300-plus yards in each of his last two starts -- at Kansas State in 2012 and at Baylor in 2011 -- but that more aggressive passing came with a combined six interceptions. So there are pros and cons to what Texas coaches refer to as McCoy’s gunslinger mentality.

But rallying Texas against Kansas last year and making the key run to set up the victory over Texas A&M the year before has coach Mack Brown confident McCoy can be trusted to run the offense effectively.

“He's not new to this stuff,” Brown said. “He can step in and take over without any question.”

McCoy did, however, miss some team workouts in the summer while on a 10-week long mission trip in Peru. While Ash and the rest of the quarterbacks worked on mastering Major Applewhite’s new offense, McCoy was 3,000 miles away was trying to keep up as best he could.

“He’s a guy who, when he was over there, he had a new phone that he got there and he was calling me and asking about the new stuff they put in,” Shipley said. “While he was over there, he was doing a really going thing helping on a mango farm and helping people out over there. But at the same time, he was thinking about the people here and the stuff he’d missed. He’s always trying to get better, always thinking.”

McCoy found time to work out during his absence and surprised teammates and coached with the solid shape he was in when he returned.

If Ash can’t play on Saturday, Texas will prepare Tyrone Swoopes for the backup role. Applewhite would still prefer to not have to use the dual-threat true freshman as he continues to develop. Jalen Overstreet is also an option, but he has devoted most of his time and attention to running back.

That’s not an ideal situation by any means, but Applewhite and the leaders of his offense trust that McCoy can get the job done if he’s called upon.

“I've got a tremendous amount of confidence in Case and his team has a tremendous amount of confidence in him,” Applewhite said. “We'd like to play Case. We'd like to redshirt Tyrone Swoopes. Obviously, injuries will dictate that.”

Let's take a look the top storylines in the Big 12 for Week 2:

1. Will Trevor Knight make a major jump from Week 1 to Week 2? Oklahoma’s redshirt freshman quarterback had lackluster passing yards (86) in his first collegiate start, but the Sooners put up 34 points thanks in part to his legs (103 rushing yards) and red-zone efficiency (three touchdown passes). But if OU expects to make it through September without a loss, Knight will have to make defenses pay with his arm.

2. Dana Holgorsen’s plan. West Virginia’s simplified offense in the opener left the Sooners very little to go off of as they prepare for the Mountaineers. Expect Holgorsen to break out the creative offense that has earned him his reputation as a superb offensive mind this weekend. Yet, Holgorsen has no idea how quarterback Paul Millard will react in a hostile environment in front of 80,000 fans so it might not matter how creative the offense is if the team or quarterback can’t execute.

3. Will the Longhorns send a message? Texas travels to Provo, Utah to face a BYU squad coming off a 19-16 season-opening loss to Virginia. Much like Knight, there are mixed reviews after UT’s win to open the season. The Longhorns’ offense looked unstoppable at times and very average at other times, but all will be forgotten if UT looks dominant in its first road test of the season.

4. Kansas State needs to get back on track. KSU coach Bill Snyder isn’t happy with the leadership on his team, that much is clear after his postgame comments following the Wildcats’ shocking 24-21 loss to North Dakota State. "I would like to see a whole bunch of mad guys in all honesty,” Snyder said about the postgame locker room. “I did not see any. That is concerning, that is for sure.” The Wildcats will look to regain some confidence when Louisiana-Lafayette visits Manhattan on Saturday. Rediscovering their running game and playing more physical on defense should be high priorities if KSU plans to get back to its winning ways of 2012.

5. How will TCU’s quarterback situation continue to develop? Casey Pachall started against LSU but was replaced by Trevone Boykin, as the Horned Frogs tried to put a spark into the offense. It will be interesting to see how Gary Patterson’s squad plans to use the duo when Southeastern Louisiana comes to Amon G. Carter Stadium.

