Bohls, Golden: To believe or not to believe, that is the question for KSU's Chris Klieman

Oklahoma's loss last week was Texas' gain, but only if the Longhorns keep piling up wins to improve their path from the No. 7 spot in the first College Football Playoff rankings. A lot will be worked out across the country in these final few weeks, but for Texas, that starts with a top-25 matchup at Royal-Memorial Stadium on Saturday against No. 23 Kansas State. All that is what's on our minds this week:

Texas is the perfect team, you say?

1. Chris Klieman says he sees no weaknesses in the Texas Longhorns. Is he believable?

Bohls: Come on. Steve Sarkisian can recognize coach-speak with the best of ’em. We mention Texas’ failures in the red zone. The Longhorns have scored touchdowns on just 16 of 33 penetrations inside opponents’ 20. That ranks No. 103 nationally. We’re betting Klieman probably noticed. Then there’s Texas’ lacking pass rush, with only eight sacks all year from its edge rushers. And redshirt freshman quarterback Maalik Murphy is very capable, but he’s making just his second start ever.

Golden: I say no, not believable. But my dear late mother insists I believed in Santa Claus well into my college years, so take it for what it’s worth. Maybe it’s a little early holiday cheer that has Klieman passing out such a grand compliment, but the truth is the Longhorns have had issues in the red zone and the defense hasn’t produced a consistent pass rush. Add the injuries in the secondary, and we can pass off the Kansas State coach's comments as simply an opposing coach who doesn’t want to be responsible for any bulletin board material entering the biggest game of his team's season.

Just give him the ball: Brooks to the rescue

2. How many carries would you give Jonathon Brooks on Saturday?

Bohls: As many as he can stand. The Texas tailback has never gotten the rock more than 22 times in a game, but he’s entirely capable of toting it 30 times, which is a nice, round number. Plus, that takes some of the pressure off Murphy.

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Golden: Brooks should get 20 minimum, and his backup CJ Baxter should get another eight or so. Texas’ ability to run the ball will determine whether it remains a top-10 team. I see the Longhorns doing enough in the running game with Murphy improving on last week with a touchdown pass and fewer than his two turnovers in a 27-24 win.

What's so wrong about kicking a field goal, anyway?

3. Did Steve Sarkisian borrow Tom Herman's binder on disdaining field goals?

Bohls: Apparently. Herman never saw a red zone opportunity that didn’t make him want to go for it, and Sarkisian seems to have fallen into that same rut. The current Texas coach loves being aggressive, but there’s nothing wrong with being aggressive and smart. The Horns aren’t so much bad in the red zone as they are inside the 10. It’s a scary trend that, if it continues, could come back to haunt Texas.

Golden: He didn’t. Faking the field goal against Houston and going for it twice on fourth down was more about the opposition than it was about the Horns. Texas was putting the work on Houston, and BYU offered little in resistance. Put in the same position Saturday, he will take those field goals because points won’t be as available in a matchup of two elite Big 12 defenses.

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Looking over the CFP selection committee's shoulders

4. Do you have any beef with the initial College Football Playoff rankings?

Bohls: A little. While I think any of probably five teams could make a strong case to be No. 1, I wish the selection committee would articulate and send a clear message that it rewards teams that take chances and aggressively schedule strong opponents in nonconference games and don't take the cupcake route. The panelists did say they were impressed with top-ranked Ohio State’s win over Notre Dame, but No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Michigan had nonconference slates that are a joke. College football fans deserve better games in September.

Golden: It’s a solid list, but I would have placed Texas at No. 6, ahead of Oregon. Texas went to Tuscaloosa and beat an Alabama team that was 52-1 in its previous 53 at Bryant-Denny, and by double digits, no less. Oregon is quality but hasn’t really beaten any team of note. The Ducks capably exposed No. 19 Colorado but gave away what would have been a signature win over Washington.

Look out, here come the Crimson Tide

5. If Alabama beats LSU, will the No. 8 Crimson Tide pass the No. 7 Longhorns?

Bohls: It could come down to win margin. If the Crimson Tide crush the Tigers and the Horns just squeak by Kansas State — which I think Texas will, 27-24 — I bet Nick Saban’s bunch might have the momentum to leapfrog Texas. Hey, the Longhorns might not even have a complaint since they jumped ahead of Oklahoma in the polls this week.

