Friday , November 19, 2010 >> Iowa State vs. Missouri >> Kickoff at 6 p.m. Saturday >> an Iowa State Daily sports supplement Gameday matchup: Find out more about Iowa State’s opponent Picks: Daily writers pick winners of 7 games around the country 6 11 8 Big 12 roundup: Take a look around the Big 12 after 11 weeks of play Senior running back Alexander Robinson celebrates with fellow senior, tight end Collin Franklin, after scoring a touchdown Saturday against Colorado. Saturday against Missouri, Robinson, Franklin and the rest of the ISU seniors will play their final home game as Cyclones. Photo: Jake Lovett/Iowa State Daily Thank you, goodbye Cyclone seniors FEATURE.p2 >>
Transcript
1
Friday, November 19, 2010 >> Iowa State vs. Missouri >> Kickoff at 6 p.m. Saturday >> an Iowa State Daily sports supplement
Gameday matchup:Find out more about Iowa State’s opponent
Picks:Daily writers pick winners of 7 games around the country6 118 Big 12 roundup:
Take a look around the Big 12 after 11 weeks of play
Senior running back Alexander Robinson celebrates with fellow senior, tight end Collin Franklin, after scoring a touchdown Saturday against Colorado. Saturday against Missouri, Robinson, Franklin and the rest of the ISU seniors will play their final home game as Cyclones. Photo: Jake Lovett/Iowa State Daily
Thank you, goodbye Cyclone seniors
FEATURE.p2 >>
2
Just do it!
AMES SILVERSMITHING
D E S I G N E R S & G O L D S M I T H S
220 Main • 232-0080www.amessilversmithing.com
2 | GRIDIRON | Iowa State Daily | Friday, November 19, 2010 Editor: Jake Lovett | sports iowastatedaily.com | 515.294.3148
An era comes to an end for Cyclones
Adams Alvarez Anker Arnaud Franklin Johnson
#48 Brad Adams RB (Sr.) 5’10” 184 lbs. West Des Moines, Iowa
#77 Alex Alvarez OL (RSr.) 6’2” 305 lbs. League City, Texas
Senior Bios#93 Sam Anker DB (RSr.)6’1” 209 lbs. Winterset, Iowa
Saturday in Jack Trice Stadium, an era will come to an end.
Nearly all of the fifth-year seniors of the ISU football team can remember the program being led by three different coaches.
This group though will be the last. None of them played under Dan McCarney, as his final season in Ames was this group’s first, a year they all sat out of competition. However, they prac-ticed for a season under his tutelage during the 2006 season.
Their first three years in Ames — under McCarney and then Gene Chizik for two sea-
sons — were trying times for the program and its youngsters, as Iowa State struggled to a 7-25 mark over the three years. Chizik would depart after the 2008 season, the third regime change for the team’s most experienced members.
“The first few years were extremely hard,” said running back Alexander Robinson, a McCarney recruit. “You come in here, you don’t get as many wins in college as you come in ex-pecting, so it’s tough to go through that early in careers. But, I think it’s helped us mature as a group, going through all that.”
Since Paul Rhoads entered as the Cyclones’ coach in 2009, Iowa State has a 12-12 record, in-cluding an Insight Bowl win in December, Iowa State’s first bowl win since 2004.
When Rhoads came to Ames, though, he had to win over the hearts of this group of seniors, most of whom had just finished their sopho-more season. Iowa State defensive end Rashawn Parker takes down Nebraska’s Roy Helu Jr. during the Iowa State-
Nebraska game Nov. 6 at Jack Trice Stadium. The Cyclones lost to the Huskers with a score of 31-30. Photo: Tim Reuter/Iowa State DailySENIORS.p4 >>
3
Buy any 1 Item
Get 2nd FREE(equal or less value)
Buy 1hr Karaoke
Get 1hr Free(Weeknights or before 5pm)
10% off any delivery($10 minimum order)
FREE Milkshake or Bubble Tea on every delivery.
