Texas Christian @ Oklahoma State preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 18, 2014 ) Oklahoma State 9, Texas Christian 42

It basically rates as an elimination game per both team's College Football Playoff hopes when No. 3 TCU visits No. 10 Oklahoma State on Saturday. The two teams are unbeaten and part of a three-way tie for first in the Big 12 but the Horned Frogs were ranked just eighth and the Cowboys 14th in the selection committee's first rankings.

Second-ranked Baylor is ranked sixth in the CFP poll and both teams still play the Bears later this month, which only magnifies the importance of winning this contest. Both teams score points in bushels -- TCU averages 48.9 points and Oklahoma State checks in at 44 per game -- and figuring out how to slow Horned Frogs senior quarterback Trevone Boykin is causing nightmares for Cowboys defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer. "He creates a lot of issues," Spencer said at a press conference. "It doesn't take long on film to see that he can throw, he can elude the rush, he's got an unbelievable release and he's a tremendous running back with the ball in his hand." Oklahoma State has scored 58 or more points three times this season -- topped by 70 against Texas Tech last Saturday -- and TCU has scored 50 or more five times, including 70 points against Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 12.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: TCU -5.5.

ABOUT TCU (8-0, 5-0 Big 12): Boykin is a leading Heisman Trophy candidate and has passed for 2,927 yards and 28 touchdowns against just five interceptions while also rushing for 524 yards and six touchdowns. Senior Josh Doctson is enjoying the top receiving season in the nation with single-season school records of 71 receptions, 1,250 receiving yards and 14 touchdown receptions and also needs 32 yards to pass Mike Renfro (2,739 from 1974-77) as TCU's career yardage leader. The Horned Frogs aren't so sturdy on the defensive side and have allowed 37 or more points three times and two of their better players -- senior free safety Derrick Kindred (50 tackles) and freshman linebacker Montrel Wilson (49 stops) -- suffered shoulder injuries during last Saturday's victory over West Virginia.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (8-0, 5-0): The Cowboys are thriving with two quarterbacks as sophomore Mason Rudolph has completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 2,482 yards and 12 touchdowns and senior backup quarterback J.W. Walsh has accounted for 16 touchdowns while handling the ball on 58 offensive touches. Walsh is 18-for-23 with 296 yards and nine scores as a passer and has rushed for 194 yards and seven touchdowns on 35 carries. Oklahoma State's scoring defense jumped to 23.1 points per game after allowing 53 points to Texas Tech last Saturday and features strong players in junior defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah (team-best nine sacks), senior defensive end Jimmy Bean (5.5 sacks), junior free safety Jordan Sterns (team-high 64 tackles) and senior cornerback Kevin Peterson (five career interceptions).

EXTRA POINTS

1. Oklahoma State holds a 13-10-2 series edge but TCU rolled to a 42-9 win in last season's meeting.

2. Boykin has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 23 straight games and needs just 235 yards to surpass Andy Dalton (10,314 from 2007-10) as the Horned Frogs' all-time leader in career passing yards.

3. The Cowboys are aiming for their third 9-0 start -- the others were in 1945 and 2011.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma State 46, TCU 44