The Big 12 Championship Game is finally upon us, with Baylor and Oklahoma State contesting the top prize. Who will prevail in the Baylor vs Oklahoma State clash? Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this Big 12 showdown.
Baylor Bears installed as +4.5 underdogs
On Saturday, the Baylor Bears will head to the Big 12 championship with a three-game winning streak after beating Texas Tech, 27-24. The Bears finished the regular season with a 10-2 record.
One of those defeats came against Oklahoma State, the team they will face in the finals. The Bears did not have senior linebacker Terrel Bernard in that game due to a knee injury, and they suffered, as a result, losing 24-14. The good news for Baylor is that Bernard is fit and ready to go for Saturday's championship game. Bernard has a team-high five sacks this season. He also has 62 tackles this campaign which is the second-highest on the team.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Bears will turn to Abram Smith to get the job done against the Cowboys. The star running back is the Big 12's second-leading rusher, averaging 113.8 yards rushing per game with 12 touchdowns. Smith ran for 97 yards on 10 carries in the first meeting with the Cowboys, including a long 55-yard carry.
He will be tested, though, by an Oklahoma State that has the sixth-best rushing defense in the nation this season. The Cowboys' defensive line was punished in the win against the Sooners, with Oklahoma running for 189 yards in that game. That was the highest number of yards allowed by Oklahoma State on the ground this season.
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Oklahoma State Cowboys installed as -4.5 favorites
The Oklahoma State Cowboys will head to the title game with momentum on their side after beating archrivals Oklahoma in the Bedlam Series. The Cowboys pulled off a dramatic 37-33 win on Saturday to end Oklahoma's streak of Big 12 titles at six.
The Cowboys now have a grand opportunity to take that championship for the first time since 2011. A victory against Baylor would keep Oklahoma State in contention for a possible berth in the College Football Playoff, depending on what Georgia, Michigan, Alabama, and Cincinnati do in their respective conference title games.
One guy who needs to step up for Oklahoma State in the title showdown is running back Jaylen Warren. The redshirt senior transfer from Utah State has been superb in his last 10 starts, averaging 108.8 yards rushing during that stretch.
The Cowboys will have their work cut out for them, however, against the defensive-minded Bears. Baylor has not surrendered more than 30 points in a game this year. They are just one of five FBS teams to accomplish that feat this season.
Writer's Prediction
Oklahoma State wins and covers the spread.
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