THE BIG 12 REPORT
Oklahoma and West Virginia will battle it out with Big 12 title hopes on the line
Nov 20, 2018, 8:12 am
Kyler Murray and OU face a tough challenge. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
All eyes will be on one matchup in week 13 that will decide who will face off in the Big 12 Championship. This storybook season in the Big 12 could not have been written any better. With a pending win over Kansas the Longhorns will be a lock in the Big 12 Championship game and will be set to face the victor of Oklahoma vs. West Virginia. Fans should be in for a treat no matter who ends up facing off against the Longhorns, because in each of their games vs. Texas the margin of victory was less than a touchdown. Both of these Big 12 powerhouses will have to leave it all out on the field to keep their season alive.
Must watch games week 13
Oklahoma vs. West Virginia
After the Mountaineers suffered a devastating 45-41 loss to Oklahoma State in week 12, everything will be on the line when they face off against the Sooners. Both teams season will come down to this single game and the winner will most likely take on Texas. While a win for the Sooners not only means a chance at redemption against the Longhorns, who defeated them earlier this season, but it also keeps them in the college football playoff conversation. There is no doubt that this showdown will be a high scoring affair as both teams are led by top tier quarterbacks, both of which are ranked top 10 in passing yards and top five in touchdowns this season. Though both of these teams are proven offensive powerhouses, they have shown major flaws defensively. Get ready to find yourself on the edge of your seat this entire game.
Texas vs. Kansas
The Longhorns are just one win away from punching their ticket to the Big 12 championship game. With a big home win vs. Iowa State on senior night this past weekend, Texas will look ahead to their final game of the regular season against an interesting Kansas team. The Jayhawks actually led Oklahoma early in the second quarter of their Week 12 matchup and finished with 40 points. There is always the concern that the Longhorns will overlook their lesser competition, but this game should carry some extra meaning for UT, considering the fact that they have not been Big 12 champs since 2009. While at first glance the Jayhawks do not seem like much of a challenge for the 8-3 Longhorns, no win is ever guaranteed. Expect the tone for this game to be set early. If the Longhorns come into the game unfocused or lackadaisical I have no doubt that Kansas will give them a run for their money, but if Texas plays with their regular sense of urgency this one should be over early.
Players to watch week 13
Kansas RB Pooka Williams: The first player on the list to watch this last weekend of the regular season is a young, dynamic playmaker who has proven to be the driving force for the Jayhawks offense in 2018. Freshman running back Pooka Williams has accounted for nearly 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns this season for a Kansas team who has had their best season in recent memory. While the Jayhawks have a not so promising matchup with Texas to finish off the season, Williams is coming off a career game in which he ran for 252 yards and 2 touchdowns against Oklahoma. It will be hard to completely count out Kansas if their young star is able to duplicate his last performance.
Texas RB Keaontay Ingram: Another young running back to pay attention to in Week 13 is Texas freshman Keaontay Ingram. While Ingram’s playing time has been limited all season as he has split reps with Senior Tre Watson, the young back has shown big playmaking ability both on the ground and through the air. Ingram has shown the reliability to be deemed serious threat anytime he touches the ball and has helped to give the Longhorns a change of pace option coming out of the backfield. Ingram caught the ball five times last weekend on top of his twelve rushing attempts. Look for Ingram to get plenty of opportunities as coach Tom Herman continues to find different ways to best utilize his young talent.
TCU WR Jalen Reagor: Sophomore receiver Jalen Reagor has been the one bright spot for the Horned Frogs in 2018. The go to target for TCU has scored a touchdown in each of his last six games and has provided college football with some of its most exciting moments in the process. With his elite speed and elusiveness, Reagor is a threat to score anytime he touches the football and gash defenses wide open. TCU will need one last big performance from Reagor if they hope to end the season on a positive note with a win against a dangerous Oklahoma State team.
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Expectations
The Texans are favored to win the AFC South for a third straight season with a team led by young stars quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson. Stroud’s strong first two years helped the Texans turn things around and this year they’ll try to reach the playoffs in three straight seasons for the first time in franchise history. Stroud will be directing a new offense led by first-time offensive coordinator Nick Caley, who took over after Bobby Slowik was fired this offseason following Houston’s loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round. General manager Nick Caserio also beefed up the team’s receiving corps, led by Nico Collins, by adding veteran Christian Kirk and drafting Jayden Higgins in the second round and Jaylin Noel in the third. Coach DeMeco Ryans has vowed the offensive line will be better this season after Stroud was sacked 52 times last season, which was second-most in the league. But it’s difficult to see how his protection will be better after they traded left tackle Laremy Tunsil and didn’t make any big moves to replace him. Defensively, Anderson should take another step forward in his second year playing with veteran Danielle Hunter after the third-overall pick in the 2023 draft had 17 sacks combined in his first two seasons. Cornerback Derek Stingley returns to lead a talented young secondary after earning first team AP All-Pro honors last season when he had five interceptions and defended 18 passes.
New faces
OC Nick Caley, WR Jayden Higgins, WR Christian Kirk, WR Jaylin Noel, LT Cam Robinson, RB Nick Chubb, RT Aireontae Ersery, LG Laken Tomlinson, C Jake Andrews.
Key losses
LT Laremy Tunsil, WR John Metchie III, G Kenyon Green, TE Brevin Jordan, CB Eric Murray, WR Robert Woods, CB Kris Boyd.
Strengths
Stroud and Houston’s stacked receiving group should be the stars of the team this season. The 2023 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year has been great in his first two seasons to bring the Texans back into contention after an awful stretch. His interception rate was up last season but he’s looking for improvement this season in Caley’s offense, which he has described as “exciting.” He’ll have plenty of strong targets to throw to, led by Collins, who had a second straight 1,000-yard season last year despite missing five games with injuries. He’ll be joined by Kirk, who should fill in at the slot with Tank Dell likely to miss all season recovering from an injury he suffered in December. Higgins and Noel come to Houston after combining for 2,377 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns last season at Iowa State.
Weaknesses
It’s hard to see how the offensive line will be improved this season with Tunsil gone to Washington. Though he was penalty-prone, he was the team’s most consistent lineman. They completely revamped the line after his trade and return just one starter from last year’s group. They’ll likely rely on rookie Ersery to protect Stroud’s blind side after taking him in the second round of the draft. He started 38 games at left tackle over three seasons at Minnesota. Veteran Tytus Howard returns at right tackle after starting 16 games there last season. The center is Jake Andrews in his first year in Houston and he returns after missing all of last season with an injury before being released by the Patriots. Left guard Laken Tomlinson and right guard Ed Ingram are also new to the team.
Camp development
Houston’s secondary sustained a big blow in camp when safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffered a leg injury. The injury isn’t season-ending but he is likely to miss significant time. Gardner-Johnson is in his first year in Houston after he was acquired from the Eagles in March in exchange for left guard Kenyon Green. He was expected to be the team’s starting free safety after the Texans lost Eric Murray in free agency to the Jaguars. The Texans will also be without backup Jimmie Ward indefinitely after he was placed on the commissioner exempt list Tuesday as he faces a felony domestic violence charge after a June arrest.
Fantasy player to watch
Collins should have another big year after finishing with more than 1,000 yards receiving in each of the last two seasons. He’s had 15 touchdowns combined in the last two seasons despite missing seven games with injuries.
BetMGM Sportsbook
Win Super Bowl: 35-1.