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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.”

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.

Having a highly ranked recruiting class and a bunch of four-star signees sounds good in the spring and summer, but it's a different story when the season begins. The freshmen who are game-ready are the ones who get the playing time, no matter their star rating. Here's a look at the five Big 12 schools getting the most from their true freshmen:

1. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders practically earn this top spot by default by relying on two true freshmen at quarterback. Baker Mayfield made a big first impression, but it seems the battle is opening back up after two solid games from freshman Davis Webb, and the imminent return of Michael Brewer. Still, going 4-0 with two rookies behind center makes coach Kliff Kingsbury’s bunch a worthy No. 1 on this list.

Tech has played eight other true freshmen in 2013, and a few are making solid contributions. Receiver Dylan Cantrell has six catches for 56 yards, linebacker Malik Jenkins has recorded five tackles and a pass breakup and receiver Carlos Thompson already has a 73-yard kick return and 35-yard punt return.

2. Oklahoma: Is it possible Oklahoma’s best running back is its fourth-string freshman? Keith Ford, the gem of the Sooners’ class, has rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries and wowed in OU’s last game against Tulsa.

Fellow freshman Stanvon Taylor earned his first career start against Tulsa, and he’s one of several newcomers contributing in the secondary along with Hatari Byrd, Ahmad Thomas, L.J. Moore and Dakota Austin. Linebacker Dominique Alexander has also chipped in six tackles through three games.

3. West Virginia: Of all the new skill players who joined West Virginia’s offense this year, who would’ve expected Daikiel Shorts would be the Mountaineers’ leading receiver and Wendell Smallwood would be their No. 2 back? Shorts has 12 catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns, and Smallwood has 139 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries thus far.

A total of seven true freshmen have played for WVU this season, and four of them are defensive backs. Corner Daryl Worley is off to a nice start with six tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup.

4. Oklahoma State: Many expected Ra’Shaad Samples to be OSU’s breakout true freshman receiver, but so far that distinction belongs to Marcell Ateman. He has hauled in eight passes for 92 yards, good for fourth-best on the team.

Freshman kicker Ben Grogan has hit all 19 of his extra-point attempts and is 1-for-2 on field goals, and defensive backs Jordan Sterns and Deric Robertson have combined for eight tackles this season.

5. Baylor: Baylor might have two of the conference’s most talented true freshmen in receiver Robbie Rhodes and defensive tackle Andrew Billings, but they haven’t had to do much so far. Rhodes has 65 receiving yards and Billings has recorded three tackles, including one tackle for loss. Kiante’ Griffin is also contributing at linebacker with three tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.

TCU can also make a case for the No. 5 spot. The Frogs don’t have a Devonte Fields-caliber breakout star yet, but receiver Ty Slanina has two reception and is currently listed as a starter, and former ESPN 300 prospect Tevin Lawson is breaking into the rotation at defensive tackle with two stops already.

Before the season began it was clear the Big 12 Conference title race would be wide open. Four weeks into the season, it’s even more clear. Oklahoma State remains the favorite, Baylor has looked dominant, Oklahoma is improving and Texas Tech has been the surprise of the league. Yet, the majority of the league is still in the race.

Best game: The reality is there hasn’t been a great game involving a Big 12 team thus far, unless you want to count Kansas’ 13-10 win over Louisiana Tech on a last-second field goal. But Texas’ 31-21 win over Kansas State on Sept. 21 was intriguing due to all the distractions surrounding the Longhorns’ program. UT responded with a win to start off conference play in a game that was probably the most entertaining Big 12 game this season.

Best player: Bryce Petty runs away with this one. The Baylor quarterback has been outstanding through three games, completing 50 of 67 passes for 1,001 yards, eight touchdowns and zero interceptions. And he has done it while throwing eight combined passes in the second half of three games. Many question the Bears' competition as they have rattled off 209 points in three games. But isn’t that what championship-caliber offenses should do to inferior opponents?

Best performance: J.W. Walsh was a monster for Oklahoma State in the Cowboys’ 56-35 win over Texas-San Antonio on Sept. 7. The sophomore quarterback was 24-of-27 for 326 yards with four touchdowns and added another score on the ground. He was brutally efficient while finishing with a 98.1 Total QBR and earning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors. Nine different receivers caught passes from Walsh against UTSA as OSU showed its passing game wasn’t going anywhere following a run-heavy offensive performance in its win over Mississippi State to start the season. KSU’s Tyler Lockett has a case here with his 13-catch, 237-yard performance against UT, but that outstanding individual effort doesn't lessen the pain of the loss.

