Here are some trap games and potential bad spots in the Big 12 this season. Of course this is all subject to change depending on how these teams do coming into these games. But here are the most likely trap games. Every team will probably experience a loss in one of these games since the Big 12 hasn’t had an undefeated champion since going to the round robin format.

Kansas State over Oklahoma…This game concerns me just about more than any other of OU’s games. I think this is a very tricky spot for the Sooners the week after playing Texas and with KSU having two weeks to prepare for this game. The Cats have shown numerous times over the years that they aren’t intimidated at all by playing in Norman. And KSU always seems to hit their stride in October. 

Texas over Kansas State …This game comes the week after KSU plays OU. So I can see the Cats in a letdown spot here. Texas has a home game with Iowa State the week after OU. So they should be going into Manhattan primed for an upset. 

Texas Tech over Texas..This game comes the week after KSU, and is The Horns second straight road game. It’s never easy winning in Lubbock. And I can see this as a slight letdown spot for Texas. Tech will probably get a nice favorable line here if UT should go on to upset KSU. It will make it double tough if they make this a night game.

Texas over Baylor….The first big home game for Charlie Strong and Texas. Up to this game Baylor will have played a very soft early season schedule. Texas on the other hand will have played a very tough non-conference schedule against BYU and UCLA.. Plus Texas will have the better defense playing at home and getting nearly a touchdown. Something tells me this is going to be a great game.

Texas v Baylor

Oklahoma State over Texas…This wouldn’t be considered a big upset. I look for a rough year for this young Pokes team. But by mid-November OSU could be pretty tough if everything comes together for them. There is still quite a bit of talent on this Pokes team. Plus they will be coming off a bye week while Texas will be playing for the 8th straight week. 

Kansas State over Baylor…Baylor has to be careful here. I expect KSU to be very tough from October on. And they are the type of ball control team that can give Baylor fits, as we saw last year until Baylor finally pulled away late in the 4th quarter. Keep in mind that KSU was minus a few offensive weapons last year when these two teams met, including Lockett, who was injured and didn’t play. KSU will be coming off two relatively easy games, while Baylor will be coming off OSU and Texas Tech back to back. I’ve never liked betting on teams the week after Tech because of the way their offense runs defenses all over the place. As we saw last year when Baylor’s defense was out there for 90 plays in a shootout against Tech, and then got pounded by OSU the next week. OSU getting 8 points in Stillwater in prime time was one of the easiest bets I won all last season. 

Texas Tech over OU…I do think OU will lose one or two conference games this season. It could be in this spot. I don’t see OU losing to Baylor in what will be a huge payback game after getting embarrassed in Waco last year. But this TT game is a concern because it is the week after OU plays Baylor, and TT will be coming off a bye week and will be sky high for this game. Especially if OU is undefeated, or TT is still in the Big 12 hunt…

Iowa State over Texas Tech…Iowa State catches Texas Tech the week after playing Texas. And also has a bye week to prepare for the game. Tech won 42-35 in a shootout last season in Lubbock. With Tech losing most of their starting defense to graduation, I expect a similar type of game at Iowa State. That is providing they have good weather in Ames in late November. A very tricky spot for Tech. And who knows, it could be a game that Tech will need to become bowl eligible. ISU will most likely have to win this game to have a snowball’s chance at all to be bowl eligible. 

Kansas over Iowa State…Kansas will have a pretty experienced team this year. A result of Charlie Weis taking a huge gamble last year by recruiting a class of almost all junior college transfers. As a result it will be all or nothing for the Jayhawks this season because next year they will take a big drop, if that’s possible for a team that has been a cellar dweller for the last hundred years. They play at Baylor the week before this game, and will most likely get their asses handed to them. But it should make them an even bigger potential play on team in this spot. Plus Iowa State has no cakewalk the week before either in having to play the Sooners. I feel a mild upset here in what should be a tight line. 

Kansas over West Virginia…Like I said, this Kansas team will be much more experienced and a little tougher this year. They are a team that shouldn’t be overlooked, especially at home. But even this road game against WV could be a little dicey for the Mountaineers. WV will be coming off games against Bama, at Maryland and Oklahoma, along with a tough FCS team Towson. They could potentially be 1-3 or even 0-4 and reeling by the time they meet Kansas. At best they’ll be 2-2. Kansas on the other hand will probably be 2-2. Which would be a great start for them. So the outcome of this game will depend on where the confidence level is for these teams. I don’t expect Holgersen to last past this season. And this game could be the nail in the coffin if he doesn’t win it. A lot of pressure to get it done in this game. Don’t forget, Kansas’ lone Big 12 win in the last 3 years came against this WV team last year. And they made it look pretty easy in doing it.