Dallas Morning News Volume VII

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SPORTSBAYLOR BEARS

Baylor prediction: Will Bears finally get a win against West Virginia in Morgantown?​

Baylor looks for its first-ever win when playing at West Virginia, losing the previous five contests.​

Baylor at West Virginia​

When: 6 p.m. Thursday at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, W. Va.

Records: Baylor (3-2, 1-1 Big 12); West Virginia (2-3, 0-2 Big 12).

What’s at stake?​

This is a major “prove it” game for Baylor.


No, seriously. The Bears have looked like a lethal team in spurts this season, but a 3-2 overall start is surely not what most expected, given the team was predicted to repeat as conference champs. Pair this with the fact that Baylor is 0-5 when playing in Morgantown and you’ve got a doozy of a matchup.

Since the Bears fell short of a comeback bid against Oklahoma State, it’s grown apparent that this team needs to figure it out soon. In a year where the Oklahoma Sooners are 0-3 to start conference play, Baylor is not even a clear top-two team in the Big 12.

Programs like Kansas, TCU and Kansas State have all emerged on to the scene, while Texas looks deadly as ever with Quinn Ewers back under center. Buckle up, y’all. This green and gold team has been tested in a big way, both at home and on the road. It’s about time we see what this team is really made of.

When Baylor has the ball​

Something that was talked about this week was the fact that the running game needs to not only take a leap forward, but literally fall forward. Freshman Richard Reese has emerged as the go-to tailback for the Bears, but both head coach Dave Aranda and players alike said the team needs to do a better job at falling forward.

Don’t be surprised to see a run-heavy approach from the Bears, who are also looking for a dominant showing out of its veteran offensive line. The O-Line hasn’t performed as well as expected to this point, but with the likely return of sixth-year senior OL Khalil Keith (probable), maybe this is the boost the group needs.


Sophomore quarterback Blake Shapen had a “business-like” bye week according to Aranda, and will likely be shown taking shots down the field to some of his wideouts. However, unless the game remains close, Baylor won’t be super aggressive in terms of play calling.

Except for when it’s fourth-and-five or shorter, regardless of where the team is on the field. The Bears will likely go for it.

When West Virginia has the ball​

The Bears spent the week scouting and giving high praise to Mountaineers’ slinger JT Daniels. Despite an offensive outburst in a loss to Kansas, Daniels really hasn’t lit teams up. This doesn’t mean he isn’t capable, it’s just something to be mindful of.

WVU will want to pounce on Baylor early, capitalizing on any sort of splash play in order keep the crowd involved. Bits of trickery and creativity will likely be showcased by the Mountaineer staff in order to keep the Bears’ defense on its toes.
Baylor will likely see a balanced WVU attack, with the occasional deep shot down field from the strong-armed Daniels.

Prediction:​

Having lost in Morgantown multiple times, the Bears know the deal by now, or they should. For some of these sixth-year seniors on the squad, it’ll be their third time taking part in a road contest against WVU. This is the year the narrative finally changes.
The Mountaineers will give their best effort and not go out easy, but Baylor will muscle off each and every punch thrown its way to the tune of a semi-comfortable win. It wouldn’t be a surprise for there to be some drama toward the end, but the Bears will come away with a two-possession victory and get that monkey off their back.

Score: Baylor 28, West Virginia 17

 

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SPORTSTEXAS LONGHORNS

5 things Texas fans should know about Iowa State: Cyclones lead Big 12 in defense​

Meanwhile, Iowa State also boasts the worst offense in the conference.​

With Texas coming off of a huge rivalry win over Oklahoma, Iowa State rolls into Austin on Saturday morning for the Longhorns’ next conference game.

Here are five things Texas fans should know about Iowa State:

Defense wins games?​

While Iowa State is 3-3 and 0-3 in Big 12 play, yet the team has the best defense in the conference. The Cyclones are holding their opponents to an average of 13.7 points per game, the lowest average points allowed in the Big 12. But Texas isn’t too far behind, holding its opponents to an average of 17.8 points per game.
What’s interesting about Iowa State is that while it has the best defense in the Big 12, it also has the worst offense. The Cyclones are scoring a conference-low of 23.2 points per game. Texas nabs about 38.8 points per game.

Close losses​

Although Iowa State is on a losing streak, all of its losses this season have been close ones. Iowa State lost to Kansas State on Saturday in a 10-9 game. Two weeks ago, Kansas scraped by Iowa State, 14-11, due to a missed kick. Iowa State’s losing streak began in September after a 31-24 loss to Baylor at home.

