Big 12 Fearless Predictions, Oct. 18

Is this the preview of the Big 12 title game? The Big 12 South race is far from over, but Chris Ogbonnaya's Texas has the inside track, while Chase Daniel and Missouri need a big win to get past last week's loss to OSU. Check out the Previews and Predictions for the Week 8 Big 12 Games.

Big 12
North Colorado | Iowa St | Kansas | Kansas State | Missouri | Nebraska
South Baylor | Oklahoma | Oklahoma State | Texas | Texas A&M | Texas Tech

Big 12 Fearless Predictions Aug. 30 | Sept. 6 | Sept. 13 | Sept. 20
- Sept. 27 | Oct. 4 | Oct. 11

- Big 12 Predictions, Oct.18, Part 2 (Kansas at OU)

How are the picks so far? SU: 49-9 ... ATS: 25-24

Big 12 Game of the Week

Missouri (5-1) at Texas (6-0), 8:00 EST, ABC
Why to watch: Everyone assumed this big-time showdown would feature an unbeaten team vs. a team coming off a tough loss, but no one really thought it’d be Missouri who’d be tagged with the defeat. It could’ve been such a great out-of-the-blue storyline. It would’ve been No. 1 vs. No. 2 (the voters would’ve knocked down Alabama for a week and then put it back up to the No. 2 spot the week after) and it would be one of the biggest regular season games in Big 12 history. Instead, it’s just a really, really good showdown that could be a preview of the Big 12 title game.

In the overall pecking order, the Big 12 champion has the second slot behind the SEC champion when it comes to playing for the national title. A one-loss USC might have its say, but assuming Penn State loses along the way, a one-loss Big 12 title team will likely be in Miami playing for the whole ball of wax.

Missouri might have lost to Oklahoma State last week, but it can quickly make amends by beating the No. 1 team in the land to get back in the national championship hunt. If Mizzou wins out, it’ll almost certainly be playing for the national title. Texas beat Oklahoma last week in, arguably, the best game of the year, but that was a mere appetizer compared to the second half of the season. Missouri, Oklahoma State, at Texas Tech, Baylor, Kansas, Texas A&M. If the Longhorns survive all of that, it’s off to the Big 12 title game. Win that, and it’ll be on to Miami … most likely. However, Mack Brown’s club needs a win this week to solidify the No. 1 spot and to take a little bit of pressure off going into the brutal finishing kick. It’s going to be a shootout, it’s going to be a battle of the two leading Heisman candidates (Chase Daniel of Missouri and Colt McCoy of Texas), and it’s going to be every bit as good as it would’ve been had it been No. 1 vs. No. 2. Texas has won 13 of the last 14 meetings, but Mizzou won the first two … in 1907 and 1916.

Why Missouri might win: Somewhat lost in the stunned euphoria of the win over Oklahoma was the play of the secondary. It came though big-time in the second half, but it still got ripped to shreds overall by Sam Bradford. Brian Orakpo and the Texas defensive front did a great job of getting into the backfield, but Daniel is more mobile than Bradford, who’s hardly a stick in the mud. The Longhorn secondary is giving up 268 yards per game. It could give up 100 more than that to Daniel if this gets into a basketball game on grass. Missouri is more than ready to get rolling in a firefight.
Why Texas might win: If Oklahoma State can get to Daniel, so can Texas. Yeah, Daniel can move, but the Cowboys, who have one of the nation’s worst pass rushes, were able to get the Mizzou star out of his comfort zone. While Daniel was brilliant in the second half against OSU, he threw three picks and had to force his throws more than normal. Texas should be able to do a bit of the same without having to get quirky like OSU did. On the other side of the ball, the Missouri secondary is burnable. Very burnable.
Who to watch: Everyone picked OU to beat Texas because of the perceived difference in weaponry. The Texas receivers did every bit as much as the Sooner targets, with Jordan Shipley coming through with a special game catching 11 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown, and returning two kickoffs for 113 yards with a game-changing score. He has a touchdown catch in every game this season, and going back to last year, despite being shut out by Arizona State, at least when it came to scoring, he has a touchdown grab in seven of his last eight games.
What will happen: How well will Texas handle success? How well will Mizzou deal with being knocked off its pedestal. Texas might be the real deal, but so is Missouri, and now the pressure is all on the burnt orange side of the field. Daniel isn’t going to have two mediocre games in a row, and the Missouri linebacking corps will plug the passing game holes McCoy found open last week when star Ryan Reynolds tore up his knee. The Tigers will win a classic.
CFN Prediction: Missouri 38 … Texas 34 …. Line: Texas -6.5
Must See Rating: (5 The Real Housewives of Atlanta – 1 Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew) … 5
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 Saturday, October 18

