Big 12 Football 2011 Predictions: Picking the Winner of Every Conference Game
Year in and year out, the Big 12 is one of the top college football conferences in the country.
The departure of Nebraska to the Big Ten and Colorado to the now Pac-12 may hurt the Big 12 initially, but big name programs like Oklahoma and Texas still remain.
The Big 12 season will once again have some big time matchups and some of the most heated rivalry games in college football.
Here are my week to week predictions for the entire Big 12 football season.
Sept. 10: Oklahoma Begins Run Toward Another Conference Crown
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Missouri @ Oklahoma
Missouri lost a lot from last season's 10-win squad including a couple of first-round draft choices. Replacing Blaine Gabbert will be difficult, especially in the conference opener against the Sooners.
Oklahoma is perhaps the most talented team in the country and will begin their run through the Big 12 with a victory on the road.
Winner: Oklahoma by 14
Oklahoma St. @ Texas A&M
The Aggies were a bit of a surprise in Big 12 play last season and this year could be the No. 1 contender to challenge Oklahoma for the conference championship.
The loss of Von Miller will hurt but they return a lot on offense, and Oklahoma St. has to replace five of their front seven on defense.
Winner: Texas A&M by two scores
Oct. 1: Baylor Offense Starts out Strong
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Texas @ Iowa St.
The Longhorns had a down year last season. Don't expect that to happen again.
Iowa St. is predicted to finish near the bottom of the Big 12, so this one may get ugly.
Winner: Texas by 24
Texas Tech @ Kansas
This opening week battle pits perhaps the two worst teams in the conference.
The slight edge in this one goes to Kansas at home.
Winner: Kansas by 3
Baylor @ Kansas St.
These two teams are predicted to finish near the middle of the Big 12. Baylor returns some offensive firepower and Kansas St. will need some time to replace star running back Daniel Thomas.
Baylor could be starting a surprise run in the Big 12 in this one.
Winner: Baylor by 10
Oct. 8: Texas and Oklahoma Take Center Stage
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Iowa St. @ Baylor
Baylor makes their home debut and just has too much offense for a slightly undermanned Iowa St. squad.
Winner: Baylor by 10
Missouri @ Kansas St.
Missouri still has a lot of talent coming back from last year's team and will be able to feast on the bottom feeders of the conference even if it is on the road.
Winner: Missouri by two scores
Texas A&M @ Texas Tech
The Aggies should have no problem rolling here over perhaps the worst team in the entire conference.
The trio of Ryan Tannehill, Cyrus Gray and Jeff Fuller will be too much to handle.
Winner: Texas A&M by 20
Oklahoma @ Texas
Every year this is the biggest game of the conference season. These two rivals have had some great matchups over the years, and this season may not be so great for Texas.
Oklahoma is just too talented for the Sooners and will take this one rather easily.
Winner: Oklahoma by 17
Kansas @ Oklahoma St.
After a win to start off conference play, the Jayhawks will come back to earth when they take to the road against the Cowboys.
Oklahoma St. and Brandon Weeden are too much for Kansas
Winner: Oklahoma St. by 23
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Oct. 15: Texas Get Big Home Win/ Texas Tech Wins First Conference Game
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Oklahoma @ Kansas
No brainer in this one. Oklahoma will be too much for an improving Kansas team.
Winner: Sooners by 28
Iowa St. @ Missouri
Missouri will continue to improve week to week and have no problem at home with the Cyclones.
Winner: Missouri by two scores
Oklahoma St. @ Texas
This is a pivotal early season matchup that could have conference championship implications on the line.
The loser will fall out of the race, and that team will be Oklahoma St. with Texas playing at home.
Winner: Texas by 7
Baylor @ Texas A&M
The early season success of Baylor will stop here. The Aggies are just too much.
Winner: Texas A&M by 9
Kansas St. @ Texas Tech
This might be the best chance for Texas Tech to notch a conference win and they should be able to lock it down at home.
Winner: Texas Tech by 10
Oct. 22: Missouri Battles Oklahoma St.
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Oklahoma St. @ Missouri
Oklahoma St. will be in desperate need of a win to stay near .500 in conference.
Missouri must win to stay near the top of the league. This one will be close, but Missouri will be too much at home.
Winner: Missouri by 3
Kansas St. @ Kansas
They Jayhawks will snag another conference victory against in-state rival Kansas St. to even their conference record at 2-2.
Winner: Kansas by 3
Texas A&M @ Iowa St.
No trouble here for Texas A&M as the Aggies will roll on the road.
Winner: Texas A&M by 20
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma
This one has beat down written all over it.
