Big 12 Football

Spencer Rattler may not be the only quarterback to transfer from Oklahoma before the 2022 season.

Caleb Williams, who took over as the starting signal-caller during the 2021 campaign after Rattler struggled with consistency, announced he will enter the transfer portal:

pic.twitter.com/8GcVHURSIL

— Caleb Williams (@CALEBcsw) January 3, 2022

Williams explained "according to NCAA rules, the only way I can speak with other schools and see who may offer the best preparation and development for my future career is by entering the portal. Staying at OU will definitely be an option as I begin this process."

His father, Carl, spoke with Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports and discussed what the family is looking for with this move:    

Carl Williams: “Professional development. We want Caleb to be ready to play when he becomes a pro. You go to college to get prepared for your career. His chosen career path is professional football. We want him to be prepared for when that time comes.”

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 3, 2022

Williams notably highlighted the "sudden changes this season sent shockwaves through Sooner Nation and were really hard for the whole team" in his statement.

That is putting it mildly.

Oklahoma started the 2021 season with Rattler on the short list of realistic Heisman Trophy candidates, Lincoln Riley as its head coach and national championship aspirations. However, narrow wins over Nebraska, West Virginia, Kansas State, Texas and Kansas suggested the ceiling was limited, and losses to Baylor and Oklahoma State dropped the Sooners from the College Football Playoff discussion.

Rattler lost his starting job and transferred to South Carolina, Riley took the head coach position with USC, and the program hired Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables as the new head coach.

Venables already has a major recruiting battle on his hands before he even coaches a game when it comes to keeping Williams aboard as the starting quarterback.

A former longtime Sooners assistant coach, Venables and athletic director Joe Castiglione released a statement saying they respect Williams' decision but still "believe OU provides Caleb the best opportunity to develop as a player and realize his goals for college and beyond."        

Statement from Joe Castiglione and Brent Venables on today’s announcement by Caleb Williams: pic.twitter.com/qGHlDqIDp2

— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) January 3, 2022

Frankly, whether the Sooners can keep Williams or not will likely go a long way toward determining how their 2022 campaign unfolds.

He threw for 21 touchdowns and four interceptions while adding six touchdowns on the ground and is someone who can hurt opposing defenses with his arm and legs. Williams figured to be the face of the program for the immediate future, especially with Rattler gone, and the Washington D.C. prep star already started living up to the expectations that accompanied him as a 5-star recruit in the 2021 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Losing him would be a major blow for a program looking to return to the CFP discussion next season.      

The Texas Tech Red Raiders defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs 34-7 in Tuesday's Liberty Bowl to capture their first winning season since 2015. The Red Raiders also hadn't won a bowl game since the 2013 Holiday Bowl in Kliff Kingsbury's first season as head coach.

Texas Tech entered Tuesday's game with just one win in its last five games.

Before Tuesday, the Red Raiders and Bulldogs hadn't met since 1970. Texas Tech lost that game 20-16. Mississippi State now leads the all-time series against Texas Tech 4-3-1.

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Notable Stats

Donovan Smith, QB, TTU: 15/28 for 252 YDS, 1 TD and 5 CAR for 30 YDS, 1 TD

Will Rogers, QB, MSU: 32/53 for 290 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT

Tahj Brooks, RB, TTU: 16 CAR for 107 YDS, 1 TD

Makai Polk, WR, MSU: 7 REC for 57 YDS

SaRodorick Thompson, RB, TTU: 14 CAR for 80 YDS, 1 TD

Rara Thomas, WR, MSU: 2 REC for 32 YDS, 1 TD

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Red Raiders' Rushing Offense Gets Job Done

Texas Tech quarterback Donovan Smith was underwhelming in the passing game Tuesday night. However, the Red Raiders' rushing offense got the job done.

Texas Tech opened the game with a rushing touchdown from sophomore running back Tahj Brooks, who was the team's most potent player on the ground against Mississippi State. He finished with 16 carries for 107 yards and one touchdown.