Best surprise: Wreck ‘em. There wasn’t much expected from Texas Tech in coach Kliff Kingsbury’s first season. The Red Raiders didn’t get the message, saying “Why not us, why not now?” with their 4-0 start to the season, including a win over TCU. True freshman quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Davis Webb have both played a key role in the Red Raiders’ quick start, but their defense has been the overlooked foundation of their success. It is allowing 4.6 yards per play, ranking third in the Big 12.

Biggest disappointment: Every season we hear about how much Texas has improved. This season was no different. But the Longhorns have been a disappointment yet again with an embarrassing loss at BYU and a home defeat at the hands of Ole Miss. Those two performances are so bad people forget the Longhorns almost opened the season by trailing New Mexico State at halftime before a couple of late first-half touchdowns. Now, even after their impressive win over K-State, a season-ending injury to linebacker Jordan Hicks and lingering concerns about David Ash’s head have put a damper on a terrific Saturday in Austin. Disappointing is a perfect word for UT’s start.

Texas moves back up in this week's Power Rankings, West Virginia moves back down and the top four remain steady:

1. Oklahoma State (3-0, 0-0 Big 12; last week: 1): When he was the coordinator in Stillwater, Dana Holgorsen recruited quarterback J.W. Walsh to Oklahoma State. This Saturday, Holgorsen's Mountaineers must deal with stopping Walsh, who’s been terrific since taking over the starting quarterback job in the opener. Walsh ranks sixth in the country in QBR and is a major reason why the Cowboys are three-touchdown favorites for their game in Morgantown.

2. Baylor (3-0, 0-0 Big 12; last week: 2): The Baylor-hasn’t-beaten-anybody argument only holds so much water. Who in the Big 12 has really beaten anybody? Oklahoma State over Mississippi State? Texas Tech over TCU? Oklahoma over West Virginia? The fact is, even against three doldrums, Baylor has been as impressive as any team in the league. This offense has a chance to be as prolific as the 2011 Oklahoma State Cowboys or the 2008 Oklahoma Sooners.

3. Oklahoma (3-0, 1-0 Big 12; last week: 3): After opening with three home victories, the Sooners will finally find out about their team during a road trip to South Bend, Ind., this weekend. They should find out a lot about quarterback Blake Bell, too -- he was marvelous after replacing Trevor Knight two weeks ago against Tulsa. But that was against Tulsa in Norman. This is Notre Dame in South Bend. If OU wins this game, people will begin to mention the under-the-radar Sooners as a possible dark horse national title contender.

4. Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0 Big 12; last week: 4): The Texas Tech defense continues to play well, but the offense was sluggish again in a 33-7 victory over Texas State. Kliff Kingsbury has to decide whether he’s going to stick with Baker Mayfield as his starting quarterback or go with Davis Webb, who has made plays the last two weeks in relief of Mayfield. Kingsbury might secretly and anxiously be waiting on the return of Michael Brewer, who’s been injured since the summer with a bad back but is close to rejoining the team on the practice field.

5. Texas (2-2, 1-0 Big 12; last week: 8): After winning their Big 12 opener 31-21 over Kansas State, the Longhorns still have plenty to play for. But they are also beaten up. Linebacker Jordan Hicks is out for the season again with a ruptured Achilles tendon, quarterback David Ash continues to deal with concussion issues and offensive playmaker Daje Johnson remains out with an ankle injury. The game with Oklahoma (Oct. 12) looms, too. A victory in Dallas is about the only thing that can save Mack Brown’s job and completely reverse momentum in Austin.

6. TCU (1-2, 0-1 Big 12; last week: 5): Gary Patterson was not pleased with his team during the off week. Patterson told reporters last week the Horned Frogs were “feeling sorry for themselves” after the 20-10 loss at Tech. “If we don’t grow up,” Patterson said, “we’re not going to win any more ballgames.” The Frogs had better grow up quickly if they want to avoid letting this season turn into a catastrophe. TCU faces road trips at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in October.

7. Kansas State (2-2, 0-1 Big 12; last week: 7): Even though Texas had been a sieve stopping opposing quarterbacks on the ground, Bill Snyder elected to use Daniel Sams sparingly in Austin. Sams averaged 6 yards a carry but got only eight carries as Jake Waters again took the bulk of the snaps at quarterback. Even though wideout Tyler Lockett is having a monster season, the Wildcats with Waters behind center have been just average offensively, which is flirting with disaster in the Big 12. Especially when the defense is just average, too.

8. West Virginia (2-2, 0-1 Big 12; last week: 6): So much for the idea that the Mountaineers could just replace Geno Smith, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey. West Virginia looked completely inept offensively in a 37-0 loss to Maryland, which is a good team, but not that good. The Mountaineers, who had one of the best passing attacks in the country last year, suddenly can’t pass. Quarterback Ford Childress threw for just 62 yards with two interceptions Saturday, not that Paul Millard fared any better in West Virginia’s first two games. Holgorsen said he’s sticking with Childress at quarterback, which is a sign the Mountaineers are building for the future. The present is not a pretty sight.

