TCU Horned Frogs

Big 12 title implications in Top 25 Thanksgiving matchups

Published Nov. 25, 2015 6:12 a.m. ET

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Things to watch during Week 13 in the Big 12 Conference, with two Top 25 matchups on Thanksgiving weekend:

GAME OF THE WEEK: No. 5 Oklahoma (10-1, 7-1 Big 12, No. 3 CFP) at No. 9 Oklahoma State (10-1, 7-1, No. 11 CFP). For the fifth time in eight years, the Bedlam game could determine the Big 12 title. The Sooners, who have won six games in a row and moved to third in the playoff rankings, can clinch their ninth Big 12 title with a win Saturday night. Oklahoma State is 10-1 for the fourth time in six seasons, but coming off its only loss last week at home against Baylor. The Cowboys claimed the outright Big 12 title by winning Bedlam in 2011, but a home loss to Oklahoma two years ago cost them the chance for another title. To win the Big 12 this year, Oklahoma State has to win Bedlam and have Baylor lose one of its last two games.

BEST MATCHUP: Art Briles vs. Gary Patterson, the coaches for No. 7 Baylor (9-1, 6-1, No. 7 CFP) and No. 15 TCU (9-2, 6-2, No. 19 CFP). With his big-play offense, Briles has led the Bears to back-to-back Big 12 titles and they again have the nation's top offense and still could win their third conference title in a row. While Patterson changed his team's offensive scheme before last season, he still runs the TCU defense the same way he did as coordinator before becoming head coach 15 years ago. Baylor won 61-58 with its big comeback in the last matchup, in Waco nearly 14 months ago.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Texas (4-6, 3-4) plays at home on Thanksgiving for the 56th time. This is only the second one against Texas Tech (6-5, 3-5). ... Paul Rhoads led Iowa State to three bowl games in his first four seasons as coach, but is 32-54 overall in seven seasons. The Cyclones (3-8, 2-6) play their final game under Rhoads at West Virginia (6-4, 3-4).

LONG SHOT: Kansas (0-11, 0-8) being able to avoid becoming the first Power Five conference team since Washington in 2008 to finish a season without winning a game. The young Jayhawks, under first-year coach David Beaty, are nearly three-touchdown underdogs at home in the Sunflower State rivalry against Kansas State (4-6, 1-6), which is still trying to get bowl eligible.

IMPACT PLAYER(S): Patrick Mahomes is only 89 yards from becoming the seventh Texas Tech quarterback with 4,000 yards passing in a season. If he gets that, the Red Raiders will have a 4,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher (DeAndre Washington) and a 1,000-yard receiver (Jakeem Grant) in the same season for the first time in school history.

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Compiled by AP Sports Writer Stephen Hawkins in Fort Worth, Texas.

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AP college football website: http://collegefootball.ap.org