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What’s it going to take for people to stop underestimating Kliff Kingsbury?

Texas Tech was picked seventh in the Big 12 this preseason, one year after the Texas A&M squad he helped run was picked sixth in the SEC West before the season began.

A&M was supposed to take it lumps in year one in the SEC. Didn’t happen. Texas Tech was perceived as still a rebuilding program. Except Kingbury has won 27 of the last 30 games he’s coached in.

He has the Red Raiders off to a 4-0 start that has players feeling bold enough to believe this: Why can’t we win the Big 12?

“It’s kind of crazy how much confidence he’s instilled in us and how confident he is in us and himself and the coaches,” Texas Tech tight end Jace Amaro said. “That really helped us believe we can win every single game, no matter what the spread is or who we’re playing. We have the same mindset for each time.”

All the Red Raiders needed to believe this could be their year was a 20-10 victory over TCU on Sept. 12. Amaro said he can’t remember a bigger game in his past two season. The wild, passionate crowd that showed up that Thursday night was as good as any he’d witnessed in his career.

Playing in front of that crowd and giving them a win over a ranked foe reminded Amaro and his teammates just how much fun this is all going to be when they do ultimately get Tech where they want to be.

A look ahead at the schedule has most believing 7-0 is well within reach. The Red Raiders travel this weekend to Kansas, which has lost its last 21 Big 12 contests, and then take on Iowa State and West Virginia.

Seeing what West Virginia did against Oklahoma State, though, has Kingsbury reminding his players they can’t take the next three games for granted.

“We attack each and every week,” he said Monday. “We’re not good enough to look ahead like that.”

While Oklahoma and Baylor get talked up this week as the prohibitive favorites to win the conference, Texas Tech is happy to play the role of the dark horse. And this team might have a surprise on the way for the rest of the race.

Just what can Michael Brewer do for these Red Raiders? The sophomore quarterback is still recovering from a back injury suffered in fall camp, and Kingsbury said he’ll resume doing on-field work this week.

Winning four games with true freshmen Baker Mayfield and Davis Webb was an admirable feat, and TTU coaches are sticking with Mayfield this week as the starter. The return of Brewer, though, could still be a wild card against conference teams that haven’t seen him play much.

“Every time he was in last season as the backup, he scored touchdowns,” Amaro said. “He brings a different vibe to this team. He’s really relaxed and ready to go, and he makes great decisions and is a really great leader. He’s itching to get back out here. We can’t wait until he can come back. It’s going to make our offense that much better.”

Brewer threw for 345 yards and four touchdowns in occasional work backing up Seth Doege in 2012, but 70 percent of his attempts came in nonconference games to start the season.

It’s hard to know how this will play out when Brewer is cleared to play, but right now it’s a luxury for the Red Raiders. They’ve won without him, and if he gives Tech the best chance to win of its three passers, even better.

Whoever is running the show, Amaro is confident this offense is just scratching the surface of what it can be.

“We’re being really basic right now, running basic plays and plain routes,” he said. “It’s not hard concepts or anything like that. We’re saving a lot of stuff for this conference period. Once we really start getting going and in a rhythm, we have seven straight weeks of games and I think we’ll really take off.”

Just know that this initial success does not come as a surprise to Tech players. This is simply what they expected. They’re out to win the Big 12.

“At the beginning of the year, so many people thought we were foolish and didn’t know why we were thinking that,” Amaro said. “Every week, we have a point to prove. Like you said, Oklahoma and Baylor are the favorites. We’re getting put to the side. We’re going to go out there every single week like we’ve got something to prove. Eventually, we’re going to meet up with those guys.”

• The Dallas Morning News' Chuck Carlton explains how the AD change at Texas affects Mack Brown's future. Dodds' decision may be the start of a critical Texas two-step. Is Texas or USC the better head-coaching job?
• Baylor coach Art Briles says his team has an image to maintain: Fast and fearless.
• Oklahoma is focusing on improving its short-yardage offense this week. Sooner coaches are excited about what their receivers are doing so far.
• Charlie Weis is not hiding from the streak that Kansas hopes to break this weekend. Is more rushing on first down the answer for KU's third-and-long woes?
• Iowa State hopes its recent growth on defense will carry over into the Texas game. That unit has improved thanks to lightening its playbook.
• TCU's offensive line has held up well but is in for a serious challenge against OU.
• Clint Trickett is practicing, but Dana Holgorsen is still unsure what West Virginia will do at quarterback this week.
• Kansas State knows it has to stop several versatile weapons in Oklahoma State's offense. Its players are embracing a "talk is cheap" mantra to fixing mistakes.
• Texas Tech defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt didn't enjoy watching film of last season's KU game, especially Tech's run defense.
• The numbers Oklahoma State's offense and defense have put up so far don't lie. Joe Bob Clements is ready for the challenge of facing the school he left.