Golden: Forgive me for being old-fashioned, but I still cling to the sanctity of the head-to-head matchup. No matter what the Tide does against No. 16 LSU — I see them coming out on top 20-14 — it won’t change the fact that they got worked at home by Texas. Now, if they whup up on Georgia in the SEC title game, then we’ll talk. Until then, the Horns just need to keep winning and let the rest take care of itself.

One last time: Oklahoma State tries to solve Oklahoma

6. Who ya got in the final Bedlam game?

Bohls: If not now, when, Mike Gundy? He’s a disastrous 3-15 against the Sooners but would love nothing more than to send them packing for the SEC  with a loss in their final showdown. I’m guessing Ollie Gordon II does just that and goes off for two bills in a 38-31 Oklahoma State victory.

Golden: This is my upset special for the week. The Sooners can be had. Gordon is a star in the making, and he will be the difference maker. Give me Oklahoma State, 35-34.

Dabo Swinney got what he asked for, then gave it right back

7. Has Dabo Swinney worn out his welcome with Clemson fans?

Bohls: With the spoiled ones, maybe. To Tyler in Spartanburg, it’s ridiculous for you to be that critical about Swinney for a 4-4 record after two national championships and all the success he’s brought to Clemson. Swinney won the ACC LAST YEAR. The coach didn’t let it go either, telling reporters, ”I had some idiot go Old Testament on me, and he got an Old Testament response.”

Golden: He has not. Tigers fans understand that you can’t be great every year. He built that program into something wonderful in the ACC and won two national titles in the process. The win-at-all-costs fans like Tyler need to take a history lesson. No one was feeling Clemson before Dabo got there. As for Swinney, you wanted a live call-in show? You got a live call-in show.

If only this were 2024, not 2023

8. If we already had a 12-team playoff, what would be the best matchup under the current CFP standings?

Bohls: Choosing between (12) Missouri at (5) Washington, (11) Penn State at (6) Oregon, (10) Ole Miss at (7) Texas and (9) Oklahoma at (8) Alabama — hey, I'll take Steve Sarkisian vs. Lane Kiffin all day long in a battle of ex-Saban offensive coordinators. Heck, the pregame press conferences would probably be as entertaining as the game itself. That said, I think 12 teams are too many. Go with eight and don't give any team a bye. A bye is too big an advantage, and eight doesn't dilute the regular-season's impact as 12 will.

Golden: Ole Miss-Texas is too delicious to pass up. You just never know what Kiffin is going to say, and better yet, it’s a great matchup of two of the most aggressive play-callers in the business. Sign me up for that one right now. Great game, great copy.

Is Iowa right for Ferentz? Is Ferentz right for Iowa?

9. What do you make of Kirk Ferentz's post about wanting to keep coaching at Iowa?

Bohls: As if I’m going to tell anyone when to retire. He’s been the national coach of the year twice and has the offensively challenged Hawkeyes in position to win the Big Ten West. Ferentz was smart to clear the air after it was announced that his son will not return next season as offensive coordinator to alert recruits that Papa Ferentz isn’t going anywhere.

Golden: The venerable coach wanted to clear up any confusion as to whether he would join his son in the unemployment line. Expect him to take care of Brian and keep him on the payroll somehow. But there has to come a point when the folks up there have had their fill of 13-10 snoozers, not to mention the internal issues that have made headlines over the last few years.

Coaching football and basketball like Knight and day

10. Name a college basketball coach who'd make or would have made a great football coach?

Bohls: With all due respect to LSU’s tough-minded Kim Mulkey, I’ll go with the late Bobby Knight, who would preach physical football and discipline and who never met a chair he didn’t want to throw.

Golden: The General, Robert Montgomery Knight, was my first choice because he coached hoops like a football coach and actually had an assistant by the name of Bill Parcells while he was a young head coach at Army. How about longtime West Virginia coach Bob Huggins? Huggy Bear was as tough as he seemed, and his teams exemplified that attitude on the court.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman thinks Texas has no weakness