The State of Texas College Football

You see that? The blog title works on so many levels. "The State of Texas", "Texas College Football", "The State of College Football". I should just quit with that. Can't get any better than that. But things are all in disarray in the state of Texas. UT can't win. Baylor can't lose. Texas Tech can't score and Texas A&M hasn't cloned any sheep this week. We're on giant marshmallow man away from this being like the chaos at the end of Ghost Busters. So what's going on with each and when will the thrill return?

Baylor
For the first time since 1994, Baylor is bow eligible. And not on some miracle play on the last game of the season. Its 8 games into the season. Baylor is in 1st place in the Big XII South. Oh the irony if the last Big XII Championship game features the only team to not see a bowl game during the entirety of its existence. But all is well. Its not just RG3. Baylor has built a solid program around Art Briles.
When Will The Thrill Return? One of the few teams that we can say, its here now. Until Notre Dame signs away Art Briles in two years.

Texas
Ouch. That was painful. Unless you're one of those who believe the University of Texas is evil incarnate. Then you're totally cool with ISU and UCLA coming into to DKR Stadium and beating down the Longhorns. They look sloppy. Their running game is inconsistent. They have so many turn overs they make Favre look overly protective. Its looking more and more every day that Garrett Gilbert isn't the next in line of great UT QBs.
When Will The Thrill Return? In the offseason when they once again have the best recruiting class and bring in 43% of the top 100 prospects in the nation.

Texas Tech
They finally won in Colorado! They had never done that before. They fought furiously to overcome a late 10 point deficit to beat the Buffs. The TU Athletic Department is furiously championing this as a step in the right direction. Most reasonable people realize that Colorado sucks and see this is one you never should have been down 10 points to in the first place. The offense is flat (42nd Nationally in Yard per game; 36th in points), despite promises that it would not only not change, but would get better. And the broken promises of a revamped D have Tuberville calling up Leach for advice on defense. All of that only builds the widening chasm between the fractured fan base, still angry over what went down in December/January.
When Will The Thrill Return? Five years from now, when Tuberville is booted after his fifth straight mediocre to bad season and Tech brings in up and coming coach Kliff Kingsbury to lead Tech back to prosperity.

SMU
In 2008, June Jones took over a 1 win SMU team. 2008 saw only one win again. So then it was a huge shock to see SMU playing in a bowl game in 2009. They're sitting at 4-4 after an ugly loss to UH this last weekend. But it feels like they're moving in the right direction since Criag James helped to kill the school back in the 1980's. In fact, James had time to kill off SMU, go have a kid, get him to a college and help him destroy that program as well in the time its taken SMU to rebound from the Death Penalty.
When Will The Thrill Return? Two more years, when June Jones builds up SMU with his system of players and they challenge for a major bowl (a la TCU).

Rice
Its Rice.
When Will The Thrill Return? Next time they luck into a Jarett Dillard type player.

Houston
Its really tough when you lose your starting QB and then your backup one. So, naturally, this year has been up and down. They won't be vying for the C-USA title like last year, but Sumlin is the right guy for them and has them playing fun, dynamic football. I like to think of him as the anti-Tuberville.
When Will The Thrill Return? Next year when Case Keenum returns after getting an injury redshirt. (Or unless I missed it and it got denied, when they get a new starter in there and a full year of offseason to get him working with the first team.)

TCU
Things couldn't be much better for TCU. They've lost one game since Obama took office. When the conferences inevitably realign in the next few years, TCU is going to be in a good spot to write their own ticket to a better conference and more prestige.
When Will The Thrill Return? Its here to stay.

Texas A&M
(Copied from the 2009 & 2008 & 2007 status update)A&M started off with such high hopes. The media was touting this to possibly be A&M's year. It looked like things were finally coming together with big opening season wins over Stephen F. Austin and similar teams. Then reality hit hard as A&M started playing real teams and they couldn't keep up, despite valiant efforts. A big win this weekend over the last place team in the Big XII have many Aggie fans thinking things are turning for the better and they are proclaiming that this year they are bumping off UT.
When Will The Thrill Return? Next season when people naturally return to overvaluing A&M up until they face a real team and then we all remember why they wasted the 2000s.