With the Aggies and five other Big 12 football teams off this week, Saturday seems like a good day to go get something useful done. Wash your car, walk your dog or sit and stare at your bedroom wall – any of these things may prove more exciting than this week’s Big 12 schedule. We kick off the cavalcade of mediocrity with:
Iowa State vs. K. State
With the Cyclones coming off a three game winning streak, it looks like we’re just one horseman short of the apocalypse. A win over the downtrodden Big 12 champion Wildcats this weekend would pit the Cyclones against Missouri for the Big 12 North crown. That’s right, Iowa State. The same school that came into the season on a 13-game conference losing streak. Well, at least it beat Baylor.
Kansas State, who at the beginning of the season probably saw this as an easy win, suddenly finds itself out of a bowl game for the first time in 12 years after a dramatic 38-31 loss to Colorado Saturday. Running back Darren Sproles has had the 1986 Boston Red Sox Bill Buckner “I can’t believe this is happening” look on his face all season. Who knew they’d miss departed quarterback Ell Roberson this much?
Kansas vs. Missouri
Something’s gotta give in Columbia, Mo. this weekend.
The Kansas Jayhawks and Missouri Tigers come into the game riding a four-game losing streaks. Consider it a testament to the weakness of the Big 12 North that the Tigers (4-5, 2-4 Big 12) could jump back into title contention with a win this weekend.
Kansas head coach and remorseless eating machine Mark Mangino, whose team came within a phantom pass interference call of knocking off Texas, faces the monumental challenge of keeping his team motivated to play one more week.
The Jayhawks, perennial conference doormat, seemed poised to capitalize on last year’s appearance in the Tangerine Bowl until injuries derailed their season. Mangino told reporters that they were down to their fourth starting quarterback before vehemently denying having eaten the first three.
Missouri and head coach Gary Pinkel can still win the division if they win out. Then again, the same was said about Baylor at the beginning of conference play.
Oklahoma vs. Baylor
With a trip to the national title game on the line, Oklahoma will clash with the Baylor Bears this weekend in the same sense a freight train clashes with an empty soda can.
Unless Oklahoma quarterback Jason White tears both his ACL’s (again) and Baylor can somehow suit up the ghosts of Cody Carlson, Mike Singletary and Santana Dotson in their primes, things will get really ugly really quick.
Don’t look for Baylor to play the role of giant slayer similar to the A&M game: Oklahoma has probably already learned from A&M’s mistakes. Look for a Playstation-esque final score on this one.