RECORD BOWLS
The Big 12's 90% bowl eligibility mark is the highest in college football history.
OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS
If the Big 12 only sends one team to a BCS level bowl, then the league will have one more bowl eligible team than it has contracted slots for. With other leagues not filling out all of their slots, however, that "last" team will still have a bowl trip on its schedule. The Independence Bowl (ACC vs. SEC) is one possible destination for a Big 12 squad.
Either Oklahoma or Kansas State will represent the league in the BCS, and both could earn spots if each wins its game on Saturday and Northern Illinois knocks off Kent State in the MAC title game.
Currently, 71 teams are bowl eligible, and at least two more could become eligible with wins this weekend.
GROUND NOISE
The Big 12 is the only league averaging more than two rushing scores (2.02 per contest) and two passing scores (2.32) per game.
FEW CUPCAKES
The Big 12 is the lone league with 100% of its teams in the top 61 for FBS strength
of schedule, based on cumulative opposition. The combined opposition of every
Big 12 team has a winning percentage of over .500. Every loss by Big 12 teams
has been to bowl-eligible teams.
PICKS
Baylor has played better in recent weeks, but it probably doesn't have enough to fend off visiting Oklahoma State, which is still smarting from its overtime loss in Bedlam. No matter what QB the Cowboys put on the field, they still roll up offensive numbers, making them the pick.
Oklahoma travels to TCU, and shouldn't suffer a letdown despite the excitement of last week's defeat of OSU. The Sooners have defensive issues, but the Horned Frogs don't have the weapons to take advantage of them.
Disappointing West Virginia hosts moribund Kansas. The Mountaineers are playing for the chance to spend bowl time in San Diego over some less attractive locations. Kansas is playing to avoid a winless Big 12 season. WVU has more offensive talent, and KU has the stouter defense. West Virginia gets the nod in a game that will be closer than the oddsmakers predict.
Outside of West Virginia, Texas might be the most vexing team in the league. Last week's loss just adds to the mystery, but this week's game won't offer any puzzles. K-State's off week provided plenty of time for the Wildcats to stew, and they'll take it out on the Longhorns.
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BAYLOR
(6-5, 3-5)
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vs. Oklahoma State
Sat 11/24
12:00 E / 11:00 C
FX
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The Bears have had at least 400 yards of offense in every game and
over 600 yards in five games this season.
The Baylor defense has at least one interception in five straight games
and eight games this season.
Sirius/XM: 92/190
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IOWA STATE
(6-6, 3-6)
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Regular Season Complete
Next Game
Bowl TBD
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QB Sam Richardson rushed for a career-high 119 yards against West
Virginia. It was ISU’s second 100-yard rushing effort of the season.
LB A.J. Klein recorded a season-high 14 tackles against the
Mountaineers, marking his fourth double-digit effort of the year and
16th of his career.
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KANSAS
(1-10, 0-8)
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at West Virginia
Sat 12/1
2:30 E / 1:30 C
FSN
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Senior OL Tanner Hawkinson set a KU record with his 47th consecutive
start in the ISU game. He passed Hessley Hempstead who started
46-straight from 1991-94.
HB Tony Pierson’s 55-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was
the fourth-straight game that Kansas has had a rush of 55 yards or
more.
Sirius/XM: 117/202
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KANSAS STATE
(10-1,7-1)
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vs. Texas
Sat 12/1
8:00 E / 7:00 C
ABC
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QB Collin Klein became the first quarterback at a BCS school to record
20 rushing touchdowns and 10 passing touchdowns in back-to-back
seasons.
Redshirt freshman defensive back Dante Barnett, making his first career
start, had 14 tackles (13 solo), at Baylor.
Sirius/XM: 85/85
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OKLAHOMA
(9-2, 7-1)
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at TCU
Sat 12/1
12:00 E / 11:00 C
ESPN
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QB Landry Jones is first in Big 12 history and third in NCAA history in
career passing yards with 16,124 yards. The senior also tops the Big
12 with 15,756 yards of total offense.
Jones became the first player in Oklahoma history to register backto-
back 500-yard passing games and owns all three of the 500-yard
games in school history.
Sirius/XM: 85/85
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OKLAHOMA STATE
(7-4, 5-3)
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at Baylor
Sat 11/24
12:00 E / 11:00 C
FX
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The 75-yard Clint Chelf-to-Josh Stewart touchdown pass on the first
play of the second half at OU was OSU’s longest play from scrimmage
this season. It also marked OSU’s sixth one-play touchdown drive
this season.
For the 38th consecutive game, Oklahoma State had a scoring drive
that took less than two minutes off the clock.
Sirius/XM: 92/190
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TEXAS
(8-3, 5-3)
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at Kansas State
Sat 12/1
8:00 E / 7:00 C
ABC
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The Texas defense, which surrendered just 299 total yards in the game,
was especially tough in the fourth quarter, holding TCU to minus-3
yards over the final four drives.
Texas has played 76 times on the Thanksgiving holiday and owns a
51-23-2 (.684) record.
Sirius/XM: 117/202
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TCU
(7-4, 4-4)
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vs Oklahoma
Sat 12/1
12:00 E / 11:00 C
ESPN
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The Horned Frogs were a plus-3 in turnover margin against Texas.
Since 2005, TCU has the nation’s best record (48-1, .980) when
ahead in turnover margin.
With the win over Texas, TCU recorded its 600th win in program
history. The Frogs improved to 4-1 on the road in Big 12 play this
season.
Sirius/XM: 85/85
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TEXAS TECH
(7-5, 4-5)
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Regular Season Complete
Next Game
Bowl TBD
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WR Darrin Moore’s 146 yards in the first half vs. Baylor marked the
most by a Red Raider since Michael Crabtree logged 152 in the first
half at Oklahoma State on Sept. 22, 2007.
Jakeem Grant returned a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown late
in the third quarter vs. Baylor. That marked the first kickoff return for a
touchdown by a Red Raider since Vincent Meeks in 2002 at Oklahoma.
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WEST VIRGINIA
(6-5, 3-5)
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at Iowa State
Sat 12/1
2:30 E / 1:30 C
FSN
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Geno Smith finished 22-for-31 for 236 yards and two toucdowns vs.
Iowa State, giving him two or more TD passes in a game in all but
two contests this season.
With 82 receiving yards against Iowa State, Stedman Bailey pushed
his season total to 1,342, a Mountaineer record.
Sirius/XM: 117/202
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