If you haven't already seen the video of Dana Holgorsen sipping Red Bull on the sideline, enjoy.

• Texas AD DeLoss Dodds is expected to announce plans for his resignation today. A look at some potential candidates to replace him. The Longhorns also lost a legend Monday in former quarterback James Street.
• One year after giving up 807 yards in Morgantown, Baylor is ready to show how far its defense has come against West Virginia.
• Could Oklahoma find a way to use both Blake Bell and Trevor Knight to challenge opposing defenses?
• Even after one of the best games of his career, TCU safety Sam Carter remains his own toughest critic.
• Texas Tech is sticking with Baker Mayfield at quarterback this week. Is staring the season 7-0 a realistic possibility?
• Charlie Weis still remembers drafting Kliff Kingsbury while with the Patriots. What's going on with the receivers at Kansas? Ex-Jayhawk Marquel Combs has transferred to Southeastern Louisiana.
• Still no word on whether Oklahoma State CB Justin Gilbert will be punished for getting ejected from the WVU game. J.W. Walsh regrets audibling out of a goal-line run in that loss. OSU landed the fastest recruit in the country Monday.
• WVU is down to one healthy quarterback, creating one big question mark for Saturday.
• Paul Rhoads has found his guy at running back in Aaron Wimberly.
• Kansas State is preparing for a disappointed Oklahoma State team this week and trying to fix its own flaws.

This week's Power Rankings feature a new No. 1, as last week's No. 1 takes a tumble:

1. Oklahoma (4-0, 1-0 Big 12, last week 3): The Sooners take over the top spot after delivering the most impressive Big 12 win of the season. Notre Dame is not the same team as last season, but the Irish hadn't lost in South Bend since October of 2011. OU has been a different team since Blake Bell took over at quarterback, and Bell was fabulous Saturday, throwing for two touchdowns without a turnover while churning out first downs with his arm and his legs. The OU defense is clearly better, too, picking off QB Tommy Rees on Notre Dame's first two possessions, with linebacker Corey Nelson returning one for a touchdown. The Sooners were clearly a team overlooked in the preseason, and, after five weeks, are looking like a clear Big 12 favorite along with Baylor.

2. Baylor (3-0, 0-0 Big 12, last week 2): After the off week, the Bears' offense will get its first real challenge this weekend from West Virginia's defense that appears to be the most improved unit in the league. Baylor has been unstoppable so far, but the level of competition is about to undergo an uptick. Can the Bears keep it up? They've shown no signs they can't.

3. Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0 Big 12, last week 4): Despite having the week off, the Red Raiders move up a spot with Oklahoma State's loss. The big question in Lubbock is who will be starting at quarterback for Tech come Saturday against Kansas. Baker Mayfield? Davis Webb? Michael Brewer, who has been progressing well from the back injury? The Red Raiders have been solid defensively, and the skill talent is legit. If Tech can get better play from its quarterback, this team could be a handful -- even for OU and Baylor.

4. West Virginia (3-2, 1-1 Big 12, last week 8): What a difference a week makes. The Mountaineers produced the most impressive in-conference win of the season with a 30-21 victory over preseason favorite Oklahoma State. West Virginia's defense continues to play at a high level (Maryland's 37 points were somewhat of an anomaly because of West Virginia turnovers) and Clint Trickett sparked the offense with his energy and leadership. West Virginia's offense is still pretty limited, but at least it no longer looks completely inept with Trickett at quarterback. The Mountaineers can't score with Baylor this weekend, but maybe they can slow the Bears down? Nobody thought West Virginia could slow Oklahoma or Oklahoma State, either, though Baylor's offense is at another level. We'll see.

5. Texas (2-2, 1-0 Big 12, last week 5): The Longhorns have a couple of interesting games looming. Thursday, Texas travels to Iowa State, which looked much better offensively in a 38-21 win at Tulsa this past Thursday. Then, Texas gets surging Oklahoma in Dallas. This figures to be the defining two-game stretch of the season for the Longhorns. Win the next two, and the season -- as well as Mack Brown's status in Austin -- looks totally different than it did two weeks ago. The off week could not have come at a better time for the Longhorns, giving acting defensive coordinator Greg Robinson another week to acclimate to his defense and quarterback David Ash another week to recover from the head injury that knocked him out of the Ole Miss and Kansas State games.

