Oklahoma State @ Baylor preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 21, 2015 ) Baylor 45, Oklahoma State 35

Baylor will be looking to start 4-0 for a program-record fourth straight year when it hosts Oklahoma State in the Big 12 opener for both teams Saturday night. The 15th-ranked Bears will also be looking to extend a 11-game September winning streak which dates back to 2012.

Baylor is the lone remaining undefeated team in the Big 12 thanks in part to what most would argue was the conference's softest non-conference schedule starting with a 55-7 win over Northwestern State, a FCS school, followed by back-to-back blowouts over SMU (40-13) and Rice (38-10). Now the Bears host an Oklahoma State squad that is one controversial Hail Mary throw at the end of a 30-27 loss to Central Michigan away from entering the game undefeated itself. "The best measuring stick is going to be on the field," Baylor wide receiver Lynx Hawthorne told the Waco Tribune when the topic of the Bears' weak non-conference schedule was brought up. "We'll hopefully come together and put some points on the board and get our first conference win."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox. LINE: Baylor -7.5

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (2-1): The Cowboys bounced back from the Central Michigan fiasco -- the officials incorrectly gave the Chippewas an extra play after the Cowboys had seemingly won the game with a pass out of bounds to run out the clock that was ruled intentional grounding -- to defeat Pittsburgh 45-38 last Saturday. Quarterback Mason Rudolph led the way, completing 26-of-46 passes for a school-record 540 yards and two touchdowns while wide receiver James Washington caught nine passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns, including a 91-yarder on the very first play of the game. Linebacker Jordan Burton leads the defense with 20 tackles while defensive ends Cole Walterscheid and Jarrell Owens top the Cowboys with two sacks each and corner Ramon Richards has a team-best two interceptions.

ABOUT BAYLOR (3-0): The Bears have failed to score in the first quarter of each of their last two games, a minor catastrophe for a team that has led the NCAA in total and scoring offense each of the last three years. Quarterback Seth Russell, who sat out the end of the 2015 season with a neck injury, has been inconsistent at times but still has completed 62-of-105 passes for 761 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions while three running backs -- Shock Linwood, Terence Williams and JaMycal Hasty -- are averaging at least 71 yards rushing per game. Acting head coach Jim Grobe switched to a 3-4 defense this season, and it has paid off with impressive results so far as Baylor is allowing only 249.3 yards per game which ranks seventh nationally.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Baylor has the nation's best home record since 2011 at 31-3.

2. Baylor leads the nation in pass efficiency defense (58.6) and is third in passing yards allowed per game (97.0).

3. Oklahoma State has won six straight true road games dating back to 2014, the third longest streak in school history.

PREDICTION: Baylor 38, Oklahoma State 31