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Kansas State (4-2) at Oklahoma State
(4-3)
Why to watch: There but for the
grace of a few plays goes Kansas State.
The Wildcats could easily be 6-0 right
now, roughly two plays away from being
where South Florida is. With a win over
Texas and close calls against Auburn and
Kansas, this is one of the Big 12's
wildcard teams, and at 2-1 in conference
play, it's still in the hunt. However,
it can't afford any big slips, and it
can't afford to lose to an Oklahoma
State team that basically got Nebraska
athletic director Steve Pederson canned
after a 45-14 win in Lincoln. The
Cowboys have had a flaky year on and off
the field, but at 2-1 in the Big 12, are
right in the thick of things with home
dates with Texas and Kansas to follow.
If OSU is going to make a move, it needs
to stay hot for another three weeks
before the layup against Baylor and the
Bedlam showdown against Oklahoma.
Why Kansas State might win: The
Wildcat defense is all but built to stop
a team like Oklahoma State. With an
almost perfect balance, the Cowboys can
move the ball in a variety of ways, but
in a perfect world it wants to win by
running the ball. OSU got 317 rushing
yards and five touchdowns against
Nebraska and won in a walk. It got 366
yards and four touchdowns against Texas
Tech and overcame the Red Raider
onslaught. It gained 200 against Texas
A&M and lost. It gained 70 against
Georgia and lost. Kansas State's 3-4 is
designed to deal with spread offenses,
and is great at keeping speedy running
backs from getting in space and doing
much if they do get in the open field.
OSU might get rushing yards, but it's
not likely to come up with many
backbreakers. However ...
Why Oklahoma State might win: ...
its not like the Wildcat defense can't
be pounded on. Colorado's Hugh
Charles ran wild last week with a great
171-yard day. Texas and Kansas each had
its moments on the ground. Kansas State
feeds off of turnovers and big plays
from the special teams, so if OSU can
win the turnover battle and not give up
a big kick or punt return, the balanced
attack should be able to do the rest.
Who to watch: Two of the nation's
most talented unknown backs should put
on an interesting show. After missing
two games early on, OSU senior Dantrell
Savage has gone nuts with four straight
100-yard games with a 212-yard day
against Nebraska last week. One of the
fastest backs in a conference full of
fast backs, he's a blur in the open
field. Foe Kansas State, 200-pound James
Johnson has quickly become a do-it-all
playmakers as a kickoff returner, taking
one back for a score against Texas, a
receiver, with 21 grabs on the year, and
159 rushing yards and two touchdowns
last week against Colorado on just 20
carries.
What will happen: Kansas State
has been terrific on the road so far,
even with the season-opening loss at
Auburn. The running game will have few
problems, the defense will give up
yards, but not enough of them, and Jordy
Nelson will hit one big deep play to
push the Wildcats ahead in the second
half.
CFN Prediction:
Kansas State
38 ... Oklahoma State 24
... Line: Oklahoma State -3
Must See Rating: (5
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
- 1 Ellen's dog plea) ...
3.5
Texas A&M
(5-2)
at Nebraska
(4-3)
Why to watch: It's the 2007 Lame
Duck Bowl, even though the winner of
this game is still able to crank out a
big season, and for A&M, the Big 12
title is still there for the taking.
Thanks to a major off-the-field issue
with an insider newsletter distributed
to alumni, Dennis Franchione is in hot
water with the NCAA and his
administration, but that's nothing
compared to what the fan reaction if his
Aggies don't take advantage of the
current Husker slide. Two weeks ago,
Nebraska was getting ready for a trip to
Missouri with a chance to take the lead
in the Big 12 North race. One 41-6
thumping from the Tigers, followed up by
a 45-14 home loss to Oklahoma State, and
now athletic director Steve Pederson is
gone, Tom Osborne is in, and head coach
Bill Callahan is on double secret
probation. With road trips to Texas and
Kansas ahead, things could get a whole
bunch of ugly for the Big Red if it
can't beat the Aggies. A&M follows this
up with Kansas, at Oklahoma, at Missouri
and Texas. Yeah, it's a must-win for
both teams.
