The Big 12 Conference gets back to league action this week as the Colorado Buffaloes head to Houston to face the Cougars on Friday. It’s a chance for either the Buffs or the Cougars to get off to a good start in league action.
There is a nearly full slate of games on tap, with BYU off after a 2-0 start. That includes a matchup between Big 12 teams that isn’t a Big 12 game and a renewal of the Backyard Brawl, this time in Morgantown.
Here are five things to watch in the second week of Big 12 football action.
Most Important Game
Kansas State at Arizona, Friday, 8 p.m. CT, FOX
To be clear — this isn’t a conference game. But it’s vital for both teams as they prepare to dive into league action in the next week or two.
Kansas State has now lost two of its three games this season, including last weekend’s loss to Army West Point at home (at a reported price tag of more than $1 million). KSU has problems now, and those problems are all over the field. Kansas State’s only win is over FCS North Dakota — and that was a close one.
Arizona has looked rock solid in its first two games. But Hawai’i is likely to finish the season at or below .500, and Weber State wasn’t much of a contest. In a vacuum, Arizona looks great. But, contrasted against the rest of the Big 12, it’s not clear where Arizona fits in yet. This game would give Arizona a barometer. Kansas State just needs a win to get right.
Least Important Game
Samford at Baylor, Saturday, 11 a.m. CT, ESPN+
Baylor’s offense is ridiculous. So is the Bears’ defense, and not in a good way. But, for this game with Samford, it shouldn’t be an issue. The Bulldogs enter the game 0-2 and have scored 16 points combined. The worst part? Neither were so-called “money game” opponents. Samford lost to West Georgia, 34-3, and The Citadel, 40-13. West Georgia was a Division II program just a few years ago. This will not end well for Samford. Hope the Bulldogs are getting seven figures like Army did.
Upset to Watch
Utah at Wyoming, Saturday, 7 p.m. CT, CBSSN
Two years ago, Texas Tech went to Laramie and lost on a Saturday night. Could history repeat itself? It’s quite possible. The Utes are undefeated, but the opponents have hardly been impressive — now 0-2 UCLA and 1-1 FCS foe Cal Poly. The Utes have piled up the points. Now, they’re going into an environment that is known to be hostile and is more than 7,000 feet above sea level. The Cowboys have a great home-field advantage, and they know how to use it.
Player to Watch
West Virginia’s Cam Vaughn
Pitt at West Virginia, Saturday, 2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN+
The injury to running back Jahiem White puts more pressure on the passing game. Vaughn is the Mountaineers’ leading rusher after two games, with nine receptions for 169 yards and a touchdown. Pitt will be WVU’s best opponent to this point, and the Mountaineers will need Vaughn to help stretch the field and fuel the offense as they face their arch-rival.
Big 12 After Dark
Texas State at Arizona State, Saturday, 9:30 p.m. CT, TNT, truTV, HBO Max
Arizona State is coming off that loss to Mississippi State, but the Sun Devils are likely to turn it into fuel in a game that gave them trouble in San Marcos, Texas, last year. In that game, the Bobcats lost, but only 31-28. Last year, ASU was coming off a 30-23 win over Mississippi State in Tempe before it faced the Bobcats. Texas State has piled up the points in its last two games — 95 combined vs. Eastern Michigan and UTSA — but this game should be a much different animal for both teams.
