Here are the people and trends that will tell the stories of Week 11 in the Big 12.
Buckle up, Bears. Baylor hasn't played a ranked team yet this season. It faces three in its next three weeks, starting with No. 10 Oklahoma. BU has rolled over its first seven opponents by an average of 48 points and leads the nation in scoring, but Oklahoma will be by far the best team (and best defense) Baylor has faced thus far this season. The Bears still trail a one-loss team in the BCS standings. A win would be good for the resume. Adding another lopsided win to the resume would perk up plenty of ears across the world of college football. What's Baylor got?
Adding injury to insult (to earlier injuries.) At what point do the Frogs need to start holding open tryouts to fill out their roster? Star DE Devonte Fields is already out for the year for the 3-6 Frogs. Just when Casey Pachall returned, Waymon James and Brandon Carter's status with the team became tenuous. Neither may play against Iowa State on Saturday, and TCU could be without running back B.J. Catalon and CB Jason Verrett, who's been one of the Big 12's best defenders this season. If you see a Frog fan this weekend, give 'em a hug. Just not too hard. The program can't use many more injuries.
Another one bites the dust. Baylor and Kansas may be the only teams left in the Big 12 who have only started one quarterback this season after Saturday. Iowa State moved Grant Rohach to the top of the depth chart, but Cyclones coach Paul Rhoads hinted that it might not necessarily mean he'll start this week's game against TCU. Rohach completed just 11-of-24 passes for 84 yards and two interceptions last week.
Season slip sliding away? Texas Tech's 7-0 start has been dinged up by a two-game losing streak, even if both losses came to quality teams: Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Tech hosts Kansas State in a losable game on Saturday, but the season is on the brink a bit. It can't afford a loss with Baylor and Texas still left on the schedule. That would set the Red Raiders up for yet another late-season slide after a strong start.
Let 'em in, guys. Texas is the first team in Big 12 history to start 5-0 in league play and not be ranked in the top 25. The Longhorns have bounced back from a 1-2 start with wins over Oklahoma and Kansas State mixed into its five-game winning streak. The toughest part of the schedule lies ahead, but a win over West Virginia this week should be the final straw before Texas re-enters the polls. It's overdue. Texas is one of the nation's best 25 teams, especially now that Greg Robinson has revitalized a defense that was embarrassed in losses to Ole Miss and BYU.
Do we have reason to watch? Oklahoma State has played its best football of the year in its last two games. Kansas has played, well, football in its last two games. The Jayhawks travel to Stillwater, where they trailed 35-7 after the first quarter and 56-7 at halftime in their last visit. Does OSU do anything to make us rethink its status as a Big 12 favorite? Can Kansas make it interesting?
