Week 11 is already here, and the Big 12 has several storylines to follow as the race to Arlington heats up.
There are just four weeks left in the regular season, and the margin of error is as thin as ever. Several teams are right in the thick of the Big 12 race, but as we’ve seen all season long, anything can happen from week to week.
Here are the top storylines from around the league that you’ll want to follow along with during the action.
Is Iowa State on Upset Alert Again?
Last week, we asked whether Iowa State should be on upset alert with Texas Tech in town. While I didn’t expect the Cyclones to drop the game, I did think there was a good chance it would be tricky. As it turns out, the Red Raiders were able to score a last-minute touchdown and pull off the upset.
This week, the Cyclones are back on the road and headed to Kansas City to take on KU. The Jayhawks are 2-6 in the year but have lost several one-possession games, and they are much better than their record indicates. The line in this game – Iowa State (-3.0) – might surprise you, and there’s a real chance that the Cyclones could drop their second game in a row if they don’t play their best game.
I’m going to trust that ISU gets things fixed and wins this game to move to 8-1, but I don’t think it’ll be easy.
Related: Who are the Top 5 Big 12 College Football Teams in Week 11?
Is Cam Skattebo Able to Go vs. UCF?
Cam Skattebo is one of the most underrated players in college football, and he might be the most important player in the Big 12. The four-time Big 12 Player of the Week is coming off an incredible performance against Oklahoma State, but it sounds like it might cost him being available this week against UCF. That’s a problem, too, because the Knights appear to have found themselves on offense in a 56-12 win over Arizona last week.
Arizona State has been a much better team than its in-state rivals this season, but what would they look like if Skattebo isn’t able to go? Honestly, it might be tough for them to win the game. With Skattebo a game-time decision this week, ASU is just a 2.5-point favorite at home, which means Vegas would actually favor the Knights on a neutral field. He’s one of the toughest players in college football, and if there’s any chance that he can play on Saturday, he’ll probably give it a go. If he does, I’d feel a lot better about the Sun Devils’ chances of getting to 7-2.
The Unlikely Game of the Week
After last week’s upset over Iowa State, Texas Tech (6-3) has set itself up to host the 20th-ranked Colorado Buffaloes (6-2) for a game that has tons of Big 12 Championship implications. With the Buffs being 4-1 in Big 12 play, and the Red Raiders being 4-2, this game could genuinely decide who goes to Arlington. This game is wildly essential for many reasons.
A Texas Tech win combined with an Iowa State loss would create a tie for second place in the Big 12 standings and could give us up to six teams with a 4-2 record – talk about a close race. The Red Raiders already have wins over Arizona State, Cincinnati, and Iowa State, and a win over Colorado would probably put them right at the top of the tiebreakers.
On the flip side, if Colorado were to win, they would have a tiebreaker over Iowa State with a win over the team that beat them last week, and they would be, at worst, tied for second in the Big 12 standings. If Iowa State were to lose, they’d have sole possession of second place, and if BYU were to fall, they’d be tied for first place.
The First Holy War in Big 12 History
It’s been a few years since these two have met on the football field, but the wait is finally over, as BYU (8-0) and Utah (4-4) are set for a late-night matchup on Saturday night. At the beginning of the season, Utah was expected to be the heavy favorite as the Utes were favored to win the Big 12, while BYU was projected to finish in the bottom portion of the standings.
However, things have flipped as the Cougars enter this game as a road favorite and actually opened this week at -5.0. BYU came in at No. 9 in the first College Football Playoff Top 25 and currently looks like the toast of the Big 12. If they get through this week, the Cougars have games vs. Kansas, Arizona State, and Houston standing between them and a 12-0 record.
With that being said, it’s safe to say that Utah isn’t looking ahead here, as their disappointing season could be turned around in a big way with an upset. Spoiling the Cougars season, and in front of a home crowd, would be their biggest moment of the season.
