3 games to watch in the Big 12: West Virginia aims for another Baylor upset
There are only four games in the Big 12 this weekend and none feature a matchup of ranked teams. Oklahoma State and Texas take the weekend off to make a few small repairs, and only the Oklahoma-Kansas State game is expected to be close. But you know this is a highly offensive conference, and an upset could be creeping around the corner. So stay tuned.
Speaking of offense, this is a good time to remind the college football world of the high quality of play in the Big 12 so far this season. Not only are there two of the top three-ranked teams in the country with Baylor and TCU, but the conference is home to seven of the top 31 teams in the Sagarin Rankings. The Big 12 tops the FBS in total offense with 490 yards per game, led by the top three offenses in the country. Baylor ranks No. 1 with 725 yards and 64.2 points per game, Texas Tech is No. 2 with 631 yards and 52.7 points per game, and TCU sits at No. 3 with 615 yards and 51.0 points per game.
West Virginia at No. 2 Baylor
Saturday, Oct. 17, 12 p.m. ET (FOX)
Let’s face it, a Mountaineer win here would be a monumental upset, especially with the Bears holding the nation’s longest home win streak at 18 games. But remember, last season the ‘Neers put a solid 47-27 whoopin’ on the Bears in Morgantown. Then again, this isn’t the same Bears they tussled with last season. This 2015 version is a bona fide juggernaut.
Quarterback Seth Russell has morphed seamlessly into the starting role, leading the FBS in passing efficiency (210.7), passing TDs (22), and passing yards per attempt (11.8). West Virginia has its hands full trying to contain the Russell-to-Corey Coleman connection, as the wideout leads the nation in TD catches (13) and scoring (15.6 points per game). But the Mountaineer defense is nothing to sneeze at, ranking second best in the conference, allowing 342 yards a game. This will be an interesting matchup.
Baylor's offense is also versatile. People easily forget the Bears rank second in the country in rushing yards (357 yards per game), and running back Shock Linwood is in the top 10 nationally as well, running for 719 yards through five games.
No. 19 Oklahoma at Kansas State
Saturday, Oct. 17, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
It’s the teacher versus the student, as Bill Snyder will square off with former assistant Bob Stoops in the Little Apple.
These two teams have had their confidence broken the last few weeks. The Wildcats come in having lost their last two games in excruciatingly late fashion, losing at Oklahoma State on a last-second field goal and then blowing a 35-17 halftime lead at home against TCU, then losing on a late touchdown. Meanwhile, Oklahoma lost a stunner to archrival Texas last week. That’s enough to slump the shoulders of any Sooners fan.
The big key will be if the Wildcats can put massive amounts of pressure on Sooners QB Baker Mayfield like the Longhorns did. If the Sooners' offensive line is still Swiss cheese, advantage Wildcats. Also, look out for wideout Sterling Shepard, who torched the Wildcats for an OU-record 15 catches in last year’s game. The KSU defense has its work cut out for it.
Oddly, coach Stoops has to be feeling good going into this one as he's won all five games he’s coached in Manhattan, and all of them by double digits. That, and the strong desire to get the bad taste of the Texas loss out of their mouths, is enough to pick the Sooners to make amends here.
No. 3 TCU at Iowa State
Saturday, Oct. 17, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
There’s no way the Cyclones can pull the upset here, right? Well once again we’ll remind you of how the Horned Frogs tend to play down to the level of their competition on the road. The Purple Gang barely escaped Minnesota (23-17), Texas Tech (55-52), and Kansas State (52-45) in their other three road games this season.
Iowa State is given a little benefit of the doubt here with versatile QB Sam B. Richardson leading the offensive attack against an injury-filled Frog defense, and also the emergence of freshman running back Mike Warren, who has three straight 100-yard games. If those two get some blocking and stay hot, the ‘Clones could melt some clock and cut this game in half.
But the problem is that the Cyclones' defense is rated No. 101 in the country, giving up 430 yards a game to their opponents. Just imagine what Trevone Boykin, Aaron Green, and Josh Doctson will do to this defense? Oy vey, it could get ugly early.