Here's our weekly recognition of the finest performances in the Big 12. Lots of tough choices as usual, and a lot of first-time honorees this week. These guys got our attention:
K Cole Netten, Iowa State, and Josh Lambert, West Virginia: College kickers! We mean that in a good way this time. Lambert lifted West Virginia to a 40-37 victory with a 47-yard game-winner at Maryland. Netten, after Kirk Ferentz kindly iced a miss with a timeout, hit a 42-yarder on the road to steal the Cy-Hawk Trophy from Iowa, 20-17. Difficult kicks, clutch results, huge wins for their respective teams.
WR Kevin White, West Virginia: He's played at an All-Big 12 level in each of West Virginia's first three games. This time, White went for 216 receiving yards, including a 44-yard TD, on 13 catches in the last-second win at Maryland. He's surpassed nine catches and 100 yards in every game this season.
CB Julian Wilson, Oklahoma: As far as icing on the cake goes, it's hard to beat a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown to secure a 34-10 victory over Tennessee. Wilson grabbed a ball deflected by Jordan Evans and took it all the way to make a statement for the Sooners' defense.
LB Paul Dawson, TCU: Dawson was all over the place in a 30-7 win over Minnesota, racking up 15 tackles (nine solo), four tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. Josh Doctson had a heck of a day too, with one of the prettiest touchdown catches you'll see in the Big 12 this season. But we've got to tip our caps to a dynamite day from Dawson.
WR Lynx Hawthorne, Baylor: Sorry, Bryce Petty and KD Cannon. You'll get yours some other day. Hawthorne, a sophomore who caught two passes last year, is getting more run with all those Baylor receivers sidelined and making the most of it. He hauled in seven passes in Baylor's 63-21 victory over Buffalo on Friday for 123 yards and the first two touchdowns of his career, further confirming the belief that the Bears could not get much deeper at the receiver position.
LB Josh Furman, Oklahoma State: Why not give love to the defenders this week? The Michigan transfer shined with six tackles, two sacks and a pass breakup to help the Cowboys romp to a 43-13 win over a UTSA squad that had proven it can play. Honorable-mention props to Daxx Garman for a nice showing in his first career start.