Baylor against Oklahoma? Numbers don’t lie
Oklahoma beat Texas A&M by 77 points four weeks after the Aggies pounded Baylor by 63.
So the Sooners’ matchup Saturday against the Bears sure looks like a mismatch.
“I hope we don’t go in scared, and we learn from it,” Baylor coach Guy Morriss said. “It could have been worse in the A&M game. Those players were just doing what they are supposed to do. It’s not Oklahoma’s problem. It’s our problem to stop them.”
Oklahoma is a 53-point favorite, which doesn’t seem so outlandish after looking at its 77-0 win against Texas A&M and some other numbers.
Oklahoma allowed only 54 yards to Texas A&M, while Baylor has scored only one offensive touchdown in three games.
The Sooners also lead the nation in scoring at 48 points per game and have topped 50 a school-record six times. The Bears are fifth-worst in Division I-A, allowing 38 points per game.
But with a chance to clinch a berth in the Big 12 Conference title game with a win, the Sooners aren’t going to be overconfident.
There is a ray of hope for the Bears.
One of their three wins came against Colorado, 42-30, Oct. 4. The Buffaloes provided one of Oklahoma’s toughest tests all season, losing 34-20 Oct. 25 in a game that was even closer than the final score.
“I think we always have a chance,” Morriss said. “We will take the same approach and go up there and get lined up and play with great emotion and see what happens. I don’t think you can make comparisons with scores and those kind of things. We are just going to go up there and give it our best shot.”
Baylor (plus 53) at No. 1 Oklahoma
Sooners don’t want to be accused of running it up again … OKLAHOMA 56-7.
No. 2 USC (minus 29) at Arizona
Trojans hope not to lose again after an off week … USC 41-10.
No. 3 LSU (minus 6 1/2) at Alabama
Tigers need win to stay in title hunt … LSU 27-23.
No. 11 Purdue (plus 3) at No. 4 Ohio State
A Buckeyes’ win sets up showdown vs. Michigan … OHIO STATE 24-17.
No. 5 Michigan (minus 18 1/2) at Northwestern
Wolverines have lost two of last three visits to Evanston … MICHIGAN 34-14.
Texas Tech (plus 15 1/2) at No. 6 Texas
Eight of last 12 meetings have been decided by 14 points or fewer … TEXAS 44-31.
Auburn (plus 7) at No. 7 Georgia
Bulldogs have won only two of last 13 home games vs. Tigers … GEORGIA 27-24.
Arizona State (off) at No. 8 Washington State
Cougars still hoping for Rose Bowl bid … WASHINGTON STATE 24-14.
Mississippi State (plus 23) at No. 9 Tennessee
Vols need to win to stay in SEC East race … TENNESSEE 31-14.
Cincinnati (plus 6 1/2) at No. 10 TCU
Horned Frogs improve their bid for a BCS berth … TCU 27-23.
No. 12 Va. Tech (minus 25 1/2) at Temple
Hokies look to bounce back from loss to Pitt … VIRGINIA TECH 41-10.
N.C. State (plus 14 1/2) at No. 13 Florida State
Wolfpack have won the last two meetings … FLORIDA STATE 28-24.
Syracuse (plus 20) at No. 14 Miami
Hurricanes look to rebound from two-game skid … MIAMI 28-17.
No. 15 Florida (minus 7) at South Carolina
Gators coach Ron Zook 7-1 away from home in SEC … FLORIDA 28-13.
No. 16 Pittsburgh (even) at West Virginia
Panthers look to stay unbeaten in Big East … PITTSBURGH 31-27.
Kansas State (minus 1) at No. 18 Nebraska
Winner takes control in Big 12 North … KANSAS STATE 31-17.
No. 19 Minnesota (off) at No. 20 Iowa
Gophers looking for first 10-win season in 98 years … IOWA 27-24.
No. 21 Michigan State (plus 2) at Wisconsin
Slumping Spartans try to snap two-game skid … MICHIGAN STATE 27-24.
No. 21 N. Illinois (minus 2 1/2) at Toledo
Huskies need to win to stay alive in MAC West race … TOLEDO 24-23.
UTEP (plus 40) at No. 24 Boise State
The Broncos are in the poll for the first time this year … BOISE STATE 52-20.
Kent State (plus 20) at No. 25 Bowling Green
Falcons try to bounce back from first conference loss … BOWLING GREEN 37-13.
- Last week: 10-4 (straight); 8-6 (vs. points)
Season: 159-41 (straight); 96-93-1 (vs. points)