6. TCU (2-2, 0-1 Big 12, last week 6): Did TCU's offense finally uncover an identity during a rainy fourth quarter against SMU? The Horned Frogs poured on 31 points in the final quarter and did it with some new faces, as Ty Slanina, Ja'Juan Story and Cameron Echols-Luper all factored into the scoring onslaught in the first real action of their TCU careers. The Horned Frogs can really turn their season around with a win in Norman this weekend. That won't be easy, though, if All-American cornerback Jason Verrett (shoulder) and defensive end Devonte Fields (foot) can't play.

7. Oklahoma State (3-1, 0-1 Big 12, last week 1): The Cowboys plummet six spots after an uninspiring performance in Morgantown. It was just one loss, but it was a loss that exposed weaknesses across the board. For the first time in seemingly forever, Oklahoma State's kicking game is awful. The Cowboys' secondary gave up 320 yards to a West Virginia passing attack that previously had been completely futile. And on the other side of the ball, when the Mountaineers dared QB J.W. Walsh to beat them deep, he couldn't do it. That allowed West Virginia to stuff the Cowboys' running game, which also doesn't appear to have that bell-cow running back Oklahoma State has been accustomed to featuring. The Cowboys are better than they looked at West Virginia -- but how much better?

8. Kansas State (2-2, 0-1 Big 12, last week 7): Bill Snyder maintains the Wildcats will stick with the two-quarterback system, which has yielded mixed results. K-State has moved the ball better when Daniel Sams has been in at quarterback. But when he's in, the Wildcats are virtually no threat to pass. Sams has 29 rushes and only four passing attempts. Is Sams really that poor of a passer? Maybe it's time for K-State to find out.

9. Iowa State (1-2, 0-0 Big 12, last week 10): It's hard to believe a center could make that much of a difference. But the return of Tom Farniok sure seemed to do wonders for Iowa State's offense, which finally got going in a 38-21 win at Tulsa. The Cyclones also finally involved running back Aaron Wimberly, who ignited the running game with Iowa State's first 100-yard performance in more than a year. With former blue-chip junior-college transfer E.J. Bibbs emerging now at tight end, QB Sam Richardson no longer appears to be on his own. Jack Trice will be rocking Thursday night for the Longhorns, as Iowa State has a chance to land a signature win to build off of for the rest of the season.

10. Kansas (2-1, 0-0 Big 12, last week 9): The Jayhawks have a winning record but have been mostly unimpressive. Can they turn around the offense against Texas Tech? That will hinge almost entirely on quarterback Jake Heaps, who has talent but has been unable to find any rhythm so far with a collection of unproven wideouts. If the Jayhawks can be competitive this weekend, it will be a good sign they are moving in the right direction. If they get blasted, it could be a long season, especially with Iowa State and West Virginia seemingly having found their stride.

Oklahoma earned the best win by any Big 12 team this season with a 35-21 victory over Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., jumping over Baylor to become the Big 12 favorite. But the Bears will have their say when OU visits Waco, Texas, on Nov. 7. Oklahoma State falls to the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl after its upset loss to West Virginia. Still plenty of games to play, so don't be surprised to see some team improve its bowl projection significantly as October progresses.

Here are the Big 12 bowl projections after Week 5:

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. BCS at-large

AT&T Cotton Bowl: Baylor vs. SEC No. 3/4

Valero Alamo Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Pac-12 No. 2

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Big Ten No. 4/5

Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl: TCU vs. Pac-12 No. 3

Texas Bowl: Texas vs. Big Ten No. 6

New Era Pinstripe Bowl: Kansas State vs. American No. 4

Heart of Dallas Bowl: West Virginia vs. Big Ten No. 7

The Sooners notched a big nonconference road win for the Big 12, West Virginia’s defense came up big in an upset of Oklahoma State, and TCU finally found some offense against SMU.

What we learned about the Big 12 from Week 5:

The Sooners are a different team with Bell: This question has to be asked: How did Blake Bell not win the starting quarterback job during the preseason? Since taking over for Trevor Knight, Bell has been superb, leading the Sooners to a big 35-21 victory Saturday at Notre Dame. Bell completed 22 of 30 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns for a Total QBR of 79.1 (scale of 0 to 100), which almost certainly will go up once the strength of Notre Dame’s defense is factored into the equation. Bell also didn’t turn the ball over, as OU controlled the game from beginning to end. Save for a Nov. 7 showdown in Waco, the Sooners’ remaining slate doesn’t look nearly as daunting as it did a month ago. With Bell running the show at this level, OU is very capable of winning every game left on its schedule.