6. Saturday will provide the first look at the Kansas Jayhawks. The lone Big 12 team that didn’t participate in a bowl game, KU hopes to change that this season. The Jayhawks feature some explosive threats on offense with running backs James Sims and Tony Pierson returning to go alongside transfer quarterback Jake Heaps and receiver Justin McCay. Coach Charlie Weis has some talent at his disposal so it will be interesting to see how he plans to use that talent in 2013.

7. Will OSU, Baylor or Texas Tech suffer a letdown? Week 1 should serve as a wake-up call to all three teams, as the conference watched K-State and Iowa State lose to FCS opponents. The Bears (versus Buffalo), Cowboys (at Texas San-Antonio) and Red Raiders (versus Stephen F. Austin) could continue to impress by challenging themselves to play at a high level regardless of their opponent on Saturday. Or they could take a step backward by allowing lesser opponents to hang around until deep into the second half.

8. Were Week 1 performances a fluke? Texas Tech’s Baker Mayfield, OSU’s J.W. Walsh, Texas’ David Ash and Baylor’s Bryce Petty were among the Big 12’s stars in Week 1. Will they come back down to earth in Week 2? Consistency is what turns a good player into a great player. If those players match their performances in the season’s opening week, the Big 12 could be on its way to regaining its reputation as a conference filled with quality quarterbacks.

9. Dee-fense. OU, OSU and Baylor allowed three points or less, and Texas joined those three Big 12 squads in holding an opponent to single digits. With the majority of the conference facing teams that don’t feature Big 12-level offensive attacks, we should see similar results in Week 2. What if we don’t?

10. Will more new names emerge? Charles Sims burst onto the Big 12 landscape with a 120-yard rushing performance in his first game at WVU. TCU's B.J. Catalon showed he’s a name to know with his 233 all-purpose yards, and UT's Daje Johnson put fear into the hearts of defenses around the conference with his two-touchdown outing in Week 1. Expect other offensive skill players to make their mark on their teams this weekend.

The opening weekend brought some clarity to the Big 12. Baylor’s offense was unstoppable, Texas did an outstanding job finishing drives and Oklahoma State’s defense proved to be aggressive. Here’s a closer look at some interesting stats from the opening slate of games and what those stats could mean for the future heading into Week 2.

Baylor: The Bears scored on 71.4 percent of their drives against Wofford. That means BU was operating its offense with ridiculous efficiency in quarterback Bryce Petty’s first game as a starter. The Bears averaged 4.4 points per drive against the FCS foe.

What it means for the future: It means good things for the Bears’ program because they took a business-like approach against Wofford and the offense performed at a extremely high level in their first game. It’s also a sign the overall depth within the program is increasing. BU led 38-0 at halftime, yet its second half scoring percentage was 71.4 percent as well with backup quarterback Seth Russell accounting for two touchdowns.

Iowa State: The Cyclones’ offensive line struggled against Northern Iowa. ISU quarterback Sam Richardson was sacked 13.5 percent of the time on attempted passing plays. The Big 12 average was 5.3 percent. And things have gotten worse for the Cyclones offensive front, which will have to play without injured center Tom Farniok against Iowa on Sept. 14.

What it means for the future: It will be a long season if the Cyclones don’t correct their pass protection struggles. More and more, Big 12 defenses are designed to attack the quarterback so Richardson, who is a quality signal-caller, won’t be able to display his talents if he’s on his back or running for his life all season.

Kansas State: Curious why the Wildcats got upset by North Dakota State? It’s simple -- 36.5 percent of their offensive plays went for zero or negative yards. That’s an eye-popping lack of success against an FCS opponent.

What it means for the future: K-State has to go back to the drawing board and figure out ways to move the ball on the ground. Running back John Hubert struggled mightily in his first game as the main man in the backfield without Collin Klein. The Wildcats might want to consider using Daniel Sams more alongside Hubert to spark their running game.

Oklahoma: Louisiana-Monroe averaged just four plays per drive against the Sooners. OU did a terrific job of getting off the field against ULM, which contributed to its first defensive shutout since 2010. Only four of ULM’s 15 drives included five or more plays.