($10 minimum order)292.2658
AMES’ #1 CHINESE DELIVERY
Golden Wok’s Karaoke Lounge
Located at 223 WELCHSun-Thurs 10:30am-MidnightFri-Sat 10:30am-2am
Editor: Jake Lovett | sports iowastatedaily.com | 515.294.3148 Friday, November 19, 2010 | Iowa State Daily | GRIDIRON | 3
4
232-0678 236 Main Street
www.gilgerdesigns.com
“Goldsmiths, Designers?” more,
we create contemporary originals!
23+ Carat Citrine
Set in handmade
original 18K &
platinum ring,
signed.
Only $1995.00
#1• Acoustic Guitars• Drums• Band Instruments• Keyboards• Electric Guitars• Amps• Accessories
Locally Owned & Operated!
328 Main St.DowntownAmes, IA
WWW.BRGMORE.COM/INDEX.PHP
Mon - Fri 4-8pm
233-4900
Guitar Store
inAmes!
AJ’S Liquor • Grocery • Beer • Cigarettes • Wine
LOWEST PRICES IN TOWN
MARKETGUARANTEED
Check out
our
game day
specials!
Now with2 locations!
Located in Campustown behind Cy’s Roost and
next to Nutri Shop in west Ames.
4 | GRIDIRON | Iowa State Daily | Friday, November 19, 2010 Editor: Jake Lovett | sports iowastatedaily.com | 515.294.3148
#16 Daniel Kuehl P (RSr.) 6’0” 193 lbs. Sioux City, Iowa
Senior Bios#63 Ben Lamaak OL (RSr.) 6’4” 320 lbs. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
#26 Taylor Mansfield DE (RSr.) 6’1” 263 lbs. Decorah, Iowa
#80Andrew Mitchell TE (RSr.) 6’2” 243 lbs.Fort Dodge, Iowa
#37 Michael O’Connell DB (RSr.) 5’11” 208 lbs.Iowa City, Iowa
“I have tried to imagine that and all the change they’ve had to go through,” Rhoads said. “What’s so important to me is how they’ve embraced myself and our staff, and what we’ve challenged them to go out and perform. They’ve done it with no res-ervations, they’ve approached it full speed, they’ve done the things we’ve asked, they’ve led in great fashion and have had success because of that.”
Saturday, the group of 18 seniors will take the field at Jack Trice Stadium for the final time, against Big 12 rival Missouri.
For most, like Robinson, the game is chance to earn a bowl berth, extending the farewell tour through December. For others, like his backfield partner for the past three seasons, quarterback Austen Arnaud, the action on the field won’t mark the end
A severe knee injury suffered against Colorado has brought his ISU career to a close after compiling one of the more im-pressive resumes in ISU quarterbacking history.
His resume says first in all-time com-pletion percentage, second in passing yards, touchdowns and completions. But Saturday, he can’t be on the field with his teammates where he has been for three seasons. Now, he’s relegated to cheerlead-er, trying to will his roommates, friends and teammates to go out with a bang.
“It’ll be tough, but I’m excited to see these guys play,” Arnaud said.
A couple of Arnaud’s roommates, safe-ty Michael O’Connell and receiver Jake Williams, have been around the quarter-back and the program for five years, as well.
“It’s been a journey. It’s been awe-some,” O’Connell said. “I couldn’t be more happy to go out with such a great group of guys that have been through three coaches and stuck through the ups and the downs.”
They all talked about the journey. They acknowledged that a tumultuous five years wasn’t what they “signed up for.”
Most of them aren’t ready for the jour-ney to be over, and only a few of them have
Wide receiver Jake Williams fights for yardage against the Kansas defense during the game Oct. 30 at Jack Trice Stadium. The Cyclones defeated the Jayhawks 28-16. Photo: Rebekka Brown/Iowa State Daily
>>SENIORS.p2
SENIORS.p5 >>
5
wine & spir i t sAmes’ largest walk-in cooler!
Now with 2 locations
3800 West Lincoln Way232-1961
640 Lincoln Way292-5543
Editor: Jake Lovett | sports iowastatedaily.com | 515.294.3148 Friday, November 19, 2010 | Iowa State Daily | GRIDIRON | 5
Parker Robinson Sandvig Sims Smith Williams
#29Rashawn Parker DE (RSr.)6’0” 250 lbs. Ponca City, Okla.
#33 Alexander Robinson RB (RSr.)5’9” 191 lbs. Minneapolis, Minn.
