Betting the Big 12: Week 6

I talked about this on the Litecast earlier in the week, and I’ll go ahead and do it again here. So last weekend I went to Lawrence for an annual tradition that I’m sure many people have of attending a Cyclone road game every year. Now that I can check another town off of my Big 12 list, this is a great time to get a review of Lawrence down for the public record. Let’s give a letter grade on a few of the key categories for any trip and then determine if I’d recommend going back.

Accessibility: A

I’m sure this depends on exactly where you stay, but once you get into the “downtown” Lawrence area, everything you could look for is within a 30 minute walk of wherever you are. There are tons of breweries, restaurants, bars, and shops all within a short walk campus and the football stadium.

Hospitality: A-

I didn’t know what to expect coming in, but the KU fans were very friendly and you can tell how excited they are to have a good football team. There’s a bit of a common ground with Iowa State fans and Kansas fans in that we’ve both been perpetual doormats for most of our football histories. They also hate, and I mean hate K-State. The only reason this isn’t an A is because a sore spot is making fun of Bill Self and the FBI probe around the basketball program. You guys are the defending national champs. It’s ok for us to poke fun at you a little bit.

Tailgating: B

The location of the stadium makes it a little tough because there are a lot of neighborhoods near by. It’s a good set up for a “home-gate” and walking to the stadium or tailgating in someone’s yard.

Stadium: C

I think most Kansas fans can agree, Booth Stadium is due for some upgrades. It’s worn, capacity is pretty low, and it’s in the middle of a valley, which can making walking in and out a chore. But the in stadium accommodations were pretty good and reasonably priced.

Nightlife: B+

The main drag on Massachusetts Street had a ton of shops, restaurants, and bars that were within walking distance of the stadium. Kansas fans know how to have a good time. The drinks were reasonable and the food stops were good. Special shoutout to Logie’s and the Red Lyon.

Overall: B

Would I go back? Yes. This one is a no brainer for Iowa State fans. It’s close to Ames and Des Moines. Kansas City is right there for a meal. I would love to do this trip again for a basketball game. If Kansas is going to keep being good at football, I can see this being a fun back and forth every year for fans that want to hit the road.

Last week we were so close to a winning week. Like, 1 yard away from hitting the NFL pick and going 4-3. The college picks were all over the board, and now we know for sure that Oklahoma is just bad, Kansas is still the king, Iowa State can’t win a close game, and Oklahoma State is a playoff contender. This week’s slate should be a doozy, and look at what the worst game of the weekend happens to be, the Red River game. It’s not just Texas this time. Neither team is ranked, and honestly I don’t see either of them as much of a conference championship threat. Maybe that’s what you get for taking everyone else lightly and getting mad when you get beat instead of getting better?

THE GAMES

Oklahoma (3-2) vs Texas (3-2)

Kickoff: 11:00am | TV: ABC | The Line: Texas -7

Why bother wasting our energy on this crap game anyway? It’s close every year. Just take the points and watch something else.

Pick: Oklahoma +7

#17 TCU (4-0) at #19 Kansas (5-0)

Kickoff: 11:00am | TV: FS1 | The Line: Kansas +6.5

Our football overlords, the Kansas Jayhawks continue to be disrespected in Vegas. 5-0 ATS this year is not good enough? Why are they still catching points at home? They’re legit good and have now proven that they can win shootouts and defensive struggles. This game will be plenty high scoring. Pair Kansas with the over and profit.

Pick: Kansas +6.5

Texas Tech (3-2) at #7 Oklahoma State (4-0)

Kickoff: 2:30pm | TV: FS1 | The Line: Oklahoma State -9.5

Texas Tech at home is a must bet. Texas Tech on the road is a must fade. There’s letdown potential for the fighting Gundys but I’d much rather lay the points with the experienced team than take the young team on the road.

Pick: Oklahoma State -9.5

#20 Kansas State (4-1) at Iowa State (3-2)

Kickoff: 6:30pm | TV: ESPNU | The Line: Kansas State -2

Farmageddon after dark makes for a great atmosphere and I’m sure the black uniforms will make an appearance. But with that said, the ability to win close games is a problem again. I know we beat Iowa on the road but the CyHawk game appears to have been an outlier for the rest of the season as usual. I hope I’m wrong here, but fading the Clones has to be the play until we have a reason not to.

Pick: Kansas State -2

BEST BET AROUND THE COUNTRY

Utah -4 at UCLA

Utah might have more fans at the Rose Bowl than UCLA will, and I just feel like their physicality is a much bigger advantage than UCLA’s speed. This is a classic trap spot for UCLA bettors.

NFL PICK OF THE WEEKEND

Giants +8 vs Packers

I don’t know if it even matters who the Giants are playing at QB. Saquon Barkley is having an incredible year and I don’t know if the Packers are capable of blowing anyone out (except the Bears, of course). This game is in London, and this line reflects if the game was in Green Bay.

PROP OF THE WEEK FOR OKLAHOMA FANS

Who will make the CFP first?

USC -200

Oklahoma +170

Season record: 22-23-2 (-3.3 units)