Key Match-Ups and Predictions for First Road Trip Week of the Season

It's the Cowboys first road trip and because the road games this season are the pair in Kansas, with the Jayhawks up this week, and Baylor and TCU in Texas, with the quick trip to Norman for Bedlam it is a perfect pandemic schedule to save money. Bus trips to all schools except Baylor which will be a charter flight on United. The TCU game will be a charter flight home if Oklahoma State has a game the week after the regular season finale.

Eight charter buses will roll to Lawrence on Friday from Stillwater with players getting a row to themselves. Everybody gets a row to themselves, masks will be worn and video will be watched. That would be video of the Jayhawks. The key is don't overlook Kansas. Respect Les Miles' team and realize they are looking for a landmark win. They have four players on their offense with the kind of speed that the NFL looks for.

I can safely say this. The intensity in practice showed no let up. This Oklahoma State team is confident, but showing no signs of overconfidence or that they have made it some how. You make it by going to the Big 12 Championship Game., You make it by winning all your games and making it so that committee that meets weekly in Irving, Texas later in the season will have you in their top four each week.

Letting up and playing sloppy against Kansas, win or lose, is not making it.

Key Match-Up #1: Oklahoma State defensive end Trace Ford vs. Kansas left tackle Malik Clark

Trace Ford is a known commodity now. Tulsa treated him that way in the opener because they had heard and read all the media that ramped up on Ford in the preseason. Last week he had the biggest defensive play of the game, so every opponent from here on out will realize they have to protect their quarterback from him. So far, the Kansas offensive line has been so-so. They have allowed a conference high nine sacks. Now, having a freshman quarterback even one that is athletic, can hurt that number. Malik Clark is a senior, but he and the Jayhawks offensive front have their work cut out for them.

Key Match-Up #2: Oklahoma State cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse vs. Kansas "X" receiver Kwamie Lassiter II

Lassiter II is the son of former Kansas and NFL Cardinals standout Kwamie Lassiter, who was a tremendous player for KU and who passed away last year. Lassiter has 11 catches, second on the KU offense in receptions, and 128-yards, which leads the team. It is likely that the Cowboys and Big 12 pass break up leader Rodarius Williams draws the assignment on the "Z" receiver for the Jayhawks in Andrew Parchment. That would leave Jarrick Bernard-Converse and/or Christian Holmes to work man on Lassiter. It is time for those other two corners, who have played well to maybe be in the position where everybody sees them in action like the crowd and TV audience saw Williams and his personal high of four break-ups against West Virginia.

Key Match-Up #3: Oklahoma State quarterback Shane Illingworth vs. Kansas quarterback Jalen Daniels

Quarterbacks don't match up, but this is to intriguing not to throw up there. Two freshmen from California. They are both L.A. area guys, but Shane Illingworth is from an agriculture and ranching community in Norco and Daniels isn't with Lawndale being a community on the coast that is predominantly Hispanic in population. They are different in style as Illingworth is 6-5, 220 pounds and athletic, but much more of a classic throwing-style quarterback. Daniels displayed a good arm in his first start against Baylor, but the 6-0, 200 pounder threw for almost 3,000-yards in high school and ran for over 1,000-yards. Experience favors Illingworth. Let's see if the match-up of former Cali prep quarterbacks develops. Mike Gundy has said if Sanders is healthy that he would have to go with him. Gundy's former boss at Oklahoma State has said he might play Thomas MacVittie or Miles Kendrick.

Pokes Prediction

#17-Oklahoma State 34

@Kansas (+2.5) 6

2:30 p.m. on ESPN

Oklahoma State opens up the offense some against a Kansas defense that has not forced a turnover and has one sack so far this season. Kansas will have a hard time matching the speed of either Brown or Hubbard in the Oklahoma State backfield or any of the receivers Oklahoma State has on the perimeter. Meanwhile, the defense kept it's intensity in practice this week and they respect the speed and "home run" ablility of the Kansas playmakers like Pooka Williams, Andrew Parchment, Kwamie Lassiter, and Stephone Robinson. The Cowboys defense wants to prove more. They are hungry still, a good thing.

Big 12 Predictions

Season: Record vs. Spread - 8-5 Record Straight Up - 9-4

Last Week: Record vs. Spread - 3-2 Record Straight Up - 4-1

Kansas State 13

@#3-Oklahoma (-25) 48

Actual Score: 38-35 Kansas State

Iowa State (-2) 26

@TCU 20

Actual Score: 37-34 Iowa State

West Virginia (+10) 17

@#17-Oklahoma State 28

Actual Score: 27-13 Oklahoma State

#8-Texas (-14) 42

@Texas Tech 14

Actual Score: 63-56 (OT) Texas

Kansas 16

@Baylor (-18) 35

Actual Score: 47-14 Baylor

This Week - Oct. 3, 2020

Baylor (-2.5) 24

@West Virginia 31

11 a.m. on ABC

TCU 26

@#9-Texas (-12.5) 42

11 a.m. on FOX

Texas Tech (+2.5) 35

@Kansas State 31

2:30 p.m. on FS1

#18-Oklahoma (-7.5) 28

@Iowa State 20

6:30 p.m. on ABC

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