Betting the Big 12: Week 12

Week 11 Recap

Iowa State won by a touchdown on the road in Big 12 play and didn’t cover. You heard that right. We’ll take the actual victory and give the opponent a moral victory for once.

The Cyclones weren’t the only winners last week as we went 5-3 against the spread to get back to a winning week. With just three weeks left we have a bit of ground to make up to get back to a profit on the year.

Pick	Wager	W/L
OU -15.5	$33	$30
OU UNDER 80	$33	$30
ISU -10	$33	-$33
ISU OVER 56	$55	-$55
Texas -2	$44	-$44
Texas UNDER 64	$33	$30
Texas Tech +12.5	$44	$40
TTU UNDER 90	$44	$40
Total	$319	$40

Last Week: 5-3

Season: 51-47

Bankroll: $848

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Kansas State (5-4) @ Baylor (6-3)

Saturday, 11 AM, ESPN 2

Line: KSU -2

O/U: 59

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Sometimes we choose to get silly in this piece each week. You certainly don’t keep reading for the picks, that's for sure. A jokester at heart, I just can’t bring myself to make light of what is happening in Waco anymore. My fear is that we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

Seemingly every week there's a new story that emerges about just how awful things were under Art Briles. This week is no exception. Baylor fans will continue to support the coach that brought them into football relevance. Some people just don’t want to know how the hot dog was made.

Is a hot dog a sandwich?

On the other sideline rests one of the classiest coaches in the conference and nation. A model of consistency, that we have chosen to poke fun at over pure jealousy, Bill Snyder has the rest of the conference rooting for him this week.

This week is plain and simple: a matchup of good against evil, and we are hoping for a Hollywood ending.

The Pick: Kansas State -2, UNDER 59

The Bets: $33 each

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Oklahoma State (8-2) @ TCU (5-4)

Saturday, 11 AM, FS1

Line: TCU -4.5

O/U: 71

Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images

Time to step off the soap box. An Oklahoma State win could set up a tilt with the Sooners for a Big 12 championship. One true champion, right? A TCU win would make the Oklahoma-West Virginia game later in the day a possible Big 12 Championship game. Who says the Big 12 needs a conference championship game? Isn’t this mess more fun?

If you're a Big 12 fan you knew the blown call in the Oklahoma State-Central Michigan game would come into play later in the season. Now, it's up to the committee to decide how they view that particular game. The Cowboys are still probably on the outside looking in, but they’d obviously have a much stronger case with a one-loss record.

The Picks: Oklahoma State +4.5, UNDER 71

The Bets: $33 each

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Texas Tech (4-6) @ Iowa State (2-8)

Saturday, 2:30 PM, FS1

Line: TTU -4

O/U: 75

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

If you’re not last, you’re first! With a win on Saturday the Cyclones moved into a 9-way tie for not-last place. It was a monumental win for Campbell and company and firmly entrenched their place in the top 10...of the Big 12.

Rational fans took the win with a grain of salt and considered themselves unimpressed with a touchdown win on the road in Big 12 play. Those fans were probably pretty puzzled to see the Cyclones listed as a mere 2-point underdog on Saturday.

The spread has shifted in Texas Tech’s favor and for good reason. They're better than the Cyclones. That doesn’t mean they will win though. We Iowa State fans have always called for the Texas schools to come up and play in Ames in November. Well, we're getting our wish. Can the Red Raiders sling it around in November conditions?

Color me optimistic or irrational, but I’m actually looking forward to this game. A three-game winning streak to end the season would go a long way toward building some recruiting momentum. #AStormIsBrewing

The Picks: Iowa State +4, OVER 75

The Bets: $33 each

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Texas (5-5) @ Kansas (1-9)

Saturday, 2:30 PM, ABC

Line: Texas -24

O/U: 63

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

If there were any doubts in my loyalties to Iowa State, they were quickly dismissed Saturday as I made the five hour trek to see two 1-8 college football teams play a game on a perfectly fine Saturday afternoon.

I wasn’t the only one, as dozens of others had the same idea. This was a game that only a mother could love. At the end of the day though someone had to win. I guess that’s why they play the games.

Texas rolls in ready to clinch a spot in a bowl game. Kansas looks to continue to season their true freshman quarterback. The kid made some rookie mistakes but had a bit of Steele Jantz in him. Could Kansas "steele" a win away from the Longhorns?

Probably not, but they might be able to keep it within three touchdowns.

The Picks: Kansas +24, OVER 63

The Bets: $33 each

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Oklahoma (8-2) @ West Virginia (8-1)

Saturday, 7 PM, ABC

Line: OU -4

O/U: 66

I figured Oklahoma would come around sooner or later. Since losing two non-conference games, Bob Stoops’ troops have rattled off an undefeated slate thus far in conference play. This game will go a long way in determining one true champion.

This match-up to me is why college football needs to expand to eight teams. College football needs more games that matter at the end of the season, not less. Although this game is extremely huge to the Big 12 conference, both teams are probably on the outside looking in come playoff time. If there were four more spots? It could be a playoff elimination game.

The Sooners are going to regret scheduling as tough of a non-conference slate as they did. Especially after they take down the Mountaineers before a showdown with the Cowboys.

The Picks: Oklahoma -4, OVER 66

The Bets: $33 each

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Week 12 Recap

This is our last "normal" week before we start getting crazy with our bankroll. There is no sense in going home even right?

Pick	Wager
KSU -2	$33
UNDER 59	$33
OSU +4.5	$33
OSU UNDER 71	$33
ISU +4	$33
ISU OVER 75	$33
Kansas +24	$33
KU OVER 63	$33
Oklahoma -4	$33
OU OVER 66	$33
Total	$330