9. Kansas (2-1, 0-0 Big 12; last week: 9): With the bottom half of the Big 12 struggling so much, the Jayhawks have the opportunity to win a couple of games in the league. But Kansas has its own problems. An offense that was supposed to be improved actually has been worse so far this season. After scoring just a field goal over three quarters against Louisiana Tech, the Jayhawks had to scramble late to escape with a 13-10 win. Jake Heaps owns the worst Total QBR (32.2) in the league and the Kansas wide receivers so far have been a disappointment. There is some talent on Charlie Weis’ offense, especially in the backfield. But it has yet to manifest on the field.

10. Iowa State (0-2, 0-0 Big 12; last week: 10): The Cyclones have back-to-back Thursday night games on deck: at Tulsa and at home against Texas. If Iowa State can’t prevail in either, this will end up being the worst season of the Paul Rhoads era. The only way the Cyclones can avoid that fate is by conjuring something in the run game, which has been abysmal so far this season.

Iowa State, TCU, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were all off. But we still learned plenty about the Big 12 in Week 4:

1. Baylor can’t be stopped: What the Bears have accomplished in three nonconference games has been incredible. Sure, the nonconference slate was bad. But the numbers Baylor is putting up are absurd. Capped with the 70-7 win over Monroe, the Bears outscored their three nonconference opponents by a combined score of 209-23 -- the largest scoring differential in an opening three games, according to ESPN Stats & Information, by any FBS team of the past 10 seasons. The Bears lead the nation in scoring, Bryce Petty leads in the nation in QBR and running back Lache Seastrunk is averaging 11 yards per carry. This offense, obviously, faces tougher tests ahead. But Baylor has the look of an offense that will be scoring on everyone it faces.

2. West Virginia can’t score: How far the West Virginia offense has fallen since that 70-point outburst in the 2011 Orange Bowl. In the first half against Maryland, the West Virginia offensive effort was futile. West Virginia compiled 65 yards compared to 61 yards in penalties; the Mountaineers also had as many first downs (two) as interceptions in the first half, as Maryland jumped to a 30-0 halftime lead before coasting to the 37-0 victory in Baltimore. Coach Dana Holgorsen said afterward he’s sticking with Ford Childress at quarterback, but the quarterback can only do so much with the West Virginia offensive line and receivers. Had running backs Charles Sims and Dreamius Smith not transferred in, this offense would be completely hopeless -- assuming it isn’t already.

3. Texas proved it doesn’t always lie down: During Big 12 media days, Kansas State linebacker Tre Walker was quoted saying that “Texas laid down a little bit” in their game last season because “that’s what they do.” Despite tumbling in with a two-game losing streak, the Longhorns didn’t lie down Saturday, instead grinding out a 31-21 win over the Wildcats. Who knows what -- if anything -- the win will do for Mack Brown or the Longhorns’ season? At the least, the win offered a little respite for a team that’s had to endure nothing but negativity since the first week of the season.

4. The Kansas schools have issues offensively: Both Kansas and Kansas State should be better offensively than what they’ve showed. Despite having former blue-chipper Jake Heaps at quarterback and one of the league’s better running back tandems in Tony Pierson and James Sims, the Jayhawks needed 10 points in the fourth quarter to edge out Louisiana Tech, 13-10. Meanwhile, against a Texas defense that had been porous stopping the run, the Wildcats managed just 115 yards rushing on 38 carries. If not for wideout Tyler Lockett, K-State might not have scored the whole night. Both the Kansas and K-State offenses have good players. Just not good offenses at the moment.

5. Texas Tech is back to square one at QB: For the second straight game, Davis Webb replaced fellow true freshman Baker Mayfield at quarterback. Last week, it was due to injury. In Saturday’s sloppy 33-7 win over Texas State, it was due mostly to the offense remaining stagnant, though Mayfield did get shaken up after taking a shot to his back. Mayfield completed 13 of 18 passes for 122 yards and an interception before getting replaced. But Webb didn’t fare all that much better, going 19-of-43 passing for 310 yards and an interception. Webb also badly missed Jakeem Grant and Jace Amaro wide open in the end zone near the end of the game. Coach Kliff Kingsbury said both quarterbacks would play going forward, but he also noted the position “just has to get better.” It’s unclear how Kingsbury will use his quarterbacks, but Michael Brewer is getting closer to practicing again after sitting out the past several weeks with a back injury. Brewer, the projected starter going into the preseason, could ultimately become Kingsbury’s answer at quarterback once he returns.