The Red Raiders' performance on the ground was somewhat surprising, as they entered ranked eighth in the Big 12 with 150.7 rushing yards per game. The team's passing offense, meanwhile, entered averaging 257.7 yards per game, which ranked third in the Big 12.

In case you forgot, it's still Brooks Time! ⌚️

📺 ESPN#WreckEm | @just_tahj pic.twitter.com/cfXWhdD6gn

— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) December 29, 2021

Havin' some fun!

📺 ESPN#WreckEm | @Sarodorick pic.twitter.com/TsSzZjqdg3

— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) December 29, 2021

Tuesday's game was Brooks' first game with more than 100 rushing yards since a Sept. 11 win over Stephen F. Austin State University. It was also his most productive game since then.

Brooks entered with 461 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, a significant increase from the 255 rushing yards and four rushing scores he had as a freshman in 2020.

In addition to Brooks, junior running back SaRodorick Thompson had his most productive game since an Oct. 16 win over Kansas. He finished with 14 carries for 80 yards and one touchdown, in addition to Smith's five carries for 30 yards and one score.

Thompson entered with 448 rushing scores and nine rushing touchdowns in 10 games.

Texas Tech's rushing performance was even more impressive when looking at Mississippi State's defensive stats. The Bulldogs defense entered having allowed 101.2 rushing yards per game, the third-least in the SEC and 10th-least in college football.

To be fair, the Mississippi State defense was without several key defensive players on Tuesday, including safety Jalen Green, defensive linemen Randy Charlton and Jaden Crumedy, and cornerback Martin Emerson, who declared for the NFL draft. The defense was also without linebacker Aaron Brule, who transferred to Michigan State.

Regardless, Tuesday's performance from the Red Raiders' rushing offense was impressive, and Texas Tech fans can look forward to another season of Brooks and Thompson in the backfield in 2022.

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Will Rogers Underwhelming for Bulldogs

Tuesday's game was Rogers' worst of the season. There's no other way to put it.

The sophomore quarterback entered having completed 75.1 percent of his passes for 4,449 yards (370.8 yards per game) and 35 touchdowns to eight interceptions. His passing yardage was tied for second in college football with UVA's Brennan Armstrong, while his completion percentage ranked first.

Rogers completed just 32 of 53 passes (60.3 percent) for 290 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Red Raiders. He hadn't been held to under 300 passing yards since a Sept. 11 win over NC State.

However, Mississippi State's rushing offense didn't do Rogers any favors, either. Sophomore running backs Dillon Johnson and Jo'quavious Marks finished with just 14 carries for 81 yards.

The Bulldogs offense actually entered having averaged 385.7 passing yards per game, the most in the SEC, which further highlights Rogers' struggles in the pocket.

Mississippi State could have thrust itself back into Tuesday's game early in the fourth quarter, but Rogers threw a costly interception, and the Red Raiders charged back down the field to put things out of reach for the Bulldogs.

Feeling a little picky today 😉

📺 ESPN#WreckEm | @IBallLikeMelo_ pic.twitter.com/CNgYoVZncm

— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) December 29, 2021

Rogers hadn't thrown an interception since a Nov. 6 loss to Arkansas. The Bulldogs went 5-2 in games he didn't throw a pick this season.

Despite his performance Tuesday, Bulldogs fans have a lot to look forward to from Rogers in the future. He set Mississippi State's single-season passing records for yards and touchdowns this season, which were previously held by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. He also became the first-ever Bulldog to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a season.

If there's one thing to take away from Tuesday's Liberty Bowl, it's that Rogers is still learning, but he has an incredibly bright future ahead among college football's best.

Iowa State star Breece Hall announced he plans to enter the 2022 NFL draft.