What it means for the future: It could be a huge development for the Sooners as they strive to develop depth along their defensive line. If they continue to keep opponents from making lengthy drives, they won’t have to turn to their second team defensive linemen unless they want to get them added experience and they won’t be forced to substitute because their starters are wearing down during a drive.

Oklahoma State: Mike Gundy wanted the Cowboys' defense to be more aggressive. Early indications point to OSU fulfilling that wish as 42.9 percent of Mississippi State’s offensive plays ended in zero or negative yards. The Cowboys were able to play the majority of the game in the Bulldogs’ backfield and held their SEC opponent to just three points.

What it means for the future: If the Cowboys' defense is more aggressive and opportunistic, they could win their second Big 12 title in three seasons. New defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer has OSU attacking and the overall speed and athleticism of the unit is better than it was during the Pokes’ BCS run in 2011.

Texas: The Longhorns did a great job of finishing drives against New Mexico State. UT scored touchdowns on 80 percent of its drives inside the Aggies' 40-yard line. The Longhorns scored touchdowns on four of those five drives.

What it means for the future: Life will be much easier for the Longhorns defense if the offense is scoring touchdowns and finishing drives instead of settling for field goals or turning the ball over. It also a sign that David Ash’s experience could be paying off and he understands the critical nature of each play as his team approaches the goal line.

TCU: Casey Pachall and Trevone Boykin each finished with subpar Total QBR ratings against LSU. Pachall’s 45.2 and Boykin’s 20.4 were lower than the Big 12 average of 65.1. Granted there’s a very good chance the Tigers defense is among the best, if not the best, TCU will face all season but the Horned Frogs need better and more efficient play from both signal-callers.

What it means for the future: It means TCU’s two-quarterback system should remain intact. If either of Pachall or Boykin had been extremely efficient and effective against the Tigers, it would have been hard to justify taking the hot hand off the field. Now, TCU’s quarterback situation remains in flux, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing since both guys do bring different qualities that could be valuable this season.

Texas Tech: Quarterback Baker Mayfield was simply outstanding on third down. He played with a maturity and awareness uncommon from a true freshman with 61.5 percent of his third-down passes resulting in first downs. His ability to keep the chains moving was a big reason why Mayfield earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors.

What it means for the future: It means it will be hard to unseat Mayfield from his starting spot when Michael Brewer returns to full health. Additionally, if Mayfield remains consistently superb on third down, the Red Raiders could insert themselves into the Big 12 title race.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers threw the ball 31.4 percent of the time on first down. That is not Dana Holgorsen’s reputation. The WVU coach does run the ball more than some of his “Air Raid” colleagues but it’s clear his offense left some tricks in its bag during Week 1. Last season, the Mountaineers threw 53 percent of the time on first down.

What it means for the future: Oklahoma beware. The WVU offense we saw against William and Mary was a scaled-back version of Holgorsen’s attack. When the Mountaineers travel to Norman this weekend we’ll get a much better feel for how explosive their offense could become.

For this season, ESPN launched a new metric of measuring quarterbacks, called QBR. What exactly is QBR? A quick refresher:

QBR measures quarterbacks on a scale of 0 to 100, evaluating all plays they're involved in that contribute to victories. In other words, how a quarterback factors into wins. QBR factors in such components as where on the field a pass is completed and what the down-and-distance. A 3-yard pass on third-and-two counts for more than a 10-yard pass on third-and-20. Runs, sacks and penalties are also accounted for. And a month into the season, when there is enough information, the strength of the defense the quarterback facing will be factored in, too.