Recognizing the best and brightest from around the Big 12 in Week 4:

RB Johnathan Gray, Texas

Texas needed the sophomore more than ever against Kansas State, especially when David Ash was sidelined for the second half with concussion-related symptoms, and Gray delivered. He put up a career-best 141 yards and two touchdowns on a career-high 28 carries in the 31-21 win. The Longhorns trusted their workhorse and he came up big.

WR Tyler Lockett, Kansas State

Lockett put on a show against Texas with a whopping 237 receiving yards on 13 catches. That’s the second-best receiving day in the country this season behind Mike Evans' 279 yards last week vs. Alabama. Lockett had catches of 47, 22, 31 and 52 yards and also contributed a 40-yard kick return. He was unstoppable on Saturday.

Baylor Defense

Baylor has one of the best offenses in the country with several guys who are worthy of Helmet Stickers. But isn’t it time to give a little love to that Bears defense? Baylor racked up eight tackles for loss and intercepted three passes in a 70-7 win over Louisiana-Monroe, and two of those picks were returned for touchdowns of 41 and 63 yards, respectively. We’ll see how the defense holds up against better Big 12 competition, but so far so good.

K Matthew Wyman, Kansas

Let’s give some props to the guy who ended Kansas’ 22-game losing streak against FBS opponents. It wasn’t just that Wyman made the game-winning field goal with time expiring to beat Louisiana Tech 13-10 -- don’t forget the degree of difficulty. Wyman connected from 52 yards, causing the Jayhawks to storm the field. Big kick, big win.

QB Davis Webb, Texas Tech

Webb relieved a struggling Baker Mayfield and threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns in a 33-7 rout of Texas State, one that probably reopens the discussion of who should be starting under center for the Red Raiders. Honorable mention to Kerry Hyder for his decision to pitch his fumble recovery and create a 9-yard touchdown return. Way to be selfless, Kerry.

It’s a light week in the Big 12 with Kansas State’s trip to Austin, Texas, as the highlight matchup in the conference this weekend. West Virginia has an intriguing nonconference battle with Maryland while several conference squads have a bye week.

Here is what to watch in the Big 12 this week.

Texas looking to get back on track against Kansas State. Longhorns coach Mack Brown is trying to ignore the distractions while begging the UT fans to come out on Saturday and support his downtrodden squad. It’s tough to imagine the Longhorns getting off to a worse start, but their destiny remains in their hands. If they win on Saturday, they’ll be on the road to getting things back on track. If they lose to the Wildcats, all hope could be lost.

Is K-State back on track? The Wildcats suffered one of the biggest upsets of the season when the defending Big 12 champions fell to North Dakota State in Week 1. KSU responded with 20-plus-point wins over Louisiana-Lafayette and Massachusetts in the past two weeks, but the Wildcats still have to prove they can be Big 12 contenders. A strong showing -- and a win -- in Austin could provide a lot of momentum heading into the heart of Big 12 play.

Is Childress the real deal? The West Virginia quarterback was impressive in his first start, getting the Mountaineers’ offense clicking for the first time in 2013. Ford Childress was 25-of-41 for 359 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, but WVU coach Dana Holgorsen was more impressed with Childress’ cool demeanor and ability to manage the offense and interact with his teammates. Will the redshirt freshman perform even better against Maryland?

Can Baylor’s Petty continue his offensive efficiency? The Bears’ quarterback tops the nation with a total QBR of 98.3. Bryce Petty has eight incompletions in two games with zero interceptions and 11 completions of 20 yards or more. It’s been an incredible starting debut for the junior quarterback. Louisiana-Monroe is the next defense set to challenge Petty and the Bears’ offense.

Texas Tech must not suffer a letdown. The Red Raiders are off to a 3-0 start, including a Big 12 conference win over TCU last Thursday. When Texas State arrives in Lubbock, Texas, the Red Raiders will have to avoid any kind of letdown. If we’ve learned anything from the first three weeks, it’s that teams must be ready to play against lesser opponents or they’re likely to struggle or even lose to a team they paid to come to their home stadium.

Can Kansas surpass its 2012 win total after three games? The Jayhawks are 1-1 heading into their game against Louisiana Tech after finishing the 2012 season at 1-11. Last season they won their first game and didn’t win another. Can they change that trend when they host Louisiana Tech on Saturday?

Can Texas stop the run? The Longhorns might have answered this question already. And it’s a resounding no. Yet they’ll get another chance against the Wildcats. KSU is going to run the football with running back John Hubert and quarterback Daniel Sams, who might be the most dynamic running quarterback in the conference.

The Big 12 has been very average in nonconference play. WVU can help turn that around with a win over Maryland. True enough it’s not a major strike for the league in terms of national perception, but a loss would be yet another nonconference dent in the Big 12’s armor. The more wins over BCS conference opponents the better for the Big 12.