Here’s the message Breece Hall shared about entering the 2022 NFL draft via his Instagram. #Cyclones pic.twitter.com/9cCSeKOVR8

— CycloneFanatic.com (@cyclonefanatic) December 18, 2021

The 6'1" running back is the second-leading rusher (3,941 yards) in program history. He ran for 1,472 yards and 20 touchdowns for the Cyclones during the 2021 regular season.

With Saturday's announcement, it appears Hall doesn't plan on suiting up for the Cheez-It Bowl on Dec. 29 against No. 19 Clemson.

His decision doesn't come as a big surprise since he's likely to be one of the first running backs off the board this spring.

Hall ranked second at the position behind Michigan State's Kenneth Walker III and 31st overall on the Nov. 30 big board of Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department. He was also projected to land with the Baltimore Ravens at No. 29 in the Scouting Department's most recent mock draft.

"[Hall's] size, vision and explosiveness would let him shine in any run scheme," Nate Tice wrote. "Putting him with quarterback Lamar Jackson and a healthy [J.K.] Dobbins would give the Ravens' rushing attack a true downhill option that synergizes the unit and would give it the pieces to go supernova."

In terms of his NFL stock, the Cyclones standout stood to gain little from another year in Ames, Iowa, and his value—if anything—might have trended downward had he stayed.

Hall had 800 touches over three seasons. Since 2016, 24 running backs have been selected in the first or second round, and only two (Jonathan Taylor, 968; AJ Dillon, 866) registered more offensive touches in college.

Hall's workload might lead some NFL scouts and team executives to be concerned about his durability. But Taylor's big role at Wisconsin hasn't stopped him from leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage (1,684) this season.

Hall is likely to be well rewarded for his prolific career at Iowa State.

Adrian Martinez is going to finish his college football career with Kansas State. 

The former Nebraska quarterback announced Thursday he is transferring to the Wildcats for the 2022 season. 

Excited for the next chapter!! #GoCats pic.twitter.com/6wxYNbYgal

— Adrian Martinez (@MartinezTheQB) December 17, 2021

Martinez announced Dec. 2 that he was entering the transfer portal after spending four years at Nebraska. 

Coming out of high school in 2018, he was one of the first big recruiting wins for head coach Scott Frost. The California native was a 4-star prospect and the No. 7 dual-threat quarterback in his class, per 247Sports composite rankings. 

Despite some promising moments, Martinez's tenure with the Cornhuskers was largely disappointing. He threw for 8,495 yards, 45 touchdowns and 30 interceptions and completed 63.5 percent of his attempts in 39 games. 

A shoulder injury prevented Martinez from starting Nebraska's regular-season finale against Iowa. Freshman Logan Smothers started in his place and accounted for 262 yards with two rushing touchdowns in a 28-21 loss. 

Kansas State has a need for a new starting quarterback with Skylar Thompson set to wrap up his college career in the Texas Bowl against LSU on Jan. 4.

If Wildcats head coach Chris Klieman wants to have a competition for the starting job, Martinez will likely contend with Will Howard throughout the offseason.    

Texas defensive back Ishmael Ibraheem has been charged in Payne County (Oklahoma) District Court with a "misdemeanor of nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images," related to an allegation made by an Oklahoma State student in September, per Ashlynd Huffman of the Stillwater News Press.

An OSU student told police Ibraheem had shared sexually explicit images from a consensual sexual encounter she had with him. 

A Texas spokesperson told Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman that Ibraheem has been suspended from all team activities after being charged:

We were made aware of the allegations involving Ishmael Ibraheem in early September and immediately cooperated with the University and legal processes, which remain ongoing. In light of the new information and his recent charges, he has been suspended from all team activities at this time as we continue to monitor the legal process.

Davis reported on the woman's statement to police:

The victim told police she received a screenshot from a TikTok video depicting her and Ibraheem having what was consensual sex in the summer of 2021, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the American-Statesman.

