Here we go. Finally, a full week of Big 12 Conference football action. Well, almost.
Fifteen of the 16 teams in the league are in action. Only one program — Houston is playing a non-conference game. Only one team — Texas Tech — is off. For most of the league, this weekend is their opening conference game. Finally, a slate that means something to the entire league.
Here are five things to watch in the fifth week of Big 12 football action.
Most Important Game
TCU at Arizona State, 8 p.m. CT Friday, FOX
This feels like an early pecking order game. The Horned Frogs (3-0) haven’t played a Big 12 game yet, but have two wins over power conference teams (North Carolina, SMU). TCU just beat its rival last weekend, so watch for a potential hangover. Arizona State (3-1, 1-0 in Big 12) just showed its mettle in a road game at Baylor. The Sun Devils’ offense isn’t completely firing yet. So, the game comes down to TCU’s highly productive defense against Arizona State’s stout offense. It should be a show.
Under-The-Radar Game
Baylor at Oklahoma State, 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday, ESPN2
Baylor (2-2, 0-1 in Big 12) already has a league loss. Oklahoma State (1-2) looked listless and was upset by Tulsa last week. OSU coach Mike Gundy hasn’t been under this much fire before, not even last year. At least the Cowboys got through non-conference relatively unscathed a year ago. The Bears don’t want to fall two games behind the field. Gundy and his Cowboys will be royally ticked off. This could be a barnburner. Or it could be a complete dud, with no in-between. I’m betting on dramatics.
Upset to Watch
Cincinnati at Kansas, 11 a.m. CT Saturday, TNT/HBO Max
Kansas (3-1, 1-0 in Big 12) looked great against West Virginia. There is enough speed on that offense to completely overwhelm teams. With a win on Saturday, the Jayhawks would be 2-0 in Big 12 play going into a road trip to UCF. Cincinnati (2-1) had the week off after it blew out Northwestern State. The Bearcats have had two weeks to prepare for this and have tape of Kansas against a Big 12 team. The Jayhawks could be dreaming of a 2-0, or perhaps 3-0, start to Big 12 action. It’s a recipe for getting stunned at home. Cincinnati has just enough firepower to give Kansas fits.
Player to Watch
Arizona QB Noah Fifita
Arizona at Iowa State, 6 p.m. CT Saturday, ESPN
Fifita has looked sharp this year. He’s thrown for 712 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions. The completion percentage is just below 60 percent, but the Wildcats (3-0) have run the ball so well they haven’t had to lean into Fifita as much as a year ago. The balance has been impressive. But Iowa State (4-1, 1-0 in Big 12) has shown its teeth defensively. The unit is allowing 14.3 points per game and 176 yards passing per game. The Cyclone secondary is underrated, in my opinion. This will be a game where Fifita will be tested, not only standing in the pocket and handling the pass rush, but also relying on several receivers to help him move the football.
Big 12 After Dark
BYU at Colorado, Saturday, 9:15 p.m. CT, ESPN
So, the Buffs are going to be after dark a lot this year. So will BYU. They each seem to love that slot, so no big surprise the pair square off under the lights at Folsom Field. Colorado (2-1, 0-1 in Big 12) is smarting a bit from that loss to Houston two weeks ago. But I think they finally got things squared away with quarterback Kaidon Salter last week. BYU (3-0) enters its Big 12 opener with a freshman quarterback and a non-conference schedule that demands one wait to see how the Cougars do in a Big 12 game before we further assess how good they are, national ranking or not.