Senior Bios#3 Zac Sandvig DB (RSr.) 5’10” 193 lbs. West Des Moines, Iowa
#1 David Sims DB (Sr.) 5’9” 204 lbs. Gainesville, Fla.
#50 Sean Smith OL (RSr.)6’5” 302 lbs.Wildwood, Mo.
#83 Jake Williams WR (RSr.) 6’2” 203 lbs.West Des Moines, Iowa
even realized that the end is drawing so near.“It’s kind of surreal thinking that it’s been
four and a half years and this will be the last time we play at Jack Trice,” Williams said.
The group doesn’t have a lot of star power — Arnaud is one of the school’s all-time best passers, Robinson one of the more successful runners — and this isn’t a class loaded with NFL talent.
They’ve had to work for their success.“They’ve won a fair amount of games and I
think that’s something they can be very proud of as they walk away from here,” Rhoads said. “We don’t have bad weeks, we don’t have bad days, we come and what we ask we get, and that’s a pretty good badge to wear.”
Their work isn’t done yet, either. The week leading up to the game was just like any other leading up to a game.
Film study was Monday, practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, lighter on Thursday, walkthrough Friday. The grind was the same, the game will be the same, only this time, there might not be a next week.
“Not thinking a whole lot about it being
the last go around,” said defensive end Taylor Mansfield. “But at the same time, trying to ab-sorb everything and make sure that I remember everything.”
Guys like Mansfield have stuck around through coaching changes and position chang-es, despite not seeing a ton of time on the field. He’s fortunate though, he gets 12-to-15 snaps per game. Guys like Brad Adams and Preston Kaufman have stuck around to only see the field for special teams, if even that.
For whatever other reasons there could be, they’ve stuck around because they’re family, O’Connell said.
This group will be the last that has been through so many of the program’s changes, and they’ve gone through them together.
Now, they’ve reached the end of the road, and Saturday, they’ll be playing for a bowl berth, a chance to extend their careers and they’ll be playing for each other.
“Just got to go out there and lay it on the line,” Robinson said. “There’s no more chances, so go out there and play hard like we do every week. Just got to get out there and get after it.
“We don’t have any more chances. Nothing else is promised.”
Running back Alexander Robinson rushes the ball against the Huskers during the game Nov. 6 at Jack Trice Stadium. Robinson rushed for a total of 101 yards and scored one touchdown. Photo: Tim Reuter/Iowa State Daily
>>SENIORS.p4
66 | GRIDIRON | Iowa State Daily | Friday, November 19, 2010 Editor: Jake Lovett | sports iowastatedaily.com | 515.294.3148
88 Collin Franklin 6’5” 253 lbs Sr. TE
72 Kelechi Osemele 6’5” 335 lbs Jr. LT
77 Alex Alvarez 6’2” 305 lbs Sr. LG
68 Ben Lamaak 6’4” 320 lbs Sr. C
7 Darius Reynolds 6’2” 205 lbs Jr. WR
33 Alexander Robinson 5’9” 191 lbs Sr. RB
11 Jerome Tiller6’2” 200 lbs So. QB
79 Brayden Burris 6’6” 290 lbs So. RT
75 Hayworth Hicks6’3” 330 lbs Jr. RG
6 Darius Darks6’1” 189 lbs Jr. WR
