OK, I'm done not listening to myself. I told you last week I picked against my gut twice last week, trusting Texas' defense to wake up like it did against Nebraska, and putting confidence in Missouri to be able to run the ball against Nebraska like it did against Oklahoma.
Nope. I whiffed on both picks. This week, I went with my gut on all six picks.
Last week: 4-2 (.667)
Overall: 59-12 (.831)
No. 17 Oklahoma State 51, No. 21 Baylor 44: In no way is this a joke. Come back later this afternoon for a video of me explaining my pick.
Colorado 27, Kansas 20: This one is by far my least confident pick. That comes with picking Colorado to win on the road, where it suffered 26-, 33- and 42-point losses this year. But here goes. Rodney Stewart has a big day, and Cody Hawkins hits Scotty McKnight enough times to halt the Buffaloes' 15-game road losing streak.
No. 7 Nebraska 38, Iowa State 20: Iowa State's pulled off a pair of wins nobody thought it would at the season's start, knocking off Texas and Texas Tech. But then again, neither team has been anywhere near as good as most thought in the preseason. Nebraska is considerably better, thanks to Taylor Martinez. No passing necessary in this one. The Huskers don't reach the double digits in pass attempts and roll over the Cyclones.
No. 8 Oklahoma 30, Texas A&M 28: Consider me a believer in Oklahoma's struggles on the road. It's probably unfair to say it necessarily struggled on the road last year, it just played much better competition. This year, though, the Sooners were a muffed punt return away from having a real chance to lose to a bad Cincinnati team and one bounce of the ball away from possibly going into overtime against Texas. Both sides of the ball fell apart in the fourth quarter against Missouri. The Sooners lead 27-14 midway through the third quarter of this one, but hang on late. The Aggies will miss Christine Michael dearly. Cyrus Gray is very good. Michael is better.
Texas 21, Kansas State 20: For all the curves Oklahoma State and Baylor should bring, this game's bringing the hairy moles. Kansas State and Texas might play the ugliest game of the year in the Big 12. Somebody's got to win, and Garrett Gilbert engineers a late drive, continuing his maturation process, and bringing along freshman receiver Mike Davis.
No. 12 Missouri 34, Texas Tech 24: Missouri won't blow out the Red Raiders; it is Lubbock, after all. But it will win comfortably if corners Carl Gettis and Kevin Rutland continue their solid play. The offense will move the ball consistently for 60 minutes, but chalk the Tigers up for an inexplicable turnover in one of the toughest places to play in the Big 12.