The college football season is in full swing and the Big 12 Conference had five games on the schedule in Week 7. Several teams were on a bye week, but the Big 12 had one game on Friday night, and four on Saturday.
There were Big 12 teams looking to stay undefeated, plus key quarterbacks back under center this week. But as is always the case in the Big 12, there were surprises as multiple underdogs prevailed with outright wins. Here are the Top 5 takeaways from Week 7 of the Big 12 football season.
Arizona State and BYU Continue Stunning Start
Arizona State was picked to finish dead last in the Big 12 in the preseason poll, while BYU wasn’t projected to finish much better at No. 13.
On Friday night, the Sun Devils shocked Utah with a 27-19 victory. And then on Saturday, BYU handled Arizona 41-19. Arizona State is 5-1 and BYU is 6-0, as these two teams are not just the two biggest surprises in the Big 12, but also now two of the biggest surprises in all of college football.
Both teams enter the back half of an unpredictable Big 12 season in the hunt for a Big 12 title, which means a College Football Playoff berth. And while we expected unpredictability this season, I’m not sure who predictable these two teams to start off a combined 11-1. Certainly not me.
Related: Will Kenny Dillingham Get Poached from Arizona State?
Cyclones History
The Iowa State Cyclones are 6-0 in football for the first time since 1938. Iowa State beat West Virginia 28-16.
Cyclone Fanatic‘s Chris Williams put it into perspective this way.
Matt Campbell continues his incredible run at Iowa State, and this year it comes with a team that was picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 in the preseason poll.
Two weeks ago I suggested Iowa State needed to show a little more to prove this team was a Big 12 contender. Since then, they’ve dug out of a 14-3 hole to beat Baylor at home, and then went on the road to a hostile environment in Morgantown, and also came back from an early deficit to win the game in a rowdy environment.
Iowa State welcomes in a downtrodden UCF team next week before their bye week, and now it’s entirely possible the Cyclones are going to enter the final month of the regular season undefeated.
UCF’s Season is a Bust
The Knights entered the 2024 college football season with huge expectations. Heck, I had them reaching the Big 12 Championship Game.
But now, they’re just a team that’s likely to be fighting for bowl eligibility that doesn’t even know who the quarterback is going to be going forward. Freshman EJ Colson got the start, but was in over his head. So then the Knights turned to transfer Jacurri Brown, who finished 13/20 for 207 yards with one touchdown, while rushing 16 times for 84 yards.
Brown might be the answer going forward, but regardless, this team has now lost three in a row and is playing sloppy football. There were a pair of fumbles on the day and 10 penalties for the Knights. Inexcusable.
Utah is Now in Trouble
The Utes are off to a 1-2 start in conference play after they lost to Arizona State on Friday night in one of the surprises of the Big 12 weekend. And there are questions as to whether or not Cam Rising should be the quarterback going forward after he returned from injury and threw three interceptions in the game.
However, moving off of your veteran QB mid-season feels like a dicey proposition for the Utes at this time.
More importantly, Utah is giving up 4.7 yards per carry in Big 12 play, which is ranked 11th in the conference through their first three games in the league. Cam Skattebo rushed for 158 yards on 22 carries and a pair of touchdowns on Friday night. That followed the Arizona game when the Utes gave up over five yards per carry to the Wildcats.
There are things to fix in Salt Lake City, and it’s not just the quarterback.
Avery Johnson’s Defining Moment
For a young quarterback, there are moments that will define a career. And on the road in a raucous Folsom Field, Avery Johnson threw an interception late in the game that led to the Buffaloes completing a comeback and take a 28-24 lead over the Wildcats.
But Johnson got right back in the huddle and found Jayce Brown for a 50-yard touchdown in what turned out to be the game-winner with 2:14 remaining in the fourth quarter. Some young quarterbacks would be hesitant in that spot. Not Avery Johnson.
In the biggest drive of his young career, to likely keep K-State’s Big 12 title hopes alive in mid-October and avoid a 1-2 start in league play, Johnson dropped a dime and helped seal the win for the Wildcats. That’s as big as it gets, and it keeps Kansas State right in the thick of the race to Arlington, and hopes of a College Football Playoff berth.
