Hats off to Dave Z.
ABC 5’s accomplished Sports Director went a perfect 6-0 last week. He’s now climbed himself to the top half of our pick’em standings.
It’s week 12. Who does our panel like for Iowa State @ Kansas? Enjoy this week’s picks.
Current Standings
Chris Williams, 44-23
Adam Carper, 40-29
Bret Meyer, 39-28
Adam Gray, 38-29
Bret Culbertson, 37-30
Dave Zawilinski, 37-30
Kirk Haaland, 36-31
Brent Blum, 35-23
Trevor Enerson, 34-33
Chris Hassel, 33-34
Austen Arnaud, 30-37
Cyclone Fanatic Publisher Chris Williams
USC (-4) @ UCLA – I’m admittedly not a big Pac-12 guy so these first two picks are tough for me. Give me the Trojans by 10.
Stanford @ Oregon (-21) – Again, a bit of a toss-up for me. I’ll take Stanford to cover though.
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma State (-10.5) – Tech is sliding folks. The Red Raiders have struggled in each of the last three weeks. I like the Cowboys by 17 here.
Kansas State (-11.5) @ Baylor – Wildcats. Stone. Cold. Lock.
Oklahoma (-11) @ West Virginia – All season long, I’ve said ‘talk to me in week 12’ in regards to West Virginia. It’s week 12 and they are who I thought they were. Sooners by 3 touchdowns or more over a worn down football team.
Iowa State (-6.5) @ Kansas – Iowa State 27, Kansas 17.
Former Iowa State linebacker Adam Carper
USC (-4) @ UCLA – Don’t think UCLA is capable of shutting down USC’s high-octane offense. USC
Stanford @ Oregon (-21) – Call me stupid but I don’t believe there is any chance Oregon wins by 3 TD’s. Stanford
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma State (-10.5) – Texas Tech goes on the road and steals one. Tech.
Kansas State (-11.5) @ Baylor – As K-State needs to keep winning with style points to maintain a shot at BCS championship game, I like the Wildcats to cover.
Oklahoma (-11) @ West Virginia – Oklahoma will be too much for the home team.
Iowa State (-6.5) @ Kansas – Cyclones 24-21.
Former Iowa State quarterback Bret Meyer
USC (-4) @ UCLA – USC covers
Stanford @ Oregon (-21) – Oregon wins but not by 21
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma State (-10.5) – Oklahoma State covers
Kansas State (-11.5) @ Baylor – K State covers
Oklahoma (-11) @ West Virginia – OU covers
Iowa State (-6.5) @ Kansas – Clones by 3.
Cyclone Fanatic Director of Sales Adam Gray
USC (-4) @ UCLA – I think USC scores a lot of points and gives up a lot of points in thsi game but holds on to win 41-35.
Stanford @ Oregon (-21) – Stanford is a sound football team and I think they keep this close until the end when Oregon’s tempo wears them down. In the end, 21 points is a lot and I like Stanford to lose but cover 41-21.
Texas Tech@ Oklahoma State (-10.5) – Oklahoma State has been playing great football as late but I like this matchup for Tech. I think it’s a winnable road game for them. Tech 31-27
Kansas State(-11.5) @ Baylor – Big spread but I think Kansas State’s offense puts up 50 and their defense isn’t giving up over 35. KState wins 52-31
Oklahoma (-11) @ West Virginia – WV has no confidence and Oklahoma has oddly enough played better away from home. Give me Oklahoma to win 58-30
Iowa State (-6.5)@ Kansas – We are taking down 200+ fans to this game and we know there will be many other Cyclone fans down in Lawrence cheering on Iowa State as they become bowl eligible. It’s a must win game and I think Rhoads has them ready and hungry. Iowa State 24-14
Former Iowa State kicker Bret Culbertson
USC (-4) @ UCLA – I haven’t watched much action from these two teams this year, but I do know that USC has two tough end of the season games. The Trojans cover on the road and gun for an epic game against the Bruins.
