The game supposed to be for the Big 12 title is now at 11 a.m.
Seems like there is something wrong with that.
Instead of Baylor and Oklahoma battling for the conference crown, the bigger game in the Big 12 â and the nation â is in Fort Worth, Texas, where TCU is home against Kansas State.
Just like we all predicted, right?
The point is, no one can guess what's going to happen. Not in the Big 12, not in the SEC, not on American Idol and certainly not here in this space.
However, it's hard to be wrong all the time, so here goes once more.
Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty said after last Saturday's win over Kansas that he was ready for OU. And he said it over and over. OK, we get the point. It's a big game, but with a fourth-consecutive 11 a.m. Kickoff, 1. The student section doesn't exactly show it's ready. Hey, too many early starts. It's not easy. We get that. 2. But the OU offense will be. 3. The Sooners score on their first, offensive possession when 4. Trevor Knight runs it in.
Knight was good last week, running for a team-high 146 yards, averaging 9.1 per try. 5. He won't match either of those numbers he got when he ran all over Iowa State, but 6. Knight will account for at least three scores against the Bears.
Remember when Knight threw it all over the yard against Alabama? Well, he's not that kind of quarterback, but really you should be thinking about what he did against Iowa State last week. That Knight was the one who beat Kansas State and helped to beat Oklahoma State last year. Knight's efforts against Iowa State last week are repeatable. That's why you'll see Knight 7. run for more than 99 yards and 8. pass for at least 225. That's the kind of QB Knight is. 9. And you'll remind yourself of that more than a few times.
Meanwhile, Baylor's QB isn't quite the same. 9. Petty will put the ball in the air a lot. 10. Like 25 times by halftime and 11.55 times for the game. That's what you would expect from a team averaging 349 yards passing per game. 12. But Baylor will fewer than 349 Saturday. 13. And Petty will still manage to throw three touchdowns.
Certainly you knew Baylor is one of the best offenses in the nation, getting 50.4 points per game, that's No. 1. But 14. bet you didn't know Baylor is averaging 241 yards per game on the ground. Baylor ran for 255 last year against OU. 15. The Bears won't get to 255 Saturday. 16. And the Bears won't get to their average of 241 either. That doesn't mean Shock Linwood won't get his. 17. Linwood will go over 100 yards for the first time in three games. He went for 178 against TCU. 18. And Linwood will be better than his 5.0 yards-per-carry he's averaging this year, too.
A lot has been made of last year's 41-12 beating Baylor put on OU. In that game, OU led 5-3 in the second quarter, but it fell apart after that. Baylor scored the final 21 points of the half and went on to the easy win. 19. It won't get out of hand this year. 20. No team will lead by more than 13 points at any point.
Other things that won't happen this year against Baylor:
21. OU's Charles Tapper won't punch anyone. He promised he wouldn't anyway.
22. OU won't be worse than last year's 4-of-17 on third downs
23. There won't be a safety.
24. OU's leading rusher will have more than 36 yards.
25. Sterling Shepard won't be held to 0 yards. OK, that's too easy.
26. Shepard will get six or more catches and 27. have more than 80 yards receiving.
28. Baylor will not throw for less than last year's total of 204 yards. OK, that's too easy, too.
The Sooners have a lot of history on their side heading into Saturday. They are are 21-2 all-time against Baylor and the Bears are 0-11 on the road against Top 25 teams under coach Art Briles.
Most importantly, OU seems to figure it out after losing. The Sooners are 11-0 against teams that beat the Sooners the prior season.
29. You'll find comfort in those stats, but 30. realize it's the Bears, not the Sooners who have a real chance at a Big 12 title. 31. Kansas State stays unbeaten with a road win at TCU and moves to 6-0 in the Big 12.
32. However, the Sooners will find themselves in the top 10 after a win over Baylor. 33. At least two Sooner players will reference Petty's "Ready for OU" remarks" in the postgame. 34. You'll celebrate the victory with a late lunch.
35. And sleep in next week for the 2:30 p.m. start against Texas Tech.
Last week: 16-19
Overall: 133-130-13
