T.Y.'s Take: Separating the men from the boys

Here we are on October 27 and I can truly say we know a lot about this college football season (except who wants to win the Heisman). The season started 53 days ago and has 46 days to go (with the conclusion of Army vs. Navy - the conference championship games and a host of other games are 39 days away).

Gone are the cupcake non-conference schedules, getting new quarterbacks' feet wet, and introducing freshman to big boy football. Every team has been tested and is well into their conference schedule.

I spent most of this past Saturday in a sour mood (… let's be honest, I'm still sour) as the Cornhuskers did something I will only see once in my lifetime. In case you didn't get your Big 12 North fix of football I'll clue you in. Nebraska turned the ball over eight times. Four of those were inside Iowa State's 5-yard line.

Let me repeat that.

Nebraska turned the ball over eight times. Four of those were inside Iowa State's 5-yard line.

And yes, I've convinced myself that October 24, 2009 is going down in the history of Nebraska football and will never be duplicated as long as I'm on this earth as a breathing creature.

I don't have much else to say other than that I fully expect to have nightmares about the number EIGHT for quite some time into the future. I mean, Nebraska turned the ball over eight times.

Let's try to move past that for 15 minutes and discuss what else happened on Saturday.

1. The only game between ranked teams took us to the Rocky Mountains where the TCU Horned Frogs met up with the BYU Cougars. Umm, TCU is for real. Many of you probably didn't get to watch the game as it was broadcast on Versus. TCU led from the beginning and was up 14-0 with 4:15 left in the first quarter and never looked back. Andy Dalton was solid - passing 13-for-24 for 241 yards and three touchdowns. Zero turnovers.

How about Jeremy Kerley? Who? Jeremy Kerley. The guy does it all. Kerley caught three passes for 38 yards, ran the ball three times for 12 yards, was 1-for-1 passing for 44 yards (running at an angle backwards, throwing off his back foot, defender in his face - ball traveled 25 yards), and had a kick return for 24 yards. … Also, according to the TV crew he throws a baseball 95 MPH and is considering to help the TCU baseball team - a team that went to the Super Regionals last June. If true, bring him in as a pinch runner and then have him pitch an inning.

TCU is sitting in a good spot in the Top 10 with wins at Virginia, at Clemson, and at BYU with a home game against Utah looking like their toughest game remaining. BCS talk is not crazy talk.

TCU = Men

2. Somebody forgot to tell the rest of the SEC that Alabama and Florida were already INKED in to the SEC title game on December 5 in Atlanta.

These teams are flirting with danger, yet finding a way to win. Alabama survived. Tennessee hung around to give themselves a chance in the end and that's exactly what they got. A late touchdown (their only TD), an onside kick recover, and a few positive offensive plays set them up for a game winning field goal. The mountain they call Terrance Cody (6-foot-5, 365 pounds) put an end to that when his big paw swatted the ball away.

And then we get to Florida. I'll be honest, I'm just not impressed with Florida. For the third Saturday in a row they win by 10 points or less. Winning ugly but winning. Mississippi State was oh so close but could not keep up for 60 minutes. Florida keeps finding ways to win and that's enough. The Gators don't need style points. Their style was in early January 2009 when they beat Oklahoma.

Alabama and Florida = Men (so far…)

3. The Iowa Hawkeyes. How is everyone's heart in Iowa doing these days? We're only in late October, we have a month to go. I don't know how to explain this team. I am not a fan of Big 10 football and usually can't stand to watch their games. I guess this team just entertains me. I've now seen three complete games and here is what I've taken away from them.

a.The offense refuses to lose the game. It by no means is great or efficient, but they never put the defense in a bad situation. Getting stopped and being forced to kick field goals with two first and goals - one from a yard out - is cannot happen football. In the end they score more than the opponent and win.

b.The defense is good. Real good. For whatever reason they got a little discombobulated late in the game after a great play call and play execution kept a Michigan State drive alive. Michigan State converted a 3rd and 18 on a hook and ladder play (what a beautifully executed play it was). Two plays later Michigan State takes the lead 13-9. Anyway, this defense is solid and works with a true bend but don't break attitude.

c. Iowa is near the top in total defense (18th - less than 300 yards per game), scoring defense (14th - under 15 points/game), turnover margin (6th), punting (12th = field position)

d. I think this teams personality just screams ‘show up, do what it takes, and win.' If they need to play in a sloppy game at Penn State - they do it. If they need to show up and go through the motions at home against Northern Iowa and Arkansas St. - they do it. If they need to go to East Lansing and slug out a defensive battle with goal line stands, a late last minute drive after three incomplete passes and a fourth down pass with two seconds to go - they do it.

Iowa is ranked No.1 in five of the six computers used to formulate the BCS standings.

