The college football season is nearing the completion of the regular season and the Big 12 Conference had eight games on the schedule in Week 13, with several teams still holding out hope of making the Big 12 Championship.
The action got underway with five games kicking off in the 2:00 p.m. CT hour, and then three night games across the conference. There were upsets across the conference, because, of course, it’s the Big 12. And the Big 12 title race took multiple twists and turns throughout the day.
Here are the Top 5 takeaways from Week 13 of the Big 12 football season.
Kansas, The Team We Thought They Could Be
The Kansas Jayhawks did something that has never been done before in the history of college football: As a losing team, win three-straight games over ranked opponents. Kansas clipped off Iowa State two weeks ago, BYU last week, and then Colorado on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas decided they were going to make Colorado try to stop their ground game, and the Buffaloes were simply unable to do it. Colorado entered the game 2nd in the Big 12 in rushing yards allowed per carry (3.5). But the KU coaching staff clearly saw something they could take advantage of and that’s exactly what they did, led by Devin Neal, who had 37 carries for 207 yards and three touchdowns, plus a receiving touchdown in his final game in front of the home fans. As a team, KU rushed for 331 yards, good for 5.8 yards per carry.
Neal became the first Kansas football player ever to have three 1,000-yard seasons in his career.
This explosive offense, combined with a solid, bend-but-don’t-break defense, is who KU fans thought they’d have all season. This team eventually came around after a bunch of one-score losses early in the year. And now they can still get to a bowl game by beating Baylor next week, which would cap off the regular season with a four-game winning streak.
Related: 3 Biggest Takeaways From Kansas’ 37-21 Win Over Colorado
Arizona State’s Storybook Season Continues
The Sun Devils have now won back-to-back games over ranked teams after beating K-State in Manhattan and then taking down BYU on Saturday 28-23 to improve to 8-2 and 6-2 in Big 12 play. Cam Skattebo remains one of the most underrated stories in all of college football. Skattebo had 28 carries for 147 yards and three touchdowns on the afternoon. The former Sacramento State running back is further proof that there is plenty of FCS talent that can make it in the Power 4.
The Sun Devils did have to hang on for Dear life at the end, with a bizarre final couple of plays. Arizona State was on the BYU three-yard line up by five and instead of scoring, the Sun Devils tried to run out the clock by losing yards and running around. After a 4th-down pass out of bounds, there was still :01 second on the clock, which resulted in the fans, who had stormed the field, having to return to stands or sidelines. BYU had a Hail Mary to try and win it, but it came up short.
So now for Arizona State, all the Sun Devils need to do is beat Arizona and they will be playing for a conference championship for the first time since 2013 under Todd Graham.
BYU and Colorado Letdowns
As noted above, Arizona State and Kansas deserved their wins, but Colorado and BYU have got to be kicking themselves, albeit for different reasons.
BYU has now lost two games in a row after a 9-0 start for the season. They will now need help to reach the Big 12 Conference Championship Game. The season has turned quickly on the Cougars.
Colorado went to Kansas City as one of the hottest teams in the country, but could not slow down the KU rushing attack and it cost them a chance to continue a magical season that could have ended up in the College Football Playoff.
It’s still possible for both teams to make the Conference Championship Game, but they do not control their own destinies any more. They would have had they won on Saturday. So they need to win in Week 14, while also getting help.
Related: Three Takeaways From Arizona State’s 28-23 Win Over BYU
Big 12 Tiebreakers
Speaking of that help… what are we looking at here?
Arizona State and Iowa State are the only two teams who control their own destiny in the Big 12. If they both win next week, it’s No. 1 Arizona State vs. No. 2 Iowa State for a Big 12 Title.
Meantime, BYU and Colorado will need help to reach a Big 12 Championship.
If BYU beats Houston, then the Cougars need either Arizona State to lose to Arizona, or for Iowa State to lose to Kansas State.
Meantime, Colorado is still in the mix, but needs to beat Oklahoma State on Friday, while also needing Iowa State to lose to K-State next week, and BYU to lose to Houston next week.
Related: Big 12 Football Tiebreakers: What to Know Ahead of Week 14
Coaches Address Retirement Rumors
UCF head coach Gus Malzahn and Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy were both asked about potential retirement. They both insisted it’s not happening, but one was more long-winded than the other, as expected.
Mike Gundy quipped, “There ain’t no way the old lady is letting me retire.”
The head coach then went on to say, “I have as much energy now as when I took this job. And most of you guys think I’m crazy, which I am, when I get up in the morning about 5:30, I start thinking about football. And even though we’re in a really tough situation here, which we haven’t been in in 18 years, I’m excited to come to work tomorrow and try to find a way to beat Colorado. I just like that stuff. The outside noise, which I don’t know about because I don’t read social media, doesn’t bother me.”
Meantime, Gus Malzahn said, “Yeah, I don’t know where that came from. I’m not retiring.”
Malzahn did go on to admit, “This has been a tough season. Everybody knows that. We had high expectations. We lost some really close games we felt like we should have won. But we have a lot of really fine young men that we’re disappointing for. We’ve got one game that we’re focused on to finish the right way.”
Well, it seems like both guys are going to be back in 2025, for now.
