Big XII Easy Pick’ems – Weekend of September 29

Brendan Maloney-US PRESSWIRE

As Kansas State heads into

the first of two bye weeks

its bye weekend before taking on the Jayhawks, it’s a good time to introduce a new feature to the site. In Easy Pick’ems, you’ll be privy to the outcomes of each Big XII game before they’re played. Now, a lot of sites purport to prognosticate winners and losers. The big difference is that here, I’ll be right. For fun, I’ll also be picking against the spread. Unfortunately, the reality of operating in a ten team league is weeks like this when multiple schools are off and the action is slightly lacking, but we’ll try to make it as interesting as we can.

Baylor at West Virginia (-11)
West Virginia’s Big XII opener is supposed to be quintessential Big XII football – that is, two electric passing teams whose defenses can’t create stops. Baylor can be stopped. Geno Smith and company can’t. WVU beats the line and is welcomed to the Big XII with a 15 point win. Baylor 32, West Virginia 17.

Texas Tech (-3) at Iowa State
This is the game sportswriters attempt to predict and end up writing a lot of fluffy nothing. Texas Tech has been impressive against subpar competition, but that’s why we call it subpar competition. Iowa State hasn’t blown out its opponents, but at least Iowa and Tulsa have national credibility. So here’s the definitive answer everyone else is afraid to make: Texas Tech’s defense will demonstrate it’s completed a 180 over the offseason after it forces the fourth Cyclone turnover of the afternoon. Texas Tech 27, Iowa State 14.

 Texas (-1.5) at Oklahoma State
I hate Texas as much as the next guy, but seriously, Oklahoma State embarrassed the Conference in its loss to Arizona. The Cowboys may very turn it around by midseason, but with Wes Lunt hurting this isn’t the week for it to happen. I still don’t believe in UT’s passing game, but I believe in their D-line. Texas 20, Oklahoma State 16.

And for your Easy Pick’em of the Week:

TCU (-16.5) at Southern Methodist
SMU has had some extremely respectable years over the past decade considering what its overcome with the death penalty and being relegated to non-BCS status after it was left in the cold following the breakup of the Southwest Conference. But this is a new year, one in which Southern Methodist has been awful. Baylor beat SMU 59-24. TCU is better than Baylor. TCU easily surpasses the line as well. Texas Christian 45, SMU 17.

*Although this is scheduled to post Friday morning, I’m writing as of Wednesday afternoon as I leave shortly for a relay race traversing the Adirondack Mountains of New York. You read that right – I signed up to ride around in a van with other guys drenched in sweat without shower access and race through a series of mountains. And while I can’t account for injuries, suspensions, and other issues arising between then and now, these scores will still be accurate. I promise.