Weekend Warzone: Big 12 Roundup Week 7

Baylor Bears 62, West Virginia Mountaineers 38

Congratulations to Baylor for finally beating an opponent with a defense!  Though the Mountaineers did a decent job of stopping the Bears early, forcing two punts and two field goals in the first half, but the West Virginia offense didn't have the consistency to take advantage- having a three and out, an interception and a missed field goal that all took points off the board and left the Mountaineers trailing by 10 at the break.  After that, the dam broke and Baylor started finding ways to exploit West Virginia's defense and the Mountaineers could simply never close the gap on the bears, even when their offense started to find their way.  It wasn't quite the revenge embarrassment that Art Briles probably wished for, but the Bears are now halfway through their season and have cleared the two hurdles that they faced.
Staff Picks: We're all good on this one, Swayze got the right margin though- kudos!
Our Daily Bears: Russell, Coleman obliterate West Virginia
The Smoking Musket: Breakdown in Baylor

Texas Tech Red Raiders 30, Kansas Jayhawks 20

Everyone assumed that it was going to be a butt kicking, and for the first half it certainly looked like it- Tech ran out to a 20-0 lead at the half, but hidden in the numbers was the fact that Kansas was in the game- The Jayhawks had missed two field goals and had a fumble to ruin three otherwise promising drives.  Still, the Jayhawks don't have the firepower to make up  three score deficit without the other team making some serious errors to help- Tech contributed a missed field goal and a fumble, both of which ended up as touchdowns for KU and suddenly Tech's lead was down to just three points at 23-20, with the Jayhawks forcing a punt to get the opportunity to take the lead and get a big statement win.  Then... midnight struck, and the Jayhawks had a disastrous series, first taking a sack and fumbling (which KU recovered) and then throwing a pick 6 on the next play, giving Tech their final margin of victory in the game.  In the end it's another moral victory for the Jayhawks, but they'll be kicking themselves for the rest of the season about how close they got to the real deal in this one.
Staff Picks: All good, though Andrew was closest to the actual margin of victory (still not that close, really).
Rock Chalk Talk: Kansas Falls to Texas Tech
Viva the Matadors: Defense Rescues Offense

Oklahoma Sooners 55, Kansas State Wildcats 0

Woe unto any team that plays Oklahoma immediately after a loss.  The last time Stoops' crew lost two consecutive regular season games was back in 1999, Bob's first year on the Oklahoma sideline.  Between the inevitable OU bounce back and the Wildcats having their hearts ripped out by the Frogs last week, this had the potential to be a very ugly game- and lo and behold, Baker Mayfield bombed away on the purple wizard's team.  OU averaged 11 yards per pass attempt and Mayfield had 5 touchdowns to 0 interceptions, while the OU defense picked Hubener off twice and got a pick 6 when Kody Cook came in in relief.  The Big 12 is kind of weird, huh?
Staff picks: Finally a slip up, as Marshall, Warrior, Samantha and Simone picked the Wildcats.  Jamboogie had the biggest margin of victory in picking OU (though only 45 points off from the actual margin of victory), so... half-kudos.
Crimson and Cream Machine: Sooners Thrash Wildcats
Bring on the Cats: Five Things We Could've Done Instead

TCU Horned Frogs 45, Iowa State Cyclones 21

The Frogs wandered into a perfect storm (no pun intended) in the first half in Ames- The Cyclones started things off with TCU's long time Achilles heel- the fake punt, which resulted in a 7-0 lead, and even as TCU battled back and took the lead, ISU stayed close thanks to a few big plays in the passing game, and forced a fumble as TCU was heading into the end zone that set ISU to take the lead again and knocked KaVontae Turpin out of the game for good.  That was another depressingly common theme in the game, as TCU suffered yet more injuries, as well as a targeting ejection to further stretch the depth of TCU's depleted secondary.  And yet... TCU still led at the break, 24-21, and it was time for Gary Patterson to do his thing.  After the second half adjustments, ISU would not score another point, and TCU's offense continued the pressure, steadily pouring on the points while running the clock and escaped with another road win- their fourth of the season, and finally get the long awaited bye week for a chance to get healthy and get some practices into a very young back seven.  It wasn't pretty, but on the road, you always take the win.
Staff picks: Another unanimous selection, but Melissa nailed the margin of victory
Wide Right and Natty Lite: ISU falls to TCU, despite strong start
Frogs O' War: Is great.