Line: Oklahoma State by 4.
Fun facts: Oklahoma State leads the all-time series, 33-22. The Cowboys won the last meeting, 41-39 in 2007, in Stillwater, Okla.
Player to watch: Oklahoma State receiver Josh Cooper. The junior could see more passes thrown his way than normal with the suspension of star receiver Justin Blackmon (arrested for DUI complaint early Tuesday morning). Cooper, a junior from Mustang, Okla., is OSU’s second-leading receiver with 36 catches for 400 yards and a touchdown. He could be a favorite target of quarterback Brandon Weeden today.
Key matchup: Kansas State pass offense vs. Oklahoma State pass defense. In the Big 12, only Nebraska has a worse passing offense than Kansas State, which only averages 180 yards through the air per game. If there’s any game to feast in the air, it’s against Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are a horrid 115th in the country (286 passing yards surrendered per game) against the pass. Now paging Kansas State quarterback Carson Coffman: Can you show up?
Line: Nebraska by 71/2.
Fun facts: Nebraska leads the all-time series, 64-36-3. The road team (Nebraska last year, Missouri in 2008) has won the last two matchups. The Tigers and Cornhuskers have combined to represent the North in the past four Big 12 Championships (Nebraska last year and 2006, Missouri in 2007, 2008).
Player to watch: Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert. In three Big 12 games this season, the junior has thrown six touchdowns and no interceptions. The Tigers have only hit the road once this season, but Gabbert thrived at Texas A&M, throwing for 361 yards and three scores. His biggest test of 2010 will come today against Nebraska, which is No. 3 in the country in pass defense (140 yards given up per game).
Key matchup: Nebraska rushing offense vs. Missouri rushing defense. In Nebraska’s one loss this year, Texas held the Huskers to only 125 rushing yards. NU averages 290 rushing yards per game, the best mark in the Big 12 and fifth in the country. If Missouri, which holds opponents to 115 rushing yards per game, can keep the Huskers anywhere from their average to 150 rushing yards, the Tigers will have a chance at disappointing a ton of fans in Lincoln.
Line: Texas A&M by 7.
Fun facts: Texas A&M leads the all-time series, 35-32-1. The road team has won six of the past seven battles. A&M won last year’s game, 52-30, in Lubbock, Texas.
Player to watch: The Aggies’ quarterback…whomever that may be. Senior Jerrod Johnson and junior Ryan Tannehill both took snaps in A&M’s 45-10 cakewalk over Kansas. Johnson was 12-of-20 for 139 yards, while Tannehill was 12-of-16 for 155 yards and three touchdowns. Tannehill may have the edge.
Key matchup: Texas A&M quarterbacks vs. Texas Tech secondary. First-year Tech coach Tommy Tuberville, with his SEC background at Auburn, was supposed to bring more of a defensive mentality to the Red Raiders. It hasn’t happened yet. Tech is giving up 30 points per game and is second-to-last in the country in giving up 298 passing yards per week. A&M should find some weaknesses in the TTU secondary.
Line: Texas by 71/2.
Fun facts: Texas leads the all-time series, 73-22-4. UT has won 13 of its 14 meetings against BU in the Big 12 era. The Longhorns own a 12-game winning streak in the series. Baylor has scored at least 30 points in seven of its eight games this season.
Player to watch: Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin. Should Baylor end its losing streak against Texas, Griffin will be the primary reason. Last week against K-State, Griffin passed for 404 yards and running back Jay Finley rushed for 250 yards. If the Bears come even close to matching that balance, they’ll have a chance at the upset.
Key matchup: Texas red zone offense vs. Baylor red zone defense. If UT gets scoring opportunities, it must come away with points, something the Longhorns didn’t do last week against Iowa State. In its first four red zone trips, UT came away with only six points with a missed field goal and an interception.
Line: Oklahoma by 24.
Fun facts: Oklahoma leads the all-time series, 39-16-2. The last time the two teams met, Colorado stunned then-No. 10 Oklahoma, 27-24 in 2007, in Boulder, Colo. The Buffaloes have lost their past 14 road games.