Is there a quarterback controversy in Lubbock? Baker Mayfield was outstanding in the Red Raiders’ first two wins but struggled against TCU. Davis Webb stepped in to lead TTU to a victory over the Horned Frogs. Although Mayfield remains the starter, Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury probably won’t hesitate to turn to Webb if Mayfield struggles again.

Will Baylor continue to look like the Big 12’s most impressive team? The Bears have been dominant and relentless in their first two wins over Wofford and Buffalo, but face their toughest test of the season in ULM. It’s an opportunity to compare scores as well since the Warhawks opened the season with a 34-0 loss at Oklahoma.

Instead of going to a game this weekend, I stopped by Waco, Texas, earlier in the week to check out Art Briles’ bunch in person.

Our guest picker this week is Roger Berman, a Red Raider who hails from Orange, Texas. Here is Roger’s guest picker submission:

I have been around a few years. Just turned 60 in August. I attended Texas Tech, and got my B.S. in chemical engineering in 1976. Older brother went to Oklahoma State. Little brother was smart -- he graduated from Texas Tech. I have been following the Southwest, Big 8 and Big 12 conferences for more than 45 years. I know I can pick 'em better than a young pup like you. What you say to that?

Well, Roger, compared to you, I suppose I am a young pup. Challenge accepted.

By the way, thanks to Roger’s Red Raiders, I dispatched of last week’s guest picker, James. Get ready to join him, Roger.

If you want to be next week’s guest picker, contact me, and tell me why. And, as always, creativity counts.

Now, to the picks for Week 4:

SEASON RECORD

Last week: 7-1 (.875)

Guest picker last week: 6-2 (.750)

Overall: 21-4 (.840)

Guest picker overall: 6-2 (.750)

Saturday
Kansas 33, Louisiana Tech 21: Jake Heaps struggled in the loss at Rice, but Charlie Weis said this week the one player he's not worried about is Heaps. I’m not worried about the Kansas quarterback, either. As for the rest of the team, well, that's another story. The Jayhawks will be fine in this one, before they embark on another long season in the Big 12.

Roger’s pick: Heaps takes it up a notch with more than 200 yards passing. Kansas, 28-17

West Virginia 30, Maryland 27: The Terrapins are 3-0, but their best win came last week over Connecticut, which fell to Towson in its opener. In other words, Maryland has yet to play anybody. The Mountaineers lost at Oklahoma, but they hung tough. That moral victory should give them the confidence they can win this game. Especially with Ford Childress now at quarterback.

Roger’s pick: I think Childress has a great day; once again, a freshman steps up in the Big 12. West Virginia, 35-27

Baylor 63, Louisiana-Monroe 10: By picking the Bears to score nine touchdowns, I’m actually picking them to have a down day. Baylor, which is averaging 70 points a game, has scored four touchdowns in the first quarter of both games this season. Mercifully for Monroe, the Bears don’t touch that first-quarter mark this game, due to a little rust coming off an open week. Not that it really matters. Baylor drops off four touchdowns in the second quarter to put another game away before halftime.

Roger’s pick: Bryce Petty has another good day; not sure who can stop this offense. Baylor, 49-7

Texas Tech 45, Texas State 13: The Red Raiders won ugly last week. This week, they get back to winning pretty. Boosted by Kliff Kingsbury’s vote of confidence, quarterback Baker Mayfield gets back on track with a 400-yard passing game. The Tech defense gives up a couple of scores early, but settles in to keep the momentum going from last week’s gutty performance against TCU.

Roger’s pick: Jace Amaro has a coming-out party; 150-plus yards and three touchdowns. Texas Tech, 56-14

Texas 31, Kansas State 28: The reasons to pick against Texas are many. The Longhorns have been an embarrassment stopping the run, and K-State’s Daniel Sams runs as well as any QB in the league. The Wildcats also own Texas with a five-game winning streak in the series. But QB David Ash should be back in the lineup for Longhorns, and K-State has had its own problems defensively this season. Plus, after K-State linebacker Tre Walker accused Texas this summer of always rolling over, the Longhorns -- if they have any heart at all -- have to show up for this game, right?

Roger’s pick: Texas finally gets it together; plus, very rarely has Texas lost three games in a row. Texas, 24-21

Texas Tech won Thursday over TCU.

But Baylor, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma came out of the night looking like winners, too.

On a wild night in Lubbock, in which a fox dashing along the sideline hardly seemed abnormal, the Red Raiders held on to a 20-10 victory to move to 3-0 on the season.

TCU fell to 1-2, and, despite missing out on several controversial calls throughout the game, hardly looked the part of a conference title contender it carried into the season.

So far, the same goes for Texas, too. And considering the Horns are struggling just to dodge total calamity, the Bears, Cowboys and Sooners look like the three most solid teams in the league to this point.