The West Virginia defense appears legit: The performance against Oklahoma State was the best by a West Virginia defense since joining the Big 12. The Mountaineers controlled the line of scrimmage to shut down OSU’s vaunted running game, and the secondary laid the lumber, knocking receivers Josh Stewart and Jhajuan Seales out of the game with big hits. The 21 points, in fact, were the fewest scored by a Cowboys offense in a loss since the 2009 Cotton Bowl. West Virginia did give up 37 to Maryland a week ago, but the six turnovers from the West Virginia offense had a lot to with that. In holding the Bedlam schools to a combined 37 points, Keith Patterson’s unit has now locked up, perennially, two of the Big 12’s highest-scoring offenses. The Mountaineers will get their shot at another on Saturday in Waco, and Baylor’s high-flying attack will provide the toughest test to date. But the West Virginia defense will give Baylor its toughest challenge yet as well.

Oklahoma State not the same offensively: The Cowboys have basically played two teams with a pulse and scored only 21 points both times. The Pokes seems to really be missing former coordinator Todd Monken and running back Joseph Randle, maybe even more than anybody thought they would. The Cowboys never found a flow offensively in Morgantown with Mike Yurcich’s play-calling, and Randle’s successor, Jeremy Smith, finished with just 1 yard on 15 carries. Given J.W. Walsh’s limitations throwing the ball downfield, it’s been awhile since an Oklahoma State offense had this many vulnerabilities.

TCU offense gains confidence with new faces: The Horned Frogs offense finally came alive late in the third quarter of a 48-17 win against SMU. And it came alive via plays from some new faces. True freshman Ty Slanina hauled in a 20-yard touchdown with four minutes left in the third quarter to break a 10-10 tie. On TCU’s next possession, former Florida transfer Ja'Juan Story took a 56-yard pass to the house to ignite the rout. Then freshman Cameron Echols-Luper returned a punt 51 yards to set up another touchdown. Going into the SMU game, Slanina, Story and Echols-Luper had a combined five touches through three games. The trio, however, figures to be a big part of the Horned Frogs' attack going forward, including next weekend in Norman.

OU at Baylor looking like the Big 12’s biggest game: With the Cowboys’ loss in Morgantown, OU-Baylor in Waco on Nov. 7 is looking more and more like the game of the year in the Big 12. Several other pivotal matchups remain (TCU-OU, the Red River Rivalry, Tech-OU, Baylor-OSU, Baylor-Tech, Bedlam). And there are still other teams (Tech, TCU, OSU, even Texas) that could play their way to the top of the conference title race. But as of today, OU-Baylor is looking like the game that will have more conference title implications than any other.

With his hair askew, West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen addressed reporters with a relieved look on his face early Saturday evening. Meanwhile, in South Bend, Ind., Oklahoma had just taken a 14-0 lead over Notre Dame.

The Big 12 landscape was in motion.

Holgorsen’s Mountaineers upset Big 12 favorite Oklahoma State 31-20 on Saturday, knocking the Cowboys behind Texas in the Big 12 standings. OU answered a lot of questions in its 35-21 win over Notre Dame while Baylor and Texas Tech watched from afar, forced to wait until they could have their say in stadiums across the Big 12 in the Saturdays to come.

With OSU’s loss, the Sooners elevated themselves to conference-favorite status on Saturday, securing the most impressive win by a Big 12 team to date. OU quarterback Blake Bell continued to answer all questions about his ability with a veteran performance in the first road start of his career. Bell passed for 232 yards, rushed for 59 yards and didn’t make any big mistakes as the Sooners improved to 4-0 with TCU visiting Oklahoma Memorial Stadium next Saturday. The OU defense also made its case to be called the class of the Big 12, holding Notre Dame to 324 yards and forcing three interceptions, which the Sooners turned into 21 points.

Yet it was the Mountaineers who delivered the biggest surprise of the day in Morgantown. After arguably the worst performance of the Holgorsen era a week ago against Maryland, very few people gave WVU a chance against Oklahoma State despite its home-field advantage. A bevy of depth-chart changes and a new starting quarterback sparked the Mountaineers to the upset win. Former Florida State quarterback Clint Trickett delivered one of the gutsiest performances of the day in his first start at WVU, playing through an injured shoulder to lead his squad to a victory. He finished 24-of-50 passing for 209 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

Subpar numbers, superb result.

“You can look at stats, but bottom line, our team bought in to getting out there and playing ball,” Holgorsen said. “Clint did a great job of keeping the play alive and we had a sense that he could do that from watching him at Florida State. He’s what we thought he was, he’s tough, he’s smart, he doesn’t get rattled. He just gets out there and plays ball.”

Now, as the sun set on Week 5, OU’s Nov. 7 visit to Waco, Texas, looms larger than ever with OSU’s loss to the Mountaineers. Baylor hosts the Sooners in a Thursday night tilt that could decide the Big 12 champion. The Bears, who host WVU next weekend, join OU as the league’s most impressive teams as October approaches and face the easier path --WVU, at Kansas State, Iowa State, at Kansas-- to remaining undefeated after Halloween.

