Predicting the Big 12 Season: Bears Cruise Big over Samford, Two Key Big 12 Matchups
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Welcome back! It’s time to project the Big 12 season for every team once again. Over the next couple of weeks, I will go through the entirety of the upcoming season for each team in the Big 12, pick the conference champion and make bowl projections.
Obviously, there is still a lot that can change, but barring significant injuries for any of the teams, we are in a good spot for some predictions. With that said, let's do this!
Baylor vs. Samford, 11 a.m. CT, Saturday, Sept. 13, at McLane Stadium (ESPN+)
Samford went 4-7 last year but had three losses that were within four points. The Bulldogs were plenty competitive in their league a season ago, but the best comparison to this Baylor matchup came in week two when Florida lit them up 45-7. The game was just 14-0 at halftime until DJ Lagway went crazy and finished with 456 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Keep in mind, Lagway didn’t really break out against Power Four competition until the seventh game of the season. This was an outlier for him early on, highlighting how overwhelmed Samford was in that game.
I do not see Baylor struggling here. This game will be at least a four-score game at half, and the backups should get plenty of reps in the second half. The Bears get it done through the air and on the ground, with several youngsters also having breakout games, including Caden Knighten, Taz Williams, Jacorey Watson, Harrison Cluff, Jackson Blackwell, Kamauryn Morgan, Kaleb Burns and Calvin Simpson-Hunt. That should be fun to watch.
- Prediction: Baylor 55, Samford 9
Rest of the Big 12 Slate
Friday, September 12
- Colorado 24 at Houston 21
- Kansas State 30 at Arizona 24
Saturday, September 13
- Oregon State 24 at Texas Tech 38
- Pitt 28 at West Virginia 24
- Northwestern State 10 at Cincinnati 55
- Iowa State 38 at Arkansas State 17
- Abilene Christian 24 at TCU 52
- Utah 30 at Wyoming 14
- Texas State 20 at Arizona State 38
Big 12 Standings
- 1. Kansas State — 4-0 (1-0)
- T1. Colorado – 2-1 (1-0)
- T3. Baylor — 3-0 (0-0)
- T3. Arizona State – 3-0 (0-0)
- T3. Utah – 3-0 (0-0)
- T3. Texas Tech — 3-0 (0-0)
- T7. BYU — 2-0 (0-0)
- T7. UCF — 2-0 (0-0)
- T7. TCU — 2-0 (0-0)
- T10. Kansas — 2-1 (0-0)
- T10. Cincinnati — 2-1 (0-0)
- T10. Arizona – 2-1 (0-0)
- 13. Oklahoma State — 1-1 (0-0)
- 14. West Virginia — 1-2 (0-0)
- T15. Houston — 2-1 (0-1)
- T15. Iowa State — 2-2 (0-1)
