Disclaimer: These are picks based on nothing but perusing box scores, past experience with the teams and small amounts of watching so far this season. I'm not an expert, just my opinions. And also mostly because I wanted to bag on TCU.
TCU: has a bye week this week (sucks to suck, Frogs) and then SMU before starting their conference schedule with OU, Kansas (at Kansas), OSU. Amazingly lucky home slate for these guys this year, but if they lose that SMU game and let it snowball into the OU game (which will not be close), I could see a scenario where these guys go 0-4 over the next 5 weeks (and possibly 0-5 in the next 6 since KSU is the next game after OSU), which would be delicious. Their fanbase talked an unbelievable amount of trash about McGuire this past week for a program who struggled to beat maybe the worst P5 team in the nation in Wk 1, and then beat up Tarleton State. As it is, I'll give them the nod over SMU & KU because they SHOULD win those on talent alone, but I'm really hoping KU destroys them. 2-2 (Ws over SMU/KU, Ls to OSU/OU)
UT: UTSA, Us (Lubbock), WVU, OU (Dallas), ISU. They're in a world of hurt if Bijan ends up missing time along with Card and Ewers. I know that we've had that UT monkey on their back for decades, but I cannot envision a way they could beat us missing those 3, would take a Herculean effort out of Wright on his first collegiate road start. Tempted to give them an 0-fer through those 5 weeks (assuming Card misses), but until WVU proves they can actually win a game, I'll give UT the benefit of the doubt even missing QB1 & QB2. 1-4 (W over WVU, Ls to UTSA/TTU/OU/ISU).
Baylor: Texas State, Iowa State (Ames), OSU, bye week, WVU (Morgantown). ISU hasn't been very impressive (arguably downright bad against Iowa) but I do think OSU has shown enough firepower to win a shootout in Waco. I hate it, but they've got a really good shot at repeating, especially if I'm wrong and they knock off OSU. 3-1. (Ws over TS/ISU/WVU, L to OSU).
OSU: Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Bye Week, Baylor (Waco), TTU, TCU (Ft Worth). I have no idea what to make of these guys. Their defense is suspect, but the offense has been better than I expected it to be. I still don't trust Sanders at all, but he's protected the ball fairly well thus far and if he continues not losing them games, they're going to be good. I'm going to give them the nod over Baylor in Waco, even though I don't know if I believe it myself, and I think they probably get us this year for the last time for awhile, even though I think it'll be a tight game. 4-0.
OU: Nebraska (Lincoln), KSU, TCU (Ft. Worth), UT (Dallas), KU. KSU has their number and they always drop a game to someone they shouldn't, but they have a ton of talent on that roster and Lebby is a great play caller. Also, I hate them. 5-0.
KSU: Tulane, OU (Norman), TTU, ISU (Ames), Bye week. Call me crazy (or a homer), but I think we get them this year, and I'd be even more convinced of it if they actually did beat OU the week before, nothing Adrian Martinez has put on film in his 20 years of college football scares me and our defense is damned good. Also think ISU gets them in Ames. 1-3 (W over Tulane, Ls to OU/TTU/ISU)
KU: UH (Houston), Duke, ISU, TCU, OU. This team is not the Kansas of the past and, assuming Daniels stays healthy, they're going to be a thorn in everyone's side plus probably surprise a few teams that they shouldn't (hopefully TCU and UT), Leipold is the real deal. That being said, their o-line is not great and UH is going to be angry so I don't expect this week to go their way. 1-4. (W over Duke, Ls to UH/ISU/TCU/OU)
ISU: Ohio, Baylor, KU (Lawrence), KSU, UT (Austin). I think Matt Campbell should have left 2 years ago, this doesn't feel like a better ISU team than last year, even though Hutchinson is a certified stud. 3-2. (Ws over Ohio/KU/KSU, Ls to BU/UT).
TTU: NCSt (Raleigh), UT, KSU (Manhattan), OSU (Stillwater), Bye Week. I would not be shocked to come out of this 4-0 and I would not be shocked to come out of it 1-3. Crazy to say, but I just don't know what to expect from our offensive line and whether or not we can actually cover up their weaknesses. I do think we're competitive in every game because our defense is legitimately good, and I think we end up within 1 score of NCSt. Given what UT is facing injury-wise, it would be a monstrous loss to not take them at home IMO. I'm splitting the difference. 2-2. (Ws over UT/KSU, Ls to NCSt/OSU).
WVU: Towson, VT (Blacksburg), UT (Austin), Bye week, Baylor. Ls to everyone. No seriously, they've somehow got a good shot at winning that VaTech game because VaTech is also terrible and they're probably going to get a super depleted UT team. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt against VaTech, but even as depleted as UT will be, I don't think they get that game in Austin. 2-2 (Ws over Towson/VT, Ls to UT/BU).