The Sooners, meanwhile, host TCU, battle Texas in the Red River Rivalry, visit Kansas and host Texas Tech before traveling to Waco. It’s not an easy stretch, but it’s not nearly as difficult as it appeared to be prior to the first kickoff of 2013.

What about Texas Tech, you ask? The Red Raiders face three of four games on the road in October, finishing at OU on Oct. 26. Not the ideal scenario with true freshmen at the quarterback position. That uncertainty under center is what separates Baylor from Texas Tech. Kilff Kingbury’s squad could be in the Big 12 title race, but their legitimacy will determined in the next four weeks, and they’ll have to prove they’re being overlooked.

All is not lost for the Big 12 preseason favorite, however, as the Cowboys could still find themselves back in the race by going undefeated for the rest of their Big 12 schedule. Only West Virginia, with one Big 12 loss to OU, could hold the tiebreaker over OSU in that scenario, so this could just be a dent in the Cowboys’ résumé -- their story is written in pencil.

OSU, OU, BU and TTU entered the day as the favorites in the conference. But, make no mistake, a lot happened during a light schedule in the Big 12 on Saturday. A clear Big 12 title favorite emerged in OU, and OSU’s weaknesses were exposed at WVU, while BU and TTU remain hungry to prove themselves as legitimate contenders after their bye weeks.

October should be fun; get your candy corn ready.

This week’s Big 12 mailbag focuses on Texas Tech’s class and underrated prospects committed and uncommitted to conference schools. It also discusses some of the tangibles seen from coaches in a Big 12 wide receiver. We encourage all to send questions each week, either via Twitter to @DamonSayles or @ESPNWilkerson or by email at dsaylesespn@gmail.com or wilkerson.espn@gmail.com.

From @taylormidkiff: Who is the most underrated prospect that a Big 12 team will end up getting?

I think that can be answered in two ways. There are a few underrated prospects already committed to a Big 12 program, but running back Traevohn Wrench (Gardner, Kan./Gardner-Edgerton) will be one to watch next year at Kansas. Wrench has been a 2,000-yard back since his sophomore year and is on pace to pass Bubba Starling this season for career rushing yards at the high school. As for the uncommitted underrated prospects of the world, if wide receiver Del’Michael High (Mesquite, Texas/Horn) can get things right academically, he will be every bit as good as any of the ESPN 300 receivers, top to bottom. High, at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, does so much on raw talent alone; coaching from the Big 12 level could make him an all-conference player as a sophomore.

From PJ Worthen: What are the chances Tech finishes with a top 25 class? After getting Connor Wilson to flip his commit, is Sam Sizelove to follow? What big name recruits have Tech on their radar? Thanks for the time, I enjoy your work!

Thanks for the comments, first of all. Texas Tech is ranked No. 31 in the latest ESPN class rankings. The Red Raiders will need a couple of ESPN 300 commits -- or see some of the teams ahead of it lose some big-name pledges -- to crack the top 25. Texas Tech has 20 commits, which means there’s still room to land some highly ranked players. If the Red Raiders can continue to stay undefeated, they might turn the heads of players still wide open in the process -- such as ESPN 300 cornerback Nick Watkins (Dallas/Bishop Dunne), four-star running back Corey Avery (Dallas/Carter) and high three-star safety Payton Hendrix (Dallas/Bishop Dunne). As for Sizelove (Argyle, Texas/Argyle), he’s said on multiple occasions that he’s still solid with Kansas State -- but the idea of playing with high school teammates Wilson and four-star receiver Ian Sadler is very intriguing.

From @bryantwing: Does Texas have a legitimate chance of reviving their season and win the Big 12? Why or why not?

The losses to BYU and Ole Miss will be short-lived if the Longhorns can score a win against Oklahoma on Oct. 12. The Red River Rivalry is considered by some as the end-all, be-all for Texas’ season. Currently, the Longhorns are undefeated in Big 12 play, and if they can beat the Sooners, they will have the confidence to take out anyone in the conference. If they take a bad loss to Oklahoma, questions about beating TCU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Baylor will begin to spread.

From @dmiller37: Do you see RB/WR Justyn Oliphant (Mesquite, Texas/Horn) fitting into a Big 12 program and which one?

Through four games, Oliphant has 49 rushes for 286 yards. He’s still looking for his first offer, but his seven touchdowns show he can get the job done when his number’s called. He’s not the biggest player at 5-8 and 170 pounds, but he has similar physical qualities as Iowa State running back James White. Although the Cyclones have two big, three-star backs committed in 6-0, 196-pound Tommy Mister (Chicago/St. Rita) and 6-0, 200-pound Martinez Syria (Houston/Nimitz), Oliphant would make for a nice change-of-pace back for the program, someone who also can line up as a slot receiver.

