CFP-chasing TCU in B12 title game, K-State could join Frogs

Some issues to observe throughout Week 12 in the Big 12 Conference:

GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 4 TCU (10-0, 7-0 Big 12, No. 4 CFP) at Baylor (6-4, 4-3)

While the Horned Frogs have already clinched a spot in the Big 12 championship recreation, they need to hold successful to be a part of the four-team College Football Playoff. For defending league champion Baylor to get again in the title recreation, the Bears need to beat TCU and Texas, plus have each No. 19 Kansas State and No. 24 Oklahoma State lose their final two video games. TCU upset Baylor final season, with linebacker Shadrach Banks’ last-minute interception sealing a 30-28 win at house the week after coach Gary Patterson’s abrupt departure from the Frogs. The final time TCU was this near the playoff, in 2014, its solely loss was 61-58 at Baylor.

Chandler Morris had 531 yards of whole offense (461 passing, 70 dashing) in opposition to Baylor final November in his first begin as TCU’s quarterback, however acquired harm in this yr’s opener. Max Duggan has since thrown a Big 12-best 25 touchdowns with solely two interceptions, whereas Kendre Miller has 5 100-yard dashing video games in a row and a TD in 11 consecutive video games.

BEST MATCHUP

No. 19 Kansas State (7-3, 5-2, No. 15 CFP) at West Virginia (4-6, 2-5)

The Wildcats can join TCU in the Big 12 title recreation with a win in Morgantown, mixed with a loss by Texas at Kansas. The Mountaineers must win their final two video games to get bowl eligible for fourth-year coach Neal Brown, whose job standing remains to be in query after West Virginia fired athletic director Shane Lyons this week. The sequence is tied 5-5 as Big 12 members, with Ok-State successful final season after dropping 5 in a row to the Mountaineers.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Texas is 16-2 in opposition to Kansas in Big 12 video games, although the bowl-eligible Jayhawks received 57-56 in time beyond regulation at Austin final season. The solely different KU sequence win in that stretch was additionally in OT, at house in 2007. … Oklahoma’s 90 wins in opposition to Oklahoma State are probably the most by the Sooners in opposition to any opponent. The Cowboys’ win final season was their nineteenth in a sequence that additionally has seven ties. The solely FBS group with extra wins over a single group is Nebraska, with 91 over Kansas

IMPACT PLAYERS

Iowa State receiver Xavier Hutchinson and defensive finish Will McDonald. Hutchinson, the nationwide chief with 9.7 catches per recreation and Big 12 chief with 105.9 yards receiving per recreation, has college information for receptions in a single season (97) and profession (244). McDonald’s 33 profession sacks are one shy of the Big 12 file set 20 years in the past by Texas Tech’s Aaron Hunt. Iowa State hosts the Red Raiders, who’ve allowed a league-high 35 sacks, 12 greater than every other group.

STRIKE (10) FOR BOWLS

The Big 12 could still get all 10 of its teams bowl eligible. For that to occur, there need to be some particular outcomes for Texas Tech (5-5), Oklahoma (5-5), Iowa State (4-6) and West Virginia (4-6) to all get the required six wins. Iowa State has to win in opposition to Texas Tech and TCU. That would then require the Red Raiders to win their regular-season finale in opposition to Oklahoma, which must win this week in opposition to Oklahoma State for its sixth win. West Virginia has to beat No. 19 Kansas State and No. 24 Oklahoma State.

___

More AP faculty soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25. Sign up for the AP’s faculty soccer publication: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2