Agree To Disagree: Big 12 Picks For Kansas State-Oklahoma And Four Other League Games

Continuing this week and for the remainder of the Big 12 football season, Kansas City SB Nation staff writers Chip Rouse and Chris Schumerth preview and provide insight on the conference games and their personal picks on the game outcomes. They may not be in lockstep on every game, but that's no matter because they have "agreed to disagree."

Oklahoma (6-1) @ Kansas State (7-0)

Chip: Kansas State has a huge road win at Texas Tech, which manhandled Oklahoma last weekend, and beat Missouri, which also gave OU all kinds of trouble in Norman a month ago, at home. Someone please explain to me how Bill Snyder's group can be 13-point underdogs to the Sooners. This game is going to be won in the trenches and by the team that creates and capitalizes the most on turnovers. The Cats would have been better off if the Sooners had won last weekend. OU hasn't lost two games in a row since 1999.

Prediction: Oklahoma 30, Kansas State 24.

Chris: 1999 you say, Chip? Well, first time in twelve years here we come. Kansas State has been underestimated all year long and this week is no exception. It will help that the Wildcats are hosting the Sooners, whose national title hopes were all but dashed by Texas Tech last week, 41-38. It is my suspicion that Oklahoma has been slightly overrated all year, and that will show again on Saturday, when Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein and company do what they do best: run the ball (19th best rushing attack in the nation), while playing solid defense and throwing enough to keep the Sooners off balance.

Prediction: Kansas State 28, Oklahoma 27 

Texas A&M (5-2) @ Missouri (3-4)

Chip: I'm tempted to be daring in picking this game, believing that the Missouri team that stormed Iowa State a couple of weeks ago and avoided the critical catch-up mistakes that destroyed its chances against a more talented Oklahoma State team last week, will show up against Texas A&M. A&M is the worst team in the Big 12 and one of the worst in the country in defending the pass, but the Aggies are able to counter that as one of the best teams at stopping the run. A&M will shut down MU's run game and force them into a one-dimensional game, which is much easier to defend.

Prediction: Texas A&M 31, Missouri 21

Chris: I will be daring and say that Missouri will be at its best at home. The Tigers have had a rough year and are due for a win against an Aggies squad that puts up a ton of points (13^th most in the nation). Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannhill (65 percent completion rate, 15:6 touchdowns to interceptions) is having a statement year without getting much attention, but the Mizzou defense will have to force him into a couple  mistakes in order to win the game. Missouri quarterback James Franklin and running back Henry Josey will have to be at their best in matching Texas A&M point for point, eventually squeaking by in the end.

Prediction: Missouri 38, Texas A&M 35 

Kansas (2-5) @ Texas (4-2)

Chip: Basketball season can't come quick enough for Jayhawk fans. This may not be your father's Texas team, but you can be assured that the Longhorns will have their way against the hapless Jayhawks. If Kansas is getting better, it must only be in coach
Turner Gill's optimistic mind. You don't give up 50 points a game and win many. Texas' young, inconsistent but well-rested offense will get new life against a very bad Kansas defense. You can chalk up another brutal beatdown for the Jayhawks and one more nail in Gill's coaching stay in Lawrence.

Prediction: Texas 45, Kansas 17

Chris: Texas is hungry for a win after a bye week with which to dwell on two straight losses to the Oklahoma schools. It is the right time for them to feast on a Kansas team that seems to be competing with Iowa State for the worst in the Big 12. Most of Kansas's losses have not even been close. Freshman quarterback David Ash will likely get the majority of the snaps for the Longhorns at quarterback. That he seems to have won that battle with teammate Case McCoy says a lot about his future upside, but for now he may make enough mistakes to keep Kansas in it early.

Prediction: Texas 35, Kansas 10 

Baylor (4-2) @ Oklahoma State (7-0)

Chip: If you're a fan of defense, this is not the game for you. There won't be much "D" played in this one as the Big 12's two most prolific offenses, both averaging nearly 550 yards and over 44 points a game, engage in what is expected to be a good old Southwest shootout between two offensive-minded teams. The difference is Oklahoma State can both pass and run the ball effectively, and the Cowboys can smell their first conference title on the horizon. The game will be high scoring, but not as close as some predict.

Prediction: Oklahoma State 55, Baylor 31

Chris: This game features a pretty good team with a great leader playing at a great team with a pretty good leader. The great team will win,  and it won't be that close. Look for Baylor's Griffin III, who still has the best numbers of any quarterback in the nation, to put up some points against a middling Oklahoma State, but it won't be enough against Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden (72% completion, 19:7 touchdowns to interceptions). Even after the Cowboys rose to #3 in the BCS standings, don't be surprised when this one is closer than it should be, with Oklahoma State pulling it out in the fourth quarter.

Prediction: Oklahoma State 42, Baylor 31 

Iowa State (3-4) @ Texas Tech (5-2)

Chip: After being giant killers last weekend at Oklahoma, it will be interesting to see how Texas Tech comes out at home against heavy-underdog Iowa State. My sense is the Red Raiders will play down to the level of the competition a bit, but even then, they have far too much of an offensive advantage to fall victim to an upset at home. After starting out the season with three consecutive nonconference wins, this will be the fifth straight Big 12 loss for the Cyclones, all by margins greater than two touchdowns. Relief may be in sight, however. KU is Iowa State's next opponent, and in Ames.

Prediction: Texas Tech 42, Iowa State 17

Chris: Basking in last week's win over Oklahoma, I doubt Texas Tech comes out and plays their best game against an Iowa State team that has yet to win a conference game. But the Red Raiders are at home and the better team. Not surprisingly, they're led by a dangerous passing attack (3rd in the country) that puts up a lot of points (9th in the country). They're defense, on the other hand, is not so stout (wow, we could have said this same thing about Tech for how many years running?), so Iowa State will likely put up some points.

Prediction: Texas Tech 38, Iowa State 27