From @AdidasKing5: What kind of receivers fit in well in the big 12

In short, coaches want playmakers. They want receivers who specialize in results. Size, speed and agility preferences differ with every coach, but all coaches will agree that they want a reliable option to the passing game and someone who scores touchdowns or puts them in great position to score, runs great routes and won’t drop passes. Coaches want receivers who will make the lives of opposing defensive backs miserable. There’s still time for uncommitted receivers to make a name for themselves, but the window closes each week.

From @cody_winning: Which Big 12 team is performing the best in terms of recruiting nationally?

If you’re talking about how teams are performing on the field with past recruits, you’ve got to look at Oklahoma State. The Cowboys look really good right now, but Baylor is looking equally dangerous. Both have solid 2014 classes that will only enhance what’s been done. As for the Big 12 team with the top 2014 recruiting class, you have to look at the Texas Longhorns. With seven ESPN 300 commits, the Longhorns have a top-10 class, and they could land one or two more big names. Defensive end Solomon Thomas (Coppell, Texas/Coppell) and safety Edwin Freeman (Arlington, Texas/Bowie), two ESPN 300 players, are among the players still very high on Texas.

There's no crying in baseball, but I guess it's OK here.

• The Cyclones found their footing, and an offense, at Tulsa, according to the Ames Tribune's Bobby La Gesse. Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register writes about how QB Sam Richardson overcame injuries to guide Iowa State to the 38-21 win. The paper's Bryce Miller explains how center Tom Farniok shored up the Cyclones offensive line.
• Saturday, Clint Trickett will become West Virginia's third starting quarterback already this season. The Charleston Daily Mail's Mike Casazza breaks it down. The Mountaineers are also ready to pick up the pace, writes Dave Hickman of the Charleston Gazette. Opposing defenses, meanwhile, have the blueprint for stopping the West Virginia offense, in the opinion of Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
• The Sooners are expecting a big-time atmosphere in South Bend. The Oklahoma players talk about playing in big-time games. The Oklahoman's Jason Kersey breaks down the OU-Notre Dame matchups. The Dallas Morning News does the same.
• Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich is getting the opportunity of a lifetime, writes The Oklahoman's Gina Mizell. Running back Jeremy Smith has been a reason for Oklahoma State's 3-0 start.
• Baylor coach Art Briles is hoping his book, “Looking Up: My Journey from Tragedy to Triumph," inspires. The Bears expect to get back tight end Jordan Najvar and running back Glasco Martin next week in their Big 12 opener against West Virginia. The Dallas Morning News compares the Baylor and Oregon offenses side-by-side.
• TCU is the best in the Big 12 when it comes to non-conference scheduling, according to The Oklahoman's Ryan Aber. The Horned Frogs need an offensive spark, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Jimmy Burch and Stefan Stevenson. E.J. Holland of the Dallas Morning News predicts the Frogs will keep the Iron Skillet in Fort Worth.
• The Lawrence Journal-World's Matt Tait writes that the Kansas offensive line is trying to get tougher during its open week.
• A bye week on the schedule doesn’t mean Kansas State has taken it easy, either, according to Ken Corbitt of the Topeka Capital-Journal.
• Texas Tech is planning some reunions.
• Could there be crimson on the burnt orange side? The AP reports that Texas students have not claimed all their tickets for the Red River Rivalry.

Oklahoma and Notre Dame have tradition that is readily apparent in the college football record books, while Oklahoma State makes its first trip to Morgantown, W.Va., since the 1920s. Those tidbits and more are featured in another great package of Big 12 stats thanks to ESPN Stats and Information.

Did you know ...