It's true that Baylor has yet to play anyone of substance. And yes, Oklahoma State has all sorts of ongoing distractions to overcome. And who knows about Oklahoma's quarterback situation, which seems no less settled now than it did six months ago.

Yet even still, all three teams have looked more impressive than anyone else, and that includes the Horned Frogs, who have major offensive concerns moving forward without quarterback Casey Pachall. Trevone Boykin had just a 28.6 QBR (scale 0-to-100) in Lubbock as the Frogs struggled to string together drives all night. TCU could wind up with defensive concerns as well, as defensive end Devonte Fields was spotted hobbling around after the game with an injured foot.

On top of all that, TCU is just halfway through its early season gauntlet, with road trips looming at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Lose both of those, and TCU would effectively be stripped from the conference race.

But while the Frogs seem to look less and less like a title possibility, Texas Tech has done the reverse. Sure, the Red Raiders had their share of issues Thursday. But they also have momentum building, and the opportunity to build even more.

After a hot first quarter, walk-on freshman quarterback Baker Mayfield struggled to complete passes against a stingy and aggressive TCU secondary. But the Red Raiders also played one of their best defensive games in years, prompting coach Kliff Kingsbury to call it the best defensive effort he’d ever been a part of as a coach.

Chances are, Mayfield will bounce back from a freshman-like effort, and if he doesn’t, the Red Raiders have other options at quarterback in Michael Brewer and Davis Webb, who made some nice throws after Mayfield left the game with a minor leg injury.

Even though Tech failed to put up the points Thursday, the skill talent is there. Tight end Jace Amaro is a nightmare matchup out of the slot, and Eric Ward, despite a quiet performance against TCU, is one of the better receivers in the league.

Combine all that with a defense that looks to be decent at the least, and the Red Raiders seemed primed to make a run into the top half of the Big 12 standings.

It’s not yet time to put Tech in the same tier with Baylor, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. But with an intriguing immediate schedule coming up, the Red Raiders could gradually work their way there. Up next, Tech faces Texas State, followed by Kansas on the road, Iowa State and West Virginia in Morgantown.

Could the Red Raiders jump to 7-0 against that slate? Absolutely. Which would then make them the viable conference title threat TCU was thought to be before the season.

Every day, Baker Mayfield kept waiting for that scholarship to come. That scholarship he really wanted. That scholarship that never arrived.

In just two games, Texas Tech’s true freshman walk-on quarterback has become one of the unlikeliest of stories in college football.

But it wasn’t the Red Raiders he always dreamed of playing for. It was the team the Red Raiders are playing against Thursday night.

“TCU was the only school he really had interest in,” said Shaun Nixon, Mayfield’s running back at Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas. “That was the school he really wanted to go to.”

On Thursday, when Tech faces TCU in a Big 12 clash that could have conference title implications down the line, Mayfield will have the chance to show the Horned Frogs what they missed out on, live and in person.

“He’s going to have a chip on his shoulder because TCU didn’t want him,” said Nixon, an ESPN 300 prospect in the Class of 2014 who is committed to Texas A&M.

“He’s going to be ready for this one.”

How Mayfield ended up at Tech as a walk-on and not somewhere like TCU as a scholarship player is something his high school teammates and coaches are still trying to figure out. Even the Tech coaches aren’t quite sure. Even if they are thankful.

“It’s a great question,” said Red Raiders receivers coach Sonny Cumbie. “I think a lot of people who were close to pulling the trigger are probably kicking themselves now.”

Cumbie knows firsthand what it feels like to fall through the recruiting cracks. After running the wing-T for a small school just west of Abilene, Texas, Cumbie graduated high school with no FBS offers.

“It was before the era of summer camps,” he said. “I was completely under the radar.”

Despite being under the radar, Cumbie still wanted to play for an FBS program. So he reached out to Texas Tech, which had just hired Mike Leach, to see whether the Red Raiders might have any interest. Not only did Leach have interest, he invited Cumbie to visit Lubbock on a Sunday and personally gave him a tour of the campus.

“Especially now looking back on it,” Cumbie said, “when the head coach in the middle of the afternoon meets a walk-on quarterback in the parking lot -- it goes a long way.”

Due in large part to Leach’s hospitality, Cumbie decided to turn down his Division II offers and walk on at Tech, ultimately earning a scholarship before winning the starting job four years later.

Like Cumbie, Mayfield won the starting job at Tech after walking on. But it took Mayfield just a summer.

“That’s where the story starts taking a different path,” said Cumbie, who led the nation in passing in 2004. “He’s having a whole lot more success early on than I did.”

Is he ever.

Through two games, Mayfield is completing 71 percent of his passes and has thrown seven touchdowns with no interceptions, leading the Red Raiders to routs in their first two games.