Player to watch: Oklahoma running back Roy Finch. The true freshman carried nine times for 57 yards (6.6 yards per carry) in OU’s loss at Missouri last week. He didn’t play in the first five games, but received his first look two weeks ago against Iowa State, rushing for 92 yards on 16 carries. Should the Sooners jump to a big lead, the 5-foot-8 speedster from Niceville, Fla., could continue to receive looks from coach Bob Stoops. Senior back DeMarco Murray remains the starter, but Finch has cut into Murray’s carries.
Key matchup: Colorado passing offense vs. Oklahoma passing defense. Teams have thrown the ball successfully on Oklahoma this season. The Sooners are 91st in the country in passing defense with 239 yards per game given up through the air. Will the Buffaloes be able to pass today? CU’s starting quarterback, Tyler Hansen, will miss the remainder of the season due to a ruptured spleen. Senior Cody Hawkins will take over. He’s made appearances in two games, going 38-for-68 for 407 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. How will he fare in a hostile Norman environment, where the Sooners shut out their previous opponent (52-0 against Iowa State) and hold a 34-game home winning streak?
Line: Texas by 21
Fun facts: Iowa State has never beaten Texas. The Longhorns hold a 7-0 all-time advantage in the series. Fitting that the line is 21. UT’s margin of victory over ISU in six wins in the Big 12 era is 22 points.
Player to watch: Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert. How many times will UT coach Mack Brown call Gilbert’s number on the ground? The sophomore had only rushed for 14 yards all season before last week, when Brown made a concerted effort to make Gilbert an integral part of the ground game to spurn an upset of Nebraska. Gilbert, not typically known for his speed, ran for 71 yards and two scores last week in Lincoln, Neb., against one of the best defenses in the conference.
Key matchup: Iowa State rush defense vs. UT ground attack. The Cyclones are second-to-last in the conference in rush defense, surrendering 219 yards per game on the ground. If ISU can’t stop the run in Austin, it could be a long day for the Cyclones.
Line: Nebraska by 6
Fun facts: Nebraska leads the all-time series, 36-5-1. Oklahoma State has won the last two (in 2007 and 2006), however, and three of the last four.
Player to watch: Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez. The red-shirt freshman had a nightmarish game against Texas, rushing for 21 yards and completing only four of his 12 attempted passes last week. Martinez, who’s still in the top 10 in the country in rushing, was benched in favor of Zac Lee. Coach Bo Pelini insists Martinez will get the start today in Stillwater, Okla. The Cornhuskers dropped seven passes last week, three of which would have been touchdowns. How will this unit respond a week after the dreadful showing?
Key matchup: Nebraska rushing offense vs. Oklahoma State rush defense. The Cowboys are more vulnerable against the pass on defense (114th in country), but Nebraska likes to establish its ground game to set the tone, particularly on the road. That was its recipe for blowing out Kansas State in Manhattan. OSU has been solid against the run this year (36th in country, 124.50 yards given up per game). If the Cowboys can contain Martinez and running backs Rex Burkhead and Roy Helu, they will have a chance at handing the Huskers their second upset loss in as many weeks. If that happens, it would be a huge step in OSU giving Oklahoma a run for the Big 12 South title.
Line: Tech by 21/2
Fun facts: Colorado leads the all-time series, 5-4. The Buffaloes have won the last two meetings (2007 in Lubbock, Texas; 2006 in Boulder, Colo.).
Player to watch: Colorado quarterback Tyler Hansen. The Buffaloes have lost two games in a row and Hansen’s been sacked five times and only thrown one touchdown in that time. These figures must improve.
Key matchup: Colorado pass offense vs. Texas Tech pass defense. Perfect time for Hansen to get back on track. The Red Raiders allow 292 yards per game through the air, fourth-worst in the country and the worst in the Big 12.
Line: Baylor by 6
Fun facts: Kansas State leads the all-time series, 6-1. Baylor’s only victory came in 2006 in Waco, Texas. The Bears could clinch their first bowl berth since 1994 with a victory.
Player to watch: Kansas State cornerback Stephen Harrison. Kansas University fans, even though they probably don’t want to, likely remember Harrison’s massive night last week, when the senior returned a fumble return for an 85-yard score and picked off a Jordan Webb pass in the end zone. Harrison and the Wildcats are in for a challenge today in defending Robert Griffin and Baylor’s passing attack, which averages 301 yards per game (13th in country). The Harrison-led KSU secondary is 12th in the country in defending the pass, giving up only 163 yards per game.