83 Jake Williams 6’2” 203 lbs Sr. WR
25 Zaviar Gooden6’2” 225 lbs So. WLB
13 Kenji Jackson5’10” 195 lbs Jr. SS
19 Carl Gettis5’11” 195 lbs Sr. CB
20 Kevin Rutland6’0” 190 lbs Sr. CB
11 Jarrell Harrison6’2” 210 lbs Sr. FS
91 Jimmy Burge6’2” 290 lbs So. NG
6 Andrew Gachkar6’3” 228 lbs Sr. SLB
32 Will Ebner6’1” 230 lbs Jr. MLB
3 Jacquies Smith6’4” 255 lbs Jr. RE
93 Terrell Resonno6’5” 295 lbs Jr. DT
85 Aldon Smith6’5” 260 lbs So. LE
Missouri Defense ISU Offense
Passing Cmp Att Pct Yds Td IntArnaud, A. 171 290 59 1703 13 10Tiller, J. 26 51 51 208 1 0
Rushing Car Yds Avg Long TdRobinson, A. 177 848 4.8 65 9Arnaud, A. 103 287 2.8 22 2Johnson, S. 34 218 6.4 61 2
Receiving Rec Yds Avg Long TdFranklin, C. 51 502 9.8 36 3Williams, J. 29 302 10.4 35 4Darks, D. 28 334 11.9 37 1 Robinson, A. 26 190 7.3 23 1Reynolds, D. 24 269 11.2 36 2
TacklesDefense Solo Ast Total SacksKnott, J. 61 58 119 1Klein, A.J. 41 62 103Sims, D. 52 38 90Johnson, L. 41 20 61Benton, T. 34 22 56 1Reeves, J. 37 17 54
2010 Leaders
Iowa State 52Texas Tech 38
Oct. 2
Iowa State 27Utah 68Oct. 9
Iowa State 7 Iowa 35Sept. 11
Iowa State 20 Kansas State 27
Sept. 18
Northern Illinois 10Iowa State 27
Sept. 2
Iowa State 27Northern Iowa 0
Sept. 25
Missouri leads the all-time series 59-34-9
7Editor: Jake Lovett | sports iowastatedaily.com | 515.294.3148 Friday, November 19, 2010 | Iowa State Daily | GRIDIRON | 7
23 Leonard Johnson 5’10” 195 lbs Jr. RCB
1 David Sims 5’9” 204 lbs Sr. SS
3 Zac Sandvig 5’10” 193 lbs Sr. FS
22 Ter’Ran Benton6’ 197 lbs Jr. LCB
20 Jake Knott 6’2” 240 lbs So. WLB
5 Jeremy Reeves5’7” 168 lbs So. NB
47 A.J. Klein 6’1” 240 lbs So. MLB
29 Rashawn Parker 6’ 250 lbs Sr. RE
97 Stephen Ruempolhamer 6’3” 280 lbs Jr. NG
85 Bailey Johnson6’2” 278 lbs Sr. DT
48 Jacob Lattimer6’2” 245 lbs Jr. LE
29 Jerrell Jackson6’1” 190 lbs Jr. WR
26 De’Vion Moore 5’9” 195 lbs Jr. RB
28 T.J. Moe6’0” 200 lbs So. WR
82 Michael Egnew6’6” 235 lbs Jr. TE
8 Wes Kemp6’4” 220 lbs Jr. WR
62 Tim Barnes6’4” 300 lbs Sr. C
71 Jayson Palmgren6’2” 305 lbs Jr. LG
72 Elvis Fisher6’5” 295 lbs Jr. LT
11 Blaine Gabbert6’5” 230 lbs Jr. QB
77 Dan Hoch6’7” 315 lbs Jr. RT
66 Austin Wuebbels6’4” 300 lbs Jr. RG
ISU DefenseMissouri Offense
Graphic: Moriah Smith/Iowa State Daily
Passing Cmp Att Yds Cmp Td IntGabbert, B. 228 366 2401 62.3 14 5Franklin, J. 11 14 106 78.6 1 1
Rushing Car Yds Avg Long TdMoore, D. 73 415 5.7 39 5Josey, H. 61 356 5.8 62 4Lawrence, K. 51 302 5.9 71 3
Receiving Rec Yds Avg Long TdEgnew, M. 71 586 8.3 29 3Moe, T.J. 70 794 11.3 68 6Jackson, J. 34 460 13.5 38 3Kemp, W. 30 338 11.3 35 3Gerau, B. 6 110 18.3 28 0
Tackles Defense Solo Ast Total Sacks Gooden, Z. 36 32 68 3.0Gachkar, A. 39 28 67 Harrison, J. 40 15 55 Jackson, K. 36 13 49 Simmons, J. 28 15 43 Gettis, C. 34 6 40 Wilson, A. 19 15 34 0.5Smith, A. 12 21 12 4.5
2010 leaders
Iowa State 0Oklahoma 52
Oct. 16
Iowa State 28Texas 21Oct. 23
Iowa State 27Utah 68Oct. 9
Iowa State 28 Kansas 16
Nov. 6
Iowa State 14Colorado 34
Nov. 13
Iowa State 30Nebraska 31
Nov. 5
Iowa State vs. Missouri6 p.m. Saturday
Jack Trice StadiumMissouri leads the all-time series 59-34-9
8
DESIGNEREYEGLASSES!