The victim told police she did not want anyone to see the video and it was intended to be kept private. Ishmael sent the victim a message saying he 'unsent' the video sent to another person, who allegedly did not view it.

Ibraheem is a freshman from Dallas. He played in one game (Sept. 18 versus Rice) but suffered a knee injury during the contest and missed the rest of the season.

According to Huffman, the woman told police she was unaware that she was being recorded during the sexual encounter. However, she said Ibraheem later revealed that their encounter was on video, and she asked that it remain private.

Oklahoma State officer Leslie Grotheer contacted an OSU football player who received the video, per Huffman. The football player showed it to Grotheer and said that he obtained it via direct message from Ibraheem's Instagram account.

Per Huffman, in the affidavit, the OSU player said he "knew of [Ibraheem] from the college football community" and from his visits to OSU to see the woman in the video.

The charge against Ibraheem stems from State Bill 1257, which went into effect in Nov. 2016, per Huffman.

The law states that a person can be charged with nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images if they "disseminate the image with the intent to harass, intimidate or coerce the person, or under circumstances in which a reasonable person would know or understand that dissemination of the image would harass, intimidate or coerce the person."

An arrest warrant was issued Friday, per Davis. A bond has been set at $2,500, according to Huffman.

After seeing a mass exodus following Lincoln Riley's shocking departure for USC, Oklahoma's recruiting is finally starting to stabilize.

4-star quarterback Nick Evers announced his intention to attend Oklahoma in a tweet Monday. 

All Glory To God!

COMMITTED!! #OUDNA | #BoomerSooner pic.twitter.com/e22EBDEdb1

— nicco (@NickEvers12) December 13, 2021

Evers is the No. 156 overall player and 10th-ranked quarterback in the 2022 class, per 247Sports. Oklahoma and Florida, both schools going through coaching changes, were considered the top contenders to land one of the few remaining top quarterbacks in this class.

Evers threw for 2,367 yards and 19 touchdowns against eight interceptions while adding 648 yards and 14 scores on the ground as a senior at Flower Mount (Texas) High School. While his passing accuracy took a dip as a senior, Evers flashed more of a dual-threat ability that could make him capable of competing for a starting job early in his tenure in Norman.

The Sooners already lost Spencer Rattler to the transfer portal, and it's possible Caleb Williams also explores his options. That could leave Oklahoma without both of their quarterbacks who made starts in 2021. The Sooners also lost the commitment of 2023 5-star quarterback Malachi Nelson, who followed Riley to USC.

For now, Oklahoma will go into next season with Williams, Evers, Micah Bowens and Ralph Rucker on their quarterback depth chart. Ensuring Williams sticks around is the next vital step for new Oklahoma coach Brent Venables, who is returning to his former stomping grounds after spending the last decade as an assistant under Dabo Swinney at Clemson. 

Kelvin Banks Jr. is going to play offensive tackle at Texas, he announced Saturday. 

“I felt like there was no place better to be, it’s my dream school, and the place itself is beautiful,” Banks told On3Sports' Hayes Fawcett. “Also, the people and the coaching staff.”

Banks originally committed to Oregon in July, but he opened his recruiting back up after Mario Cristobal left the program to take the head coaching job at the University of Miami. 

pic.twitter.com/RtxAYdJsxg

— Kelvin Banks Jr🎸 (@Kelvinbanksjr12) December 7, 2021

That decision was welcome news for several programs hoping to land the Summer Creek High School standout, who is a 5-star prospect, the No. 2 OT and 15th-best player overall in the 2022 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. 

The 6'5", 300-pound Banks' player comparison from 247Sports' Gabe Brooks is Austin Jackson of the Miami Dolphins:

Big-bodied, big-framed lineman with potential for position versatility at tackle or guard. Good height and length and wears mass fairly well. Owns a wingspan in the 6-10 range. Shows enough functional athleticism to pull across the formation and lead the way to the perimeter. Flashes some punch when arriving at the second level. Size and strength manifest in drive-blocking ability.

