Kansas @ Baylor preview
Floyd Casey Stadium
Last Meeting ( Nov 12, 2011 ) Baylor 31, Kansas 30
Kansas and Baylor sit at the bottom of the Big 12 Conference standings but one will pick up its first league victory Saturday in Waco. The host Bears have one of the nation's most prolific offenses but one of the worst-ranked defenses. Baylor has dropped four straight conference games but has never lost to Kansas at home (5-0). The Jayhawks continue to show improvement under first-year coach Charlie Weis and nearly upset Texas last week before the Longhorns handed Kansas its 17th straight conference loss with a 21-17 comeback victory. Kansas won't qualify for a bowl game and the Bears have a tough schedule - with four Top 25 teams following Kansas - to get three more wins.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FSN. LINE: Baylor -17
ABOUT KANSAS (1-7, 0-5 Big 12): Junior James Sims rushed for more than 100 yards for the fourth straight game with 176 yards against Texas. Sims, who was suspended for the first three games this season, has 622 yards and five touchdowns on 129 carries. Tony Pierson, who missed parts of the past three games with injuries, added 51 yards and a score against Texas. Redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Cummings has started the past two games, going 13-of-30 for 150 yards, two interceptions and no touchdowns. The Jayhawks are tied for second in the country for fewest penalties, getting flagged 29 times in eight games. They are also ranked 13th nationally and first in the Big 12 in red-zone defense (69 percent).
ABOUT BAYLOR (3-4, 0-4): The Bears lead the nation in passing yards per game (395.7) and are third in total offense (569.4) while scoring 44.1 points per game. Quarterback Nick Florence's 378.9 passing yards per game and wide receiver Terrance Williams' 171.9 receiving yards per game also lead the nation. The Bears had four turnovers in a 35-21 loss to Iowa State and are minus-11 in their four conference setbacks. Baylor is ranked No. 118 out of 120 in scoring defense (42.7 points per game) and last in total defense (553.7 yards per game). The Bears are having trouble getting stops, allowing 62 percent on third-down conversions and 91 percent on red-zone scores.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Baylor is averaging 40.6 points in five home games against Kansas while the Jayhawks average 20.3 points in Waco.
2. Kansas will get senior WR Daymond Patterson (19 catches for 160 yards) back after he missed two games with a head injury.
3. Baylor offensive guard Cyril Richardson will miss the first half of Saturday's game after getting ejected for kicking an Iowa State player last week.
PREDICTION: Baylor 42, Kansas 17