Key matchup: Robert Griffin vs. KSU defense. Baylor’s sophomore quarterback has a splendid 14:3 touchdown to interception ratio this season. And that’s not even counting Griffin’s six rushing scores. When Baylor loses, Griffin tends not to have an impact on the ground game. His two lowest rushing totals of the season were 18 yards against Texas Tech and 21 yards against TCU, Baylor’s only losses of the season.
No. 3 Oklahoma at No. 18 Missouri, 7 p.m.
Line: Oklahoma by 3
Fun facts: Oklahoma leads the all-time series, 64-23-5. The last two times the Sooners and Tigers met up was in the Big 12 Championship game. Oklahoma won, 62-21, in 2008 and 38-17 in 2007.
Player to watch: Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles. The junior went crazy last week against Iowa State for 15 catches, 182 yards and a TD. Even more ridiculous? He had 13 catches for 165 yards by halftime. That was against Iowa State. Missouri, certainly, is not Iowa State. The Tigers have been superb on defense this season and rank second in the country with only 10.83 points allowed per game. How much room will Broyles have against MU?
Key matchup: Oklahoma offense vs. Missouri defense. The Sooners average 36 points per game and are coming off arguably their most complete game of the season in a 52-0 rout of Iowa State. Missouri’s defense is coming off a 30-9 domination of Texas A&M in College Station, Texas. Which unit will prevail? Also keep an eye on Missouri defensive end Aldon Smith, who has missed the last three weeks with a broken bone in his leg. The sophomore plans to make his return today. Smith, when healthy, is one of the most disruptive pass rushers in the conference.
Line: Oklahoma by 31/2.
Fun facts: Texas leads the all-time series, 59-40-5. The Red River Rivalry has been held at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas since 1932. The existing contract has the two schools meeting at the Cotton Bowl through 2015.
Player to watch: Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones. Red River was and still is a time when quarterbacks (UT’s Vince Young, OU’s Sam Bradford, UT’s Colt McCoy) cement their legacy. Will the sophomore Jones be the next great quarterback in the rivalry? He seems to be ahead of Texas sophomore quarterback Garrett Gilbert, in terms of maturation and his abilities as a passer. Jones possesses the best wide receiver on either team in junior Ryan Broyles, who leads the country in catches per game (10.25) and is fourth in the country in receiving yards per game (120.50). Texas ranks fifth in the country in pass defense, surrendering only 128.75 passing yards per game. Jones filled in for the injured Sam Bradford in last year’s 16-13 Texas victory, and threw two interceptions.
Key matchup: Gilbert vs. Oklahoma defense. Gilbert has struggled this season with four touchdowns versus four interceptions. He’s averaging only 6.4 yards per completion. Texas is not extending the field as much as when it had Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley. The positive for Gilbert and UT: Oklahoma’s defense has been inconsistent. The Sooners rank toward the bottom of the country in pass defense (90th, 243.75 yards given up per game) and rush defense (93rd, 177.50 yards given up per game). Can Gilbert bounce back from UT’s ugly loss to UCLA? Remember, the Horns have already won a Big 12 game over Texas Tech. Starting 2-0 in conference would be a great way for UT to start forgetting about last week’s catastrophe.
Line: Georgia by 41/2.
Fun facts: The Bulldogs have had just a few run-ins with the law this season. Last week, freshman linebacker Demetre Baker was the 10th Georgia player to be arrested this year. Yikes. Baker was kicked off the team following an arrest on drunken-driving charges. The Big 12 struggled against the SEC last season, compiling a 1-3 record between the regular season and bowl games.
Big 12 Player to watch: Wide receiver Scotty McKnight. In games the senior catches a touchdown pass, the Buffaloes are 2-0. In CU’s loss, a 52-7 pasting at California, McKnight caught only two passes for 14 yards, and quarterback Tyler Hansen was sacked six times. If the Buffaloes protect Hansen and give him time to find McKnight, CU has a considerably better chance of protecting its home field against Georgia.
