The Big 12 has not had an undefeated team in the regular season since 2009. That year featured a Texas team that was 12-0 heading into conference championship week. But fell in the national championship.
That means that over the past 10 years, the Big 12 champion has lost one game. Whether it was Oklahoma State and Kansas State falling to Iowa State and Baylor in 2012.
Or Baylor losing to West Virginia in 2014. Or Oklahoma falling to Iowa State at home in 2017. Today, we take a look at a trap game for each team (Even Kansas has a trap game).
Baylor: At. Kansas State. October, 5th.
This is more of a stretch, but in previous meetings, Kansas State has kept games very close with the Bears. In 2011, Kansas State upset the 15th ranked Bears and intercepted a pass from Robert Griffin III for the first time that season to seal it.
Baylor survived a upset minded K-State in 2013 as the Bears were ranked in the Top 10 on the road. Baylor played against K-State for a share of the Big 12 title in 2014 and ended up being just an 11 point victory for the Bears. Even last season came down to a game sealing field goal by Connor Martin to give the Bears the win, 37-34.
And in the last 4 meetings, 3 of them have been one score games heading into the 4th quarter. Chris Klieman is the new man in charge and what would spark this program is a big time win, at home, against a team that will be near the top of the Big 12 by the end of the season.
Charlie Brewer gets flustered by the environment and the running of K-State that killed Baylor last year comes back to haunt them. Brewer can’t get it done on the last drive and the Wildcats stun the Bears in Manhattan.
Iowa State: At. Texas Tech. October, 19th.
Ever since Matt Campbell has been at Iowa State, he has seemed to have his way against the Red Raiders. Winning by 56 in 2016, when the team as a whole just won a mere 3 games. The last 2 seasons have been much closer, but Campbell has gotten the better of Kliff Kingsbury.
But with the hire of Matt Wells, it makes this coaching matchup very interesting. Both coaches have a very similar mindset of what they want to do schematically. At Utah State, Wells prioritized running the football and playing defense, similar to what Campbell wants to do.
Especially if it ends up being a night game, Jones AT&T Stadium will be rocking and tortillas will in fact be tossed. Alan Bowman comes out and has a fantastic game, while the defense forces a couple key turnovers late to seal the game and the upset.
Kansas: Coastal Carolina. September, 7th.
To say Kansas has a trap game is kind of difficult. As they shouldn’t be favored in too many games in Year 1 of Les Miles. Coastal Carolina was off to decent start in 2018, going 5-3 and winning 3 of those comfortably. Unfortunately, it went all downhill from there as they lost their final 4 and missed out on bowl eligibility.
Kansas does go on the road the week after and play Boston College (a big step up in competition). Considering the Jayhawks past of losing to lower rated schools, it wouldn’t be too surprising if KU lost this one. Coastal Carolina brings back their leading rusher from last year in Torrance Marable and an All-Sun Belt duo at DE with Tarron Jackson (11 TFL’s) and Jeffrey Gunter (14 TFL’s).
It would be a really bad way to start the Miles era, but it’s not surprising. Outside of Running Back and Secondary, Kansas is pretty weak at just about every other area. Getting too hot headed and that could get to the Jayhawks. Coastal Carolina pulls off the upset.
Kansas State: At. Kansas. November, 2nd.
The battle of the Sunflower Showdown and the battle of two new head coaches commences in the state of Kansas. Even though Kansas State has won 9 in a row, each of the previous 4 years, the games have gotten closer and closer. In Manhattan, Bill Snyder was able to squeak away with a 4 point win against KU.
This should be the most excited the program has been in a decade and Kansas fans will be coming from all around to watch this game. Pooka Williams vs. Kansas State’s D-Line is the main matchup to watch out for.
Whoever Kansas’s starting QB will be will have experience under his belt and the secondary will take advantage of K-State’s below average receiving core. Pooka runs for 150 and the defense holds Skylar Thompson and Kansas pulls off the biggest win in a very long time and gives KU a hope for the future.
Oklahoma: At. UCLA. September, 14th.
UCLA started off the season really bad, but had the most youth in a very long time and a QB battle. UCLA finished the season 3-9 with wins at Cal and USC. This prediction within itself is a long shot, but possible. Oklahoma beat UCLA by 24 last season, so the Sooners won’t have a ton of momentum heading into this game.
UCLA has had some magic at home in night games (Texas A&M 2017). UCLA has a good nucleus on offense with QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson as a sophomore and All-Pac 12 RB Joshua Kelly as a senior. TE Kaleb Wilson was among the best at his position in the country. A high flying offense will keep them in this game as OU’s secondary are very vulnerable.
