Three Big 12 Baseball Storylines to Watch This Weekend at the Midseason Mark

Big 12 baseball is in full swing as we have officially hit the halfway point in conference play. For those not familiar with college baseball, it truly is an underrated sport. There’s always plenty of action and upsets going on during any given day. BYU’s surprising rise, Arizona’s attempt at a late push, and Cincinnati’s postseason résumé are all under the microscope as Big 12 baseball hits the midpoint of conference play. Here are three things to keep an eye on this weekend in the Big 12.

How Good is BYU?

One of the biggest surprises so far this season has been the Cougars’ play. While their 19-16 overall record may not wow anyone, they do have a winning conference record at 8-7. Plus, they have a top-45 RPI, which is pretty good.

While the record looks great on paper, I dug a little deeper into their schedule. They have series wins over Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, and Houston, but also lost series to West Virginia and Baylor. That three-game sweep over a bad Houston team helped their record tremendously.

This team doesn’t do anything great. They are average at the plate and on the mound, so they don’t scare me much at all. And this weekend, they host a good Arizona State team. If they can somehow take this series, I’m sold on BYU.

Can Arizona Come Back From The Grave?

Not that long ago, I buried Arizona. I dug a ten-foot hole, put them in it, and covered them up with dirt, or in their case, sand. But after a huge series win over TCU last weekend, it appears that the Wildcats now have some hope.

They still have a long way to go, as they are 5-10 in Big 12 play, but they do have a favorable schedule remaining.  With series left against BYU, Kansas, Houston, and Oklahoma State in their final four weeks of regular season, they have an opportunity to make a push.

Of course, that is easier said than done, because this team has underachieved despite its talent. But maybe this team turned a corner after the TCU series and can start getting back on track. This weekend, Kansas State stands in their way, and this series will likely determine if they stay buried and dig themselves out of the hole.

Is Cincinnati a Postseason Team?

When I saw D1Baseball’s latest postseason projections, I was genuinely shocked to see the Bearcats as a projected three seed. Cincinnati is just 6-9 in conference play and hasn’t looked all that good in my eyes.

However, they do have a top-25 RPI, which is fantastic. To me, that was more of a projection pick than anything, which is fine, but at the same time, they have to earn it. Their only two series wins in conference play this year have come against Utah and Baylor, who aren’t exactly juggernauts.

The good news is that they have plenty of big opportunities ahead. In the next two weeks, they have to play UCF and West Virginia, two of the best teams the conference has to offer. These next two series will tell me whether Cincinnati is truly a postseason team.