After Week 1, here are the QBRs (remember, the opposing defensive strength is not factored in yet) in the Big 12:

1. Bryce Petty, Baylor: 92.8
2. David Ash, Texas: 85.2
3. J.W. Walsh, Oklahoma State: 83.6
4. Baker Mayfield, Texas Tech: 78.5
5. Paul Millard, West Virginia: 62.7
6. Sam Richardson, Iowa State: 53.4
7. Jake Waters, Kansas State: 48.1
8. Casey Pachall, TCU: 45.2
9. Trevor Knight, Oklahoma: 42.9
10. Trevone Boykin, TCU: 20.4

A few thoughts and observations:

• Even though Petty and Ash have the best QBRs, Mayfield had easily the top pass EPA (expected points added on pass attempts) with a score of 11.6. No other Big 12 quarterback had a score higher than a 6.1. What kept Mayfield’s overall QBR from topping the league were the four sacks he took in the SMU game. That underlines a major concern for Tech moving forward: offensive line. The Red Raiders didn’t run the ball well at all against SMU, either. It won’t be easy for Mayfield to continue to shine if he’s not protected better.
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AP Photo/Richard CarsonJ.W. Walsh's rushing prowess was a big factor in his lofty QBR score in Week 1.
• While Mayfield had the best pass EPA, Walsh delivered the best run EPA, with a score more than double any other quarterback. That’s hardly surprising, as Walsh currently leads all players in the Big 12 in rushing. Yet for the Cowboys to reach their full potential offensively, Walsh will need to improve upon a pass EPA of 1.4.
• Even though Pachall had only a marginally better QBR, TCU coach Gary Patterson elected to go with Boykin for most of the second half. Boykin had the worst Week 1 QBR among qualifying quarterbacks, though it should be noted Boykin’s QBR from the LSU game will look much better once defensive strength begins factoring into the equation. But neither quarterback really distinguished himself in the LSU game. This could be a quarterback controversy that lingers.
• Knight’s first game numbers don’t look good through the QBR prism. He had the third-best run EPA behind Walsh and Richardson, but he actually had a negative pass EPA. Pachall was the only other quarterback with a negative pass EPA. Knight seemed to gain confidence with his arm as the game against Louisiana-Monroe wore on. But there’s no doubt Knight will have to be more precise with his passing if the Sooners are to win in South Bend, Ind., at the end of the month. Notre Dame’s Tommy Rees looked sharp in their opener, and has the seventh-best QBR (94.9) in the country.

QBR is useful in determining where quarterbacks struggled and where they succeeded in the first week. But the true value of the formula won’t come to fruition until opposing defensive strength is factored in later this month. It’s a safe bet that quarterbacks such as Boykin, Pachall and Walsh would have scored higher with that component; and others, like Petty and Ash, a bit lower.

The Big 12 "Junior Jump" is real. Just look at the numbers.

Justin Ray of ESPN Stats & Info took a look today at the trend of Big 12 passers making a statistical jump from sophomore year to junior year. For many of the league's recent big-name quarterbacks, the results were impressive. Check it out.

Eight of them -- including Robert Griffin III, Colt McCoy and Chase Daniel -- put up higher completion percentages and passing yards in year three, and six threw for more touchdowns.

David Ash appears poised to join that rather elite class of quarterbacks. Like the rest of them, he put up a passer efficiency rating of 130.00 or better in his second year, and Ray believes if the trend holds true Ash could be on pace for more than 3,000 passing yards and a 71.2 completion percentage.

The best indicators for hope are what McCoy and Vince Young did as juniors. Young raised his passing yardage 1,187 yards, threw 14 more touchdowns and improved his passer rating 35.5 points in his third year. Of course, he also won a national championship.

McCoy's numbers didn't improve at such a dramatic clip from a yardage standpoint, but his completions went up 11.6 percent, he threw 12 more touchdowns and 10 fewer interceptions and raised his passer rating a similar 34.6 points.

And he ended that 2008 season with a victory in the Fiesta Bowl. If Ash can lead this team back to Tempe, Texas would be just fine with that -- no matter what stats he puts up.

Not long ago, Big 12 media days was an event worthy of a red carpet, with star-studded quarterbacks annually filling the halls.

Many -- like “Vince” and “Sam” -- were on a first-name basis with their fans. Others -- like “RG3” -- donned catchy nicknames.