DESIGNEREYEGLASSES!BCBG Maxazria • Jones New York • Guess • Cole Hann • Lacoste • Lucky • Bebe
8 | GRIDIRON | Iowa State Daily | Friday, November 19, 2010 Editor: Jake Lovett | sports iowastatedaily.com | 515.294.3148
Short, long of how Big 12 is shaking upLast week’s results paint a picture for coming week’s games
Texas Longhorns (4-6, 2-5)Last Week: L 33-16 vs. Oklahoma StateThis Week: vs. Florida AtlanticFlorida Atlantic is no juggernaut, but how does the Texas team that has lost four straight find a way to beat a red-hot Texas A&M to get to a bowl game? If Mack Brown knew, he wouldn’t have been outscored 72-3 in the first three quarters of the Longhorns’ last two games. The win over Nebraska that seems so long ago looks more like an aberration than how good this team actually is. Somehow the Longhorns are still seventh in the country in total defense, but No. 119 in turnover margin and No. 111 in passing efficiency just a season after Colt McCoy took this squad to the National Championship is shock-ing. Sophomore quarterback Garrett Gilbert doesn’t look like the answer, and in a turn of bad news, the starting running back at the beginning of the season Tre’ Newton has said he’s done playing football after accumulating injuries. Bad times in Austin.
Texas A&M Aggies (7-3, 4-2)Last Week: W 42-30 @ BaylorThis Week: vs. NebraskaThe Wrecking Crew has been roll-
ing right along, but this week against Nebraska will be an absolute test of wills. Critics weren’t high on this Aggie team with the exception of Jerrod Johnson before the season, and now the Aggies have Ryan Tannehill taking snaps and have won four straight in
the Big 12. Offensively, it looks like this squad can get it done on just about anyone, with the only major faults coming in the form of pass defense and turnover margin. The latter is a product of Johnson’s play early in the year, and the former comes from back-to-back games against Arkansas and Oklahoma State, who are No. 2 and No. 3 in pass-ing offense. The Huskers have looked vulnerable for the last two weeks, and if the Aggies can get the right mix of fan support and offensive output, they could be sniffing around for a major January bowl game, as the second place team in the Big 12.
Oklahoma State (9-1, 5-1 Big 12)Last Week: 33-16 W over TexasThis Week: @KansasOklahoma State kept itself in the driv-er’s seat for the Big 12 south title with a victory over reeling Texas. This win lifted a huge gorilla off the Cowboy’s back. Texas had beaten them 12 straight times coming into this matchup, a number of them involving the Cowboys blowing huge leads.Quarterback Brandon Weeden passed for 409 yards and a touchdown while running back Kendall Hunter ran for 116 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Wide Receiver Justin Blackmon put up his usual monster numbers. He caught 9 passes for 147 yards and a
touchdown.Oklahoma State became the fourth team this season to beat the Longhorns on their home turf.Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert didn’t make many mistakes, but didn’t have much time to throw. His offensive line has three freshman starters and Oklahoma State took advantage of that.Oklahoma State is the only one loss team in the Big 12 South and, barring a slip up in the next two games, have pretty much guaranteed themselves a spot in the Big 12 championship game. It would be the Cowboy’s first ever Big 12 championship appearance.
Baylor Bears (7-4, 4-3)Last Week: L 42-30 vs. Texas A&M This Week: vs. OklahomaCoach Art Briles’ high-flying attack has come back down to earth. After topping the Big 12 South and captur-ing the nation’s attention for about a week, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M showed them who the real contenders are. Saturday’s game against the Aggies was within reach, until the second half began. The Bears were blanked in the final 30 minutes, and Aggie quarterback Tannehill out-dueled Robert Griffin III. RGIII had a 71 yard touchdown run in the first half, and running back
BIG 12.p9 >>
Oklahoma State’s Kendall Hunter races past Texas defender Aaron Williams during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game on Saturday in Austin, Texas. Photo: Eric Gay/The Associated Press
9
212 Main St.Open Daily3PM- 2AM
Check us out at
AmesEats.com
Editor: Jake Lovett | sports iowastatedaily.com | 515.294.3148 Friday, November 19, 2010 | Iowa State Daily | GRIDIRON | 9
Jay Finley had 169 yards and three touchdowns. So what’s the problem? The nation’s No. 97 defense makes this squad fallible.
