Asher: Last weekend was definitely an eventful one for Kansas football and the entire Big 12 Conference. Starting here in Lawrence, there was an awful lot of scoring — at least by the Jayhawks — and quite a few highlights. Todd Reesing once again put his powerful arm on display and Kansas received positive contributions from almost every player on the roster. Granted, it was against Southeastern Louisiana, but the Jayhawks won very convincingly.

Case: Southeastern Louisiana quarterback Brian Babin had the best analysis of Saturday’s game when he said “Well, they’re Kansas. We’re Southeastern Louisiana.” Babin is correct. But the Jayhawks did little things well that made the victory more meaningful than just another game closer to bowl eligibility.

Todd Reesing finished 13-for-23 with 257 yards and two touchdowns. Reesing’s numbers were just as impressive as week one, but he didn’t look nearly as proficient. The offensive line undoubtedly aided his performance. On Kansas’ two longest pass plays, Reesing would have had enough time to run up to the Campanile and back to the field without any pressure in the backfield. It’s unfair to expect Todd Reesing to be Peyton Manning every week, which is why the offensive line’s ability to hold blocks is vital.

Asher: Reesing was undoubtedly a little off. He missed his receivers quite a few times, and his 66 yard completion to Marcus Henry wasn’t exactly a thing of beauty. But with loads of help from every other Jayhawk, Reesing certainly got the job done. Speaking of other Jayhawks, the Kansas defense may have been the most impressive unit on the field Saturday. James McClinton was an absolute beast from the defensive tackle position, and Joe Mortensen reinforced the fact that he was born to be a middle linebacker. It was hard not to feel sorry for the Lions because they stood absolutely no chance of scoring on the Kansas defense.

Case: If McClinton is the beast, either freshman cornerback Chris Harris or junior safety Patrick Resby has to be the beauty. It’s not so much what the two have done, but more what they haven’t done.

Harris and Resby haven’t blown coverages or let receivers behind them for the most part. Even the most optimistic Kansas fans had to be concerned about the defensive backfield, which ranked dead-last in the nation against the pass last season. Two games into the 2007 campaign, the Jayhawks are 23rd in passing defense and the solid play of newcomers Harris and Resby has a lot to do with that.

Asher: I’m not going to make any sort of judgment on the beauty of Harris or Resby, but both of them have certainly been excellent additions to the defensive backfield. Kansas’ inability to stop the pass was the team’s most glaring weakness; fortunately for Kansas, the new secondary has held up better than last year’s shoddy version. But not every team in the Big 12 has enjoyed the success that Kansas has. Iowa State, who lost to FCS opponent Northern Iowa last weekend, appears to be a completely atrocious football team. Colorado played respectably in the first game of the season but got dismantled by Arizona State on Saturday.

Case: Remember when your parents would warn you against hanging out with the wrong people by saying things like, “If you hang out around trash long enough, you’re going to start to smell like it”? In the Big 12’s case, the Cyclones are definitely the trash.

The mere mention of 0-2 Iowa State brings down a conference that otherwise has a lot going for it. Every other team is going to at least be competitive. The Big 12 seems to have one of the nation’s foremost national title contenders in Oklahoma. The conference has a great chance to make a statement this weekend when No. 1 USC travels to Lincoln, Neb., but don’t expect the Cornhuskers to knock off the Trojans. After all, they are in the same conference as Iowa State.

— Edited by Elizabeth Cattell