Key matchup: Georgia passing attack vs. CU secondary. The Buffaloes have stopped the run this year, giving up only 71.67 yards per game, good for seventh in the country. Defending the pass? Not so much. Colorado has given up an alarming 241 yards per game through the air, 87th in the country. Georgia has a freshman quarterback in Aaron Murray, but he’s been accurate this season, completing 61 percent of his passes for 219.8 yards per game. Murray has five touchdown passes versus two interceptions. How much will he hurt Colorado?
Line: Texas Tech by 7.
Fun facts: Texas Tech won the last battle, 42-17, in 2007. The Red Raiders have won the past three meetings.
Player to watch: Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud. The senior has battled shoulder issues the past week or so. Thankfully for the Cyclones, it’s his non-throwing, left shoulder, but he had to come out of last week’s game against Northern Iowa after throwing just two passes. If Iowa State has to play from behind, will Arnaud be able to engineer the comeback? The Cyclones have only two passing touchdowns all season.
Key matchup: Tech receiver Lyle Leong vs. Iowa State secondary. The senior Leong has six touchdown grabs in only three games for the Red Raiders. He figures to face a stern test against a Cyclones defense that ranks 10th in the country in passing defense, giving up only 143.75 yards per game.
Line: K-State by 7.
Fun facts: UCF had a home-and-home series with Big 12 powerhouse Texas in 2007 and 2009. The Knights fell to the Longhorns in Austin, 35-3 last season, and nearly upset UT, falling 35-32, in 2007. Current Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (22 carries, 153 yards) scored the winning 46-yard touchdown for UT in the ’07 battle.
Big 12 player to watch: Running back Daniel Thomas. Does this guy ever get tired? Through three games, the senior’s averages are ridiculous: 27.7 carries, 184 yards, two touchdowns per game. K-State coach Bill Snyder has set up Thomas for carries in creative ways. Of his 34 carries last week against Iowa State, eight came out of the Wildcat formation.
Key matchup: Central Florida run defense vs. Thomas. UCF has been decent against the run (45th in country, 128.67 rushing yards surrendered per game). Stopping Thomas is the best way to beat K-State, but no one’s been able to do it.
Line: Missouri by 20.
Fun facts: Missouri salvaged a potential disaster by rallying to beat San Diego State in the final minute last week. The Tigers have been a better come-from-behind team with Blaine Gabbert under center. In the three years (2006-2008) Chase Daniel played quarterback for Missouri, the Tigers won one game in which they trailed at any point in the second half. In just over a year with Gabbert at quarterback, Missouri already has five come-from-behind victories. With two victories this season, Miami (Ohio) eclipsed its win total from a dismal 2009 (1-10).
Big 12 player to watch: Defensive end Brad Madison. The sophomore will be charged with the difficult task of replacing Aldon Smith, who figures to miss two weeks due to a fractured fibula. Smith, one of the best defensive ends in the Big 12, set a single-season MU school record with 11.5 sacks last season as a red-shirt freshman. He already had three sacks this season before getting hurt.
Key matchup: Miami (Ohio) offensive line vs. Missouri defensive front. Without Smith, how many sacks will Missouri have? The Tigers average two per game, while the RedHawks give up three per game.
Line: Texas by 15.
Fun facts: The Longhorns and Bruins signed a home-and-home deal that will bring the series to Austin, Texas, this season and Los Angeles next season. UCLA may be 1-2, but the Bruins have faced a rigorous schedule, opening with a loss at Kansas State and another one at home to then-No. 25 Stanford. UCLA won a big game last week at then-No. 23 Houston. The Bruins beat the Longhorns in consecutive years in 1997 (in Austin) and 1998 (in Pasadena, Calif.). UCLA obliterated Texas, 66-3, in the 1997 game in Austin for UT’s worst loss since 1904.
Big 12 player to watch: Safety Blake Gideon. If you want to see a head-hunting, hitting machine, keep an eye on the junior Gideon, who roams the secondary for a Texas unit that leads the Big 12 in scoring defense at a stingy 12.67 points allowed per game (ninth in country).
