Academics exposed; Big 12 predictions

Are athletics the only ones capable of corruption or is academia in on the sleaze game too?

Seems a Matt Hayes' story at Yahoo! Sports, courtesy of the Sporting News, looks into that very question, one that wonders how Clemson football program could be told by the school's Athletic Advisory Review Committee that two players -- defensive tackle Ian Williams and wide receiver Dwight Jones -- were high academic risks and thus could not sign letters of intent to become Tigers.

So where did Williams and Jones end up going to school, these risky students that they are?

How about Williams signing on with Notre Dame and Jones becoming a North Carolina commitment.

Notre Dame. North Carolina. Anyone who knows anything about higher education knows those are two highly respected academic institutions.

The questions then are how does the school explain players it rejected getting into better colleges and who might end up getting fired at a place where football is important?

Big 12 courts

Colorado hosts Kansas State in a season too long and too difficult to believe. The Wildcats are much improved but hardly dominant. A typical Buffs' team could win this game...but this, as you've seen, has not been a group that has lived up to standards.

KSU will hit CU early. It is imperative the home team respond offensively, which is the only way it seems to gain confidence. If it falls behind, the Cats will pick up the pressure, CU will wilt and the game will become a runaway.

In the end, sorry to be the bearer of bad news yet again -- but KSU will win because the Buffs will not be able to round up Cartier Martin and David Hoskins. Cats' coach Bob Huggins will find enough answers defensively to outpoint the Buffs.

Sixth-ranked Kansas is at home against Iowa State. The Cyclones lost a four-point game in Ames but the sledding will be much more difficult at Allen Fieldhouse. Look for a Jayhawks' rout. KU is finally playing to its' vast potential.

Eighth-ranked Texas A & M hosts Baylor and it looks like this is a lock as the Bears are terrible on the road (0-7) and the Aggies are near-perfect at home (16-1). Baylor can score but no one loves body heat more than A & M with its' smothering defense. It might be close, it might not but the Aggies win either way.

No. 19 Texas is in Norman to take on dangerous Oklahoma and the Sooners will likely give the Longhorns a game. If UT can take a punch or two and still keep swinging and connecting, it will win. If it has a glass chin, look for the upset. The BGT will take the Horns in a tougher-than-expected contest.

Improving Missouri travels to Lincoln to take on Nebraska in a game where the Tigers should be the pick despite the Huskers' success at home. If Alexs Maric can dominate the paint, Nebraska could earn the win but the BGT likes Tigers' guards Stefhon Hannah and Keon Lawerence too much to pick against the road team.

Lifeless Oklahoma State is in Lubbock and it says here Bobby Knight's Texas Tech team will pull off another upset. The Cowboys have simply gone in the tank despite their talent and the Red Raiders will smell blood come tip-off. Jarrius Jackson and Martin Zeno will be too difficult to match up with for visiting OSU.

BGT note: Look for Big 12 breakdowns later tonight and the Sunday Truth column. On Monday, the big ending as the BGT brings you the second of a two-part series on the 2007 football recruiting class.

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