Kansas State Wildcats (6-4, 3-4)Last Week: L 38-28 @ MissouriThis Week: @ ColoradoOn the positive side, the Wildcats are already bowl eligible, and they close the season with Colorado and North Texas. Negatively, Kansas State had much higher aspirations than a possible .500 record in the Big 12, and Colorado might be a tougher game this week than it might have been a month ago. The team’s reliance on Daniel Thomas led to wins early in the year, but Big 12 defenses have wised up in a hurry, and coach Bill Snyder’s team has no threat at beating anyone through the air. The Wildcats have hung around in every game but the Nebraska game, but they prob-ably would have needed even more out of Thomas this year to run the ball as effective as they needed to win.
Oklahoma Sooners (8-2, 4-2)Last Week: W vs. Texas Tech 45-7This Week: @ BaylorThe Sooners are playing catch-up on their in-state rival Cowboys, but they’ll get a chance to earn the Big 12 South on their own terms in their last two games. While Baylor is on a two game slide, Bob Stoops and Company feel to a similar high-tempo offense in Texas A&M just two weeks ago. Landry Jones is leading the nation’s fourth ranked passing attack, but the running game and DeMarco Murray haven’t been taking off for the big plays everyone expected out of this team at the start of the year. The Sooners should have enough de-fensive speed to contain Robert Griffin, and enough size on offense to move the ball, but the team can’t get caught looking ahead to Bedlam week. The key stat: Baylor is 0-19 against the Sooners.
Missouri Tigers (8-2, 4-2)Last Week: W 38-28 vs. Kansas State This Week: @ Iowa StateThe Tigers are clinging to their Big 12 North title dreams, needing some major help from Nebraska’s foes for the next couple weeks. The Tigers are in the top half of the nation in rushing and passing, and finally got back on track after losses
to Oklahoma and Texas Tech derailed their title hopes. The Wildcats made the game look closer than it was, a good sign that Gary Pinkel’s club has found confidence again. The Tigers get Iowa State and Kansas the next two weeks, two teams they’ve beaten soundly in recent years. Missouri’s defense is 10th in the country in scoring defense, and
if they can force Iowa State and Kansas’ back-up quarterbacks into making back decisions, they should be able to put up the 31.5 points they’re averaging, no problem.
Colorado
>>BIG 12.p8
BIG 12.p10 >>
Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert, right, runs into the end zone past Kansas State linebacker Tre Walker, left, on a 33-yard touchdown run during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday in Columbia, Miss. Photo: Jeff Roberson/The Associated Press
10
The only Cyclone Store you’ll ever need!
Cutter & BuckLicensed Iowa State Apparel for
Men & Women
DOWNTOWN AMES 515.232.3261DOWNTOWN MASON CITY 641.423.5222
10 | GRIDIRON | Iowa State Daily | Friday, November 19, 2010 Editor: Jake Lovett | sports iowastatedaily.com | 515.294.3148
Buffaloes (4-6, 1-5)Last Week: W 34-14 vs. Iowa State This Week: vs. Kansas StateIt could have been the coach-ing change, or it could have just been that this team picked itself up off the ground. Either way, interim coach Brian Cabral got the Buffs to end their five game losing streak, and knock off Iowa State in a dominating fashion. Colorado is still struggling sta-tistically, but quarterback Cody Hawkins got his act together against the Cyclones, and the running game was its usual consistent self. The boys from Boulder some-how still have a shot at making a bowl game, even though it would require them to knock off Kansas State and Nebraska in Lincoln to close out the season. There has plenty of speculation about who the next coach will be for this program, but Cabral put forth as good as effort as pos-sible on Saturday.