“He’s a special type of talent,” Cumbie said. “He’s got the ‘wow’ factor to him.”

Mayfield had the wow factor to him in high school, too. He quarterbacked Lake Travis to a state championship and in two years as the starter threw 67 touchdowns with just eight interceptions. Yet even though Lake Travis had produced FBS quarterbacks before him like Todd Reesing (Kansas), Garrett Gilbert (SMU) and Michael Brewer (Texas Tech), Mayfield was lightly recruited. He had offers from New Mexico, Washington State and Florida Atlantic. But as Mayfield waited for a bigger offer, the rest of them dried up.

Hank Carter, his high school coach, said many of the schools that scouted Mayfield elected to go with bigger quarterbacks.

“People thought he was too short,” Carter said.

Mayfield is listed at 6-foot-2 now. But he was 5-5 as a high school freshman.

“He was a late bloomer,” Carter said. “We always made the comment, 'If Baker Mayfield ever grows, he’s going to be a freaking stud.' He’s such a gamer.”

Mayfield eventually grew, and eventually took over as quarterback at Lake Travis when the starter was hurt during the first game of Mayfield's junior season.

Nixon said he and Mayfield went to visit TCU often together, and he fully expected his quarterback to end up in Fort Worth.

“He thought he had found a home there,” said Nixon. “In the locker room, I’d ask him, ‘When you gonna commit?’ He’d say, ‘I’m still waiting on TCU. I’m still waiting on TCU.’"

Mayfield waited patiently. But less than a month before national signing day, Temple (Texas) quarterback Zach Allen decommitted from Syracuse when Orange coach Doug Marrone bolted for the NFL, and the Horned Frogs decided to take Allen over Mayfield. By that point, Washington State had moved on, too, leaving Mayfield without a home.

Texas Tech didn’t have a scholarship, either. But due to his connections to Brewer from high school, as well as new Tech assistant Eric Morris, who remembered Mayfield from his time at Washington State, Mayfield decided to follow the path Cumbie took and walk on in Lubbock.

“When he decided to walk on, we were not excited he was going to do that,” Carter said. “We didn’t think he was going to get a chance, at least for a while. But that shows how much we know. He always knew something we didn’t”

Mayfield turned heads the moment he arrived on campus over the summer. And when Brewer’s lingering back injury kept giving him problems, Mayfield found himself in a head-to-head competition with Texas Tech’s scholarship freshman quarterback, Davis Webb, for the starting job.

“It was one day after another, where [Mayfield] kept having good days,” Cumbie said. “The chains kept moving when he was in there.

“After awhile, we were like, ‘This dude is for real.’”

On Thursday night, Mayfield will attempt to prove to the school he dreamed of playing for that he’s for real, too. All while revealing what the Horned Frogs could have had.

“I’m sure he’s pretty psyched,” Carter said, “to go out there and show TCU they should have offered him a scholarship.”

Several intriguing games in the Big 12 this week. Will Texas put out the fire? How will Iowa State respond? Is Texas Tech for real? Should Blake Bell take over the reins at Oklahoma? Can’t wait to get those answers.

Here’s what to watch in the Big 12 for Week 3:

1. Can Texas rebound? Texas has brought in Greg Robinson to turn things around for the Longhorns’ defense. The veteran coach has experience but he’s been thrown into the fire and asked to make a miracle happen against Ole Miss in less than a week. The odds aren’t on his side, but if Robinson completely turns around the UT defense, the entire Big 12 landscape will have changed in a matter of days.

2. First real test for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders haven’t seen anything like TCU’s defense thus far this season. Tech quarterback Baker Mayfield has been outstanding, having thrown for 780 yards and seven touchdowns (he's also rushed for a TD) while leading the Red Raiders to a 2-0 start. But he hasn’t seen playmakers like TCU’s Devonte Fields, Jason Verrett and Kevin White. How Mayfield handles his first Big 12 game could define if the Red Raiders’ hope of becoming the Big 12’s surprise team can come true.

3. Character test for the Cyclones. Iowa State can redeem itself with a win over Iowa on Saturday. The Cyclones’ disappointing 28-20 loss to Northern Iowa was one of the most surprising results of the season’s first weekend, particularly since their defense couldn’t stop UNI on the ground or through the air. Nothing can get things back on track like a rivalry game and ISU is looking to make sure its horrible Week 1 performance doesn’t snowball into a horrible multi-game stretch to start the season.

4. Blake Bell’s opportunity. The Sooners quarterback gets the chance to prove he should have been OU’s starter when his squad hosts Tulsa on Saturday. Bell, the preseason favorite to replace Landry Jones, lost the quarterback battle to Trevor Knight. But Knight’s knee injury has opened the door; will Bell walk through it?

