OU, CU going into big game leading division but without top QB

Oklahoma and Colorado have two distinct things in common: Both lead their Big 12 division and both have done so after losing their starting quarterback. <br><br>The Sooners and Buffaloes meet Saturday

Tuesday, October 29th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Oklahoma and Colorado have two distinct things in common: Both lead their Big 12 division and both have done so after losing their starting quarterback.

The Sooners and Buffaloes meet Saturday in Norman in what could be a preview of the conference championship game.

If they make it that far, it won't be because they get their preseason leader back. It will be because the squads have proven their merit as true teams, not just a bunch of players led by a hotshot passer.

``It's a credit to the mentality of the program that somebody is going to always step up and play,'' Colorado coach Gary Barnett said Monday. ``No one team in college football should feel that success or failure is based on one guy.''

Robert Hodge has replaced Craig Ochs and led the Buffaloes (6-2) to five straight wins and a No. 13 ranking. Ochs was lost to a concussion after the second game and has since announced plans to transfer.

Nate Hybl has replaced Jason White and kept the Sooners (8-0) ranked second in the nation. White was lost for the season with a knee injury in the second game.

Neither team is a stranger to such situations.

Ochs was hurt last season and Bobby Pesavento was the quarterback who led CU to the Fiesta Bowl. Oklahoma got to the Cotton Bowl despite going from Hybl to White and back to Hybl.

``It shows that you have some depth at quarterback, first of all,'' Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. ``It also shows when you're winning and winning a lot, it's more than one guy. It's solid teams around them. You win and lose as a team. I think that's what we've done is play well as a team.''

When Colorado started 1-2, it seemed like this matchup wasn't going to live up to its preseason hype. But the Buffs have come roaring back and will be seeking to extend their 8-0-1 record against Oklahoma since 1989. Colorado also is 11-1 in its last 12 conference games.

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SYMPATHIZING WITH STEELE: Coach Bill Snyder is widely credited for one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history for making Kansas State a perennially ranked program. This past weekend, he got a first-hand look at Baylor, which desperately needs the same kind of jolt.

Although the Wildcats won 44-10, the game was close early. Snyder came away impressed with the Bears and coach Kevin Steele, whose job is in jeopardy as he's gone 9-32 in three-plus season.

``It takes time to get the right people in place, a philosophy in place,'' said Snyder, noting what Dan McCarney has done at Iowa State. ``Kevin is a guy that does everything exactly as it should be done, at least in my eyes.

``We were in for a ballgame when we got there. It's easy for me to say we weren't well prepared or emotionally in the ballgame. But the bottom line is Baylor played and prepared extremely well. Is he going in the right direction and doing the right things? Yes.''

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DEFENDING THEIR TURF: Now that Nebraska has ended its five-game road losing streak, the Cornhuskers can concentrate on protecting a home winning streak that started after losing to Texas in 1998. Next up: The Longhorns.

Solich noted that such streaks are hard to come by these days, pointing to road victories this past weekend by Nebraska at A&M, Notre Dame at Florida State and Iowa at Michigan.

``That home field advantage has been lessened a bit because you're playing great home teams every week,'' Solich said. ``If you play athletes at the top of their game, you're going to get beat regardless of where you play.''

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THANKS, COACH: First-year Kansas coach Mark Mangino has nothing but good things to say about his old boss, Snyder, whom he'll face Saturday.

``I can tell you I have great respect for Bill Snyder. If not for Bill Snyder, I wouldn't be here at KU today,'' said Mangino, who went from high school coach in Pennsylvania to K-State assistant in 1991 and worked his way up to assistant head coach in '98, then left to work with Bob Stoops at Oklahoma.