We’re finding out this season that the Big 12 really hasn’t changed much. There’s still very little defense. Baylor and TCU are really good. Oklahoma loses games that it shouldn’t. And Kansas and Iowa State are the bottom dwellers.
It seems like we’ve been here before.
This week offers very little in regards to intrigue, but the Big 12 season will heat up tremendously starting in November.
Here are two games we’ll keep an eye on this weekend. Last week’s betting guide for each major conference went 4-4, with a 1-1 mark in the Big 12. Overall for the season, the betting guides have been 7-7 in the Big 12 and 35-33 overall in the power-five conferences.
Kansas State (+7) at Texas
Any other team, we may be concerned with the level of enthusiasm for this game. But Bill Snyder is still the head coach at Kansas State and we’re confident he will have them ready after getting blown out last week against Oklahoma.
This is life in the Big 12. Kansas State’s last three games were all losses, to three teams with a combined one loss. In two of those contests, Kansas State led at halftime. Last week, the Wildcats hit rock bottom, losing 55-0 at home to the Sooners.
But we’re not penalizing the Wildcats too much for that score. Bob Stoops owns Kansas State in Manhattan, Kansas, and that was the third difficult game in a row.
Bettors are buying Kansas State’s demise, taking this opening line from 3.5 points in favor of the Longhorns to seven points. Don’t be fooled by Texas’ win against the Sooners. That was a rivalry game and the Longhorns’ backs were against the wall. This game will tell us much more about if Texas has improved or not.
Don’t do comparative score shopping. On paper, Texas beat the Sooners, and Kansas State lost by more than 50 points. College football is becoming more like the NFL and every week is different. Don’t drink the Longhorn Kool-Aid and back the Cats. — Go against the chalk with Kansas State
Texas Tech (+14) at Oklahoma
This game will be high-scoring and we’re not sure who owns the advantage with the revenge aspect.
The Red Raiders were unhappy with Baker Mayfield for transferring. But we’re sure Mayfield will want to prove something to his former team.
The Sooners have been up and down all season and that’s been the calling card for Oklahoma since Sam Bradford exited college football. They look unstoppable for one week (last week against Kansas State) and then look horrible another week (two weeks ago against Texas).
Texas Tech’s only two losses have come to Baylor and TCU, both undefeated and rolling through the Big 12. The Red Raiders won’t play much defense, but Oklahoma also can give up its share of points.
We like both teams to put up plenty of points and the Sooners won’t be able to stop Texas Tech enough to win by more than two touchdowns. — Go against the chalk with Texas Tech
Other Big 12 games
Odds provided by Oddsshark
Iowa State at Baylor (-37.5)
Kansas at Oklahoma State (-35)