Stanford @ Oregon (-21) – The Ducks have been rocking their schedule all year long. They’ve beaten 8 of their opponents so far by 21 points or more, but Stanford will be the highest ranked team they’ve played so far this year. Stanford beats the spread, but it’s still a one sided game.
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma State (-10.5) – This is a tough one, but I’ll take tech.
Kansas State (-11.5) @ Baylor – Wildcats will cover by much more if their defense holds up the pass game. Remember the West Virginia game? I do. Wildcats cover.
Oklahoma (-11) @ West Virginia – West Virginia beats the spread, but they continue their losing streak. Is anyone left on this band wagon?
Iowa State (-6.5) @ Kansas – Clones will be bowling after this one! ISU covers on the road.
ABC 5 Sports Director Dave Zawilinski
USC (-4) @ UCLA – UCLA
Stanford @ Oregon (-21) – STANFORD
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma State (-10.5) – TEXAS TECH
Kansas State (-11.5) @ Baylor – KSU
Oklahoma (-11) @ West Virginia – WVU
Iowa State (-6.5) @ Kansas – KANSAS
enCYCLONEpedia’s Kirk Haaland
USC (-4) @ UCLA – Trojans
Stanford @ Oregon (-21) – While tempting to think that Stanford can cover I simply don’t think they can in Autzen with so much on the line for the Ducks.
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma State (-10.5) – I was big on the Red Raiders bandwagon a few weeks ago but they seem to be losing steam while the Cowboys have performed well, even in the face of QB tumult. It’s a tough call but I’ll take the Cowboys in Stillwater.
Kansas State (-11.5) @ Baylor – ‘Tis a tough call when I would like to take the Wildcats but Baylor showed some spunk against the Sooners last week. At some point the Wildcat train may get derailed but I don’t think that will happen in Waco.
Oklahoma (-11) @ West Virginia – Sooners. Hopefully they get the final nail started in the Mountaineer coffin before West Virginia comes to Ames on Black Friday.
Iowa State (-6.5) @ Kansas – This is such a tough game to call. Kansas runs the ball as well as anyone but their passing game has struggled. Traditionally under Paul Rhoads ISU has been able to deal with offenses that play one dimensional. But how will the Cyclone passing defense do with the semi-questionable status of Janson Watson? And what about that Cyclone offense? Things seem to be at their lowest of the season right now which is exactly why I think they win. Just not cover. Oh, by the way, did you know that there are some Kansas fans not just predicting a Jayhawk win but a Jayhawk blowout? They’ve been playing well, especially at home, but they are still a 1-9 team.
Cyclone Fanatic Columnist Brent Blum
USC (-4) @ UCLA – Good to see UCLA relevant again. I remember dominating with them in Bill Walsh College Football on the Sega Genesis with Karim Abdul Jabbar. He was the equivalent of Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl. This one will have oodles of points, but gotta take the Trojans. USC 48 UCLA 41.
Stanford @ Oregon (-21) – Stanford will try and suck the Kardashian out of the ball. I think they can keep it within three touchdowns. Oregon 34 Stanford 20.
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma State (-10.5) – Texas Tech looks tired, getting gashed on the ground by Kansas to the tune of almost 400 yards is a problem with Oklahoma State’s ground game up ahead. Cowboys run roughshod all over the Raiders. That begs the question, what else can you roughshod? Oklahoma State 42 Texas Tech 24.
Kansas State (-11.5) @ Baylor – I am going to continue to pick against the old man because I am a glutton for punishment. As they said in Dumb and Dumber, "I can’t stop going now that I’ve started!" Baylor 30 K-State 28.
Oklahoma (-11) @ West Virginia – Dana, it was a good ride my friend. Had some great times together in September. But why’d you have to embarrass me like this the last four weeks. I mean it’s bad enough losing to Williams in this thing, but since I have continually picked your sorry sack defense I am getting dangerously close to Zawalinksi and Hassel territory. Not cool Dana, not cool. Oh, what the hell, I love you man. West Virginia 37 Oklahoma 35.