Key matchup: UCLA rushing offense vs. Texas defensive line. It doesn’t get much worse than UCLA’s passing offense, which ranks third-to-last in the country with just 100 passing yards per game. The Bruins can run the football, however, as evidenced by their 200 yards per game average. But can they run on Texas in Austin? The Longhorns are No. 1 in the country in stopping the run, limiting opponents to a paltry 44 rushing yards per game.
Line: Oklahoma by 131/2.
Fun facts: This is the second game in a home-and-home series between the two schools. Oklahoma won the 2008 battle, 52-26, in Norman, Okla.
Big 12 player to watch: Defensive end Jeremy Beal. You can bet Oklahoma’s coaches are firing up Beal by looking at Cincinnati game film and realizing how awful the offensive line has been in pass protection of UC quarterback Zach Collaros. The Bearcats have allowed 15 sacks this season, by far the worst number in the country.
Key matchup: UC offensive line vs. OU defensive line. The Sooners have eight sacks in three games. How many will they rack up against a suspect UC O-line?
Line: n/a.
Fun facts: Northern Iowa, a lower-level FCS team, defeated North Dakota State, 16-9, one week after NDSU upset Kansas University, 6-3, in Lawrence. The last time Northern Iowa and Iowa State met, UNI won, 24-13, in 2007 in Ames, Iowa.
Big 12 player to watch: Quarterback Jerome Tiller. Yes, he’s the backup, but starter Austen Arnaud bruised his left, non-throwing shoulder last week against Kansas State. The senior played through it and insisted he’s fine for today, but Tiller could be called if Arnaud shows lingering effects from the injury. Arnaud is 62-of-107 this season for 584 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions.
Key matchup: Running back Alexander Robinson vs. Northern Iowa D-line. After scoring twice in the first week, Robinson has been held without a score the past two weeks. It’s probably no coincidence the Cyclones won their first game, and lost their next two.
Line: n/a
Fun fact: FCS school South Dakota State last faced Nebraska in 1963, when the Cornhuskers dominated, 58-7.
Big 12 player to watch: Quarterback Taylor Martinez. Against inferior opponents like the winless Jackrabbits, the red-shirt freshman should be able to run wild. As is, Martinez is averaging 140 rushing yards per game.
Key matchup: None. Nebraska has won by an average of 31.66 points per game and should probably increase that total today.
Line: Baylor by 71/2.
Fun facts: Baylor won the last meeting in 2007, 42-17. In the last three years, and including this year’s season opener against Texas, Rice has faced seven Big 12 teams. The Owls have lost to all seven opponents.
Big 12 player to watch: Quarterback Robert Griffin. The sophomore said he’s never been more embarrassed in his life after BU’s 45-10 loss to No. 4 TCU last weekend. How will he respond?
Key matchup: Baylor pass defense vs. Rice passing offense. TCU quarterback Andy Dalton set a single-game TCU record when he completed 91 percent of his passes against Baylor, including his first 11 attempts for 155 yards.
Line: Nebraska by 281/2
Fun facts: Idaho (Western Athletic Conference) had a solid season last year, going 8-5 and defeating Bowling Green in the Humanitarian Bowl. Considering the Vandals had won three games in the previous two seasons combined, that was a nice accomplishment. Idaho waxed North Dakota, 45-0, in week 1. Bo Pelini and the Cornhuskers have won seven of their last eight games dating back to last season.
Big 12 player to watch: Quarterback Taylor Martinez. The red-shirt freshman won the closest quarterback battle in the Big 12 and displayed his fleet-footed abilities immediately, rushing for 127 yards and three scores, while passing for 136 yards in Nebraska’s 49-10 romp of Western Kentucky.
Key matchup: Idaho defense vs. Martinez-led Nebraska offense. The Vandals forced five turnovers last week, but Nebraska isn’t exactly North Dakota. How many turnovers can Idaho force in Lincoln?
Line: Oklahoma by 71/2
Fun facts: The last time these teams met was in the 2000 season’s BCS Championship, when OU prevailed, 13-2. The Sooners’ 31-game home winning streak, best in the country, will be put to the test. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops will be on the opposite sideline of his younger brother, Mark Stoops, the defensive coordinator for FSU.
Big 12 player to watch: Quarterback Landry Jones. The good: The sophomore opened with 217 passing yards and two scores against Utah State. The bad: He threw two interceptions. The ugly: Jones was sacked three times. Florida State notched four sacks in its 59-6 rout of Samford. How many times will the Seminoles get to Jones?
