Upset special: Kansas State over TCU

West Virginia quarterback Will Grier has had a fantastic season, and Texas coach Tom Herman

knows it.

But does anyone else? Grier seems to have excelled in anonymity, despite a season in which he has thrown 25 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions.

Grier ranks third in NCAA pass efficiency, behind only King Kong (Tua Tagovailoa) and Godzilla (Kyler Murray).

“He’s a Heisman Trophy candidate,” said Herman, whose Longhorns host West Virginia on Saturday in a Big 12 showdown. “One of the best players in the country. Certainly one of, if not the best player in the country at that position. When you’re not playing ‘em, it’s certainly been fun to watch them this year and throughout his career. He’s a handful. An absolute differencemaker back there.”

But West Virginia has mostly avoided marquee games this season. Its game against North Carolina State was canceled by weather.

Texas Tech was vanquished before the Red Raiders reared their heads.

Then came a 30-14 WVU loss at Iowa State.

That changes starting Saturday in Austin. And Grier’s legacy will be on the line.

“That’s part of being the starting quarterback,” said Mountaineer coach Dana Holgorsen. “He wasn’t the only one who didn’t play good against Iowa State. Ten other guys didn’t block or didn’t get open. He leads us and we’re going to feed off him and the finger’s always going to be pointed at him or me.”

A win over Texas probably puts West Virginia in the College Football Playoff committee’s top 10 and Grier back in the conversation among the game’s best quarterbacks.

Kansas State and TCU are among the nation’s most disappointing teams.

Each has won a

Big 12 championship this decade and contended for others.

Both were among the teams mentioned as potential challengers to OU in the 2018 season.

But Saturday in Fort Worth, the Wildcats and Horned Frogs play with last place hanging in the balance.

They are tied with Kansas for last place at 1-4. The loser moves to the brink of missing out on bowl eligibility.

Both have had quarterback problems. TCU’s Shawn Robinson was ineffective, then had shoulder surgery, and Michael Collins has taken over. Kansas State has gone back and forth between Alex Delton and Skylar Thompson, without consistent production.

TCU is a 9-½ point favorite Saturday playing at home.

But K-State coach Snyder has a prideful program.

His Wildcats were outmatched last week in Norman but won’t be outmatched in Fort Worth.

Let’s go with K-State in the upset. Bill

Coach on the hot seat: Matt Rhule

Matt Rhule inherited a dumpster fire at Baylor and in his first season, 2017, won one game and many friends.

Rhule did much for Baylor’s public-relations image, and everyone gave him a pass for the 1-11 record in the wake of the Art Briles scandal.

But this year, Rhule has been a victim of his own good PR.

The Bears got off to a 4-3 start that included representative losses at OU (63-33; hey, no one slows Murray) and Texas (23-17).

Then Baylor went to West Virginia and was routed 58-14 last week, and suddenly you wonder if the wheels have come.

The 4-4 Bears host Oklahoma State on Saturday, and bowl eligibility becomes quite difficult if Baylor loses.

Rhule has great job security, but that seat still could be warmed by the pangs of disappointment if Baylor has indeed slipped.

Ranking Big 12 games

1. West Virginia at Texas, 2:30 p.m., Fox: First of three straight Longhorn games against Big 12 Championship Game contenders.

2. Oklahoma at Texas Tech, 7 p.m., ABC:

Sooners haven’t lost in Lubbock since a three-game losing streak – 2005, 2007, 2009.

3. Oklahoma State at Baylor, 11 a.m., Fox Sports1:

The best unit in this game is the OSU offense; the worst unit is the OSU defense.

4. Iowa State at Kansas, 11 a.m., Fox Sports Oklahoma: Not that long ago, these programs were similar in status. Not anymore.

5. Kansas State at TCU, 2:30 p.m., Fox Sports1: Who foresaw this game as a battle to get out of first place?