Some things to watch during Week 11 in the Big 12 Conference:
GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 4 TCU (9-0, 6-0 Big 12, No. 4 CFP) at No. 18 Texas (6-3, 4-2)
The undefeated Horned Frogs, picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll, can clinch a spot in the Big 12 title game with a win over Texas. Still, much of the focus on Saturday’s game will be former TCU coach Gary Patterson being on the opposite side in burnt orange after winning a school-record 181 wins the last 21 seasons with the Frogs. He is now a special assistant for Texas coach Steve Sarkisian in a role where he can’t directly interact with players. But he is very familiar with his former team while advising Sarkisian and the Longhorns staff.
TCU has won seven of the last 10 meetings in the series since joining the Longhorns in the Big 12 Conference. The Frogs won four consecutive games over ranked teams in October. This is the third consecutive ranked opponent for Texas, the first at home. The Longhorns are coming off a win over Kansas State after a loss at then-No. 11 Oklahoma State.
BEST MATCHUP
No. 19 Kansas State (6-3, 4-2) at Baylor (6-3, 4-2)
The defending Big 12 champion Bears have won three consecutive games and control their own destiny to get back into another Big 12 title game. After Kansas State at home, Baylor hosts league-leading TCU and finishes the regular season at No. 18 Texas, the other team now in a three-way tie for second place. K-State has won four in a row in the series against the Bears, and eight of 10.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Iowa State had a five-game losing streak, those losses by a combined 28 points, before its 31-14 win over West Virginia last week. … Kansas is the first team since at least 1980 to beat two opponents it lost to by at least 50 points the previous season: The Jayhawks beat Oklahoma State last week after earlier this year beating Iowa State. … Oklahoma State dropped out of the AP Top 25 after its second consecutive road loss, but the Cowboys go into their game against Iowa State looking to extend their school-record home winning streak to 14 games.
IMPACT PLAYER
Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn needs 25 yards against Baylor for his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season. He has run for more than 100 yards in both of his previous games against the Bears. Only two K-State players have had multiple 1,000-yard seasons. Vaughn last week became the sixth player in Big 12 history with 3,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in his career. He is the fastest to reach those marks, doing so in 32 games.
SOONER STREAKS
Oklahoma had won six consecutive Big 12 championships before missing the title game last season. While still mathematically possible for the Sooners (5-4, 2-4) to get the No. 2 spot this year, they would have to win out and get a lot of help. Still, they will be bowl eligible for the 24th season in a row if they win Saturday at home over West Virginia, which is 0-9 against Oklahoma since joining the Big 12 a decade ago.
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