The Big 12 Primer: Week 2

My predictions for Week 2 will be up bright and early tomorrow morning, but here's your look at when, where and what you can find in this weekend's games. I'll also reveal tomorrow which game I'm attending.

Until then, let's hear your predictions in the comments.

West Virginia and Baylor are off this week.

No. 21 Kansas State vs. Miami (noon, FX): Wildcats linebacker Arthur Brown plays his former team a second time after knocking off The U in Miami Gardens last year. The Wildcats get the early game and their first test after rolling over Missouri State with an explosive third quarter. Miami got a good win over Boston College to start its season, but Kansas State is a better team.

Iowa State at Iowa (3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network): Iowa will be out for revenge after last year's three-overtime upset, including a double-digit, fourth-quarter comeback. Steele Jantz looked much improved in last week's win over Tulsa, and last year's win was the Cyclones' first in the rivalry since 2007. Iowa State hasn't won in Iowa City in a decade, but it has also never played for this brand-new trophy. Motivation, y'all!

Kansas vs. Rice (3:30 p.m., Fox Sports Net): KU got back in the win column last week, but quarterback Dayne Crist was unsatisfied with his performance. He'll have more time this week to get in sync with receivers Kale Pick, Daymond Patterson and D.J. Beshears. KU's retooled defensive line has a lot to prove still, too. The Jayhawks notched two sacks (it had nine all of last season), but gave up a 99-yard touchdown run.

No. 17 TCU vs. Grambling State (7 p.m., Fox Sports Net): TCU had to wait an extra week, but it's finally time to unveil the Frogs' new stadium and debut a team playing as a Big 12 member for the first time. This game shouldn't be interesting, but it'll be an emotional weekend in Fort Worth, no doubt.

Texas Tech at Texas State (7 p.m., ESPN3): Texas Tech looked pretty good last week against Northwestern State, but it's anyone's guess what Texas State has in store for Tech this weekend. The Red Raiders will travel to San Marcos, but Dennis Franchione's Bobcats knocked off Houston on the road last week.

No. 5 Oklahoma vs. Florida A&M (7 p.m., pay-per-view): The Sooners won't be clinging to a narrow lead in the fourth quarter against the FCS Rattlers, but Oklahoma's offense needs to work on a whole lot before Saturday. Landry Jones looked uncomfortable and out of sync with his new receivers, and Bob Stoops complained of "inconsistency" all over the place in Saturday's win over UTEP.

No. 15 Texas vs. New Mexico (8 p.m., Longhorn Network): New Mexico's off to a nice start under Bob Davie, hanging 66 points on the board last week. Here's guessing the Lobos won't put 60 on the Longhorns, who turned in a solid effort against a Wyoming team that's better than most think. Still, David Ash and even the hyped defense were far from where they need to be for Texas to contend for a Big 12 title. The Longhorns will need to see some improvement.

No. 16 Oklahoma State at Arizona (10:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network): Wes Lunt has yet to throw an incompletion ... or his first career touchdown pass. We didn't learn much about Lunt in the Cowboys' infamous 84-0 win over Savannah State. This one? A much more difficult test. Arizona struggled to beat Toledo last week, but going on the road against a major conference opponent, especially with a true freshman quarterback, is intriguing. The Cowboys are a double-digit favorite, though, and face the Wildcats for a third time in 16 games.

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The Big 12 Primer: Week 1

Here's your weekly look at where you can find this weekend's games. My predictions will be up bright and early tomorrow morning, but let's hear yours in the comments. I'll also be revealing which one of these nine games I'll be attending this week.

Oklahoma is the only Big 12 team to open its season on the road or even away from home, and it wins the award for weirdest opening game, too.

TCU is idle in Week 1. If you're wondering where Texas A&M and Missouri went, go check the SEC blog.

SATURDAY (all times ET)

No. 11 West Virginia vs. Marshall (noon, FX): West Virginia takes on its in-state rival to kick off its first season in the Big 12. There's been plenty of hype about what Dana Holgorsen's offense will look like in Year 2. Time to stop talking and start producing. Geno Smith and receivers Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin just might put on a show in this one.

Iowa State vs. Tulsa (3:30 p.m., Fox Sports Network): Cyclones coach Paul Rhoads isn't hiding from the fact that his team is the underdog in this one. Despite hosting the Conference USA member Golden Hurricane, oddsmakers have Rhoads' squad as a 1.5-point underdog. Here's guessing Rhoads is a little insulted at that, but using it to motivate his team. Will it work?

No. 21 Kansas State vs. Missouri State (7 p.m., K-StateHD.TV): Kansas State's campaign to validate last season's narrow successes kicks off with what should be simple: an FCS opponent. Don't take it for granted, though. Even last year's 10-win team needed a touchdown in the final minutes to beat FCS member Eastern Kentucky 10-7. This one shouldn't be close, but you never know.

Texas Tech vs. Northwestern State (7 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest Plus): It's been nine years since Texas Tech played a nonconference game against a BCS conference opponent, and that won't change in 2012. This time around, though, it's needed. Tech is trying to win its way back after going 5-7 last year, but the main attraction on Saturday will be Eric Stephens, who will be making his return from a terrible knee injury suffered against Texas A&M last year.

No. 19 Oklahoma State vs. Savannah State (7 p.m., Fox College Sports): Savannah State's won just one game in the FCS in each of the past two seasons. Oklahoma State won 12 and the Big 12 last season. The post-Brandon Weeden/Justin Blackmon era might have its bumpy nights, but this shouldn't be one of them. The only thing that could go wrong here is if the Cowboys unleash their hideous gray jerseys again like they did in last year's opener. True freshman QB Wes Lunt's debut has been long-awaited since he won the starting job this spring.

Kansas vs. South Dakota State (7 p.m., Jayhawk All-Access/Jayhawk Television Network): The Jayhawks have undergone a transformation unlike any other team in the Big 12 this offseason. Former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis is in charge and he brought with him an avalanche of transfers, headlined by QB Dayne Crist. Keep an eye on defensive end Josh Williams, who transferred from Nebraska. Wins have been scarce the past two years at KU, so don't expect the Jayhawks to take anyone lightly, even an FCS opponent. Coach Turner Gill's tenure got off to a rough start back in 2010 when he lost to FCS North Dakota State.

No. 15 Texas vs. Wyoming (8 p.m., Longhorn Network): This offseason, Texas has been hard at work crafting a powerful running game and a quarterback in David Ash who's better at making decisions. We'll get a preview of what's to come Saturday night. The Longhorns have looked sluggish in the past two openers against Rice, but a suffocating defense could feast on the Cowboys' spread attack.

No. 4 Oklahoma at Texas-El Paso (10:30 p.m., Fox Sports Network): Oklahoma is the Big 12's only team on the road in Week 1, but the Miners have been talking a big game all summer. Quarterback Nick Lamaison told reporters he hoped to be the best QB in the game, and the university president said she told UT-Austin the team would "do our best to ensure that Oklahoma would be not as competitive after they left El Paso, because we will have shown them a surprise." Here's guessing that talk is cheap when the ball is finally kicked off. The Sooners are 31-point favorites.

SUNDAY

Baylor vs. SMU (6:30 p.m., Fox Sports Network): The old Southwest Conference rivalry is renewed when SMU heads fewer than 100 miles south to face the Bears in the first game since Robert Griffin III left for the NFL and won the starting job with the Washington Redskins. New QB Nick Florence is capable of putting up big numbers, too, but keep an eye on Oregon transfer RB Lache Seastrunk, and don't be surprised if he breaks a big run or two.

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