Big 12 This Week: Oklahoma QB vs. former team Texas Tech
GAME OF THE WEEK: Texas Tech (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) at No. 17 Oklahoma (5-1, 2-1), in a game featuring quarterbacks on opposite sides who have started for the Red Raiders. Patrick Mahomes is the current starter in Lubbock, and Baker Mayfield was a freshman starter for the Red Raiders in 2013 before transferring to Oklahoma and having to sit out last season. Mahomes leads the Big 12 with 375 yards passing per game and has 20 touchdowns and six interceptions, while Mayfield is throwing for 313 yards a game with 19 TDs and three picks. Mayfield was believed to be the first walk-on true freshman to start a season opener for a BCS team, and he threw for 2,315 yards in his season at Tech. "Both are great young men and have had good seasons, so that's been fun to watch," Red Raiders coach Kliff Kingsbury said. "Things tend to work themselves out."
BEST MATCHUP: The last two teams to play the Sooners. Kansas State (3-3, 0-3) is coming off a 55-0 home loss to Oklahoma, which had been upset by Texas (2-4, 1-2) its previous game. The Longhorns had the weekend off while K-State was suffering its worst loss in 25 years. The Wildcats have won six of the last seven games in the series, the loss coming in their last trip to Austin. Texas has consecutive victories only once in its two seasons under coach Charlie Strong, that being three in a row last year after a 23-0 loss at K-State.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Second-ranked Baylor (6-0, 3-0) has an FBS-best 19-game home winning streak going into its homecoming game Saturday against Iowa State (2-4, 1-2). ... Fourth-ranked TCU (7-0, 4-0) and West Virginia (3-3, 0-3) both have open dates, those in advance of their Thursday night (Oct. 29) game in Fort Worth. ... The Horned Frogs have won 15 consecutive games, a school record. ... Five of the 16 conference games this season have been decided with 1:10 left in the fourth quarter or less, one of those in overtime.
LONG SHOT: While Kansas (0-6, 0-3) had a second-half surge last week against Texas Tech, the Jayhawks go to No. 14 Oklahoma State (6-0, 3-0) as nearly five-TD underdogs. The Cowboys are coming off an open date and have won 10 of the 11 games the two teams have played as Big 12 rivals.
IMPACT PLAYER(S): Corey Coleman has caught an FBS-best 16 touchdowns, already setting a Baylor single-season record only halfway through the regular season. He has 41 catches for 877 yards, with multiple touchdowns in four consecutive games. All of his scoring passes have been thrown by Seth Russell, the national leader with 27 TDs and 18.5 yards per completion.
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