5. How will Oklahoma State handle a week of distractions? The Cowboys have been in the news throughout the week due to allegations of misconduct throughout the program in a series of stories by Sports Illustrated. OSU’s home opener against Lamar will be the first time to see the football program in action since the series was published and Boone Pickens Stadium promises to be a lively atmosphere. Nonetheless, it should be pretty easy to tell if the Cowboys are distracted. And if they are, it might be a sign that the distractions could affect them for the remainder of the season as the ripple effect continues.

6. Will West Virginia’s quarterback situation ever become clear? Dana Holgorsen plans to continue his search for a solid No. 1 quarterback until Paul Millard, Clint Trickett or Ford Childress separates himself from the pack. Holgorsen is extremely disappointed in the play of his offense and has shouldered the blame, saying, “It’s embarrassing, we have to put our guys in better position to make plays.” But one of those guys needs to seize the opportunity to trigger Holgorsen’s offense starting against Georgia State on Saturday.

7. Can Trevone Boykin take TCU’s offense to a different level? Boykin will be asked to shoulder the load for the Horned Frogs with Casey Pachall out. He’s much better prepared to be the main man in the offensive backfield this season and his dynamic running will test any defense. Much like Bell, Boykin has the chance to prove he should have been the guy in the first place.

8. Kansas looks to keep momentum. The Jayhawks opened the season with a win over South Dakota and will get the chance to start off 2-0 when they visit Rice. KU coach Charlie Weis is trying to build a quality program and a win over the Owls would be step in the right direction after several close calls in 2012.

9. Will Kansas State’s defense return to its 2012 form? The Wildcats replaced several starters, including linebacker Arthur Brown, but the cupboard is not bare. Yet the Wildcats have allowed 24 points to North Dakota State and 27 points to Louisiana-Lafayette in back-to-back weeks. Last year’s defense allowed 19.5 points per game in nonconference play. KSU needs a strong defensive performance against Massachusetts on Saturday to get its confidence going on that side of the ball with a road trip to Texas looming next weekend.

10. Are any Big 12 teams ripe for an upset? OSU has had a week full of distractions, Kansas State is still a work in progress, WVU’s offense has been substandard and OU can’t seem to create any offensive balance. All four teams host opponents they should beat with relative ease but it wouldn’t be a shock to see any of those squads struggle because, quite simply, no Big 12 team has looked like dominant squad during the first two weeks of the season.

You had the worst draft, they said. Jake Trotter’s team is so much better, they said.

Well, they were wrong.

Thanks to the savvy additions of Texas Tech quarterback Baker Mayfield and Baylor’s defense, plus five more double-digit performances, yours truly won Week 2 of our Big 12 fantasy football league. At 158 points, it wasn’t even close.

The two Big 12 stars atop the fantasy charts this week were J.W. Walsh (36 points) and Lache Seastrunk (33), and Brandon Chatmon has both on his Big 12 team. He finished in second place with 116 points.

The cocky, foolish Trotter got five total points from his wide receivers and settled for third place with 101 points. Hopefully he learned a lesson about counting us out.

We’re permitted two waiver wire pickups each week. Jake added Oklahoma RB Brennan Clay following his breakout 17-point performance and also landed Oklahoma State kicker Ben Grogan, and my team added West Virginia WR Kevin White and the Oklahoma defense. Dropping the Texas defense from my bench was, uh, not a tough call.

Max Olson’s Team

QB Baker Mayfield, Texas Tech, 32
RB James Sims, Kansas, 21
RB John Hubert, Kansas State, 20
FLEX Brandon Carter, TCU 8
WR Tevin Reese, Baylor, 19
WR Josh Stewart, Oklahoma State 15
TE Blake Jackson, OSU, 13
D Baylor defense 22
K Jaden Oberkrom, TCU, 8
Total: 158

Brandon Chatmon’s Team

QB J.W. Walsh, Oklahoma State, 36
RB Lache Seastrunk, Baylor, 33
RB Johnathan Gray, Texas, 9
FLEX Tony Pierson, Kansas, 7
WR Tyler Lockett, Kansas State, 11
WR Jalen Saunders, Oklahoma, 6
TE Cody Clay, West Virginia, 0
D Oklahoma State defense, 4
K Michael Hunnicutt, Oklahoma, 10
Total: 116

Jake Trotter’s Team

QB Bryce Petty, Baylor, 27
RB Jeremy Smith, Oklahoma State, 9
RB Damien Williams, Oklahoma, 9
FLEX Charles Sims, West Virginia, 7
WR Eric Ward, Texas Tech, 3
WR Tracy Moore, Oklahoma State, 2
TE Jace Amaro, Texas Tech, 20
D TCU defense 14
K Aaron Jones, Baylor, 10
Total: 101