This Week in the Big 12
Saturday, September 25
Texas Tech at Texas (ABC) 11:00 a.m.
Series: UT 53-17
Last Meeting: UT 63-56 on Sept. 26, 2020 in Lubbock.
SMU at TCU (FS1) 11:00 a.m.
Series: TCU 51-41-7
Last Meeting: SMU 41-38 on Sept. 21, 2019 in Fort Worth.
No. 14/14 Iowa State at Baylor (FOX) 2:30 p.m.
Series: BU 10-9
Last Meeting: ISU 38-31 on Nov. 7, 2020 in Ames.
Kansas at Duke (ACCN) 3:00 p.m.
Series: Tied 1-1
Last Meeting: Duke 41-3 on Sept. 13, 2014 in Durham.
No. 25/RV Kansas State at RV/No. 22 Oklahoma State (Big 12 Now) 6:00 p.m.
Series: OSU 41-26
Last Meeting: OSU 20-18 on Nov. 7, 2020 in Manhattan.
West Virginia at No. 4/3 Oklahoma (ABC) 6:30 p.m.
Series: OU 10-2
Last Meeting: OU 52-14 on Oct. 19, 2019 in Norman.
All Times are listed as Central. Rankings are listed as AP/USA Today Coaches
Conference News & Notes
Baylor hosts Iowa State in its second conference game while ISU is among the seven other teams that begin the league slate. Kansas and TCU wrap up their non-conference season.
After going 7-0 in last Saturday’s games, the Big 12 has an FBS-leading .852 (23-4) win percentage in non-conference outings. Three of the losses were to other autonomy leagues and two were to ranked opponents.
Ninety percent of Big 12 teams are ranked or receiving votes in at least one of the national polls. No. 4/3 Oklahoma and No. 14/14 Iowa State are ranked in both. K-State entered the rankings for the first time this season at No. 25 in the AP. Oklahoma State remains at No. 22 in the coaches ledger. Baylor, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia received votes.
Based on a cumulation of past and future opposition, the Big 12 has eight of the top 10 toughest schedules – 1. Kansas, 2. K-State, 4. TCU, T5. Texas Tech, Iowa State, Texas and West Virginia, and 10. Baylor.
Eighty percent of Big 12 teams are in the top 50 nationally in scoring defense, allowing less than 20 points a game. No. 9 BU (11.3) leads the Conference squads followed by No. 14 ISU (13.3), No. 21 K-State (15.7), No. 31 OU and WVU (17.0), No. 37 TCU (17.5), No. 46 UT (19.3) and No. 50 OSU (19.7).
Among FBS leagues, the Big 12 is second in scoring (34.6) and in fewest yards allowed to opponents (304.4), as well as third in scoring defense (18.9), just 0.2 points off the leaders.
Big 12 players of the week were awarded to OSU’s Jaylen Warren (offensive and newcomer), WVU’s Jared Bartlett (defensive) and OSU’s Jason Taylor II (special teams).
Baylor’s defense gave up 166 total yards last Saturday, the fewest allowed by the Bears since Sept. 2, 2016, against Northwestern State (78). It was also the fewest allowed by BU in a Big 12 game since Oct. 15, 2016.
Brock Purdy became Iowa State’s career leader in total offense (10, 638), passing Brett Meyer (2004-07), as well as the career leader in passing yards (9, 607). He is just the fifth ISU QB to gain over 1,000 career rushing yards (No. 4 with 1,031).
Kansas junior quarterback Jason Bean rushed for 62 yards against Baylor to lead the team. It marked the third straight game that Bean has led the team in rushing and passing yards.
K-State running back Deuce Vaughn rushed for a career-high 127 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries against Nevada. It was Vaughn’s fifth-straight game with 100 rushing yards, the longest streak since Darren Sproles also did so in five-straight games in 2003.
The Sooners registered season-highs of five sacks and 10 tackles for loss in the win over Nebraska. Over its last 11 games, OU has totaled 44 sacks and 88 tackles for loss.
Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez has recorded at least eight tackles in eight straight games for Oklahoma State.
After a bye last week, TCU hosts SMU in The Battle for the Iron Skillet. TCU has won 17 of the last 20 matchups.
Texas rushed for 427 yards against Rice and had three players with carries of at least 62 yards.
With Marquez Waters’ 72 yard pick-six last week, the Red Raiders have five interceptions through the first three games which match its total from 2020.
West Virginia senior running back Leddie Brown eclipsed 2,000 career rushing yards with his 161 yards against Virginia Tech.
Big 12 coaching staff s will wear special arm patches in this week’s games in honor of the AFCA’s Coach to Cure MD program, sponsored by Werner Ladder. The goal of CTCMD is to raise awareness and funding for Duchenne muscular dystrophy while demonstrating coaches’ commitment to the betterment of young men and the core academic research missions of their universities. Help coaches tackle Duchenne by texting CURE to 501501.
