Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma: How the Big 12 Plays out

Kansas State? Oklahoma State? Oklahoma? One thing is sure, deciding who's going to win the Big 12 will not be settled soon.

Oklahoma State and Kansas State currently sit atop the Big 12 standings with 7-0 records, with Oklahoma one-game back at 6-1. Each of the three teams will play both opponents before the season is over and it appears likely that the Big 12 champion, now that the conference is without a championship game, will not be decided until the final week of the season when Oklahoma travels to in-state rival Oklahoma State.

But what will happen until then? Who's going to beat who? Who's going to get surprised? Let's take a look.

Oklahoma: The one-loss Sooners already find themselves on the outside looking in for a National Championship. But they still are in contention for a BCS bowl and, definitely can play spoiler for the two contending Big 12 programs.

Oklahoma's opponents are a combined 27-22, which appears respectable. But, if you take out Tulsa and Texas Tech their opponents are only 17-17. After starting the season at No. 1 in the polls, the Sooners schedule may have finally caught up with them. Their remaining ranked opponents, Kansas State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State, have all the makings of a disappointing finish, in Norman at 10-2.

Oklahoma will almost certainly ruin the Wildcats perfect season this week but will likely lose to Oklahoma State the last week of the season. The Sooners will go bowling, but it won't be a BCS bowl.

Kansas State: KSU appears to be the most overrated of the three. Their opponents are a combined 23-26. Very disappointing to say the least. However, if you consider Miami, Baylor and Texas Tech have a combined record of 13-8, that leaves the Wildcats remaining opponents at a paltry 10-18.

Playing Oklahoma and Oklahoma State back-to-back games will press the Wildcats as they have not been so far this year. They will then finish the season against two more ranked teams, Texas A&M and Texas. The schedule certainly doesn't appear to favor Kansas State. Prediction: Kansas State finishes 9-3 with losses to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas.

Oklahoma State: If anyone is in the driver's seat in the Big 12, it's the Cowboys. Their opponents are a combined 26-23, which, although above .500, is remarkably better when you take out the records of Arizona and Kansas, improving drastically to 22-13.

The Cowboys must still face Kansas State, at home, a week after the Wildcats take on an Oklahoma team still smarting from their loss to Texas Tech. Oklahoma State must then play Texas Tech, on the road, which is never an easy task. But both teams are not afraid to air the ball out, ranking second and third in passing among FBS teams, so it may be a scoring contest.

They will play a bad Iowa State team before they finally wrap up the season with a home game against Oklahoma. By the end of the season Oklahoma State should find themselves at 11-1 and, although out of the National Championship hunt, headed to a BCS bowl game.

The Big 12 is a mess at the moment and the picture doesn't appear to be clearing for at least the next four weeks.