• Coaching staffs at Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia and TCU will be wearing Coach to Cure MD patches this week to help raise awareness and funding for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research.
• Baylor leads the nation in points per game (69.7), point margin per game (62), total yards per game (751.3), total yards margin (454), yards per play (9.84) and passing yards (444.33).
• Baylor's defense has been superb in its own right. BU ranks No. 5 nationally in yards per play allowed (3.82), yards per carry allowed (2.3) and No. 2 in points allowed (7.7).
• BU's Lache Seastrunk is averaging 10.97 yards per carry, ranking No. 2 nationally behind Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon.
• Seastrunk's seven straight games with at least 100 yards rushing is the nation's longest current streak.
• BU quarterback Bryce Petty is averaging 25.89 yards per attempt on third down.
• Baylor's defense has scored more touchdowns (4) than it has allowed this season (3).
• The Iowa State Cyclones were one of three teams that have played only two games heading into this week's action. Colorado, which postponed its Sept. 14 meeting with Fresno State due to flooding, and Navy are the others.
• Iowa State receiver Quenton Bundrage's three-touchdown receptions against Iowa was the third time in 11 games that a Cyclone receiver has recording three touchdown catches. Yet, it only happened three times from 1951 to 2005, a span of 590 games.
• Nigel Tribune, ISU's true freshman cornerback, is the only true freshman who has played for the Cyclones during the past two seasons.
• Kansas running back/receiver Tony Pierson is averaging 11 yards per touch. He has 26 touches for 286 yards and one touchdown.
• Kansas ranks No. 9 nationally in yards per pass attempt allowed, with a 4.9 yards per pass attempt allowed average.
• KU punter Trevor Pardula's 78-yard punt against Louisiana Tech is the second-longest punt in the FBS this season.
• Pardula's 49.7 yards per punt average leads the Big 12.
• Kansas State leads the nation averaging 33.75 per punt return.
• Wildcats receiver Tramaine Thompson is the main reason for KSU's outstanding return game. He's averaging 33.75 yards per punt return (4 for 135 yards) and 56 yards per kickoff return (2 for 112 yards, 1 touchdown).
• KSU receiver Tyler Lockett leads the conference with 7.2 receptions per game for 117.2 yards. Lockett also leads the Big 12 in all-purpose yards with 157.2 per game.
• Oklahoma is looking to become the first current member of the Big 12 to defeat Notre Dame since Texas knocked off the Fighting Irish, 21-17, in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 1970.
• OU has won 36 straight games when leading at halftime.
• OU and Notre Dame have combined to win 1,702 games. ND is third nationally with 868 all-time wins; OU is sixth nationally with 834 all-time wins.
• OU and Notre Dame combined have spent 1,476 weeks in the AP Poll.
• OU is 11-7 against ranked teams on the road under Bob Stoops.
• Notre Dame is 28-4-1 all-time against current Big 12 opponents.
• Oklahoma State has outscored its first three opponents 108-13 in the first three quarters of its games this season.
• Four different Cowboys have scored a special teams touchdown during their career at OSU.
• Oklahoma State and West Virginia will meet for just the fifth time ever on Saturday. It's the Cowboys' first visit to Morgantown, W.Va. since 1928.
• WVU has three members of its staff with strong OSU ties. Head coach Dana Holgorsen was OSU's offensive coordinator under Mike Gundy in 2010. Special teams coordinator Joe DeForest coached at OSU from 2001-11 and graduate assistant Andrew McGee played at OSU in 2009 and 2010.
• Holgorsen recruited OSU quarterback J.W. Walsh to play in Stillwater. Walsh kept his commitment to the Cowboys after Holgorsen left for WVU in Dec. 2010.
• OSU has gained at least 400 yards in 28 of its last 29 games.
• Cowboys linebacker Shaun Lewis has started 35 straight games.
• OSU has scored 15 touchdowns in 15 trips to the red zone this season.
• Ten different players have scored touchdowns for OSU this season.
• Texas is averaging 6.98 yards per play on second down, helping them gain 41 first downs on second-down plays. They've gained 48 first downs on first- and third-down plays combined.
• Texas Tech's Jace Amaro leads the Big 12 with 12 receptions on third down for 205 yards and one touchdown. KSU's Lockett is second with seven third-down catches.
• TCU is 3-1 in 11 a.m. games during the past two seasons.
• TCU coach Gary Patterson is 9-2 as a head coach against SMU.
• TCU has a seven-game win streak in games following a bye week.
• Under Patterson, TCU is 25-8 in games following a loss.
• TCU has won five of the last six games against SMU.
• TCU has faced SMU 92 times, tying the Mustangs with Texas A&M for the second-most meetings with the Horned Frogs.
• Trevone Boykin's 101 rushing yards against Texas Tech made him the first TCU quarterback since David Roscoe (vs. BYU in 1987) to reach 100 rushing yards in a game.
• Texas Tech ranks No. 4 nationally with 408.5 passing yards.
• The Red Raiders rank No. 4 nationally in red zone efficiency allowed at 22.2 percent.
• Texas Tech ranks No. 5 nationally in goal-to-go efficiency allowed at 16.7 percent.
• The Red Raiders rank No. 7 nationally in kickoff return yardage allowed at 16.63 yards per return.
• Fourteen players have made their first start for West Virginia this season, including quarterback Ford Childress and running back Charles Sims.
• West Virginia is eighth nationally with 30 underclassmen on its depth chart, making the Mountaineers the Big 12's youngest team.
• West Virginia is 97-93-1 all-time in nationally televised games. Saturday's game against OSU is WVU's 192nd network television appearance.
• WVU's shutout loss to Maryland was the first time in 151 games that the Mountaineers were held scoreless since Oct. 6, 2001, against Virginia Tech.