The foundation of a good offense starts in the trenches. Banks has the type of size and athleticism to be an impact player as soon as he steps on campus. His ability to play either tackle or guard will give his new team an option to best maximize his skill set in 2022. 

The Longhorns have been lurking as a landing spot for Banks even before he announced he was decommitting from Oregon. 

Andrew Ivins of 247Sports wrote in October that Texas was a team to watch if he decided to flip his commitment: 

"While Banks hasn’t done anything to suggest that he’s wavering on his commitment to the Ducks, the Longhorns are gunning for a flip and there’s some smoke out there that Banks hasn’t completely shut the door on the folks in Austin."

There turned out to be fire to that smoke, as head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff picked up a huge win for their 2022 class. 

Sarkisian is still trying to build the roster in his image heading into his second season as Longhorns head coach. Landing a blue-chip recruit like Banks is a huge step forward for a program that wants to improve on a disappointing 5-7 record. 

Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III is the winner of the 2021 Doak Walker Award, which recognizes the best RB in college football.

Walker beat out finalists in junior Breece Hall of Iowa State and senior Tyler Badie of Missouri. 

Walker had the best season of his collegiate career in 2021, entering Saturday's regular-season finale against Penn State with 1,614 yards (second in FBS) and 18 touchdowns (T-3rd in FBS) on the ground in addition to 13 catches for 89 yards and a score. 

The 21-year-old transferred to Michigan State after two years at Wake Forest. He's racked up more rushing yards in his one season with the Spartans than he did in two seasons with the Demon Deacons. 

Walker was also named a finalist for the Maxwell Award, which is given to the nation’s best overall player. Brandon Van Pelt is the only Spartan to ever win the Maxwell Award, doing so in 1972. 

No Michigan State player had ever won the Doak Walker Award until this year.

Walker overcame some stiff competition for this award.

Hall had one of the best seasons of his collegiate career in 2021, rushing for 1,464 yards (fifth in FBS) and 20 touchdowns (T-1st FBS) on 253 carries in 12 games. He also caught 36 passes for 302 yards and three scores.

Badie had the best season of his collegiate career in 2021, rushing for a career-high 1,604 yards (third in FBS) and 14 touchdowns (T-6th FBS) on 268 carries in addition to 54 catches for 330 yards and four scores. 

An Oklahoma politician is looking to rename a three-inch stretch of highway leading westward out of the state after ex-Oklahoma football head coach Lincoln Riley following his sudden departure to USC. 

Kassie McClung of the Frontier relayed a press release from the Oklahoma State Senate communications office, which revealed State Sen. Bill Coleman's requested legislation to "honor" Riley:

The Lincoln Riley conversation continues at the Oklahoma state Capitol: pic.twitter.com/UCqI7e6rub

— Kassie McClung (@KassieMcClung) December 7, 2021

Coleman is looking to rename a tiny portion of Highway 325, which leads from the Oklahoma panhandle into New Mexico. The final three Oklahoma inches would be dedicated to Riley.

The ex-Sooner leader didn't drive from Oklahoma to California, as USC put him, his family and some ex-Sooner coaches onto a private jet.

📍 Los Angeles@LincolnRiley #FightOn✌️ pic.twitter.com/MKxN1FmlAP

— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) November 29, 2021

Still, this would be a more symbolic gesture after Riley abruptly left for USC.

Oklahoma has now turned to Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables to be their new head coach. Venables is making his return to the Sooners after spending 1999-2011 there in a variety of roles, including assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.

Two high-powered offenses will do battle in New Orleans on New Year's Day when No. 6 Baylor faces No. 8 Ole Miss in a game with plenty of potential for high scores and dazzling offense.

Ole Miss is no stranger to the Sugar Bowl, having contested it nine times in school history. They are the highest-ranked SEC school not in the playoffs, and this will be the Rebels' sixth appearance in a New Year's Six bowl game in the past 18 years. They are coming off their first 10-win season in school history, which seems rather inconceivable.