This year, though, there were no rock stars at media days in Dallas. Because, well, there are no marquee quarterbacks returning.

As the SEC with defense, the Big 12 has become synonymous with quarterbacking. Of the past 13 quarterbacks taken in the first round of the NFL draft, six are Big 12 alums.

But these are foreign times in the conference. For a change, quarterbacking is the Big 12’s big unknown.

“We're in the same situation as seven or eight others,” said West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen, who is replacing his school’s all-time leading passer, Geno Smith.

“Pretty much everyone is in the same boat.”

A boat that seats virtually everyone in the league.

Texas' David Ash is the Big 12's only expected starter who started more than five games last season. Six other teams are still officially involved in quarterback derbies, including Texas Tech, which could wind up starting true freshman walk-on Baker Mayfield in its opener with projected starter Michael Brewer dealing with a back injury.

Such quarterback uncertainty has rendered the Big 12 as wide open as ever, with six teams receiving first-place votes in the league’s preseason poll.

“I think it would be unfair to even predict what could happen in the league this year,” said Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, who has hinted he won’t announce Clint Chelf or J.W. Walsh as the starter until the opener against Mississippi State. “You have a certain number of teams, five or six, who if they stay healthy and get quality quarterback play, have a chance to win the league.

“For the fans and for the media, this year is as exciting as it gets -- because I don’t think anyone really knows.”

But the lack of marquee returning quarterbacks is also predominantly why for the first time in its history the Big 12 doesn't have a team ranked in the top 10 of the preseason polls. Oklahoma State was the league’s highest-ranked squad at No. 13.

Ash started every game but one for the Longhorns last season. But he also was benched against Kansas and TCU.

TCU’s Casey Pachall had a banner 2011 campaign. But he left four games into last season to seek treatment for substance abuse.

And while Chelf and Walsh both won games for the Cowboys as starters last year, it’s unclear at the moment which of the two will get the majority of snaps.

“The preseason polls for the majority in my opinion are based on returning quarterback play, because we all know how important quality quarterback play is to winning games,” Gundy said. “They look on paper and see there’s not a lot of returning quarterbacks in this league and so you’re not going to get recognized as much as other schools.”

Coaches and players around the conference, however, caution not to dismiss this batch of quarterbacks just because they’re new.

“There’ll be a bunch of names you’ll be talking about next year -- that they’re all back,” Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said.

While there’s no Vince Young, Sam Bradford or Robert Griffin III yet, there is talent.

Blake Bell and Trevor Knight, who are vying to replace four-year starter Landry Jones in Norman, were both four-star recruits. So was Kansas’ Jake Heaps, who sat out last season after transferring from BYU.

Baylor’s Bryce Petty had offers to play at Nebraska and Virginia Tech coming out of high school.

And Kansas State’s Jake Waters, who is fighting Daniel Sams to succeed Heisman finalist Collin Klein, was the No. 1-rated quarterback to come out of junior college this year.

“The quarterback play in the Big 12 last year was phenomenal,” Holgorsen said. “And it's always going to be phenomenal.

“It's just going to be with newer people.”

Earlier Tuesday, I wrote about how the Big 12’s lack of marquee returning quarterbacks will affect the league race.

In this roundtable, the Big 12 blog team addresses four key questions about the conference’s quarterbacks:

Which quarterback battle will drag on longest?

Jake Trotter: I could see Oklahoma’s lasting a while. Freshman Trevor Knight outplayed Blake Bell in both preseason scrimmages, even though Bell entered the preseason as the favorite to win the job. Whoever comes out of camp with the nod will have to go against the tough defenses of Notre Dame and TCU. If the starter struggled, there’s a decent chance the Sooners would give the other a shot to spark the offense. A scenario like that might also spark a quarterback controversy in Norman.