Darnay Holmes return as the leader in the secondary after having 3 picks last season and will take advantage of an early season game against a new QB in Jalen Hurts.
Hurts doesn’t lose much and neither does Lincoln Riley. A rare loss stuns the Sooners and puts them and the entire Big 12 in huge trouble as trying to make the playoffs for a 5th straight year.
Oklahoma State: TCU. November, 2nd.
These teams are relatively even when it comes to talent, but where this game lands on the schedule, this either be a huge game or could be back to back let downs. The Cowboys travel to Iowa State the week prior and if they fall in that game, this one could be disastrous.
TCU’s defense (and specifically secondary) is in the top tier in the conference and were able to beat the Cowboys last time in Stillwater. There are advantages that TCU has, but Boone Pickens can be very intimidating with the Paddles and the atmosphere of a night game.
Spencer Sanders/Dru Brown has one of their better games and Tylan Wallace explodes for 150+ receiving yards and 2 Touchdowns. TCU’s offense sputters down the stretch and the run game gets shut down by a good D-Line.
TCU: At. Texas Tech. November, 16th.
This series has been widely entertaining since TCU joined the Big 12. Only 2 of the 7 meetings have been determined by more than 10. In 2014, TCU absolutely murdered Texas Tech’s defense by putting up 82 points in Fort Worth.
The next season, the two teams delivered a Big 12 Instant Classic as a tipped Trevone Boykin pass fell into the arms of Aaron Green in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. TCU would win 55-52 against potential NFL star in Patrick Mahomes.
In Tech’s last two wins they have been close, including a 21-17 win over the Horned Frogs last year in Fort Worth. TCU has a gauntlet down the stretch and at this point, haven’t had a bye week since October 12th, and wont have one for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, Texas Tech is coming off one before West Virginia
With all of the battles they’ve had in the last 5 seasons, this one should deliver as TJ Vasher has a monster game and Adrian Frye plays like a first team All-Big 12 with 2 interceptions.
Texas: At. Baylor. November, 23rd.
Texas’s schedule is brutal this year and has a lot of the good Big 12 teams on the road (outside of potentially West Virginia). a schedule consisting of #4 Oklahoma, #6 LSU, and on the road at #21 Iowa State. Texas gets Baylor the week after a road game in Ames. Baylor, however is coming off of a home game against Oklahoma.
Baylor gets the luxury of getting the Top 3 Big 12 teams all at home this season. This game went down to the wire last year as a last heave effort from the 17 yard line was the determining play as the clock expired. Baylor fell to Texas, 23-17, but has the home field advantage and the know that they can hang with the boys from Austin.
The Charlie Brewer vs. Sam Ehlinger matchup can finally become a thing after Ehlinger was injured in the 2 previous matchups. Both teams trade blows back and forth, but a Charlie Brewer to Denzel Mims connection gives Baylor enough cushion for the upset win.
Texas Tech: At. West Virginia. November, 23rd
West Virginia is coming into the season with a bit more hype than they deserve in my opinion.
But something they do have is good history against Texas Tech. West Virginia has won the previous 5 matchups including a 48-17 win back in 2016.
This is another one of the matchups featuring two new coaches as both were very successful last season at the GO5 level. Texas Tech has upset on their mind next week as they’ll be playing against TCU. If it gets to them, they could let a savvy WV team hang around for longer than they’d like.
Austin Kendall has a whale of a game throwing for 4 TD’s and Kennedy McKoy scores 2. TJ Simmons has a show out game and “Country Road” could play loud and proud for the team in Gold and Blue.
West Virginia: James Madison. August, 31st.
Don’t worry WV fans: This is worst case scenario. The loss of production from this team, with the combo of a new head coach gives me Baylor 2017 vibes. A lot of new players at a lot of different areas, with a new scheme. The only difference is James Madison is a whole lot better than Liberty.
James Madison is in a bit of the same situation with their Head Coach that had gone 37-6 in Mike Houston left in the off-season to take the HC job at East Carolina.
But new HC Curt Cignetti lead Elon to back to back playoff appearances after only making it one other time in program history.
While WV is trying to work out some kinks, James Madison is able to sneak into WV and stun everyone in Morgantown. If this happens, WV fans just take a deep breath and trust in Neal Brown. He seems like the right guy for the program and to lead it.
Image Credit: https://www.lubbockonline.com/news/20181016/nation-takes-notice-techs-frye-makes-ap-midseason-all-america-team
