Big 12 Update

Well here we go. Three teams remaining in the race for the Big 12 football championship with two games remaining. This should be fun. Baylor, Kansas State and TCU are all tied for first place with 6-1 records. All three are favored this week with TCU having the toughest test in heading to Austin Thursday to face the Longhorns. While I still cannot get over the absence of Texas A&M on UT's schedule for Thanksgiving week, I would expect Texas to be fired up nonetheless. Texas has won three straight in convincing fashion to become bowl eligible. They also swamped the Horned Frogs 30-7 last year in Lubbock, something TCU has not forgotten. TCU has a lot riding on this game and will need a full effort to beat a Texas team that is looking to keep up their good play of late. Baylor and Kansas each have opponents that will certainly want to play spoiler in rivals Teas Tech and Kansas, but even playing closely will be surprising. The key for both teams is staying healthy as they have to play each other in the finale in Waco on December 6. TCU meanwhile finishes with Iowa State in Lubbock so, unless there is a major surprise, each of the three teams remaining in the Big 12 race have one more tough game. But let's see what happens. As for the rest of the conference, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia are probably the only other teams to be bowl eligible this year. The Sooners have a shot at ten wins and should be focused on whipping rival Okie State, who is reeling, and then wining their bowl game. Texas is all about building momentum for year two under Charlie Strong, while West Virginia needs to continue the good play this season as they look to contend next year. An expected win Saturday over Iowa State and then a bowl win will give the Mountaineers eight wins for the season which would double last year's total. The other four? Play the kids, play hard and give yourselves something to build on.