Breaking the streak​

Texas is currently on a three game losing streak to Iowa State. The Longhorns last beat the Cyclones in 2018 in Austin. But the Longhorns are determined to end the streak in the same manner they ended their losing streak to the Sooners.

Last year, Texas’ game against Iowa State showed how far gone the team was. The Longhorns lost 30-7 after holding a 7-3 lead at halftime. A video of defensive line coach Bo Davis hounding the team on the bus after its poor performance against Iowa State went viral on Twitter. Nearly a year after Davis’ well-justified rant, the Longhorns seem to be in a better place.

Reuniting with Tarique Milton​

Texas wide receiver Tarique Milton will get a chance to reunite with his former team on Saturday. Milton played in all twelve regular season games for Iowa State last year and caught three touchdowns. He opted to use his final year of eligibility as a graduate student at Texas.
While Milton is no longer part of the Cyclones, head coach Matt Campbell had nothing but kind words to say about him at Big 12 media days in July.

Post-Brock Purdy era​

Iowa State is still searching for a new identity after the departure of Brock Purdy. The Arizona native was the Cyclones’ starting quarterback for four years. Purdy currently holds a roster spot on the San Francisco 49ers.
Sophomore Hunter Dekkers is currently Iowa State’s starting quarterback after spending two years as Purdy’s backup. Right now, Dekkers is 153-for-227 attempts with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions.

 

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SPORTSTCU HORNED FROGS

TCU prediction: Will No. 13 Horned Frogs take down No. 8 OSU in Fort Worth?​

Advantage? TCU has sold out Amon G. Carter Stadium once again.​

No. 13 TCU vs No. 8 Oklahoma State​

When: 7 p.m. CST at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth

Records: TCU (5-0 overall, 2-0 Big 12); Oklahoma State (5-0, 2-0)
Last meeting: OSU defeated TCU 63-17 on Nov. 13, 2021, in Stillwater, Okla.

What’s at stake?​

The No. 13 TCU Horned Frogs and the No. 8 Oklahoma State Cowboys are the two undefeated teams left in the Big 12 Conference. After Saturday, only one will remain.


Top to bottom, the Big 12 is competitive. Most games are dogfights, making wins harder to come by. Every game is important, but this one feels significant in terms of long-term conference supremacy.

Both teams are looking for a signature win. A top-15 matchup provides the Horned Frogs and Cowboys with an excellent opportunity to make a statement.

Although TCU and OSU don’t have much of a rivalry, it’s worth noting that the all-time head-to-head record favors the Cowboys by one game. The Cowboys have a tall mountain to climb, as the home team has won 71% of the contests.

The TCU home-field advantage is strong, however. The Frogs have secured their second straight sellout.

When TCU has the ball​

TCU quarterback Max Duggan has looked like a Heisman candidate this season. He leads the Big 12 with an impressive 194.3 passing efficiency rating and continues to make jaw-dropping passes.

If Duggan can avoid turnovers, the Frogs will be in a good spot to succeed. OSU will bring the pressure; the Cowboy defensive line leads the Big 12 with 16 sacks. If the Frog offensive line can replicate its performances against Oklahoma and Kansas, they’ll make Duggan’s job as a distributor significantly easier.

If there’s one thing the Frogs should focus on, it’s getting off to a fast start and setting the tone. You don’t want to play from behind against a team as good as the Cowboys. Luckily for the Frogs, they tend to come out of the gates hot.


Of course, the Horned Frog run game, led by Kendre Miller, will be important. Head coach Sonny Dykes will want to establish the ground game to move the chains and keep the Frog offense on the field.

The X factor of the Frog offense, however, will be wide receiver Quentin Johnston, who had a monster game against Kansas, tallying 206 yards on 14 receptions and a game-winning touchdown.

When OSU has the ball​

Quarterback Spencer Sanders and the Cowboys are tied with the Horned Frogs with a Big 12-leading 46.4 points per game. Both squads have electric offenses, so any and all stops will be crucial to the outcome.

Turnovers will be a huge factor, just as they were in TCU’s game against Kansas.

One of the keys to the game will be containing Sanders, who has the ability to pick up yards with his legs. The OSU QB averages 48.2 rushing yards per contest in addition to his 278.8 passing yards per game.


Linebacker Dee Winters and the rest of the Frogs should focus on applying pressure while stopping the Cowboy run game. The Frog secondary has been excellent thus far and TCU should feel confident in players such as cornerback Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson and safety Abe Camara breaking up plays.

Prediction​

With the tools within the Cowboys and Frogs’ offensive arsenals, this game will likely be a high-scoring affair. Unlike last season, the contest will be close, with the fourth quarter deciding which team remains undefeated and on top of the Big 12 standings.


