Predicting the Big 12 Season: Week 12 and 13
It all comes down to the final two weekends of the season as the Big 12 Championship matchup finally gets set.
Previous Weeks: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11
Week 12
Oklahoma State 31 at Oklahoma 33
What a game per usual. This one has major conference title implications just like last years but this time the Sooners come out on top as Dillon Gabriel throws for 350 yards and hits Theo Wease for a game-winning touchdown with just 30 seconds left on the clock. These two teams each rack up over 400 yards of offense but the Sooners run the ball more consistently and don’t turn it over which leads to the win.
TCU 20 at Baylor 38
Baylor gets some revenge here. The Bears have struggled mightily against the Horned Frogs as they have lost six of the last seven in this rivalry. But in this one the defense rises to the test as they shut down the Horned Frogs offense allowing just 275 yards on the day. Gabe Hall leads the way with two sacks while Devin Neal comes up with a fumble recovery touchdown. The offense moves the ball well enough behind a balanced attack and Ben Sims two touchdowns. Baylor gets the monkey off its back.
Texas Tech 20 at Iowa State 48
The Cyclones take care of the Red Raiders behind a very balanced game on offense which leads to 250 yards rushing and 300 yards passing. Tech also turns the ball over five times which leads to 24 points for Iowa State. This is a horrible time for a pass heavy offense to travel to Ames and it shows as the Cyclones demolish Tech.
Texas 48 at Kansas 33
The Longhorns need this game to become bowl eligible plus they need redemption from last years disaster. The Jayhawks are still searching for a conference win. This game is back and forth as both teams are able to score with rather ease especially Texas. Quinn Ewers throws for 350 yards and four touchdowns as Xavier Worthy has a 150-yard game. Bijan Robinson chips in two scores as well. Kansas moves the ball well on the ground with Devin Neal but the turnovers creep in as they give the ball away three times which leads to 17 Texas point. Longhorns are going bowling.
Kansas State 28 at West Virginia 30
The Wildcats and Mountaineers go to war in Morgantown as this is one of the most physical games of the season. Both offensive lines and defensive lines go at for 60 minutes. Ultimately the star power rises to the top as Deuce Vaughn continues to dazzle as he runs for 200 yards and three touchdowns on 35 carries. On the flip side the combination of JT Daniels and Bryce Ford-Wheaton continues to thrive as they link up for 170 yards and two touchdowns including the game-winning one with just a minute left. The win keeps Neal Brown at West Virginia for at least one more season.
Week 13
Baylor 34 at Texas 20 (Friday)
The Bears need this win to stay in the CFP hunt while Texas is happy to be here after securing a bowl bid last week in Lawrence. These are two teams with very different motivations as Texas is trying to play spoiler and the Bears are trying to keep they claim as the top program in Texas. The bad news for the Longhorns is they simply can’t block the Bears for the second year in a row. Texas is held to juts 85 rushing yards and Quinn Ewers is sacked four times while being hit all game. The Baylor offense struggles in the first half but ultimately the defense gets enough stops in a row that the offense finds its footing. Blake Shapen throws three second half touchdowns to secure things. The Bears are heading back to the conference championship.
Oklahoma 37 at Texas Tech 34
Too close for comfort. This is the ultimate trap game for the Sooners following a massive win in Bedlam. The Red Raiders crowd is phenomenal as they help Tech build up a 24-13 lead at half. Unfortunately Tech’s lack of a constant run game bites them in this one as they are unable to waste time during their scoring drives which give Oklahoma more and more chances to get back in this game. Donovan Smith finds Loic Founji for a 45-yard touchdown to give Tech a 34-30 lead but they left 3:30 on the clock. The Sooners have three timeouts so they keep feeding Eric Gray as he eclipses the 200 total yard mark on this drive. The Sooners get down to the 10 yard line with 35 seconds left and Gray breaks off a game winning touchdown. Sooners survive.
West Virginia 21 at Oklahoma State 51
The Mountaineers had a good run this season but they are coming off a great win and playing a team that just lost a heartbreaker in Bedlam. This is the classic Stillwater beatdown that happens to multiple teams each season. Spencer Sanders goes for 400 total yards of offense as he leads the Cowboys to a massive scoring day. The defense sacks JT Daniels seven times and forces three turnovers. This game is over before it even started.
Iowa State 20 at TCU 31
The Horned Frogs aren’t playing for much but they always seem to pull off random wins in these situations and it happens here. Everything that can go wrong for Iowa State does and everything that can go right for TCU does. Iowa State misses two field goals, turns it over four times, gives up five sacks, and gives up a special teams touchdown to Derius Davis. TCU converts 11-of-16 first downs in this game and scores a touchdown in all but one redzone trip. Great win in the final game of the year.
Kansas 17 at Kansas State 38
The Wildcats roll in this one behind a strong rushing performance by Deuce Vaughn and Adrian Martinez as they pile up nearly 300 yards on the ground. The defense holds Kansas below 250 yards and makes life miserable for Jalon Daniels. Easy win for Chris Klieman and company.
Big 12 Standings
1. Oklahoma — 10-2 (7-2)
1. Baylor — 10-2 (7-2)
3. Oklahoma State — 9-3 (6-3)
4. Kansas State — 8-4 (5-4)
4. West Virginia — 7-5 (5-4)
4. Iowa State — 7-5 (5-4)
7. Texas — 6-6 (4-5)
8. TCU — 5-7 (3-6)
8. Texas Tech — 4-8 (3-6)
10. Kansas — 2-10 (0-9)