Iowa State (-6.5) @ Kansas – Iowa State hasn’t won here since November, 2001. Do you know what else happened in November 2001? The original iPod was released. Gross. This madness against Kansas must end! Cyclones find some fight to get it done. Cyclones 24 Jayhawks 17.
The Voice of the Fan Trevor Enerson
USC (-4) @ UCLA – Boy, I don’t know. I’ll take USC to cover here. I think they just have too much firepower. USC 38-27
Stanford @ Oregon (-21) – Oregon and big points is tough for me. I think Oregon covers this at half time but Stanford is good enough to win the second half without Oregon really paying much attention. OU 49-35.
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma State (-10.5) – Tech got a wake up call last week I think. I don’t think they beat OSU but this is a tight game and they cover. OSU 37-31
Kansas State (-11.5) @ Baylor – I still think KSU will stub their toe but I don’t think it will be against Baylor. Baylor’s defense just isn’t good enough. KSU covers 38-21
Oklahoma (-11) @ West Virginia – Is this line real? OU is the most explosive team in the conference and they likely have one of the two best defenses as well. OU huge 49-17
Iowa State (-6.5) @ Kansas – I hate to do this but you know what this game reminds me of? The most disappointing game of the Paul Rhoads era. Colorado 2010. Five win team coming off a loss to a good team visiting what is assumed to be the worst team in the conference with a less winnable game to follow. I do expect this team to react differently. KU is not a bad football team. They cover but ISU pulls it out 27-21.
WHO-TV 13’s Chris Hassel
USC (-4) @ UCLA – USC is far more talented. Trojans blow out the Bruins.
Stanford @ Oregon (-21) – Stanford D can slow Oregon down a little bit. Ducks win. Stanford covers.
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma State (-10.5) – No defense in this one. Okie State should win but TTU should cover.
Kansas State (-11.5) @ Baylor – No reason to think KState won’t roll over Baylor it’s done to everyone else of late. Wildcats cover.
Oklahoma (-11) @ West Virginia – One of these weeks, West Virginia is going to cover a spread. Mountaineers.
Iowa State (-6.5) @ Kansas – This one is tough to call. ISU needs it but so does KU. ISU wins a tight one but Kansas covers.
Former Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud
USC (-4) @ UCLA – USC’s defense will struggle against the multi-dimensional attack of the Bruin offense with QB Brett Hundley and his fellow backfield mate Johnathan Franklin. Franklin has struggled a bit of late but this have sort of given way to the emergence of Hundley as a passer. UCLA wins outright at home.
Stanford @ Oregon(-21) – Stanford’s defense has done some good things this year, but has yet to see a test of this magnitude. The three TD spread to a team like Oregon can be scored in a matter of minutes. I like this Oregon team to score early and often and route the Cardinal in Eugene.
Texas Tech@ Oklahoma State (-10.5) – I think this is a statement game for the Red Raider team, last year they got beat by 60 points! That’s right 60!! I think this game will be different, Texas Tech was embarrassed last year and this year they will go in and compete with Okie State. Cowboys win but closer than the experts think.
Kansas State(-11.5) @ Baylor – Kansas State will blow right past this shaky Baylor football team, goes to show you how vital RG III was to this football team because they are close to being a 6 or 7 win team this year. Kansas State covers and continues to roll.
Oklahoma (-11) @ West Virginia – Oklahoma is hitting full steam as a team collectively, West Virginia started the year 5-0 and haven’t won since. The West Virginia defense may be worse than Baylor’s, which will not bode well for them this weekend… however it is awful comforting the game is at home. But, I still think OU wins by two touchdowns.
Iowa State (-6.5) @ Kansas- This Kansas team has had this game circled on the schedule all year and they have been competing in recent games, they took Texas Tech and Texas to the wire, two teams that bludgeoned the Cyclones. This in no way will be a lay down game for the Cyclones. I believe Kansas covers the spread but the Cyclones win by less than 6, making the Cyclone bowl eligible again.
