OSU has clear path to Big 12 Championship. Who might the Cowboys play?
Joe MussattoThe Oklahoman
STILLWATER — Central Florida, Houston, BYU.
Those three Big 12 newcomers are OSU’s only remaining obstacles to reach the conference title game in Arlington, Texas.
The Knights, Cougars and … Cougars are a combined 5-13 in conference play. And two of those wins came against Cincinnati, which is 0-6 in its inaugural Big 12 season.
The Cowboys’ road to the conference championship couldn’t be much smoother, but that doesn’t mean it’s completely clear of potholes.
OSU’s trip to UCF next weekend will likely be the Cowboys’ toughest remaining test. The Knights almost beat the Sooners in Norman, and they have a quality quarterback in John Rhys Plumlee. And winning on the road, no matter the opponent, is tough.
Houston beat West Virginia at home and just picked up a road win at Baylor, so Dana Holgorsen’s squad will be playing for bowl eligibility. And unless BYU upsets Iowa State or OU in the next two weeks (don’t count on it), BYU will also be vying for its sixth win when the Cougars come to Stillwater for the season finale.
But OSU should win out. And if the Cowboys do, Arlington here they come.
Here’s how the Big 12 race stands with three weeks to play.
Texas (5-1)
Remaining games: at TCU, at Iowa State, vs. Texas TechTexas and OSU don’t meet in the regular season, but if both win out, it’ll be the Longhorns vs. Cowboys in the Big 12 title game.
Oklahoma State (5-1)
Remaining games: at UCF, at Houston, vs. BYUOf the five teams tied at 4-2, OSU holds the head-to-head tiebreaker against four of them: Kansas, OU, Kansas State and West Virginia. Iowa State is the lone 4-2 team that beat OSU. The Cowboys, if they win out, don’t have to worry about the Cyclones. But if OSU goes 2-1, the Cowboys will need the Cyclones to lose another game.
Kansas (4-2)
Remaining games: vs. Texas Tech, vs. Kansas State, at CincinnatiKansas’ path to the title game is slim. Even if KU wins out and Texas and OSU both lose another game, the Jayhawks lose the head-to-head tiebreaker to the Longhorns and Cowboys.
Oklahoma (4-2)
Remaining games: vs. West Virginia, at BYU, vs. TCUHere’s the scenario for a Bedlam rematch in the Big 12 Championship Game: OU wins out, OSU wins out and Texas and Kansas both lose another game. It’s certainly possible.
Kansas State (4-2)
Remaining games: vs. Baylor, at Kansas, vs. Iowa StateThe KU vs. K-State game is going to be a big one. The Wildcats need a lot to break their way, though, having lost to the two teams they’re chasing (OSU and Texas).
West Virginia (4-2)
Remaining games: at Oklahoma, vs. Cincinnati, at BaylorBig implications in Norman this weekend.
Iowa State (4-2)
Remaining games: at BYU, vs. Texas, at Kansas StateThe Cyclones have the toughest remaining schedule of the Big 12 contenders.
Brent Venables’ first 15 Big 12 games
OSU coach Mike Gundy picked up his 100th Big 12 victory Saturday as the Cowboys upset the Sooners. Gundy, in his 19th season as head coach, is 100-62 in Big 12 games.Second-year Sooner coach Brent Venables fell to 7-8 in Big 12 play.
Bob Stoops went 12-3 in his first 15 Big 12 games. Lincoln Riley went 13-2.
Venables already has more Big 12 losses than Riley, who went 37-7 in Big 12 play.
Venables took over a more difficult situation than did Riley, but on the flip side, it’s easier now than ever in the transfer portal era to remake a roster.
Pick Six
Each week, I make a list of six college football somethings — teams, players, coaches, etc. — I want to highlight.This week, my top-six Heisman candidates.
1. QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington: First in passing yards per game (356), third in touchdown passes (26, against seven interceptions) and 13th in completion percentage (69%). The Indiana transfer has led the Huskies to a 9-0 record.
2. QB Bo Nix, Oregon: The Nix-led Ducks have the top-scoring offense in the country. He’s thrown 25 touchdown passes with just two interceptions. Nix has completed a whopping 78% of his passes — the best mark in the nation. He also has five rushing scores.
3. QB Caleb Williams, USC: Williams is second nationally behind Penix in passing yards and Williams leads the nation with 28 touchdown passes. He’s only thrown three interceptions. Oh, he’s also rushed for 10 touchdowns.
4. QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan: McCarthy doesn’t match Penix and Nix in raw numbers, but he’s been incredibly efficient, completing 76% of his passes while throwing 18 touchdowns and three interceptions.
5. QB Carson Beck, Georgia: Beck doesn’t have the flashiest stats, but he’s been pretty darn good. He’s thrown for 2,716 yards, which ranks ninth in the nation, and he has the sixth-highest completion percentage (72.2%)
6. RB Ollie Gordon II, OSU: Where would the Cowboys be without Gordon? He’s rushed for 1,225 yards, which leads the nation by more than 100 yards. Troy’s Kimani Vidal is second with 1,119 rushing yards. The top Power Five back behind Gordon is North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, who’s rushed for 1,067 yards.
Big 12 Game of the Week
OU (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) vs. West Virginia (6-3, 4-2 Big 12), 6 p.m. Saturday, FOX: Two of the five teams tied for third place in the conference. This is an Arlington elimination game of sorts. The loser will fall out of the Big 12 championship race.National Game of the Week
Michigan (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) at Penn State (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten), 2:30 p.m. Saturday, CBS: Our first chance to see the Wolverines play a ranked team. And for Penn State, this is a College Football Playoff elimination game. I had a hard time picking between this one and Ole Miss at Georgia.Mid-major mention: Let’s go with Wyoming (6-3, 3-2 Mountain West) at UNLV (7-2, 4-1 Mountain West), 9:45 p.m. Friday, FS1. Shoutout to Oklahoman Barry Odom, who’s done a tremendous job in his first season at UNLV. The Rebels have won seven games for the first time since the 2013 season. UNLV has only played in two bowl games this century. This year will be No. 3.
