Recognizing the best and brightest from the Big 12 in Week 8:
WR Josh Stewart, Oklahoma State: No matter who’s playing quarterback for the Cowboys, they’ve got one of the best go-to receivers in Stewart. TCU had no answers for him on Saturday. He hauled in 10 passes for 141 yards and got the scoring started late in the first quarter with wild 95-yard punt return touchdown.
Oklahoma Sooners defense: That’s about as good a bounce-back performance as you could ask for from the Sooners, following last week’s Texas loss. After the Jayhawks went ahead 13-0, they were held to 39 total yards on their final 10 drives of the day, including -2 passing yards. An inept day for KU, no question, but just what Oklahoma needed this week.
QB Bryce Petty, Baylor: Petty threw for 343 yards and two scores on 23-of-31 passing and added a rushing touchdown in the Bears’ 71-7 win over Iowa State. He had six completions of 20-plus yards and once again provided Antwan Goodley and Tevin Reese with 100-plus yard games. For a guy who’d never started a game entering 2013, he continues to impress.
TE Jace Amaro, Texas Tech: The best tight end in the country played up to the hype at West Virginia, catching nine passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns, including the score to finish off Tech’s 37-27 win. He’s now the No. 2 receiver in the Big 12 and leads all tight ends nationally in catches and yards, but Amaro had only one touchdown entering the day.
Baylor returners: For perhaps the first time in school history, Baylor got two returns for touchdowns on Saturday. The first was a 52-yard punt return from Levi Norwood that looked stopped 12 yards in until he cut across the field. In the game’s final minute, the Bears responded to Iowa State’s last-minute touchdown with a 97-yard kick return from Corey Coleman.