David Ubben: Probably Texas Tech, but only by necessity. Michael Brewer's back injury doesn't sound like a minor situation, and true freshmen Davis Webb and All-Name Teamer Baker Mayfield may have to take over until he's back to 100 percent. And what if he takes another shot to his back during the season?

Brandon Chatmon: I have a feeling Oklahoma State's quarterback battle will last deep into the season. The Cowboys have proved they can win with both guys, so there should be no hesitation to look toward J.W. Walsh if Clint Chelf starts against Mississippi State or vice versa.

Max Olson: Texas Tech. Having to roll with true freshmen Webb and Mayfield to open the season is far from ideal. Whenever Brewer heals up, you have to think he’ll be right back in the mix to regain the starting job. I wouldn’t be shocked if all three earn starts this season.

Who is most likely to use a two-quarterback system all season?

Trotter: Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have two quarterbacks they have won with, and because Chelf and Walsh have different styles, there would be an advantage to using both. Because neither really has previous claim over the other and because the Cowboys run so many plays, this would be a unique circumstance where playing two quarterbacks would seemingly leave offensive chemistry undisturbed.

Ubben: Can we really call Oklahoma State a two-quarterback system? If so, I'm going with the Pokes. Chelf's going to start, but Walsh's short-yardage package is really valuable, and he proved last season that he's definitely skilled enough to make defenses respect his arm. He'll have opportunities to throw the ball more than people expect this season.

Chatmon: TCU' Casey Pachall brings passing skills and overall production that cannot be matched by Trevone Boykin, while Boykin brings running skills that make him too valuable to leave on the sideline indefinitely.

Olson: Nobody is better suited to handle that conundrum than Oklahoma State, right? Cowboys players know they can win ballgames with either Walsh or Chelf running the show. They trust both guys, and I think Mike Gundy does, too. Of all the league’s quarterback battles, OSU might be the only school that can’t go wrong.

Who ultimately will be the All-Big 12 quarterback?

Trotter: I’m going with Baylor’s Bryce Petty. Unlike most quarterbacks in the league, there’s no looming threat to take snaps away from him. And with the firepower around him, he could really have a monster season.

Ubben: Petty. He has great running backs for balance and one of the Big 12's best offensive lines, as long as it stays healthy. There are zero questions about his NFL-caliber arm strength, and if he can prove himself a competent decision-maker, he has 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns in his future, as well as a good shot to clear 500 rushing yards.

Chatmon: So many possibilities, so little time. Let’s give the nod to Petty because he’s secured the starting spot at Baylor and promises to be surrounded by some of the Big 12’s most explosive skill players. It’s hard to imagine him not being productive in 2013.

Olson: Tough call. I’ll reluctantly go with Petty simply because he’s most likely to be the statistically superior candidate in December. He’s surrounded by too many offensive weapons; it’s just hard to picture him struggling. In the end, though, I won’t be surprised if the All-Big 12 quarterback honor goes to whoever wins the league title.

Who will be the biggest surprise quarterback?

Trotter: First, he has to win the job. But if Jake Waters can emerge out of the quarterback battle with Daniel Sams, he could become K-State’s great transfer quarterback. Waters set a junior college record for completion percentage on his way to winning a national title. That kind of precision would fit in well with an offense that returns seven starters.

Ubben: Dana Holgorsen's track record with quarterbacks is too good for Clint Trickett not to make a big splash in a new offense that's pretty easy for players to learn on the fly. He's my pick to win the WVU job, and even though the receivers are inexperienced, guys like Kevin White, Ivan McCartney, Mario Alford and KJ Myers should give him plenty of targets who will allow him put up big numbers.

Chatmon: Nobody is talking about Iowa State quarterback Sam Richardson, but the sophomore should be much more comfortable in Year 2 and could be poised for a breakout season for the Cyclones.

Olson: David Ash. The Texas junior is poised to really open some eyes this fall. Ash was better in 2012 than most people realize, but he’s always been judged more by his bad games than his good ones. I think that changes this season. Honorable mention goes to whoever starts at K-State. You know he’ll exceed expectations.