Timely turnovers will be crucial; which team will show up when it matters most? At this point in the season, it’s hard to tell.

If Duggan and Johnston continue to thrive, the Frogs will be difficult to stop, even for a football team as talented as OSU. Due to TCU’s home-field advantage, the Horned Frogs have a slight edge over the No. 8-ranked Cowboys.

Score: TCU 41, OSU 38

 

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SPORTSOKLAHOMA SOONERS

5 things Oklahoma fans should know about Kansas: QB change, dynamic rushing options​

After falling to rival Texas, Oklahoma will face a Kansas team coming off its first loss of 2022.​

Oklahoma is in an unfamiliar position, starting 0-3 in Big 12 play after suffering a 49-0 loss against Texas at the Cotton Bowl.

The Sooners will look to get back on the right path and extend their 17-game winning streak over upcoming opponent Kansas. The Jayhawks are hoping to bounce back from a 38-31 loss to TCU, which was their first stumble of the season.

Here are five things to know about the Kansas Jayhawks.

The Jayhawk Whisperer​

Kansas has looked like one of the Big 12′s strongest teams through its first six games of 2022. The seeds for that showing were planted last year in Lance Leipold’s first season, one where he did not arrive on campus until after spring camp.
Although Kansas went 2-10 in 2021, the second half of the season offered a few bright spots for the Jayhawks.

Kansas challenged the Sooners in last year’s meeting, with the game being separated by one score until late in the fourth quarter. The Jayhawks later knocked off Texas in Austin and lost one-possession games to TCU and West Virginia.


In 2022, Leipold seems to be taking the program to heights it has not reached since 2007.
The Jayhawks are currently the No. 19 team in the country and boast a rushing offense that ranks within the nation’s top 20.
Leipold’s name could be a hot topic for key head coaching vacancies, including programs like Nebraska and Georgia Tech.

Quarterback situation​

Quarterback Jalon Daniels was receiving early Heisman buzz after recording 16 total touchdowns to go with one interception. He also led the Jayhawks to a 5-0 start.

His campaign to New York was halted on Saturday when he left the game against TCU with a shoulder injury. His status against Oklahoma is still up in the air.
Without Daniels, Kansas still kept things close in their matchup with the Horned Frogs.

Last year’s opening day starter and North Texas transfer Jason Bean took and played his most efficient game in Lawrence.
The senior threw for 262 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 34 yards on seven carries. He recorded those numbers in one half.

Last season, Bean had accuracy issues that saw him complete 56% of his passes while throwing six touchdowns and six interceptions.


With Bean, the Jayhawks have to feel comfortable about the quarterback position regardless of Daniels’ status.

1-2 punch at running back​

Sophomore Devin Neal wasted no time earning snaps last year, playing in 11 games and leading the team with 707 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
However, sophomore Daniel Hishaw Jr. has recently been wowing the Jayhawk faithful with six yards per carry and five touchdowns on the season.
The Jayhawks have seen their backfield become much more dynamic with the dominant duo, pairing well with Daniels’ rushing ability.
Considering Oklahoma’s defense is giving up an average of 310.6 rushing yards per game in conference play, Kansas will play with some confidence that it can run the ball well on Saturday.

Transfer DL makes huge impact​

Miami (Ohio) transfer Lonnie Phelps has led a defensive front that has generated quiet success behind the high-octane offense.
The former Redhawk leads Kansas in tackles for loss (8.5) and sacks (6).

Through their first three games of Big 12 play, the Jayhawks have given up 105.3 rushing yards per game to establish themselves as the top rushing defense in the conference.
They also have the second lowest average per attempt at 3.19 and the longest play given up on the ground is just 18 yards.

The Kansas defense has a long way to go before being considered the most complete unit in the league, as it is giving up 26.3 points per game.

Phelps has helped the run defense tremendously and his presence will garner attention in any game for the rest of the season.

Secondary is inconsistent​

Although the experienced secondary can make opportunistic plays, it is the weakest point of the defense.

TCU quarterback Max Duggan had almost no issues throwing against the Jayhawks, with 308 yards and three touchdowns.
Wide receiver Quentin Johnston posted career-highs with 14 catches for 206 yards and a touchdown.

The Jayhawks rank 115th in passing yards allowed at 275.5 yards per game, the second-worst in the Big 12.

The secondary is led by senior captain safety Kenny Logan Jr. and sophomore Cobee Bryant, who already has multiple defensive touchdowns in his young career.

Despite the strong points, Kansas continues to struggle with tackling in space and gives up chunk plays often.

If there is an area the Sooners can win at, it’s with its skill players. The question is, can Oklahoma’s quarterback get them the ball?