Baylor at Oklahoma
Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
Norman, Oklahoma
Saturday, 11:00 a.m.
Fox Sports 1
Before the season began, this was the de facto Big 12 title game in many people’s minds. Many picked the two teams to finish atop the conference in the preseason, but it hasn’t quite panned out that way. Baylor had to climb back from a 21-point deficit at home against TCU and then lost at West Virginia. Baylor senior quarterback Bryce Petty has not had the same season as a year ago, with a mere 54.8 completion percentage, 20 touchdowns and three interceptions. Oklahoma, on the other hand, is already out of contention for the conference crown after losing to TCU and Kansas State. Sophomore quarterback Trevor Knight has had issues, sporting a 3-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. That being said, this is still a big game for both teams. Baylor can still win the title but obviously needs a win to keep that dream alive, while Oklahoma is looking to save face and avoid a disappointing season.
Notre Dame at Arizona State
Sun Devil Stadium
Tempe, Arizona
Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
ABC
Both teams, with one loss each, are more or less out of the playoff picture at the moment, but given that there are more upsets likely to come, they’re still technically alive, and a win would go a long way in keeping them in the hunt. Notre Dame bounced back from its loss at Florida State with a come-from-behind win over Navy last week, and, despite missing all of last year, senior quarterback Everett Golson has played well, with 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Arizona State, on the other hand, has quietly put together a solid season so far, with the lone blemish being a blowout loss to UCLA in September. Senior quarterback Taylor Kelly is coming back from an injury but has thrown nine touchdowns and two interceptions this season. It may not have the conference rivalry element, but this game could be very big in determining who might sneak into the playoffs.
Kansas State at TCU
Amon G. Carter Stadium
Fort Worth, Texas
Saturday, 6:30 p.m.
FOX
Fort Worth will play host to what might end up being the Big 12 title game this weekend between Kansas State and TCU — two teams most people didn’t believe would contend for the conference crown this season. The Wildcats have quietly put together a solid team — as they always seem to do — that can compete with just about anybody in the nation and are only a few missed field goals away from being undefeated. Senior quarterback Jake Waters has just about done it all on offense this season, with 11 passing touchdowns and seven rushing touchdowns. TCU has vaulted itself into the playoff conversation following an upset of Oklahoma and an impressive win at West Virginia last week. Redshirt junior quarterback Trevone Boykin has played great, with 2,472 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and four interceptions. Technically, this won’t necessarily decide the Big 12 title — Baylor owns the tiebreaker over TCU, and there are still a few games to be played — but there’s a good chance it will determine who represents the Big 12 in the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State at Michigan State
Spartan Stadium
East Lansing, Michigan
Saturday, 7:00 p.m.
ABC
After wandering around the college-football desert for seemingly the entire season, the Big Ten finally has a massive game on its hands. The winner of this game will likely be Big Ten East champion and will have the conference’s best shot at getting a team into the playoffs. Ohio State has rebounded nicely after the embarrassing loss to Virginia Tech, but this will be its first matchup against a ranked opponent this season. Freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett has thrown for 23 touchdowns and seven interceptions, filling in nicely for injured senior Braxton Miller. Michigan State, on the other hand, has only a “good” loss at Oregon early in the season and has dominated every opponent since. The Spartans are fifth in the nation in points scored per game with 45.5 and have only allowed 20.3 points per game. With the Big Ten West looking weak thus far, this game will likely determine who, if anyone, represents the conference in the playoffs.
