Texas Tech-Texas highlights Big 12 schedule
The Big 12’s marquee game Saturday is in Lubbock, where Texas plays Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders figure to be without quarterback
Alan Bowman, who was hospitalized for the second time this season with a collapsed lung. But Tech’s Jett Duffey has been productive in relief.
Here’s how the Big 12 games rank:
1. Texas at Texas Tech, 6:30 p.m., Fox: That wild 39-38 Tech victory 10 years ago, that ultimately helped lift OU to the national championship game? That was the last time the Longhorns lost in Lubbock.
2. Oklahoma State at Oklahoma, 2:30 p.m., ABC: The Cowboys have won Bedlam more times in Norman (nine) than in Stillwater (seven).
3. TCU at West Virginia, 11 a.m., Fox Sports1: The Mountaineers have been part of ESPN’s GameDay only twice with Big 12 games. Both against TCU.
4. Baylor at Iowa State, 2:30 p.m., Fox Sports1: Cyclones 28-17. Iowa State is 4-0 since inserting freshman quarterback Brock Purdy.
5. Kansas at Kansas State, 11 a.m., Fox Sports Oklahoma: A battle for last place. Takes you back to the ’80s.
Coach on the hot seat: Dana Holgorsen
Only once in its Big 12 history has West Virginia finished with a conference record better than 5-4. Two years ago, WVU was 5-1 when it hosted OU on Nov. 19, with a chance to forge a tie for the Big 12 lead. Instead, the Sooners won 56-28.
Now comes another West Virginia team with a 5-1 Big 12 record and a chance to contend for a conference title. WVU hosts TCU on Saturday and goes to Stillwater next week. Win those and it sets up a Thanksgiving Friday showdown against the Sooners.
Dana Holgorsen is in his eighth season coaching the Mountaineers and has mostly stayed out of hot water and the good graces of Mountaineer fans.
West Virginia slowly has gotten better as it adjusts to Big 12 life. Emphasis on slowly.
Two victories would set up a showdown in Morgantown.
But a loss, especially at home to TCU, would remind Mountaineer fans of their lack of Big 12 success.
Upset special
The Jayhawks had lost nine straight games to Kansas State when KU hired Mark Mangino to coach after the 2001 season. Mangino’s first two Kansas teams also lost the Sunflower Series.
But the Jayhawks won four of five from K-State in the years 2004-08. That’s when KSU brought back Bill Snyder, and after the 2009 season KU ran off Mangino. Kansas hasn’t beaten Kansas State since.
KSU has dominated, with only one of the last nine games decided by less than 10 points. Five of the nine games have been victories of at least 31 points for K-State.
But now KU and KSU are tied for last place in the Big 12, each at 1-5. The Jayhawks have fired coach David Beaty but are letting him coach out the season. The 79-year-old Snyder’s future is unknown.
Kansas hasn’t won a conference road game since the Mangino days, and the Wildcats are a 10½-point favorite in Manhattan on Saturday.
But Kansas is improved, and K-State is reeling. Let’s go with the Jayhawks in the upset.