By Daniel Hill
Sports Writer
Kansas State at Iowa State: The undefeated No. 6 Wildcats travel to Ames to take on a 4-1 Cyclones team. Kansas State’s offense is nothing flashy, but the ground game of quarterback Collin Klein and running back John Hubert has become a dominant force. Iowa State may be the surprise team of the Big 12. This should be a defensive struggle in a hostile environment, but ultimately Kansas State should prove to be too much for Iowa State. Prediction: Kansas State 27, Iowa State 20
Texas vs. Oklahoma: In another edition of the Red River Rivalry, both storied programs are ranked with No. 13 Oklahoma hosting No. 15 Texas in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl. The Sooners are fresh off of a convincing win over Texas Tech, and Texas lost a barnburner to No. 5 West Virginia 48-45. This game will most likely come down to the final seconds to determine a winner. Ultimately, Landry Jones’ experience at quarterback should lead to a narrow Sooners victory. Prediction: Oklahoma 34, Texas 31
Oklahoma State at Kansas: The Jayhawks still have a long way to go under Charlie Weis if they ever want to be competitive in the Big 12. Meanwhile, Oklahoma State should be angry after a tough 41-36 loss against Texas two weeks ago. The Cowboys offensive attack will be too much for the Jayhawks to handle. Prediction: Oklahoma State 42, Kansas 21
West Virginia at Texas Tech: This could be a possible trap game for No. 5 West Virginia because they just won a thrilling game over No. 15 Texas in Austin, and then next week, they host No. 6 Kansas State. With a road game against Texas Tech sandwiched right in between two ranked opponents, this has potential to be a deadly trap game for the Mountaineers. Lubbock is always a difficult place to play, and this Mountaineers team has never experienced the panhandle of Texas. The Raiders just lost 41-20 to No. 13 Oklahoma, but the Raiders defense has improved to 23rd in the nation and their offense ranks 21st in the nation. This is college football after all, and anything can happen in college football. Don’t be surprised if the Raiders shock the nation, but it’s tough to pick against the record-breaking WVU offense. Prediction: West Virginia: 52, Texas Tech: 40
TCU at Baylor: With Casey Pachall withdrawing from TCU to enter rehab after his DWI arrest, the Bears will face TCU back-up quarterback Trevone Boykin. Boykin is an extremely athletic quarterback and also serves as a backup running back for TCU. The 119th ranked Baylor defense will have to find a way to contain Boykin’s dual-threat rushing and passing capabilities. Boykin did throw three interceptions against Iowa State, so the Baylor defense should capitalize with a couple of takeaways. A fantastic matchup to watch will be TCU’s 10th ranked defense versus Baylor’s second ranked offense. Baylor has not had a home game since Sept. 15, so the home crowd should be filled with excitement to watch the Bears. This should be a close, competitive game between two competitive teams. With the Bears having more experience at quarterback, Baylor’s offense should dictate the pace of the game. Prediction: Baylor 38, 24.