Why Texas A&M might win: Nebraska
has basically decided to take a few
weeks off from tackling. Missouri's
Chase Daniel bombed away for 411 yards
and three touchdowns, helped by some
nice yards coming after the catch, while
Oklahoma State rumbled for a mere 317
yards and five touchdowns last week. The
Huskers are dead last in the Big 12 in
run defense and 106th in the nation,
allowing 208 yards per game. It just so
happens that Texas A&M is seventh in the
nation running the ball, averaging 246
yards per outing.
Why Nebraska might win: Nebraska
QB Sam Keller should have all day to
throw. A&M didn't get near Texas Tech QB
Graham Harrell for extended stretches
and got picked clean. Keller has had
problems pressing over the last few
weeks, but he's also not getting a
chance to bomb away, throwing it only 18
times in the loss to Oklahoma State. The
Aggie secondary is struggling mightily,
so if the Huskers are ever going to let
it rip, this would be the time.
Who to watch: Is Texas A&M RB
Jorvorskie Lane really that good? A load
around the goal line, he has 39 career
touchdowns and 11 this year, and while
he's been a great part of a 1-2 punch
with Mike Goodson, he hasn't produced
too much against the the better teams.
Against Miami, he only got two carries
for two yards, against Texas Tech he ran
13 times for 48 yards and a touchdown
before the second half started getting
out of hand, and last year he was
stuffed for 13 yards on six carries
against Nebraska. In his career, he has
carried the ball 20 times or more in six
games. Those were six of his seven
100-yard days, and A&M won all six.
Basically, he needs to be fed the rock.
What will happen: And the hits
just keep on coming. Nebraska won't be
able to stop the A&M running game
that'll hang on to the ball for close to
40 minutes. The Husker offense will
click at times, but won't ever establish
a groove.
CFN Prediction:
Texas A&M
31 ... Nebraska 27 ... Line:
Nebraska -2
Must See Rating: (5
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
- 1 Ellen's dog plea) ... 3
Texas
(5-2) at Baylor
(3-4)
Why to watch: Texas has own the
series winning 13 of the last 14, and
it's going to take a major miracle for
Baylor to come close to breaking the
gloom. The Bears haven't been close ever
since a two-game winning streak over
Texas State and Buffalo, getting blasted
by Texas A&M, Colorado and Kansas. The
passing game is getting yards, sort of,
but not enough meaningful ones to stay
in games, while the defense has
struggled way too much. Meanwhile, Texas
got back on track after a two-game
losing streak with a 56-3 win over Iowa
State. While it would take a minor
miracle to win the Big 12 title, this is
an improving team that should be more
dangerous over the second half of the
year.
Why Texas might win: It's almost
impossible to be as inefficient as the
Baylor passing game has been. Despite
wining it around 341 times, an average
of 49 times per game, the Bears are
averaging just 5.85 yards per attempt,
and 11.2 yards per completion with 15
touchdowns and 15 interceptions. To put
this into perspective, the Texas passing
game has been average, some would say a
bit disappointing, but it averages 7.6
yards per attempt. The Longhorn
secondary has been effective all year
long, and it shouldn't get burned too
badly, if at all this week.
Why Baylor might win: Baylor
might be struggling overall, but it's
generating a nice pass rush so far.
Third in the Big 12 in sacks, the Bears
should get several big hits on Texas QB
Colt McCoy, even if they don't always
get him down. McCoy has been tough as
nails all year, but he's had concussion
problems, along with a variety of other
dings and dents. Don't be shocked if he
gets battered around early, and don't be
shocked if he doesn't finish the game.
BU will sell out to sack him, for good
and bad.
Who to watch: The Baylor
quarterback situation is up in the air
after starter Blake Szymanski suffered a
concussion against Kansas. If he can't
go, then things get interesting. John
David Weed is expected to be the future,
but he hasn't seen any time yet, while
Michael Machen, a former JUCO transfer
and Kent State Golden Flash, has only
gotten to throw one pass, and that was a
pick off a fake punt. Weed is the likely
No. 2 option.
What will happen: Texas will go
through the motions, run without a
problem, and will open it up in the
second half after a sluggish start.
CFN Prediction:
Texas 52
... Baylor 20
... Line: Texas -24.5
Must See Rating: (5
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
- 1 Ellen's dog plea) ... 1.5
Big 12 Week
8 Predictions, Part 1
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