Winner: Oklahoma by 27
Oct. 29: Baylor Falls Again on the Road/ Missouri Upsets Oklahoma St.
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Oklahoma @ Kansas St.
The Sooners' run through the conference will continue in this one.
Winner: Oklahoma by 21
Iowa St. @ Texas Tech
Texas Tech and Iowa St. are two of the least talented teams in the conference. That should be a recipe for a close and intense battle.
Winner: Texas Tech by 6
Missouri @ Texas A&M
The Aggies might want to be careful in this one because they have Oklahoma next week and better not be looking ahead.
This is a perfect opportunity for Missouri to catch them sleeping.
Winner: Missouri by 10
Kansas @ Texas
Texas gets an easy one after two difficult matchups.
The Longhorns roll in this one.
Winner: Texas by 23
Baylor @ Oklahoma St.
Baylor may start worrying about a late-season swoon like last year.
They will fall again on the road in this one.
Winner: Oklahoma St. by 13
Nov. 5: Oklahoma and Texas A&M Battle for First Place
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Missouri @ Baylor
Missouri is coming off a big win and Baylor has suffered a couple of tough defeats.
Baylor will be hungrier in this one.
Winner: Baylor by 6
Kansas @ Iowa St.
The Cyclones' search for their first conference win will end here.
Kansas will go down on the road.
Winner: Iowa St. by 1
Texas A&M @ Oklahoma
Oklahoma at home may be the toughest game for any team in the country.
The Aggies will be ready to go after the upset they suffered last week. This may be close for a while but in the end, the Sooners will prevail.
Winner: Oklahoma by 9
Kansas St. @ Oklahoma St.
The Wildcats are still winless in conference play and that trend will continue in this one.
Winner: Oklahoma St. by 17
Texas Tech @ Texas
Coach Tuberville will keep it close in this one, but in the end, the Longhorns just have too much talent.
Winner: Texas by 13
Nov. 12: Texas and Missouri Battle for Second Place
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Baylor @ Kansas
The Bears better be careful in this one against a decent Kansas team.
Winner: Baylor by 7
Texas A&M @ Kansas St.
The Aggies are coming off two straight losses and will show their aggressions toward poor Kansas St.
Winner: Texas A&M by 14
Texas @ Missouri
This is a battle for second-place in the Big Ten and with Missouri being at home, they get the slight edge.
Mack Brown will have his hands full in this one.
Winner: Missouri by 6
Oklahoma St. @ Texas Tech
Texas Tech will pull off the upset at home and knock Oklahoma St. out of the conference race for good.
Winner: Texas Tech by 9
Nov. 18/19: Baylor Gets Shot at Oklahoma
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Oklahoma St. @ Iowa St.
This is the perfect chance for the Cyclones to pick up another conference win. They will do so on national television.
Winner: Iowa St. by 3
Oklahoma @ Baylor
The Baylor Bears can put some points on the board, and the Sooner defense better watch out.
Oklahoma is very talented themselves, and if they have any hopes for a National Championship, they cannot lose this one.
Winner: Oklahoma by 12
Kansas @ Texas A&M
Another mismatch in this one as the Aggies are just too much
Winner: Texas A&M by 17
Kansas St. @ Texas
The Wildcats are still in search of their first conference win, and they are not going to get it here.
Winner: Texas by 24
Texas Tech @ Missouri
Texas Tech has been hot of late, but they will cool off in Columbia.
Winner: Missouri by 7
Nov. 24/26:Texas and Texas A&M Clash on Thanksgiving
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Texas @ Texas A&M
This is always a great way to end Thanksgiving day, and this year will be no different.
These two teams will battle all season for second place, but in the end, the Aggies will knock Mack Brown and Co. out of the race.
Winner: Texas A&M by 9
MIssouri @ Kansas
Missouri will try to keep pace with Texas A&M for second place in the conference. They should have no problem doing so.
Winner: Missouri by 14
Texas Tech @ Baylor
Baylor just has too much offense for the Red Raiders.
Winner: Baylor by 10
Iowa St. @ Oklahoma
Things are not looking good here for Iowa St.
Winner: Oklahoma by 30
Dec. 3: Oklahoma Tries to Run the Table in the Big 12
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Oklahoma @ Oklahoma St.
The Cowboys will give the Sooners everything they can handle in Stillwater.
This game will not be an easy way to end the season for Oklahoma, but they will have enough talent to get by.
Winner: Oklahoma by 6
Iowa St. @ Kansas St.
The Wildcats will finally get their first conference win on the final day of the season.
Winner: Kansas St. by 3
Texas @ Baylor
This game has turned into a battle for fourth place in the conference.
Baylor will be too much at home.
Winner: Baylor by 7
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
