ESPN College GameDay 2015: Week 13 Location Hosts, TV Schedule and Predictions

The big loser from the first College Football Playoff was the Big 12. The conference’s teams were left on the outside looking in, even though TCU and Baylor had impressive resumes at year’s end. 

The Oklahoma Sooners have a golden opportunity to change that script this season as the No. 3 team in the current rankings. First, they must get past their archrivals from inside the state.

Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor are part of the one-loss logjam atop the Big 12 standings with limited time remaining to create separation and make statements to the selection committee. The Sooners and Cowboys have the chance to do just that with their head-to-head showdown Saturday.

ESPN’s traveling pregame show, College GameDay, will set the table Saturday from Stillwater. It shared the news on Twitter:

Here is a look at everything you need to know for the Week 13 edition of the show as well as a prediction for the playoff-shaping contest.

ESPN College GameDay: Week 13 Info

Date: Saturday, Nov. 28

Time (ET): 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Preview and Prediction

There is never a shortage in pressure when Oklahoma faces Oklahoma State, but this year’s matchup features two teams in the Top 12 with playoff aspirations. The Sooners are No. 3 in the selection committee's rankings, while the Cowboys are No. 11, which is unfortunate news for the home team based on the history of the rivalry:

With no conference championship game in the Big 12, these teams must make impressions in highly anticipated showdowns like this if they want to reach the playoffs. 

If the Sooners take care of business, they will have victories over Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State on their resume. Even without a true league title game, it will prove difficult to deny Bob Stoops’ squad a playoff shot with that resume. Joel Klatt of Fox Sports suggested as much:

If the Cowboys win, they may need Baylor to lose to either TCU or Texas to realistically make the playoffs because the Bears hold the head-to-head advantage over Oklahoma State.

At least head coach Mike Gundy isn’t worried about his team bouncing back from that Baylor loss with so much still at stake, per the Associated Press, via Fox Sports: “Bedlam takes care of anything that would have happened. I would like to think that our team has been prepared mentally for, at any time, whether it's a big win or a disappointing loss—you have to get ready to go to work on Sunday. I think they understand that.”

Even if Oklahoma State is ready, the best news for the Sooners is the fact quarterback Baker Mayfield passed his concussion test. His team nearly lost a 30-13 lead against TCU Saturday after he left the game, and his Heisman Trophy candidacy could depend on a memorable final impression in Saturday's rivalry.

He is one of the best players in college football with 3,209 passing yards, 343 rushing yards and 39 total touchdowns with only five interceptions. Oklahoma State’s defense is a dismal 95th in the nation in passing yards allowed per game and has little hope of slowing down a healthy Mayfield based on past performances this season.

The Cowboys are also 71st in the nation in rushing yards allowed per game, which means Mayfield’s partner in the backfield, Samaje Perine, should also turn in impressive numbers. Perine has 1,160 rushing yards this year after he notched 1,713 rushing yards a season ago and is a bowling ball up the middle and in the open field.

Oklahoma State’s best opportunity to knock off its rivals is by outscoring the Sooners from the opening kick with an offensive onslaught. The Cowboys are seventh in the nation in points per game and must counter Oklahoma’s powerful offense (which is third) with consistent touchdown drives and time of possession.

Quarterback Mason Rudolph has 3,591 passing yards and 22 total touchdowns on the season and is fresh off one of the best performances of his career with 430 passing yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions in the loss to Baylor. If he carries that momentum into the Oklahoma showdown, the Cowboys could pull the upset.

Unfortunately for Rudolph and the Cowboys, Oklahoma is one of the only teams in the Big 12 that actually plays defense.

The Sooners are 23rd in the nation in yards allowed per game and 25th in points allowed per game. Even though they won’t completely shut down the mighty Cowboys attack, they will slow it down enough for Mayfield and Perine to clinch the victory.

It won’t take many defensive stops for the Sooners to win with their powerful offense going up against the vulnerable Oklahoma State defense. Oklahoma will put the final line on its playoff resume Saturday. 

Prediction: Oklahoma 44, Oklahoma State 27