Stormin' Around the Big XII: The Cream Will Rise Edition

Last Week: 3-1

Overall: 28-6

EA Sports Prior Two Weeks: 4-5

Overall: 25-9

Kansas State vs Kansas - 11:00 AM CDT - FX

Collin Klein and company have had two weeks to prepare for Kansas, which surprisingly will be their stiffest test this season not named Oklahoma. No doubt next weeks's game in Ames is a big one for the Wildcats so will their attention be focused on the Jayhawks? I think so, and I think it won't be good for Charlie Weis. Kansas' defense has improved this year but has been inconsistent, which will still allow Klein to do what he does best: run, run, run. Kansas wears down but shows some chinks in the Wildcat armor.

Kansas State 31, Kansas 17

Texas Tech vs Oklahoma - 2:30 PM CDT - ABC

Texas Tech lived up to the defensive hype last weekend in Ames and gets a vulnerable Sooner team that is still licking their wounds after a loss in Norman two weeks ago. Landry Jones continues to regress without an experienced offensive line and the lack of big play receiver. Iowa State's defense made Seth Doege look pedestrian at times last week but the running game is working well enough to keep defenses honest. Tech makes it two in a row over the Sooners and the downward spiral continues for Bob Stoops' team.

Texas Tech 27, Oklahoma 21

TCU vs Iowa State - 2:30 PM CDT - FSN

Click here to see my preview from yesterday.

Texas vs West Virginia - 6:00 PM CDT - Fox

This is a GIANT game for both programs. West Virginia tries to stake their claim to legitimacy on the arm of Geno Smith and Texas tries to show they are back before heading to Dallas to take on Oklahoma on October 13th. The Texas defense has had issues tackling, which will be a problem against guys like Stedman Bailey, and their run defense has been surprisingly worthless ranking 89th nationally. Fortunately, West Virginia doesn't run the ball often (331 of their 628 total yards rushing came against Marshall), but I do think this game will come down to which team can run the ball most consistently. And it's hard to pick against Texas in this case.

Texas 41, West Virginia 36

EA Sports Predictions

They're back. No summaries for prior weeks. Just some insane results (especially with West Virginia).

Week 4 Games

Maryland 28, West Virginia 24

Oklahoma 21, Kansas State 20

Kansas 33, Northern Illinois 3

TCU 31, Virginia 21

Baylor 38, UL Monroe 20

Week 5 Games

Iowa State 37, Texas Tech 30 (OT)

Baylor 31, West Virginia 17

TCU 35, SMU 7

Texas 31, Oklahoma State 29

Week 6 Games

Iowa State vs TCU: Casey Pachall throws for five touchdowns and Steele Jantz throws for two while the Cyclone rushing attack gains 49 yards on the ground. All you need to know here in a 52-14 TCU victory.

Kansas vs Kansas State: Kansas State continues to shred teams on the ground by rolling up 297 yards and four touchdowns against the Jayhawks. 168 of those yards belong to John Hubert and Collin Klein only runs for a measly 71 and no touchdowns.

Oklahoma vs Texas Tech: This turns into an aerial showdown with Seth Doege going for 368 yards and three touchdowns while Landry Jones tacks on 275 yards and three touchdowns of his own. In the end a 14 point surge in the 4th quarter puts Tech ahead for good and they go on to win 45-31.

West Virginia vs Texas: On the real field this is the match up that could potentially decide the Big XII Champion. In EA Sportsland this is a #8 Texas team going against a 2-3 (0-2) West Virginia squad. West Virginia out gains Texas by 140 yards and wins the turnover battle but a 103 yard kickoff return for a TD by Carrington Byndom nots the game at 17 going into halftime. From there the Longhorns hand around just enough to score a late TD by David Ash and hang on for a 31-27 win.