Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The No. 7 Baylor Bears are sitting just outside the College Football Playoff, despite a dominating performance over the then No. 15 ranked Oklahoma Sooners. All that matters for the Bears right now is somehow figuring out a way to jump into the top four, but with Oregon, Alabama and Mississippi State playing tough schedules to finish out the season, Baylor can still make the leap.
Next up for the Bears are the Oklahoma State Cowboys, who at 5-5 nearly knocked off Florida State earlier in the year. However, since that game, the Cowboys lost their quarterback J.W. Walsh to a foot injury and haven’t been able to find their stride offensively. Their struggling offense hasn’t scored more than twice in a game since Oct. 11, leaving their defense on the field for a long period of time and susceptible to big plays.
The number of big plays will crush the Cowboys, because Baylor is a top 25 team when it comes to yards per play – Oklahoma State isn’t in the top 70 when it comes to yards allowed per play. With an explosive offense like the Bears, the Cowboys’ defense will be ripped to shreds, frequently.
Oklahoma State deserves a bowl berth, but their difficult schedule should see them finish the season at 5-7. Baylor should dominate in this late-season matchup. Look for the athletic, explosive freshman wide receiver KD Cannon to have a big game, as Josh Doctson did for TCU when the Horned Frogs met up with the Cowboys a few weeks ago. This game should get ugly, quickly.
Prediction: Baylor 45, Oklahoma State 13
Taylor Sturm is a Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
