Big 12 news and notes

Published: September 18, 2007

Before Saturday, Iowa State kicker Bret Culbertson was known mostly for his misses.

There was the one in 2004 against Missouri. The one in 2005 against Kansas. Each would have sent the Cyclones to the Big 12 title game. Instead, they sent the Cyclones slumping in defeat.

Culbertson found some redemption Saturday.

With Iowa State 0-2 and down again against rival Iowa, Culbertson booted through the winning field goal with one second remaining, lifting the Cyclones to a 15-13 win.

A former walk-on, Culbertson, known as "Shaggy,” accounted for all the ISU scoring on the day, kicking a school record-tying five field goals. He'd been 0-for-4 on field goal tries to start this season.

"I just did what I do,” Culbertson told reporters after the game. "There was a little pressure, but I was calm.”

While the game-winning kick didn't clinch the Cyclones any championship, it did pump life into a season that started with disappointing losses to Kent State and Northern Iowa.

"Couldn't have happened at a better time,” said first-year coach Gene Chizik. "Couldn't have happened to a better kid.”

Said Culbertson: "It's like the big payoff. But I honestly would like teammates and fans to just remember me for who I am, not necessarily what I do on the field.”

• Catching on: Before the season, one national publication rated Texas Tech's wide receivers as the eighth-best group — in the conference.

Red Raiders wideouts are annually found clogging the top of the national receiving statistics, but this was supposed to be a transition year after the loss of seniors Joel Filani and Robert Johnson.

Not so fast.

Freshman Michael Crabtree leads the nation with an average of 12.7 receptions per game and ranks second with an average of 179.3 receiving yards. Senior Danny Amendola is third in the Big 12 and seventh nationally in receptions, sixth and 22nd in yards.

"I think they've performed pretty well for the eighth-best receivers in the conference, you know,” Tech coach Mike Leach cracked Monday. "I think over time they might be the best eighth-best receivers in the country.”

• Big 12 honors: The conference's weekly awards went to Crabtree, Offensive Player of the Week; Culbertson, Special Teams Player of the Week; and Texas cornerback Brandon Foster, Defensive Player of the Week.

Crabtree set a school record with 244 yards and added three touchdown catches in Tech's rout of Rice. Foster totaled seven tackles, returned an interception for a touchdown and recovered a fumble in the Longhorns' win over Central Florida.

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