OU AND UT PREP FOR THE RED RIVER

Oklahoma hosts Iowa State Saturday on Owen Field, hoping to run their season record to five win and fresh out of loses.  The Cyclones, coming off a nice win over Oklahoma State, have found their offense, led by red-shirt quarterback Rocco Becht, who torched the Pokes for over 300 yards in their 34-27 home win at Jack Trice.  Will ISU stop OU enough to deal the Sooners their first loss, one week before the OU/UT Red River splashdown in the Cotton Bowl next week?  I do not. OU will take the Cyclones 41-17, as the Big Red of the South prepares for the Longhorns with their season best performance.  Look for OU to take the game to the visitors early and often and have this one over by half.

In other Big 12 action, here are my takes.

BYU wins at home over the Bearcats of Cincinnati 20-17.  BYU’s defense wins this one for the Mormons.

UCF will win at home with Baylor.  The Bears quarterback situation is killing them.  They do not have a good one at this time.   At home, the Knights too much.  27 to 14 for the home team.

Texas Tech get a win in Lubbock against Houston.  I like the Red Raiders big, 38 to 29.

I have changed my mind.  Texas will beat Kansas but it will be close.  This could be an upset in Austin if Ewers has a bad game and UT does not hit on all cylinders on offense. Kansas will score.  Final UT 34 and Kansas 24

TCU and West Virginia will play in Fort Worth as the Mountaineers look to string their third win with the two already in on the rope.   Frogs get it done 24 to 20.

Last week I was 7-1 in Big 12 picks.

In significant national games:

Friday, Sept 29

Oregon State 37 and Utah 34.  Upset special

Saturday, Sept 30

USC 58 at Colorado 28

Kentucky 28 and Florida 23

Texas A&M 37 at Arkansas 24

Georgia 24 at Auburn 10

Michigan 32 at Nebraska 20

Ole Miss 31 and LSU 28

Tennessee 40 and South Carolina 20

Alabama 24 and Mississippi State 10

Last week 12-0 in national picks

Big Twelve rankings

1.  Texas

2.  Oklahoma

3.  Kansas

4.  Kansas State

5.  UCF

6.  TCU

7.  BYU

8.  West Virginia

9.  Cincinnati

10.  Texas Tech

11.  Iowa State

12.  Oklahoma State

13.  Houston

14.  Baylor

Top 25

1.  Georgia

2.  Washington

3.  Florida State

4.  Texas

5.  Michigan

6.  USC

7.  Oregon

8.  Penn State

9.  Ohio State 

10.  Oklahoma

11.  Alabama

12.  Washington State

13.  North Carolina

14.  Utah

15.  Notre Dame

16.  LSU

17.  Miami, Fla.

18.  Duke

19.  Oregon State

20.  Kansas 

21.  Missouri

22.  Tennessee

23.  Kansas State

24.  Ole Miss

25.   Florida

Feature photo:  Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Adepoju Adebawore (34) knocks the ball loose as Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Emory Jones (5) throws in the third quarter of the NCAA Big 12 football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Oklahoma Sooners at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. The Bearcats lost their first Big 12 football game, 20-6, to the Sooners before a sellout crowd.   Sam Greene/The Enquirer