Texas Tech (6-0) at Texas A&M (2-4), 12:00 EST
Why to watch: It’s the high point for Texas Tech and the low point for Texas A&M. With the overtime win over Nebraska last week, Texas Tech has continued to pile up the victories, on an eight-game streak going back to last year, but this is the last breather week before playing at Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma State and at Oklahoma. For A&M, a win this week would change around a lost season that doesn’t appear to be getting any better. Injuries, inconsistency, and a bad defense have contributed to the poor start, but if the Aggies can pull this off, with winnable games against Iowa State, Colorado and Baylor still on the slate (along with OU and Texas), a bowl would still be within reach with a win over the Red Raiders.
Why Texas Tech might win: There isn’t any one thing A&M does particularly well, and the lines have been particularly awful. The only way to beat Texas Tech is to get steady pressure on QB Graham Harrell, and that’s just not going to happen from an Aggie defensive front that has generated just seven sacks on the year and does little to make plays behind the line. A&M has allowed 40 points or more in three of the last four games.
Why Texas A&M might win: For all the problems and all the issues, the pass defense has been surprisingly decent. That’s mainly because everyone has been able to run amok, with only Miami netting fewer than 215 rushing yards, but the defensive backs aren’t that bad. Texas Tech can run a little bit, and it’ll try, but that’s what the Aggie want. The A&M offense has the potential to keep up the pace for a little while because of the emergence of …
Who to watch: … QB Jerrod Johnson. Everyone knew he was mobile and had a live arm, but no one expected a school-record 487 yards of total offense last week with a school-record 419 passing yards with two touchdowns. With Stephen McGee hurting, and the running game being inexplicably ignored, it’s all about Johnson who has to do it all yet again this week if the Aggies are going to keep it close.
What will happen: Somewhat surprisingly, Tech has owned this series winning 10 of the last 13. Make it 11-of-14 as the offensive balance, and yes, there is balance on the Tech offense, will be far too much for the woeful Aggie D. The secondary will get peppered for the first time all year, while the run defensive will give up yards in chunks. However, it’ll be fun, Johnson and the Aggies will get their licks in.
CFN Prediction: Texas Tech 52 … Texas A&M 34 … Line: Texas Tech -21
Must See Rating: (5 The Real Housewives of Atlanta – 1 Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew) … 3
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Nebraska (3-3) at Iowa State (2-4), 12:30 EST
Why to watch: It’s do-or-die time for two teams that came into the season thinking bowl game and are now looking just to turn things around. Nebraska appeared to be on the verge of a huge win for the Bo Pelini era in last week’s showdown at Texas Tech, but despite a great comeback, the team suffered a tough 37-31 loss as Joe Ganz got picked off when he was simply trying to throw the ball away. While Baylor is better, the Huskers have to look to this week and next week’s game against the Bears as a chance to go on a little run before dealing with Oklahoma and Kansas. On the other side, Iowa State had suffered two heartbreakers with an overtime loss to UNLV and a second-half collapse against Kansas, and then came the real stunner with a lifeless 38-10 loss at Baylor. On a four-game losing streak, and with a tough stretch of three road games in four weeks coming in November, the Cyclones have to beat the Huskers to have any hopes of a 13^th game.
Why Nebraska might win: Ganz should be able to pick apart the Cyclone secondary. Gene Chizik lets his defensive backs hang, and despite a decent pass rush, the production hasn’t been there against efficient passing teams. Nebraska should be able to run the ball if it wants to, but it’ll have the most success when Ganz is able to get into a rhythm and start throwing, like he did late in the game against Texas Tech.
Why Iowa State might win: The Nebraska defense has decided to go bye-bye. After doing a decent job against the non-BCS teams, the Huskers struggled to stop a mediocre Virginia Tech offense and was ripped up by Missouri and Texas Tech. There’s no shame in having problems against the Tigers and Red Raiders, but the defense really isn’t playing all that well. Iowa State has to come out hot like it was in the first half against Kansas. The Cyclones don’t have a high-octane passing game, but it can be effective in spurts.
Who to watch: With running quarterback Phillip Bates leaving the team, it’ll be up to the running backs to start to pick up the slack. That didn’t happen last week against Baylor as Alexander Robinson ran for a mere 32 yards on nine carries and J.J. Bass finished with 36 yards on six carries. The Cyclones got behind and had to start chucking, but they have to establish the ground attack early on.
What will happen: Iowa State will play well, but Nebraska’s offense will light up when needed in the second half and Austen Arnaud and the Cyclone passing game won’t be able to answer.
CFN Prediction: Nebraska 34 … Iowa State 24 … Line: Nebraska -6.5
Must See Rating: (5 The Real Housewives of Atlanta – 1 Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew) … 2.5
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- Big 12 Predictions, Oct.18, Part 2 (Kansas at OU)