K-State is still in an excellent position to earn a spot to play for the Big 12 championship in Arlington after a 29-27 victory over Kansas last weekend.
Their schedule appears to ease up over the next three games, as they play at Houston in Week 10, then Arizona State and Cincinnati at home before ending the regular season on the road at Iowa State. But you can’t take any opponent for granted in this version of the Big 12. Win out and K-State is in. They’re unlikely to make it if they lose any of their last four games.
With four games left in the regular season, now is a great time to analyze the state of Big 12 football — Rapid Fire style.
BYU: The Surprising 12-0 Candidate
BYU remains the surprise of the Big 12. They are 8-0 overall and 5-0 in conference play. Their remaining games are at Utah, home against Kansas, at Arizona State, and home against Houston. They should be able to run the table and go into the Big 12 championship game undefeated. Watch that Utah game, however. It’s a rivalry game, and you never know what could happen. And if they lose one, who knows? It might snowball on them.
Iowa State: Potential Pitfalls Ahead for a Better-Than-Advertised Squad
Iowa State is likely to play BYU in the championship game. They have five games remaining: home against Texas Tech, at Kansas (Arrowhead), home against Cincinnati, at Utah, and home against K-State. It is not the easiest schedule for them to run the table.
The Cyclones are second in the Big 12 in total defense, right behind Utah. They’re also fourth in total offense. I will admit that prior to this season I didn’t see these results coming from Iowa State. Not only are they likely to make the Big 12 championship game, they’re likely to win it if they play against BYU.
Colorado: A Legitimate Contender
Don’t sleep on Colorado. They have one conference loss, to K-State, and their remaining schedule looks much easier than it did at the beginning of the season. Their remaining games are at Texas Tech, home against Utah, at Kansas, and home against Oklahoma State. They are right in it.
Kansas: The Perfect Spoiler Role
Kansas could play spoiler. They play three of the four top contenders down the stretch: Iowa State, at BYU, and Colorado. They played great against K-State, and if they continue to improve, they could pull an upset or two that may end up deciding who makes it to Arlington.
Utah: Where You At?
Are Utah fans humbled yet? Some of their fans looked down their noses at the Big 12 and thought they would dominate this league. Not so much. I know they lost quarterback Cam Rising, but they only have one Big 12 win against winless Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma State: Has Anyone Seen Ollie Gordon?
Speaking of Oklahoma State, what happened to them? They have the worst defense in the Big 12 and the offense isn’t much better, ranked 13th in the league. They may go winless in Big 12 play. It has been a while since I’ve seen that program struggle like this. Didn’t see that coming.
Kansas State: Can the Cats Make a Run to Arlington?
Does K-State have a legitimate shot to make it to Arlington? The Wildcat secondary has struggled mightily in multiple games and is an ongoing issue that has yet to be corrected. Because of that, I can’t predict they will play for the championship, but anything can happen in one game. Win the next three, and the Iowa State game will be a play-in game for Arlington. They are still in it, and that is exciting. But first, they have to beat Houston this week. No game in this league is easy.
Big 12 Championship Prediction: Iowa State vs. BYU.
Week 10 Prediction: K-State 27, Houston 17.