Key matchup: OU offensive line vs. FSU defensive front. Should the Seminoles get to Jones often, it could also slow down the big-play ability of DeMarco Murray (35 rushes, 218 yards, two scores last week).
Line: California by 9
Fun facts: The Buffaloes lined up a challenging non-conference slate this season. After traveling to Berkeley today, Colorado will return to Boulder for back-to-back games against Hawaii and Georgia.
Big 12 player to watch: Receiver Scotty McKnight. The senior caught six passes for 78 yards and a score last week to become CU’s all-time receptions leader (171 catches).
Key matchup: California rush offense vs. Colorado rush defense. The Golden Bears scampered for 230 rushing yards in their 52-3 pounding of UC-Davis last week. Colorado held Colorado State to 49 yards rushing last week. Which unit wins out?
Line: Iowa by 131/2
Fun facts: Iowa has won five of the last seven CyHawk trophies. Iowa also leads the all-time series, 38-19.
Big 12 player to watch: Quarterback Austen Arnaud. The difference in last year’s 35-3 Iowa triumph? Hawkeyes quarterback Ricky Stanzi threw four touchdown passes. Arnaud threw four interceptions. Arnaud is prone to the interception, as evidenced by the two he tossed against Northern Illinois last week.
Key matchup: Arnaud vs. Iowa secondary. If Arnaud shows a tendency to toss INT’s in Iowa City, it will be tough for the Cyclones to pull off the upset.
Line: Baylor by 161/2
Fun facts: Baylor won the last meeting, 34-21 in 2007, when current Kansas University coach Turner Gill had the same position at Buffalo. The Bulls started 1-0 (31-0 victory over Rhode Island last week) in their first season in four years without Gill as coach.
Big 12 player to watch: Quarterback Robert Griffin. The dual-threat quarterback led the Bears in passing yards (242) and rushing yards (59) last week. He’s coming off surgery on his right knee, so Baylor could use an emerging running back to take the load off Griffin.
Key matchup: Griffin vs. Buffalo defense. When healthy, the sophomore Griffin is a nightmare to bring down and is usually the difference when the Bears win games.
Line: Texas A&M by 191/2
Fun fact: If Louisiana Tech sounds familiar, it’s probably because the Bulldogs traveled to Lawrence for a matchup with Kansas in 2008. The Jayhawks won, 29-0, en route to an 8-5 season and a victory over Minnesota in the Insight Bowl.
Big 12 player to watch: Linebacker Von Miller. That is, if he plays. The senior, who led the country with 17 sacks last season, sprained his ankle in A&M’s 48-7 cakewalk over Stephen F. Austin. Coach Mike Sherman said he didn’t know whether Miller would play today. It would be a brutal loss for an Aggies unit that ranked 105th in the country in scoring defense (33.54 points given up per game) last season.
Key matchup: A&M pressure on the quarterback vs. Louisiana Tech O-line. Without Miller (if he doesn’t play), can the Aggies still get to the QB?
Line: Texas by 29
Fun fact: The two teams met last year in Laramie, Wy., where the Cowboys actually gave the Longhorns a game — for one half. Wyoming trailed only 13-10 at the half, but Texas erupted for 28 second-half points and ended up winning, 41-10.
Big 12 player to watch: Linebacker Keenan Robinson. The junior had quite the opening game against Rice, intercepting a pass and returning a fumble for a touchdown in UT’s 34-17 victory.
Key matchup: Texas run offense vs. Wyoming run defense. Wyoming gave up almost five yards per rush against Southern Utah, and Texas figures to run the ball plenty today at home.
Line: Oklahoma State by 13
Fun fact: In the teams’ last meeting in 2008, Oklahoma State ran wild for 358 rushing yards in a 55-24 victory in Stillwater, Okla.
Big 12 player to watch: Running back Kendall Hunter. The senior went crazy last week for 257 rushing yards and four touchdowns against Washington State.
Key matchup: Kendall Hunter vs. Troy defense. In the 2008 meeting, Hunter gashed the Troy defense for 169 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Line: none
Fun fact: McNeese State, a Football Championship Subdivision squad, won nine games last year and 11 games in 2007.