Nebraska (9-1, 5-1 Big 12)Last Week: 20-3 W over KansasThis Week: @ Texas A&MNebraska is clearly in the driv-ers seat for the Big 12 North
title and a trip to Dallas for the Big 12 Championship. A week after surviving an overtime scare against Iowa State, Nebraska rebounded in a big way against a struggling Kansas team. The blackshirts bottled up the Jayhawks and held them to 87 yards of total offense.Senior running back Roy Helu Jr. and sophomore running back Rex Burkehead powered the Nebraska offense on the ground. Helu ran 18 times for 85 yards while Burkehead helped out with 77 yards on 19 carries. Freshman quarterback Taylor Martinez returned from his ankle injury and passed for 167 yards and rushed for an additional 71.The Husker’s defense sacked quarterback Quinn Mecham six times and held him to just 3-13 passing and intercepted one. The performance by the black-shirts was statistically the best for the Huskers in the Bo Pelini era. It was also the fewest yards allowed since Oct. 21, 2001 when they held Baylor to 84 yards.The contest also marked Memorial Stadium’s 310th consecutive sellout.This week they will head to College Station to take on a Texas A&M team that is riding high after a victory over Baylor. The Aggies are in contention for a birth in the Big 12 cham-pionship game, especially if
Oklahoma State loses.
Texas Tech:(5-5, 3-5 Big 12)Last Week: 7-45 L to OklahomaThis Week: vs. Weber StateThe Red Raiders were able to score on their opening posses-sion on a wide receiver pass out of the wildcat formation. It was wide receivers’ Detron Lewis and Darrin Moore hooking up for the touchdown. Everything went downhill from there for Texas Tech.Baron Batch and Eric Stephens split the running back duties for Tech, each carrying the ball 11 times. Batch finished with 93 yards to go with Stephen’s 40. Taylor Potts was 18-35 for 136 yards. He threw one interception and no touchdown passes.Tech went for it twice on fourth and one in the first quarter and were unable to convert both times, which killed any offensive momentum they might have had.Texas Tech is one game away from clinching a bowl birth. Barring a total collapse this week, they will likely get it against Weber State. They will then finish out their season against Houston at home the following week.The Red Raiders are in their first season under head coach Tommy Tuberville. Once Tuberville can get his recruits in order and get settled in Lubbock a little more, watch for Texas Tech to re-emerge as a contender.
Kansas: (3-7, 1-5 Big 12)Last Week: 3-20 L to NebraskaThis Week: vs. Oklahoma StateTheir offense wasn’t allowed to do anything against the Bo Pelini- coached defense of Nebraska, racking up a total of just 87 yards. Quarterback Quinn Mecham was sacked six times and completed just three of 13 passes and was intercepted once.Kansas accumulated just 72 rushing yards on 34 carries.There isn’t much to talk about with Kansas. The simple fact of the matter is that this isn’t a good football team when healthy and coach Turner Gills squad has been riddled with injuries this season. It took a furious fourth quarter come back to beat Colorado the week before the loss to Nebraska, which led to the firing of coach Dan Hawkins.Gill will have some time to develop the program at Kansas, but if he doesn’t take the team to post season play within two or three seasons, you’d have to anticipate his seat getting warm in Lawrence.
Editor: Jake Lovett | sports iowastatedaily.com | 515.294.3148 Friday, November 19, 2010 | Iowa State Daily | GRIDIRON | 11
PICKSvs. vs. vs. vs. vs.
Editor’s note: This is week 10 of the Daily’s season-long Gridiron challenge. Each week, the Iowa State Daily’s three football reporters and the sports desk columnist will choose the winner from seven college football games around the country and pro-vide commentary on each game. Each week, we will feature one guest pick, with this week’s guest being former ISU quarterback Bret Meyer.
Iowa State — Call me crazy, but after Satur-day in Boulder, these boys are upset, embar-rassed and motivated.
Michigan — Rumor has it, Denard Robinson ran across Lake Michigan to scout Wisconsin this week.
Ohio State — Nothing says “Big Ten football” like Iowa falling apart in November. Or is that “Merry Christmas”?
Duke — The score of this game will be less than or equal the halftime score of these teams’ basketball matchup. I’m taking less than.
