Big 12 football picks: Week 13 predictions

Only three games are on the slate for Saturday in the Big 12 with two teams on a bye and Texas and Texas Tech having their matchup on Thanksgiving night. Of those three games, the biggest game of the entire day will be Baylor trying to stay in national championship contention when they go on the road to take on Oklahoma State.

Nov 16, 2013; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Kendal Thompson (1) runs the ball against Iowa State Cyclones Iowa State Cyclones linebacker Jeremiah George (52) in the second half at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

During that game, Iowa State will be hosting their final game of the season at Jack Trice Stadium against Kansas.

(20)Oklahoma (8-2) at Kansas State (6-4) – Saturday, 11:00 AM CT (FOX Sports 1)

Trevor Knight will start at quarterback with Blake Bell still suffering from a concussion after the win over Iowa State. That means the offense will need to continue what they did against the Cyclones to keep up with KSU, who is averaging 39.5 points and have a plus-six turnover margin in their current four-game winning streak. The Wildcats have a very underrated defense that should push back against Brennan Clay, giving him a more miserable day like he’s mostly seen in the latter half of the season. Bob Stoops is 9-0 in the state of Kansas, but things are meant to be broken – like the Sooners’ defense against Baylor a few weeks ago. KSST 31, OKLA 22 (Odds: KSST -5, U53.5)

(4)Baylor (9-0) at (10)Oklahoma State (9-1) – Saturday, 7:00 PM CT (ABC)

Yes, I will hate whoever made the decision to put Iowa State’s game on at the same time as this game.

This is the biggest game of the season for Baylor that could finally make believers out of people who still don’t believe in them or have said that they haven’t played anybody yet – which is ludicrous. Texas Tech is still a talented team despite their freefall, and the Bears overcame not having their two leading running backs (Lache Seastrunk and Glasco Martin) along with one of their top receivers, Tevin Reese. Reese is gone for the season, but both Seastrunk and Martin could be back against the Cowboys.

With a huge top-10 matchup against Oklahoma under their belt, I don’t believe Baylor will start as flat they did in that game. Their defense will be thoroughly tested against a top-15 scoring defense, but the Bears’ offense will edge it out in the end. BAY 49, OKST 35 (Odds: BAY -9.5, O78)

Kansas (3-7) at Iowa State (1-9) – Saturday, 7:00 PM CT (FOX Sports 1)

Ames will be a frozen tundra on Saturday night, creating a likely lower scoring affair this time around. That, and both offenses are dreadful. Kansas has broken their long Big 12 losing streak, and Iowa State will try to not become the new Kansas by losing their ninth straight Big 12 contest dating back to last year’s loss against West Virginia.

Preview and prediction coming tomorrow morning.