Their only losses in 2021? To Alabama and Auburn.

Baylor is fresh off its first Big 12 Championship win, denying Oklahoma State by a single yard to earn its way to Caesars Superdome.

BAYLOR WINS THE BIG 12 WITH A GOAL LINE STAND 🏆#CFB

pic.twitter.com/pMqTSEwcsO

— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 4, 2021

The Bears enjoyed a bounce-back season in 2021, erasing last year's dismal 2-7 record to finish sixth in the nation. The school has competed in the Sugar Bowl twice before and has a 1-1 record in the New Year's Six game.

This will be just the second time Baylor and Ole Miss face off. The first was a 20-10 Bears win on September 6, 1975.

                    

2021 Sugar Bowl Info

Date: Saturday, January 1

Start Time: 8:45 p.m.

TV: ESPN

Location: Caesars Superdome in New Orleans

Odds: Ole Miss -2

Over/Under: 51

                    

Preview

Ole Miss under head coach Lane Kiffin oversaw one of the most explosive offenses in the country this year, ranking 18th overall.

Quarterback Matt Corral established himself as a Heisman Trophy contender with 3,339 passing yards, 20 TDs and just four interceptions. On the ground, he added 597 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was stellar while operating Kiffin's offense and was key in its efficiency this season.

Lane Kiffin on Matt Corral: "When I saw him with the band when we won the Egg Bowl, I almost got emotional. I remembered I have one more game with him. It is really neat to be a part of it. He's a leader and I'm proud to be his coach."

— Brad Logan (@BradLoganCOTE) December 5, 2021

Also key was the Rebels' improved defensive play.

A year ago, the team gave up 38.3 yards per game on average. This year, there was a steep decline to 25. 

Baylor is a veteran team, with 29 seniors on the roster, and have two quarterbacks capable of leading the team to victory in New Orleans. The question is which one will get the start in the biggest game of the year.

Starter Gerry Bohanon in a dual-threat. A hamstring injury sent him to the sideline and allowed freshman Blake Shapen to start the final two games of the season. And he took advantage of his opportunity, tossing five touchdowns while completing 69 percent of his passes with no interceptions.

If Bohanon can play, expect the junior to start. Any struggles, though, and Shapen may see time on the field as Baylor chases its second Sugar Bowl win.

The Bears, despite their recent history as a high-scoring, offensive-minded school, have seen their defense transformed under second-year head coach Dave Aranda, allowing just 19 points a game. The squad is a top 20 defense and has a knack for creating turnovers (16 INT, 16 fumble recoveries). Baylor also turned in 32 sacks this season.

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS ‼️#SicEm | #BUncommon pic.twitter.com/KMMSAj2G9s

— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) December 4, 2021

The key to the game will be whether Kiffin can devise an offensive scheme that can overcome his opponent's stingy defense. While he will have almost an entire month to do so, Aranda and his staff will have the same amount of time to put together a game plan to thwart anything Kiffin develops.

It will be a game of strategy and should be one of the most intriguing of the New Year's Day matchups as a result. It is also a showdown between two coaches of different backgrounds.

Dec. 4, 2011: Assistant Dave Aranda is fired, evicted from his apartment and financially broke.

Dec. 4, 2021: Head coach Dave Aranda leads #Baylor to a Big 12 championship.

On the meteoric rise of college football’s most stoic & cerebral man - https://t.co/9BawszRfrD

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 5, 2021

Kiffin is the son of legendary NFL defensive coordinator Monte and has had numerous, high-profile opportunities over the course of his coaching career. Aranda came from nothing, broke and evicted, to work his way into one of the most prestigious bowl games on the schedule.

The dynamics between the programs, the dichotomy between the coaches' stories and the fact that there is so little history between the teams only serve to enhance the aura of January 1's most must-watch game.