Baylor @ Oklahoma State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 22, 2014 ) Oklahoma State 28, Baylor 49

Oklahoma State is the only Big 12 team left with a chance to run the table and might be the conference’s best chance at placing a team in the College Football Playoff. Baylor, which visits the Cowboys on Saturday, had its own hopes dashed with a loss last weekend and will now try to play spoiler.

The Big 12 continues to get disrespected by the College Football Playoff committee, with undefeated Oklahoma State the highest ranked at No. 6. The Bears, who had been the top Big 12 team at No. 6 last week, dropped four spots the No. 10 when the latest rankings were released on Tuesday and likely will have to be content to go for another impressive one-loss campaign. “We're actually in the situation now where our vision is pretty tunnel,” Baylor coach Art Briles told reporters. “It's Stillwater this Saturday at (7:30 p.m. ET), and whatever happens from there happens, and I think we all know that it's pretty hard to predict what’s going to happen. We have to fight hard and get a win (at Oklahoma State).” The Cowboys began the toughest part of their schedule with a win at TCU two weeks ago and edged Iowa State last week, setting up two final games at home against Baylor and rival Oklahoma.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: PK

ABOUT BAYLOR (8-1): Freshman quarterback Jarrett Stidham threw his first two interceptions in last week’s 44-34 home loss to Oklahoma, and continued playing after suffering a back injury in the first quarter. Stidham had an MRI come back clean and is dealing with bruising and swelling as he prepares to make his third career start. "I think we always have a chip on our shoulder,” Stidham told reporters of the team’s mindset going forward. “That's how it is here at Baylor. But we're going to approach this week like we do every week. OSU is a great football team and a great program, and we know they'll have a live crowd there in Stillwater.”

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (10-0): The Cowboys improved their rushing game by rotating quarterback J.T. Walsh into the mix along with Mason Rudolph. Rudolph threw for over 300 yards in each of the last two games and totaled six passing TDs while Walsh ran for two scores and threw for another in last week’s 35-31 win over Iowa State. "I think there's been a lot of scenarios and a lot of experience, not only for me but for this team,” Rudolph told reporters. “There's been a lot of adversity that we've had to fight through, a lot of games that were kind of close at the end. I feel like as a team we've come so far and have come together as a group and we just play well together."

EXTRA POINTS

1. Baylor has not won a road game in the series since 1939.

2. A Cowboys win would be the program’s 13th in a row, matching the record set from 1944-46.

3. Bears WR Corey Coleman (1,229) needs 111 yards to move into third place on the school’s all-time single-season list.

PREDICTION: Baylor 44, Oklahoma State 41