I was a little nervous this weekend for the Iowa faithful but I can now say they need to find a rose farm somewhere in Iowa that hasn't froze over.

Iowa = Men

4. On the local front Arizona State did exactly what I thought Arizona State would do. Stanford gains yards by the hundreds and Saturday night was no different. When Stanford went into their locker room at halftime they had built a 24-0 lead on 299 yards of offense. The Arizona State defense went into the game giving up less than 250 yards of offense for a complete game. Stanford finished with 473 yards of total offense - a balanced attack of 237 on the ground and 236 through the air.

Hopefully Arizona State can get back on track in their Homecoming game against the Cal Bears on Halloween because at 4-2 it seems it is a must win if they are wanting to make it to a Bowl game. The month of November brings USC to Tempe, a trip to Oregon, a trip to UCLA and the finale against Arizona. I see the Cal and UCLA games as the games to win with the other three playing good football.

The Sun Devils are searching for consistency and not finding it. The definition of a team in the middle of the Pac (literally and figuratively).

Onto the ranked Arizona Wildcats. Mike Stoops has the squad playing well. Saturday proved to be no different as they handled UCLA. A 13-0 lead after the first quarter set the tone in Tucson. Arizona will take the Halloween holiday off before hosting Washington State to solidify their Bowl bid.

On a negative note - Nick Foles threw three interceptions. On a positive note - nine Wildcats caught the ball and nine Wildcats had rushing attempts. Stoops is not relying on a few highly touted select recruits. He is forcing the issue with depth. Wildcat fans have to love that there is some serious competition going on Tuesday through Thursday.

I see UA as a Top 15 team when they trek to Cal-Berkley on November 14.

Arizona State = Boys

Arizona = In the midst of growing up.

5. I defend the Big 12 all the time - particularly the Big 12 North. They get good football players from their area and then venture out to all the other prep gold mines. I truly believe they can compete with the Big 12 South and the rest of the country.

After Saturday I think it's impossible to defend. Take a look at the standings.

1. Kansas State 3-1 5-3
2. Iowa State 2-2 5-3
3. Kansas 1-2 5-2
4. Nebraska 1-2 4-3
5. Colorado 1-2 2-5
6. Missouri 0-3 4-3

I can't defend that. I honestly believe 5-3 will definitely get you in the Big 12 Championship game and it's highly likely a 4-4 mess of a tiebreaker is going to decide it. I don't see Kansas State winning another game. Iowa State is going to stay relevant and is going to a Bowl game somewhere. Kansas loses between one and four more games. I'd say Nebraska can't lose more than two more but after Saturday I'm not counting anything out (Nebraska had eight turnovers on Saturday). Just don't see it in Boulder. Getting to four wins in the conference would be a minor miracle for the Buffaloes. Missouri will scrape itself off the basement and rattle off four wins in their last five games and hope to have a say when it's all over.

What a jumbled mess - just like my previous paragraph. Don't bother re-reading that last paragraph. It hurt my head writing it.

Big 12 North = Toddlers

Extra Points

Let's look forward for a moment. I'm predicting the two lower ranked home teams will win on Saturday night. Yes, Texas (in Stillwater against Oklahoma State and their ‘Blackout') and USC (in Eugene at Autzen Stadium) will lose.

Big props to UConn for their efforts on Saturday. That team was playing with heavy hearts and nearly came away with a victory at West Virginia. Their play on Saturday proved how mentally tough they are as they pushed through last week going to classes, meetings, and practices while grieving as a group.

Who is the frontrunner for the Heisman? Who will take the country by storm in the month of November? Your guess is as good as mine.

Quotes of the weekend come from SEC coaches Lane Kiffin and Dan Mullen.

Both were reprimanded on Monday for their thoughts on the officiating after their games on Saturday.

"I'm sure we'll get one of those letters that really means nothing as Bobby got last week, but Florida and Alabama live on," Kiffin said Sunday.

Kiffin was referring to Arkansas' Bobby Petrino after he complained about the officiating the week before. On Saturday Kiffin said he let the clock run down for a game winning field goal because he felt if he ran another play a "magical flag [might] appear."

According to the SEC commissioner that letter that means nothing will result in a suspension if another one has to be sent to Kiffin.

And…

"I don't even know why we have replay right now in the Southeastern Conference if they're not going to utilize it," Mullen said.

Mullen was referring to a touchdown by Florida where it appeared the player may have been down before he crossed the goal line.

And the gift of the week is in honor of the NBA season tipping off Tuesday night. I couldn't find an explanation, but I want to challenge the Laker bench to keep it up all season.

Tyler can also be followed on Twitter @Tyler_Bassett.

Tyler can be reached with your questions and comments by email here.