Big 12 player to watch: Receiver T.J. Moe. The Wes Welker clone caught 13 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown last week against Illinois and could be developing into Blaine Gabbert’s favorite target.
Key matchup: Missouri pass offense vs. McNeese State pass defense. Does McNeese State have any chance of containing Gabbert?
Line: none
Fun fact: Missouri State faced one BCS-level school last season and lost at Arkansas, 48-10.
Big 12 player to watch: Running back Daniel Thomas. Who else? The senior ran rampant for 235 yards and two touchdowns against UCLA. There may not be any other playmaker on the K-State offense, but it may not matter with the way Thomas is running.
Key matchup: Thomas vs. Missouri State rush defense. The Bears impressively held Eastern Kentucky to 35 yards on 25 carries. But can they hold Thomas to under 100? That’s the true test.
Line: Texas Tech by 241/2
Fun fact: There’s no way to sugarcoat how badly Oregon blasted New Mexico (72-0) last week. Ouch.
Big 12 player to watch: Receiver Lyle Leong. The senior caught 11 passes for 143 yards and three scores against SMU.
Key matchup: Texas Tech pass offense vs. New Mexico pass defense. New Mexico’s best chance is to rattle Tech quarterback Taylor Potts, but the fact that the Lobos trailed Oregon, 59-0 at halftime, suggests that may not be possible.
Line: Missouri by 11.5.
Fun facts: Missouri has won the last five Arch Rivalry games and owns a 16-7 all-time advantage. This is the last year the teams are scheduled to face each other. The Arch Rivalry game may resume down the road, but nothing has been confirmed. If the series continues at a later date, expect the games to be played at the teams’ campuses.
Big 12 player to watch: Quarterback Blaine Gabbert. The junior enters his second year as a starter with big expectations after he passed for 24 touchdowns versus nine interceptions his sophomore campaign.
Key matchup: Missouri running game vs. Illinois run defense. How will the Tigers fare on the ground after starting senior running back Derrick Washington was dismissed from the team? Earlier in the week, Washington was charged with sexually assaulting a former tutor in her bedroom over the summer. Sophomore Kendial Lawrence and junior De’Vion Moore will receive the majority of the carries.
Line: Colorado by 12.
Fun facts: Colorado State won last year’s meeting, the first time the Rams won in Boulder, Colo., since 1986. The two teams signed a contract to play the Rocky Mountain Showdown at Invesco Field at Mile High through 2019.
Big 12 player to watch: Junior quarterback Tyler Hansen. Buffs coach Dan Hawkins named Hansen the starter over his son, senior Cody Hawkins. Colorado has averaged only four victories per season in the four seasons Dan Hawkins has coached in Boulder. The Buffs haven’t played in a bowl game since 2007. It should be interesting to see if Hansen can lead Colorado to six victories in a relatively open Big 12 North division.
Key matchup: Colorado pass offense vs. Colorado State secondary. The Rams were rather dreadful last season (87th in country out of 120 Div. I teams) against the pass.
Line: Texas by 30.
Fun facts: 30 points sounds like a ton (and it is), but the Longhorns have won the past 10 meetings against the Owls, including eight in a row under coach Mack Brown. UT is 69-29-1 all-time against Rice and should easily prevail, despite the game taking place at Reliant Stadium in Houston. This is the first time UT has opened the season on the road since 1995.
Big 12 player to watch: Sophomore quarterback Garrett Gilbert. It’s a new era for Texas football, one in which Colt McCoy is not involved. How will Gilbert respond in his first game since filling in for McCoy in the BCS Championship?
Key matchup: Texas running game vs. Rice rushing defense. The Owls were torched against the run last year, giving up 190 yards per game on the ground (102nd in the country). In the offseason, Brown stated an emphasis on the ‘Horns’ running the football more in 2010. This appears to be the perfect game to test out the theory. It might be interesting to see if UT can register 50 carries against the Owls.
Line: Kansas St. by 1.5.
Fun facts: This is the second game of a home-and-home series. UCLA won last year’s meeting, 23-9, in Los Angeles.