Arkansas — Aren’t we to the point where we should be giving two or three SEC West teams automatic BCS berths? Like, instead of the Big East or ACC champs?
Nebraska — Hey, have you guys heard of this Taylor Martinez? Seems like he could be pretty good someday.
San Diego State — The only way I could be more sure of this is if Marshall was still on the team.
Iowa State — I’ve counted them out. You’ve counted them out. I see you sneaking up behind me Paul Rhoads, not again.
Wisconsin — Denard could score 83 if he wanted to. Too bad he’ll be healing the sick this week to slow down the Badgers.
Ohio State — Iowa doesn’t have anybody to lay the wood on Terrelle Pryor, so he’ll continue thinking he’s Boule like LeBron.
Duke — Lax bros over science geeks on the ACC Wheel of Destiny, as Duke spoils the Yellow Jackets’ bowl hopes.
Arkansas —Fourth and fifth place in the SEC West is like a championship in any other conference. More cowbell!
Texas A&M — One team does it through the air. One team does it on the ground. And Bo Pelini does it in the dark, with the curtains drawn.
San Diego State — Marshall Faulk’s old school is the team you haven’t heard enough about this season. They’ll keep the Utes runnin’ the wrong way.
Missouri — I’d really like to stay home for the holidays, and from what I saw last week, so do the Cyclones.
Michigan —My 15-year-old brother could have beaten Indiana by himself blindfolded and on one leg. OK, maybe not, but still, look for Michigan to win this in a shootout.
Iowa — Once you get past the shock of me picking Iowa two weeks in a row, check your timepieces. Its Ohio State choke job time.
Georgia Tech — This is the Yellow Jackets’ last chance to prove they’re decent at something now that basketball season has started.
Mississippi State — So, I was looking for a rhyme and/or reason for this pick and I couldn’t come up with one. Let’s just call it a hunch.
Nebraska — They went in to Oklahoma State and came out just fine, so look for the Huskers to follow suit here.
Utah —OK, I can un-derstand losing to TCU and I guess Notre Dame who surprises us once in awhile, but San Diego State? No, Shaky Smith-son won’t stand for it.
Missouri — How is it there was never a tro-phy for the ISU-Ne-braska game, but this one is for the Telephone Trophy?
Wisconsin — Denard can only do so much. And he won’t do enough to give Big Blue a chance in this one.
Ohio State — What I would love to see happen: Iowa beat Ohio State, then lose to Min-nesota. Unfortunately, it’ll be this way.
Georgia Tech — Man the ACC is terrible. GT lost to Kansas. Yeah, Kansas. And Duke is one of the worst ACC teams. Snoozefest.
Mississippi State —What recruiting scan-dal? MSU has surprised many this year, and will continue that on Saturday.
Nebraska — If only Taylor Martinez wasn’t so good at running.
Utah — The SDSU bandwagon is full — read: Cuellar’s pick. So, I’ll take Utah to end their skid.
Bret Meyer,former ISUquarterback(2004-07)
Iowa State — Win one for #4. AA deserves a packed house and everyone’s best effort. Clones get it done at home.
Wisconsin — Denard Robinson has struggled against the physical defenses of the Big 10. Badgers continue to light up the scoreboard, win in Ann Arbor.
Ohio State — Two teams going in opposite directions. O-State’s Rose Bowl hopes stay alive with a big win in Iowa City.
Georgia Tech — Why are we picking this game?
Arkansas — Ryan Mallet is a big time QB. I like Arkansas on the road.
Texas A&M — Texas A&M has a lot of posi-tive momentum going, I like the Aggies to win a close one at home.
Utah — Utah is reeling after two straight blow-out losses. Doesn’t matter, too much tal-ent, Utes win.
Jake Lovett,sports editor48-29
Chris Cuellar, sports writer45-32
David Merrill,sports writer40-37
Jeremiah Davis,sports columnist43-34
vs. vs.
12
4.99 Coke Products24 pack cansselected varieties
1.99 Lay’s Chips10-11 ozselected varieties
3 for$5
Chex Mix, Bugles or Gardettos6-8.75 ozselected varieties
19.99Absolut Vodka750 mLselected varieties
16.99Budweiser, Miller or Coors 24 pack cans 12 ozselected varieties
