Predicting the 2019 Big 12 Season: Week 3

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Tons of great non-confence matchups this week as teams start to earn big wins. The Big 12 looks to fair a little better than it has in recent years during the non-conference.

Week 1 | Week 2

Week 3

Friday, September 13th

Kansas 13, Boston College 31 (Chestnut Hill)

How about a matchup with two of the best running backs in college football! Pooka Williams vs. AJ Dillon will be an absolutely joy to watch especially because both defenses will have a tough time stopping both of these backs. Dillon ends up with 200 yards and two touchdowns on the ground while Williams has 150 total yards and a touchdown of his own. BC has a tough time controlling Williams speed and he gashes them for some big plays but the passing attack of the Jayhawks fails them. Stanley starts but MacVittie and Kendrick both get a shot but come up short. The defense for Boston College holds up well and the offense moves the ball at home. The Jayhawks perfect season comes to an end.

Saturday, September 14th

Iowa 17, Iowa State 23 (Ames)

The Cy-Hawk has been dominated by Iowa throughout history and over the last four football seasons. This will be another very good game as both teams return their starting quarterbacks and a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. I have a feeling this will be a bit of a defensive battle. Jaquan Bailey, Ray Lima, and Marcel Spears Jr. make life extremely tough for the Iowa running game as they are held to 100 yards rushing for the game. Brock Purdy struggles a little early to get the offense for the Cyclones going but he is able to get things figured out in the second half as he leads three scoring drives. Iowa QB Nate Stanley does all he can to try to get something going for the Hawkeyes but a Greg Elsworth interception late ends any hope for a comeback attempt.

Oklahoma 45, UCLA 27 (Los Angeles)

Last season the Sooners dismantled UCLA in Norman by four touchdowns but this year I think it will be more competitive. UCLA should be a lot better than they were a year ago and I expect them to make a bowl but the Sooners have much higher expectations and it shows. The Bruins get off to a nice start and they are ahead at the end of the first quarter but then the OU rushing attack starts going. Trey Sermon, Kennedy Brooks, and Jalen Hurts combine for four rushing touchdowns and 300 yards on the ground. Hurts finds CeeDee Lamb for a touchdown early in the 4th that puts the game away.

NC State 31, West Virginia 24 (Morgantown)

The Mountaineers return home after losing a week ago and have a lot to figure out heading into this NC State matchup. Austin Kendall gets the offense going a little as he starts the first half with two passing touchdowns as the Mountaineers build a small lead at half. But in the second half the ground game gets shut down and Kendall gets forced into couple turnovers. The Wolfpack are able to create a little space and come out of Morgantown with a win thanks to a four touchdown day by quarterback Matt McKay.

Texas 42, Rice 13 (Houston)

The Longhorns get things going early and often against an atrocious Rice defense. Sam Ehlingher goes for 300 total yards and three touchdowns while Keaontay Ingram and Daniel Young add two more touchdowns on the ground. The Texas defense forces three turnovers in this one including a pick-six by Cade Sterns in the first half. Texas rolls easily.

TCU 27, Purdue 24 (West Lafayette)

This matchup will bring together two of the most dynamic playmakers in the country, TCU’s Jalen Reagor and Purdue’s Rondale Moore. Reagor gets things going early as he takes a screen pass to the house in the first quarter. Alex Delton uses he legs a ton in this one along with Sewo Olonilua and the Horned Frogs find some success on the ground. They both score a touchdown. Rondale Moore scores on a 65-yard touchdown to give Purdue the lead to start the 4th quarter but TCU responds with a Jalen Reagor 10-yard touchdown on a slant. The Horned Frogs escape West Lafayette with a hard-fought win in the closest game of the week.

Texas Tech 41, Arizona 33 (Tuscon)

Another close game this week as the Red Raiders travel to face the Arizona Wildcats. Alan Bowman gets things started with three passing touchdowns in the first half but Wildcats QB Khalil Tate answers with two of his own as the shootout gets underway. Bowman finds McLane Mannix for a touchdown to open the second half and Ta’Zhawn Henry runs in a touchdown to open up a little bit of a lead. But Tate responds with a scoring drive of his own as he finds Cedric Peterson for a 30-yard touchdown. Tate has the Wildcats driving again late as Arizona is looking to tie the game up but he gets pressured and makes a mistake as Justus Parker comes down with an interception. That seals the deal as Matt Wells and the Red Raiders get a huge road win.

Oklahoma State 48, Tulsa 34 (Tulsa)

Tulsa lost four games by singles digits a year ago on its way to a 3-9 season. They will be much better this season and this will be their first home game of the year. Spencer Sanders has a great performance in this one as he throws for 300 yards and three touchdowns while Chubba Hubbard runs in two more. The Oklahoma State defense struggles as Baylor transfer Zach Smith throws for over 400 yards and four scores for Tulsa. This one ends up being a shootout but a couple of late sacks by the Cowboys defense allows them to pull away in the 4th quarter.

Kansas State 14, Mississippi State 30 (Starkville)

The Wildcats head to Starkville to face a very talented Mississippi State Bulldog team. Kansas State has a lot of trouble moving the football in this one even though the Bulldogs lost a ton of talent off its defense from a season ago. Skylar Thompson gets the wildcats in the end zone twice but he also turns the ball over twice. On the other side Quarterback Keytaon Thompson and running back Kylin Hill pace the Bulldogs offense as they cruise to a fairly easy win.

*Baylor OFF Week

Big 12 Standings

1. Oklahoma — 3-0 (0-0)

1. Oklahoma State — 3-0 (0-0)

1. Texas — 3-0 (0-0)

1. Texas Tech — 3-0 (0-0)

5. Baylor — 2-0 (0-0)

5. Iowa State — 2-0 (0-0)

5. TCU — 2-0 (0-0)

8. Kansas — 2-1 (0-0)

8. Kansas State — 2-1 (0-0)

10. West Virginia — 1-2 (0-0)