Big 12 player to watch: Senior running back Daniel Thomas. In arguably the biggest toss-up game involving a Big 12 team this week, the Wildcats won’t hesitate to hand the ball to their workhorse. Just for fun, set a line for Thomas rushing yards today at 125.
Key matchup: K-State rushing offense against UCLA rushing defense. It’s no secret KSU’s offense is all about Thomas. Quarterback Carson Coffman doesn’t figure to win games airing it out. Can UCLA contain the senior back?
Line: Oklahoma by 34.
Fun facts: The Sooners have won 30 straight games in Norman, Okla., the best mark in the country. Today should push it to 31.
Big 12 player to watch: Wide receiver Ryan Broyles. The junior could have a field day against a shoddy Utah State pass defense that ranked 101st in the country a year ago. Broyles figures to be one of the few Big 12 Heisman trophy candidates this season.
Key matchup: Oklahoma rush defense vs. Utah State rush offense. When the Sooners blow out nonconference teams at home, the opponent usually doesn’t run the football particularly well. Idaho State, for instance, had 32 rushing attempts last year for minus-22 yards in a 64-0 loss in Norman. Yikes.
Line: None.
Fun facts: Baylor has opened its schedule the last four seasons with difficult opponents in Wake Forest and TCU. The Bears were 1-3 in that span.
Big 12 player to watch: Sophomore quarterback Robert Griffin. Hard to believe this guy is only a sophomore, but a torn ACL last season enabled him to take a medical red shirt. How healthy is the knee? Sam Houston State isn’t the most exciting opponent, but tracking Griffin’s health and watching him make plays figures to be the focus in Waco.
Key matchup: Sam Houston State linebackers vs. Griffin. How much will Griffin, arguably the biggest dual-threat quarterback in the Big 12, keep the linebackers off balance? If he continues to make Sam Houston State guess run or pass, it could be a long day for the Bearkats.
Line: None.
Fun fact: The last time Stephen F. Austin played a team of national relevance, the Lumberjacks were drilled, 67-7, by TCU in 2008.
Big 12 player to watch: Quarterback Jerrod Johnson. The confident senior quarterback could be one of the few Heisman contenders in the conference this season. He’ll lead an explosive offense that ranked fifth in the country in total offense in 2009. Expect the Aggies to come across points rather easily today.
Key matchup: Texas A&M secondary vs. Stephen F. Austin pass offense. The game shouldn’t be close, but the Aggies secondary, which was a dreadful 106th in the country last year in pass defense, needs a boost in confidence early in the season.
Line: Oklahoma St. by 16.
Fun facts: Oklahoma State won the meeting between the two schools, 39-13, in 2008 in Seattle. Washington State has won a combined three games in the past two seasons.
Big 12 player to watch: Running back Kendall Hunter. The 2008 Big 12 rushing leader was hampered by injuries last season, but should be back to full strength. In a game the Cowboys should win, how often will Hunter hear his name called?
Key matchup: OSU passing offense vs. Washington State secondary. The Cougars were an abysmal 115th in the country last season in pass defense. It doesn’t get much worse than that. How much will OSU quarterback Brandon Weeden be able to spread the ball around in offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen’s new pass-happy, spread offense?
Line: Nebraska by 37.5.
Fun facts: How do you put this nicely? Western Kentucky went winless last season and was second-to-last in the country in points allowed (39.6). This one could get ugly.
Big 12 player to watch: Quarterback Zac Lee. Or whoever gets the nod for the Huskers at quarterback. QB stability this season in Lincoln could be the difference between a solid, winning season and a chance at a BCS bowl game.
Key matchup: Honestly, none. The Huskers should put this game away in the first quarter.
Line: Texas Tech by 14.
Fun fact: The last time these two teams met, Texas Tech rolled, 43-7, in Lubbock, Texas.
Big 12 player to watch: Receiver Alex Torres. Is he Michael Crabtree? No. But he might be one of the best conference receivers you’ve never heard of. Torres had some minor back trouble a few weeks ago, but should be ready for the opener.
Key matchup: Texas Tech run offense vs. SMU rush defense. How much will new Tech coach Tommy Tuberville put an emphasis on running the ball? It should be more than former coach Mike Leach, who had the lowest percentage (32.3 percent) in the conference last season in running the ball.
