BIG 12 PICKS

A HUGE Sweep this week in the Big 12 for me, and some real interesting results, most of them expected. Texas got over the hump as my Top Play of the weekend, in a big way as expected, and made a claim for the #1 spot in the country beating Oklahoma into submission for the first time in 5 years under Mac Brown. Texas now has 2 games on their schedule to worry about until the National Title game, and those are Texas Tech in Austin and Texas AM in College Station in the season finale. All eyes in Texas will be watching the USC and Notre Dame this weekend with much interest.

Texas Tech and Nebraska hooked for for a thriller in Lincoln, with Tech winning but not covering the 4 points, but Nebraska proved it can score points, but with Baylor on deck in the Huskers first roadie of the season, palms are sweaty in Lincoln, since Baylor blasted Iowa State as a 9 point dog on Saturday, and NU needed double OT to beat the Cyclones in Lincoln! Colorado pounded Texas AM in a small surprise, and catch Texas on the road this week, and K State won the battle for State bragging rights, as expected, and did cover the number against KU, who could not find any offense against a sub par K State team. Missouri was our other play who beat up on Oklahoma St, and look for the Tigers to excel now that most of the hard games against power teams are out of the way, but Iowa State and Nebraska loom large on the schedule, however they get both of their north division rivals in Columbia. Here are some breakdowns for this weeks games:

Nebraska (-2) @ Baylor

Nebraska's highly touted defense struggled against the spread attack of Texas Tech last week in a loss, and now take to the road to play a surprising Baylor team who runs the same offense, in Waco in their first road game of the season. Baylor stands at 4-1 on the year, beat Iowa State in Ames last week by 10 points, beat Army by 10 on the road, and took Texas AM to OT in College Station 2 weeks ago and lost by 3. Baylor has a better offense and better defense, though the numbers are close, BUT the Bears average 48 ppg at home. Look for Baylor as a 2 point dog to beat Nebraska this Saturday in a free play shocker!

Oklahoma @ Kansas and Colorado @ Texas . Two of my featured Plays of the week.

Kansas State @ Texas Tech (-13.5)

Kansas St. struggled to a 12-3 win against Kansas this past weekend, while the Red Raiders continued to impress with a win in Lincoln, rolling up 34 points against a top 10 defense. The Red Raiders are world beaters in Lubbock, and score an average of 57 ppg while allowing 12 ppg on defense at home. Kansas State's last road trip was a blowout loss to average at best Oklahoma, and this week they face a spread attack with very little skill players on defense to contend in this game, unless Texas Tech turns it over 3 or 4 times, which is unlikely. Texas Tech continues to roll, as K State will be pressed to trade punches on offense, I just do not see it.

This week should provide more insight into the North and South divisions, as teams are mixing it up games that mix the North and South Divisions playing each other. In the north, Colorado looks like the team to beat, but the Huskers, although they lost, proved that they can play with top 25 teams, and Colorado's blowout of Texas AM was impressive. Texas is in the drivers seat right now in the South, and their game with Colorado might just be the preview to the Big 12 Championship game. Nebraska must win on the road and Texas Tech's performance I saw in person in Lincoln was impressive as QB Hodges is the real deal at 17 TD passes versus only 3 ints. on the season. The Red Raiders will make a run at the south along with Texas AM, so the race for 2nd place will be a good one in the south, but overall the South Division has all the power and elite teams in the Big 12, and that will not change.