National/Big Twelve Predictions; Sooners, Horns and Cowboys……. Playoffs hold key to Conference survivial

OU, Alabama, West Virginia and Ohio State are picked to win this week

Oklahoma State should manhandle Kansas in Lawrence for in their roster start Saturday.  The Jayhawks have proved tough for the Pokes in the short time history but this one should be a blowout.  Kansas is spent and look for the Cowboys to make the big play, especially with Mason Rudolph and his excellent pass catchers.  Final:  OSU 55-20

Texas visits Manhattan and this could be the game of the day in the conference.  I like the Horns here.  Charlie Strong lives for another day.  Texas will tackle better against Kansas State.   UT 30-27

The Mountaineers find out if they are a first line Big Twelve team in 2016 when they host TCU.  Another strong competitive game in the conference.  Don’t look for a scoring fest as West Virginia is better on defense than they have been in some time and the Frogs are getting better on that side of the ball.  If the turnover doesn’t come and bite Dana Holgorsen’s team in the ass, go with the home team.  West Virginia 27 and TCU 24.

Oklahoma has the potential to score 80 in Lubbock Saturday night in the Conference nightcap.  Texas Tech will suffer another big score loss.  Final:  OU 80-35

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BIG TWELVE FUTURE

As for the decision the Big Twelve made this week in not expanding, it really doesn’t matter as long as the College Playoff system continues to be a four team party.  If the Big Twelve would push for all Power Five conferences championship game winners a place in the system, well and good for the longevity of the Twelve.  Without that, it is a matter of time (2024 or earlier) before Oklahoma bolts for a greener pasture.  Currently the  Conference is the weakest of the Power Five and that can’t be a few years down the road.  If the league gets an automatic birth in the playoffs, everything will be fine with the Sooners and the Big Twelve.  With that, look for Arizona and Arizona State to move to the Big Twelve in 2025. If not, OU and Okla. State to the SEC. For a great look at what could save the Big Twelve  (http://sports.yahoo.com/news/the-one-move-that-could-save-the-big-12-)  Dan Wetzel, Yahoo Sports:

It was a waste of time and energy and will be, for a moment, embarrassing, but in the end the Big 12 Conference’s decision to not expand its membership was a wise one.

Now the question is whether it’s smart enough to take an even more sage path and push for something that can help hold the league together – a guaranteed automatic bid to an expanded college football playoff.

It’s dubious to think the league will. After all, a conference with strong leadership would’ve been able to realize that 15 months ago and tuned out Oklahoma president David Boren who claimed, apparently in need of a campus safe space, that having just 10 schools left the league “psychologically disadvantaged.”

Each of the parade of desperate candidate schools brought something to the table. None brought enough, however.

So the league chose not to expand, which if it values its long-term survival, or contains a measure of forward thinking, better not be considered the same as the league choosing to do “nothing.”

Last week Big Twelve predictions:  4-0;  Season 32-8

National Predictions for the week

Thursday Night, Oct 20

Virginia Tech 27 over Miami Fla 21

Boise State 32 over BYU 24

Friday Night, Oct 21

California 42 over Oregon 35

Saturday, Oct 22

North Texas 26 at Army 21

South Carolina 27 over UMass 0

Indiana 32 at Northwestern 29

Wisconsin 22 at Iowa 13

Louisville 35 over NC State 21

Minnesota 27 over Rutgers 12

Syracuse 28 at Boston College 24

Colorado 26 at Stanford 20

North Carolina 41 at Virginia 31

Memphis 25 at Navy 24

Michigan 56 and Illinois 6

Nebraska 45 and Purdue 14

Alabama 45 and Texas A&M 13

Western Michigan 46 and Eastern Michigan 18

UCLA 37 and Utah 27

Missouri 30 and Middle Tennessee 7

Auburn 39 and Arkansas 34

Washington 54 and Oregon State 10

Cininnitti 23 and East Carolina 21

Houston 47 at SMU 22

Maryland 30 and Michigan State 19

Kentucky 20 and Mississippi State 17

Ohio State 38 and Penn State 9

Ole Miss 28 at LSU 20

Arizona State 51 and Washington State 49

Utah State 27 and Fresno State 20