Kream Keegan: Yo, Tech, shoot for 100

A nun pal of mine, who’s not in the habit of bashing anyone, shared with me a horrific story about the mother of a student at her university.

It seems the mother called my nun pal to reveal that the man in charge of security at her son’s dorm called him a so-and-so. No doubt he was acting like a so-and-so, but that was lost on the mother.

Memo to parents of college kids: Cut the umbilical cord and let the children find their way. Let them plow through the injustices, real and imagined, they encounter. Otherwise, the kids never will grow up and America will soften.

I fear this pervasive ultra-sensitivity could be at the bottom of the uproar over several Big 12 Conference schools running up huge victory margins last weekend.

Sportsmanship is important, particularly in youth sports. Yet, the need to reward reserve players who work hard in practice by letting them take more than dives when they get a chance to play has to figure in the equation, too.

Kudos to Iowa State coach Dan McCarney, who knew he’d get blasted for being arrogant enough to say what he said and said it anyway: “If a game gets out of control, that’s a signal to you on the losing end. You’ve got to get your program better.”

Here’s hoping Texas Tech goes for and scores 100 points Saturday against Indiana State. If the Red Raiders hit triple digits, they’ll be defending themselves all week, a potential distraction for them in their Big 12 opener against Kansas University.

This week’s picks:

Texas Tech 100, Indiana State 28: The underdogs here like to air it out as well. QB Blayne Baggett has thrown six interceptions, and the Sycamores have averaged 408 yards in total offense, so they won’t be looking to eat clock. Red Raiders QB Cody Hodges has thrown nine touchdown passes, has not been picked off and has completed 74 percent.

Colorado 28, Miami 27: Buffs QB Joe Klatt hit 11 different receivers in 39-0 rout of New Mexico State, and the Buffs are coming off a bye week. The competition stiffens, but Miami pass defense has been shakier than anticipated.

Kansas State 44, North Texas 3: Thomas Clayton, the nation’s leading rusher, has the power, speed and shifty moves to run into Heisman Trophy contention. Sometimes, though, he doesn’t know when to apply the brakes. Last week against Marshall, Clayton ran out of bounds to kill the clock, when going down in bounds would have killed Marshall’s chances of winning. Hit the brakes, Thomas. Hit the brakes.

Minnesota 24, Purdue 20: Joe Tiller, in his ninth season at Purdue, hasn’t lost a Big Ten opener. First time for everything. The Boilermakers have allowed just 16 yards rushing per game, but they haven’t faced the likes of Minnesota’s Laurence Maroney, the Big Ten’s leading rusher. The Gophers have rushed for 335 yards per game, so this game, as good a matchup as any in the nation, pits the nation’s No. 1 rush defense against the No. 1 rushing offense. Glen Mason will celebrate his 100th game at Minnesota with a victory.

USC 42, Oregon 21: This will be a popular upset pick. The thinking is USC eventually will lose a game, and in the Ducks the Trojans face a quality opponent. Don’t buy that. USC again will run the table.