TCU: has a bye week this week (sucks to suck, Frogs) and then SMU before starting their conference schedule with OU, Kansas (at Kansas), OSU. Amazingly lucky home slate for these guys this year, but if they lose that SMU game and let it snowball into the OU game (which will not be close), I could see a scenario where these guys go 0-4 over the next 5 weeks (and possibly 0-5 in the next 6 since KSU is the next game after OSU), which would be delicious. Their fanbase talked an unbelievable amount of trash about McGuire this past week for a program who struggled to beat maybe the worst P5 team in the nation in Wk 1, and then beat up Tarleton State. As it is, I'll give them the nod over SMU & KU because they SHOULD win those on talent alone, but I'm really hoping KU destroys them. 2-2 (Ws over SMU/KU, Ls to OSU/OU)
UT: UTSA, Us (Lubbock), WVU, OU (Dallas), ISU. They're in a world of hurt if Bijan ends up missing time along with Card and Ewers. I know that we've had that UT monkey on their back for decades, but I cannot envision a way they could beat us missing those 3, would take a Herculean effort out of Wright on his first collegiate road start. Tempted to give them an 0-fer through those 5 weeks (assuming Card misses), but until WVU proves they can actually win a game, I'll give UT the benefit of the doubt even missing QB1 & QB2. 1-4 (W over WVU, Ls to UTSA/TTU/OU/ISU).
Baylor: Texas State, Iowa State (Ames), OSU, bye week, WVU (Morgantown). ISU hasn't been very impressive (arguably downright bad against Iowa) but I do think OSU has shown enough firepower to win a shootout in Waco. I hate it, but they've got a really good shot at repeating, especially if I'm wrong and they knock off OSU. 3-1. (Ws over TS/ISU/WVU, L to OSU).
OSU: Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Bye Week, Baylor (Waco), TTU, TCU (Ft Worth). I have no idea what to make of these guys. Their defense is suspect, but the offense has been better than I expected it to be. I still don't trust Sanders at all, but he's protected the ball fairly well thus far and if he continues not losing them games, they're going to be good. I'm going to give them the nod over Baylor in Waco, even though I don't know if I believe it myself, and I think they probably get us this year for the last time for awhile, even though I think it'll be a tight game. 4-0.
OU: Nebraska (Lincoln), KSU, TCU (Ft. Worth), UT (Dallas), KU. KSU has their number and they always drop a game to someone they shouldn't, but they have a ton of talent on that roster and Lebby is a great play caller. Also, I hate them. 5-0.
KSU: Tulane, OU (Norman), TTU, ISU (Ames), Bye week. Call me crazy (or a homer), but I think we get them this year, and I'd be even more convinced of it if they actually did beat OU the week before, nothing Adrian Martinez has put on film in his 20 years of college football scares me and our defense is damned good. Also think ISU gets them in Ames. 1-3 (W over Tulane, Ls to OU/TTU/ISU)
KU: UH (Houston), Duke, ISU, TCU, OU. This team is not the Kansas of the past and, assuming Daniels stays healthy, they're going to be a thorn in everyone's side plus probably surprise a few teams that they shouldn't (hopefully TCU and UT), Leipold is the real deal. That being said, their o-line is not great and UH is going to be angry so I don't expect this week to go their way. 1-4. (W over Duke, Ls to UH/ISU/TCU/OU)
ISU: Ohio, Baylor, KU (Lawrence), KSU, UT (Austin). I think Matt Campbell should have left 2 years ago, this doesn't feel like a better ISU team than last year, even though Hutchinson is a certified stud. 3-2. (Ws over Ohio/KU/KSU, Ls to BU/UT).
TTU: NCSt (Raleigh), UT, KSU (Manhattan), OSU (Stillwater), Bye Week. I would not be shocked to come out of this 4-0 and I would not be shocked to come out of it 1-3. Crazy to say, but I just don't know what to expect from our offensive line and whether or not we can actually cover up their weaknesses. I do think we're competitive in every game because our defense is legitimately good, and I think we end up within 1 score of NCSt. Given what UT is facing injury-wise, it would be a monstrous loss to not take them at home IMO. I'm splitting the difference. 2-2. (Ws over UT/KSU, Ls to NCSt/OSU).
WVU: Towson, VT (Blacksburg), UT (Austin), Bye week, Baylor. Ls to everyone. No seriously, they've somehow got a good shot at winning that VaTech game because VaTech is also terrible and they're probably going to get a super depleted UT team. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt against VaTech, but even as depleted as UT will be, I don't think they get that game in Austin. 2-2 (Ws over Towson/VT, Ls to UT/BU).
