Big 12 Football Week 12 Breakdown
#2 Oklahoma State vs. Iowa State
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are atop the Big XII at 10-0. Their offense has carried them thus far and will continue to do so for the rest of the season. Since there is no Big XII championship game, the Cowboys only have this game and their rivalry game against Oklahoma before the bowl games. Winning out means the BCS Championship game for Oklahoma State. Iowa State is still at the bottom of the conference standings. Steele Janz has only thrown 10 touchdown passes this year to nine interceptions. With Oklahoma State scoring over 51 points per game, Janz may have to throw 10 touchdowns in one game just to keep up. But that won’t happen.
Predicted Winner: Oklahoma State
#5 Oklahoma vs. #22 Baylor
Since losing to Texas Tech, Oklahoma has gotten back on the winning track. They easily took games against the Kansas State Wildcats and the Texas A&M Aggies. They’re allowing less than 20 points per game and scoring more than 45. They don’t seem to be missing wide receiver Ryan Broyles at all. But the Baylor Bears have a big injury themselves. Leading receiver Kendall Wright has an ankle injury, but is expected to play. The Bears won’t be able to stop the Sooners’ attack, but they might be able to outscore them. It’ll be a shootout in Waco on Saturday.
Predicted Winner: Oklahoma
#13 Kansas State vs. #23 Texas
If you keep up with my weekly Big XII predictions, you know that I’m not too high on Texas this year. I predicted their loss to Missouri and I don’t think they should be ranked. But after this week, they should drop out of the Top 25. Kansas State and Texas play a similar style of football. They are both running teams, but the Wildcats do it better. Collin Klein had a great game last week against Texas A&M. He knows that with two more wins, a prestigious bowl game is in their future.
Predicted Winner: Kansas State
Missouri vs. Texas Tech
Remember last year when Missouri upset then #1 Oklahoma and had serious BCS hopes? Texas Tech was the team that ruined those dreams the very next week. But Texas Tech is giving up more points than they are scoring this season. Missouri is not. And sophomore quarterback James Franklin has really stepped up his play in the past few weeks. They have a great balanced attack on offense, rushing for over 230 yards and passing for almost 250 more. Texas Tech won’t be able to contain everybody, even with running back Henry Josey out for the season.
Predicted Winner: Missouri
Texas A&M vs. Kansas
When was the last time Kansas’ football and basketball teams lost in the same week? I don’t know, but it was probably a long time ago. Even though Texas A&M has underachieved this year, Kansas is miles below the rest of the Big XII. There was a lot of excitement surrounding the hiring of Turner Gill in 2010, but one conference win out of fifteen is not conducive to keeping your job. The Jayhawks need to make some changes. What they’re doing isn’t working.
Predicted Winner: Texas A&M
