There’s quite a few chances for some of the bigger Big 12 football programs to show that the conference is for real in 2017.
The Big 12 has quite a few big games this weekend. Most notably, the No. 5 ranked Oklahoma Sooners travel to Columbus to face the No. 2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. The only Big 12 team that is not in action this week is the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
We also get to see some of the lower tier teams in the conference face some tough competition. The Iowa State Cyclones take on their in-state rival the Iowa Hawkeyes. Kansas faces the Oklahoma State Cowboy killer, Central Michigan.
Every week is a big week for a conference like the Big 12. Each game for each team at the top of the standings means a lot. The conference needs a team in the College Football Playoff this year, since they’ve been left out two of the three years.
More: 5 Big 12 teams on Upset Alert in Week 2
The Oklahoma State Cowboys kick off Big 12 action in Week 2 against the South Alabama Jaguars. That should be a big win for the Pokes as they’re a 29-point favorite. West Virginia faces the East Carolina Pirates. Baylor and Kansas State have easier opponents in the UTSA Roadrunners and Charlotte 49ers.
Some of the teams expected to contend for a Big 12 Championship this year were bounced from the top 25 rankings this week. West Virginia was dropped out of the AP Poll after their loss to the Virginia Tech Hokies. Texas was dropped because of an embarrassing loss to the Maryland Terrapins.
Possibly the team with the most to prove is the Baylor Bears. Their loss to the Liberty Flames was one of the biggest surprises of everything that happened in Week 1. However, we knew that head coach Matt Rhule had a long road ahead repairing the Baylor football program.
Now, let’s take a look at three Big 12 teams with the most to prove in Week 2.