Big 12 Preview: Week Six

It's not "Separation Saturday" just yet, but with five league games on tap, the weekend's action will have a big effect on the Big 12 standings.

FULL SLATE

For the first time this season, all 10 teams will be in action during the same week as five Big 12 matchups are on the slate for Oct. 13. Top 25 games include K-State at Iowa State and Texas vs. Oklahoma.

RETURN TO SENDER

Kansas State is averaging 36 yards per punt return -- a higher average than any other school in the league is averaging on kickoff returns. Even taking away the Wildcats' 89-yard return for a score, they are still tallying almost 23.8 yards per return.

WINNING WAYS

The Big 12 is the only league with eight teams with one or fewer losses on the season -- and that's in a league with fewer members than any other BCS conference. And it hasn't come courtesy of an all-cupcake schdule: All 10 Big 12 teams are in the top 27 of NCAA leaders for toughest schedule, sorted on cumulative opposition.

PACKING THEM IN

Big 12 teams are filling their stadiums so far this fall. The ten teams are playing before crowds averaging 97.4% of listed capacity through the first six weeks of the season.

PICKS

Oklahoma is coming off a win, while Texas is trying to rebound from a loss. Neither probably matters much in the Red River Rivalry. This one is probably as close to a toss-up as can be, but the pick is the Longhorns due to their superior defensive line play.

Kansas State - Iowa State promises to be something of a throwback in the Big 12 -- a dominating defense versus a crunching running game. The Cyclones showed some offensive ability against TCU last week, but capitalized on a pair of picks to put up some of those points. KState has a little more offense, and its defense isn't shabby, so the Wildcats get the nod as a road winner -- but it won't be easy.

In the dog of the day, Oklahoma State rolls up 60 against downtrodden Kansas. The Jayhawks were competitive for a while against KState last week, but they just don't have enough yet to hang with most Big 12 teams.

West Virginia is rolling offensively, and Texas Tech's defense was exposed by Oklahoma last week. It's certainly not going to be a rout, but look for the Mountaineers to stay unblemished in the league. Positioned between the Texas win and a potential Top Five showdown with Kansas State, WVU could be caught napping, but this team doesn't appear to be bothered by such things.

Baylor's offense appears to be unstoppable. TCU's defense, while solid, isn't a shutdown unit. With the Horned Frogs' quarterbacking situation, the Bears are the pick.

BAYLOR (3-1, 0-1)

vs. TCU Sat 10/13 7:00 E / 6:00 C FSN

Baylor’s eight-game streak of scoring 45-plus points is the nation’s longest active streak, including four games with 59-plus points.

The Bears have posted more than 500 yards of total offense in 10 consecutive games.

Sirius/XM: 118/202

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IOWA STATE (4-1, 1-1)

vs. Kansas St Sat 10/13 12:00 E / 11:00 C FX

Last week’s win at TCU was the Cyclones’ first road win against a top- 15 team since Oct. 15, 1977, at No. 9 Nebraska.

Iowa State has beaten a ranked opponent in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history and is nationally ranked for the first time since the 2005 season.

Sirius/XM: 112/195

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KANSAS (1-4, 0-2)

vs. Oklahoma St Sat 10/13 12:00 E / 11:00 C FX

Iowa State has beaten a ranked opponent in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history and is nationally ranked for the first time since the 2005 season.

Iowa State has beaten a ranked opponent in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history and is nationally ranked for the first time since the 2005 season.

Sirius/XM: 112/195

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KANSAS STATE (5-0, 2-0)

at Iowa St Sat 10/13 12:00 E / 11:00 C FX

Iowa State has beaten a ranked opponent in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history and is nationally ranked for the first time since the 2005 season.

Iowa State has beaten a ranked opponent in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history and is nationally ranked for the first time since the 2005 season.

Sirius/XM: 112/195

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OKLAHOMA (3-1, 1-1)

vs. Texas Sat 10/13 11:00 E / 11:00 C ABC

Iowa State has beaten a ranked opponent in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history and is nationally ranked for the first time since the 2005 season.

Iowa State has beaten a ranked opponent in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history and is nationally ranked for the first time since the 2005 season.

Sirius/XM: 91/91

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OKLAHOMA STATE (2-2, 0-1)

at Kansas Sat 10/13 3:30 E / 2:30 C FSN

With 36 points against Texas, OSU added to its nation’s best streak of games scoring at least 30 points, which now stands at 22.

In Big 12 Conference play, the Cowboys have won 12 of their last 14 road games.

Sirius/XM: 112/195

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TEXAS (4-1, 1-1)

vs. Oklahoma Sat 10/13 11:00 E / 11:00 C ABC

Saturday’s crowd of 101,851 marked the largest ever in Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

The Longhorns have outscored the opposition 56-3 off turnovers this season.

Sirius/XM: 117/202

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TCU (4-1, 1-1)

at Baylor Sat 10/13 7:00 E / 6:00 C FSN

TCU is 21-6 in regular-season games following a loss under Gary Patterson.

TCU is 21-6 in regular-season games following a loss under Gary Patterson.

Sirius/XM: 117/202

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TEXAS TECH (4-1, 1-1)

vs. West Virginia Sat 10/13 3:30 E / 2:30 C ABC

Texas Tech has had at least 10 receivers catch at least one pass in all five games of the season.

With Kenny Williams’ seven-yard touchdown in the first quarter, the Red Raiders extended their school record consecutive game scoring streak to 186 games.

Sirius/XM: 117/202

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WEST VIRGINIA (5-0, 2-0)

at Texas Tech Sat 10/13 3:30 E / 2:30 C ABC

WR Stedman Bailey is No. 1 nationally in scoring (15.6), No. 2 in receiving yards per game (142.00), No. 3 in receptions per game (9.80) and No. 17 in all-purpose yards (155.80) per game.

West Virginia is 11-4 against other schools in the Big 12.

Sirius/XM: 117/202