Baylor’s Head Coach Matt Rhule on Oklahoma’s star quarterback Jalen Hurts:
“He’s an outstanding runner, first and foremost. He can run, both in terms of keeping plays alive, first in the conference in passing, and they do a lot of play-action. He’s able to move around and keep plays extended. … So they present a lot of challenges and a lot of that is a credit to him. He’s a great runner, has great vision, he’s accurate — he can do it in a multitude of ways.”
OU Baylor Prediction:
Saturday night in Waco the Big Twelve will see if the Baylor Bears are really good or just an opportunistic and somewhat lucky team for this 2019 football season. With the high powered Oklahoma Sooners taking the short 270 mile trip down I-35 to the land of the Brazos River, Baylor will need to do what no other team on the Big Red’s schedule has yet to accomplish. That is keeping a handle on Jalen Hurts, Sooner quarterback, and his cohorts from running up a huge number on the scoreboard. Besides getting a grip on Hurts and company, the Bears will need to show that their offense can keep up, scoring touchdowns and not settling for field goals. Plus, can OU’s defense find a way to get back to making the opponents punt and not run and pass roughshod over them as the previous two foes, Kansas State and Iowa State have done. Both OU and Baylor come into this Big Twelve showdown with strengths that the other will have to deal with, and we can expect a rather high scoring exciting contest by the two best teams in the conference. For Sooner fans, if you expect a Sooner blow-out, I think you might re-examine your expectation. This will be a close game and either team can win.
A rematch could be in the offering in December so Saturday’s game will just wet Big Twelve fans mouths. And as in the beginning of this article, BU has to stop Jalen Hurts to have a chance to win. The Sooners could get 60 if the Bears are not on their game defensively. Final Score: Baylor 45 and OU 44.
Other Big Twelve contests for the week:
TCU goes to Lubbock and wins. Toads 31 and Red Raiders 24
Oklahoma State hosts Les Miles in his return to Stillwater and get the win. Chuba Hubbard runs up and down on the Jayhawks. Pokes 56 and Kansas 28
Iowa State has the Texas Longhorns in Ames and this is another game that could go either way. I have Texas in this one. Horns 28 and Cyclones 27
Kansas State gets back into the win column with a home contest with West Virginia. The Wildcat defense comes up big. K-State 38 and Mountaineers 29.
Last week: 2-2 Season: 46-14
Big Twelve Ranking
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Baylor
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Oklahoma
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Oklahoma State
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Kansas State
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Texas
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Iowa State
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TCU
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Texas Tech
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West Virginia
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Kansas
Fred’s Top Twenty-five
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LSU
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Ohio State
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Clemson
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Minnesota
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Baylor
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Alabama
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Oregon
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Georgia
-
Oklahoma
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Utah
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Penn State
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Florida
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Auburn
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Navy
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Memphis
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Notre Dame
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Wisconsin
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Michigan
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Oklahoma State
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Kansas State
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Cincinnati
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Texas
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Iowa
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Boise State
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SMU
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Final Four: LSU vs Clemson; Ohio State vs Oregon
National Championship Game: LSU vs Ohio State (Ohio State wins)
Sugar Bowl: Oklahoma vs Alabama
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National Predictions for the week:
Saturday, November 16
Nebraska 31 and Wisconsin 24
Michigan 28 and Michigan State 17
Alabama 33 at Mississippi State 21
Penn State 30 and Indiana 19
Florida 38 at Missouri 18
Navy 20 at Notre Dame 17
Clemson 42 and Wake Forest 21
Ohio State 60 at Rutgers 0
Auburn 21 and Georgia 17
Memphis 32 at Houston 29
Iowa 26 and Minnesota 21
LSU 53 at Ole MIss 27
Texas Aggies 24 and South Carolina 21
Utah 48 and UCLA 24
Boise State 53 and New Mexico 21
Oregon 52 and Arizona 18
California 28 and USC 24
Feature photo: Getty Images- Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer in game action
Second photo: Getty Images- Lincoln Riley and OU quarterback Jalen Hurts discuss during a game
All other photo credits: Getty Images
Added commentary: I think the O-line is not as good as last year and Hurts will run more than wait and get sacked. HIs production has shown that what he is doing is more often than not very successful in moving the ball, getting first downs, big plays, and putting points on the scoreboard. Whatever anyone might say, his numbers are great and with the number of times he is touching the ball his turnovers are all not that many…they do seem to come at bad times I will say. OU will continue to be good in the future but if anyone is thinking that Rattler will be just as effective next year better look at history. Redshirt freshmen take time to develop and it is a good thing that Rattler is a supreme talent. But as with all teams, loses do come and upsets do happen.