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Keeping an eye each week on the ebbing and flowing trends throughout the league.Rising: Oklahoma State kicker Dan Bailey
Only three Big 12 kickers have made every field goal this year, but Nebraska's Alex Henery and Kansas State's Josh Cherry's six pale in comparison to Bailey's 13.
His 13 field goals are tied with Michigan State's Dan Conroy for the most makes in the nation without a miss, and Conroy has played seven games to Bailey's six.
Falling: Home-field advantage
Home teams went 1-5 last week, with a pair of lopsided losses. Texas A&M fell behind 30-3 in its loss to Missouri, and Kansas dropped a 59-7 rivalry game to Kansas State. Nebraska lost in Lincoln, 20-13, to Texas. Oklahoma State beat Texas Tech in Lubbock, 34-17. Baylor beat Colorado, 31-25, in Boulder.
The only home team to hold serve? Oklahoma, of course. The Sooners extended a nation-best home-winning streak to 34 games with a 52-0 win against Iowa State.
Rising: Iowa State's sure-handedness
The Cyclones have the fewest fumbles (4) in the Big 12, and are tied with San Diego State and Iowa for the fewest in college football, even though Iowa State has played one more game than both teams. The Cyclones fumbled 19 times in 13 games last year, losing 11 of them.
Falling: Nebraska's sure-handedness
The Huskers have only lost eight of them, but fumbled 23 times already this season, eight more than anyone in the Big 12. Nebraska is tied for the most in college football, with Georgia Tech, who in the Jackets' defense, actually pitch the ball. In 14 games last year, the Huskers had just 21 fumbles, and you may remember that five of them came in a 9-7 loss to Iowa State in Lincoln last year that featured eight turnovers.
Rising: Colorado's ball control
Who would have pegged the Buffaloes as the league leader in time of possession? Colorado ranks fourth in the nation, averaging just under 34 minutes of possession per game. The Buffaloes ranked 61st nationally last year, and sixth in the Big 12 with just over 30 minutes of possession.
A year ago, the Buffaloes were the league's worst rushing team. Twice this season, they've rushed for over 200 yards in wins. Colorado needs 128 more rushing yards to top their output in all of 2009.
Falling: Big 12 interceptions
Three Big 12 quarterbacks (Robert Griffin, Blaine Gabbert, Landry Jones) have thrown just three interceptions this year, tied for the league lead in fewest picks. Jones and Griffin have both thrown 14 touchdowns to Gabbert's 10.
Jones led the league with 14 interceptions last year, more than all but four quarterbacks nationally. Gabbert threw nine interceptions last season to rank 43rd among quarterbacks. Griffin threw just three interceptions as a freshman in 2008, but they came on 267 pass attempts. He's already thrown the ball 232 times through seven games this season.
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