You can't accuse Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard of mincing words:

• Cyclones linebacker Jeremiah George will be facing off against Tulsa QB Cody Green for a fourth time tonight, the Des Moines Register's Randy Peterson points out.
• Texas Tech's linebackers are bringing the hammer, writes the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal's Don Williams.
• The Dallas Morning News analyzes Baylor's hot start to the season.
• It's been the same plan with worse results for West Virginia, writes the Charleston Gazette's Dave Hickman.
• Kansas State has many questions going into its open date, writes the Manhattan Mercury's Joel Jellison.
• Even after Texas' win over Kansas State, the Daily Texan lays out possible replacements for Mack Brown.
• Much has changed in Norman since the first time Bob Stoops faced Notre Dame, writes The Oklahoman's Jason Kersey.
• Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer is concerned about West Virginia's running backs and the way they catch the ball, according to The Oklahoman's Gina Mizell.
• Sophomore defensive back Derrick Kindred has been a versatile option for the TCU defense, writes Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Close victories haven’t resulted in momentum for the Jayhawks, writes the Kansas City Star's Blair Kerkhoff.

Thanks for all of your questions during my chat. You can find the full transcript here.

Chris Fiegler (Latham,NY) What Big-12 college football team has the best and the worst defense in 2013?

Brandon Chatmon That's an interesting question Chris because I don't think every team has been tested yet. For the best defense, I'm still going to go with TCU for now although I think Oklahoma State and Oklahoma are both better defensively this season. … As far as the worst defense? I'd have to say Iowa State. I don't like what I've seen from the Cyclones' D thus far. There's some talent there but they are so young it could make for a long season in Ames.

Jay (Michigan) How do you see OU/ND playing out?

Brandon Chatmon Jay, I initially had the Notre Dame winning this one. But as the week has gone on I'm starting to give OU the slight advantage. I think the Sooners have more playmakers on offense and I think their defense has improved. There isn't any outcome that would really surprise me though. I don't think we know a whole lot about OU yet.

Dale, the open-minded Sooner fan (<---That blew your mind huh?) People need to start giving it up to Baylor, I think they are the real deal. Dating back to last year, they have won seven straight games with an average margin of victory of 35 points, and three of the games were against K-State, OSU, and UCLA. Yeah their schedule sucks, along with OU and all other Big 12 games played so far (I don't count losses like TCU vs. LSU). I am more worried about OU vs. Baylor than OU vs. Notre Dame, even though OU could easily lose this weekend.

Brandon Chatmon I'm right there with you Dale. There's a bit of denial I have noticed among fans of other Big 12 schools when it comes to Baylor. The Bears are legit and they won't be an easy win for anyone. If that game happened today, I'd be picking Baylor.

Mike P (Greater KC) Any concerns over K-State and the way they played against Texas. … Or was Texas the better team and just outplayed KSU.

Brandon Chatmon Not really. I just think Texas was the better team.

Dominic (Irving Texas.) how much is Mack Brown truly hurting the University of Texas for future recruits and as a program in general?

Brandon Chatmon Not much. Texas will always be able to recruit, that's not a problem. Texas will always be Texas, so that's not a problem either.

Ted Flint (Kansas) Pick one coach to give a speech to get your team fired up for a must win, who is it and why.

Brandon Chatmon Rex Ryan … because I'd like to go get a snack. … But seriously, it would probably be Urban Meyer at Ohio State … in the Big 12? That's tough because of the limited opportunities to see those guys in their element but I'd probably go with Mike Gundy or Paul Rhoads.

Show me don't tweet me:

• Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds tells the Dallas Morning News' Chuck Carlton he'll make the tough decision if he has to. But Dodds also says that Mack Brown is energized and everything is in place for the Longhorns to turn the corner.
• TCU hopes its running back duo can help spark a stagnant offense, writes the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Stefan Stevenson.
• Kansas is still tinkering with a faster tempo, according to the Lawrence Journal-World's Matt Tait.
• The Cyclones are preparing to make the season's first road trip a boom, writes Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register.
• Texas Tech picked up a commitment from a junior-college defensive tackle.
• Oklahoma center Gabe Ikard will have his hands full on Saturday, says The Oklahoman's Ryan Aber.
• The Mountaineers are hoping a looser attitude will help, according to the Charleston Gazette's Dave Hickman.
• The Tulsa World's Kelly Hines goes up close with Oklahoma State linebacker Caleb Lavey.
• The Bears are cruising, but they can't relax, writes Brice Cherry of the Waco Tribune-Herald.
• K-State is regrouping after its loss at Texas, report the Topeka Capital-Journal's Ken Corbitt.