Big 12 Football By The Numbers: Home Field Doesn't Hold Up In Week 8 Games

Playing at home is usually a big advantage in college football, especially this time of year when homecoming adds to an already festive, spirited environment. If you're looking for ways to disprove this theory, however, last Saturday's games in the Big 12 would be a prime proof point. All four visiting conference teams won on Saturday, only the third time that has happened in Big 12 history.

Only four conference games were scheduled this past weekend, but all four home teams went down to defeat. That previously happened in 1997 and again in 2000, when the road teams swept all six conference games on a particular weekend.

Oklahoma's perfect season and 39-game home winning streak ended over the weekend as the No.3-ranked (BCS Standings) Sooners fell to previously unranked Texas Tech. OU's loss was Kansas State's gain. The Wildcats, 59-21 winners at Kansas on Saturday, moved up to No. 8 in the BCS standings, giving the Big 12 three teams in the top 10 (Oklahoma State, No. 3, K-State, 8 and Oklahoma, 9), setting up a huge matchup this Saturday, when Oklahoma will visit Kansas State. Only the Southeastern Conference has as many teams ranked in the nation's top 10.

Two other Big 12 teams, for a total of five, are ranked among the top 25 in the national polls In the USA Today coaches' poll, Oklahoma State is 4th; Oklahoma dropped to No. 9; Kansas State, 12; Texas A&M, 16 and Texas Tech, 22. The same teams are ranked 3. 11, 10, 16 and 19 in the AP media poll this week. 

Other noteworthy numbers from the weekend's Big 12 games:

4 - Tyler Lockett's 97-yard kickoff return for a Kansas State touchdown against Kansas was the first one given up by Jayhawk special teams in four years.

6 - Number of touchdowns in seven red-zone possessions by Kansas State on Saturday vs. Kansas.

9 - Oklahoma State has a nine-game winning streak, the second longest active streak in the country.

10 - Oklahoma wasn't the only conference team to have a home winning streak snapped on Saturday. Missouri had not lost at home in 10 games before losing to Oklahoma State.

59 - Oklahoma State running back Joseph Randle had a career-long 59-yard rushing touchdown Saturday vs. Mizzou.

90 - Texas A&M ran a season-high 90 plays in gaining 510 yards of total offense in defeating Iowa State 33-17 Saturday.

94 - Length of weather delay in minutes before the start of the 7 p.m. game Saturday between Oklahoma and Texas Tech.

110 - Yards receiving by Kansas State Freshman Tyler Lockett vs. Kansas, the first K-State receiver to exceed 100 yards receiving this season

122 - Average rushing yards per game for Missouri sophomore running back Henry Josey through seven games.

500 - Texas Tech has had over 500 yards of total offense in four of its seven games this season.