Around the Region Preview, Week 5: Baylor, TCU, and Texas Tech all battle ranked opponents amid a huge Saturday football slate in Texas

#17 BAYLOR BEARS (3-1, 1-0 Big 12)

Last Week: Won at Iowa State, 31-24

This Week: vs #9 Oklahoma State (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Game Time: 2:30pm CT

TV/Radio: FOX/Westwood One, SiriusXM 108

The last time the Baylor Bears and Oklahoma State Cowboys met, they played for the Big 12 Championship last December at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Baylor won that one 21-16, holding off an Oklahoma State run at the one-yard line in the final seconds to secure their third Big 12 football title. Oklahoma State, fresh off an early season bye week, has been salivating over the opportunity for revenge since that day. Baylor picked up a huge road win at Iowa State last week to start conference play and have every reason to be confident as they welcome a familiar foe to Waco. Blake Shapen played mistake-free football for the Bears in that one, passing for three touchdowns without an interception in his most impressive performance to date. Baylor’s defense will have its hands full with Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders, who has passed for ten touchdowns and only one interception through three games, all wins. The Cowboys are averaging 51 points per game in the early going but haven’t traveled for a road game or seen a team with nearly as much talent as Baylor yet this year. The Bears certainly would love to see some of Spencer Sanders’ 2021 demons emerge in Waco, as the Baylor defense intercepted him seven times in two games last season. The game will provide an important measure of where each team stands as the Big 12 schedule heads into October. It might have major implications on who battles it out in Arlington for the Big 12 Championship this December. 

TCU HORNED FROGS (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Last Week: Won 42-34 at SMU

This Week: vs #18 Oklahoma (3-1, 0-1 Big 12)

Game Time: 11:00am CT

TV/Radio: ABC/WBAP 820 AM

Following an emotional road win last weekend in Dallas, the TCU Horned Frogs return home to Fort Worth for their Big 12 opener against the Oklahoma Sooners. Oklahoma entered the season with some of the highest expectations in college football but have quickly come crashing down to earth following an upset home loss last weekend at the hands of Kansas State. Still, Sonny Dykes’ team has its full attention focused on the task at hand as the uber-talented Sooners travel down I-35. The Horned Frogs lost in embarrassing fashion last year in Norman, a 52-31 thumping that saw Sooners’ quarterback Caleb Williams account for five touchdowns. Williams is off to USC now, along with former Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley and several others. Instead, the Sooners are now led by defensive-minded Head Coach Brent Venables and UCF transfer Dillon Gabriel at quarterback. TCU quarterback Max Duggan was excellent last season in Norman, passing for 346 yards and four touchdowns without a turnover. A repeat performance from the Horned Frogs quarterback would undoubtedly be welcome on Saturday, but the Frogs will need to play their best defensive game of the year if they want to beat Oklahoma for the first time since 2014. 

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS (3-1, 1-0 Big 12)

Last Week: Won 37-34 vs #22 Texas

This Week: at #25 Kansas State (3-1, 1-0 Big 12)

Game Time: 11:00am CT

TV/Radio: ESPN+/Double T 97.3 FM

The Texas Tech Red Raiders head on the road again Saturday, this time to Manhattan, Kansas, for a battle with the 25th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats. It is Tech’s fourth consecutive game against a ranked opponent and a chance to build on last weekend’s overtime win over #22 Texas. Quarterback Donovan Smith came up huge for the Red Raiders against the Longhorns, creating 373 total yards of offense and three touchdowns without turning the ball over in the win. It was Texas Tech’s second overtime win in their last three games and a statement win for the program. Kansas State made a statement of their own last weekend at Oklahoma, racking up more than 500 yards of offense against the 6th-ranked Sooners in a 41-34 win. The Wildcats’ offense is dynamic in the backfield, as both running back Deuce Vaughn and quarterback Adrian Martinez can create huge issues in the run game for defenses. Texas Tech, fresh off allowing more than 100 yards on the ground to Texas running back Bijan Robinson, will likely need to step up in the front seven to have a chance on the road in Manhattan. A road win would likely push the Red Raiders into the top 25, setting up an important showdown with the #9 Oklahoma State Cowboys in Stillwater next Saturday. 

BEST OF THE REST AROUND TEXAS

(All games to be played Saturday, unless specified otherwise)

FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION

UTSA at Middle Tennessee, Friday 6:30pm CT

Florida Atlantic at North Texas, 3:00pm CT

UTEP at Charlotte, 5:00pm CT

UAB at Rice, 6:30pm CT

SMU at UCF, Sunday 12:00pm CT

FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SUBDIVISION

Stephen F. Austin at Sam Houston, 2:30pm CT

Houston Christian at Lamar, 3:00pm CT

McNeese at Incarnate Word, 6:00pm CT

Abilene Christian at Utah Tech, 8:00pm CT