The college football season is underway and Week 6 was loaded exclusively with conference match ups in the Big 12. The Big 12 had one game on Friday night, with the rest of the schedule on Saturday, ending with games in Orlando and in Fort Worth. There were field stormings, late wins, domination and more across the conference. So with that, let’s take a look at the top five takeaways from Week 6 in the Big 12 Conference.
Texas Tech Looks Like Top Dog in the Big 12
The Texas Tech Red Raiders handled Houston 35-11 on Saturday night in H-Town. Tech scored on its first five drives under Behren Morton, who is clearly the QB1 for this team, while the defense was stout, as it’s been all season long. This team is built in the trenches, with the defense operating around stud nose tackle Lee Hunter.
And based on what else we saw on Saturday around the Big 12, with Iowa State losing to Cincinnati, TCU struggling vs. Colorado as a two-touchdown favorite, while K-State and Baylor both look mid, it makes you wonder who will be competing with Tech atop the league.
My best bets at this point are Arizona State, BYU and Utah. I’d throw Iowa State into the mix, but their performance on Saturday was concerning. And yes, Cincinnati fans have every right to scream, “What about us?!” That’s fair. But I’m already eyeing their early November game against Utah to really see what we’ve got with these Bearcats.
Are the Bearcats This Year’s Arizona State?
It’s early, but the Cincinnati Bearcats are now 4-1 on the season with a Top 15 win on the resume over Iowa State following Saturday’s 38-30 win. Cincinnati looks the part as a team that can compete atop the Big 12 Conference. They have the play along the offensive and defensive line, along with a confident and efficient quarterback, and lots of playmakers. We all spent this off-season wondering who the team might be that will surprise in the Big 12, and while Cincinnati fans were quietly confident, there was a not a lot of public optimism.
However, that’s why we play the games. And now, here we are with the Bearcats sitting at 4-1, having one of the most impressive wins of the season, with winnable games coming up against UCF and Oklahoma State. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but 6-1 is entirely realistic for Cincinnati, and if they can get by Baylor and enter November at 7-1, this is a season that could be a magical one for Bearcats fans.
Top Big 12 QB’s Were Off
The two that stood out to me on Saturday were Iowa State’s Rocco Becht and TCU’s Josh Hoover. One picked up a win, the other went home with a loss. Becht threw for over 300 yards, but finished 30 of 48, and had a QBR of 48.4. He was missing teammates all afternoon and looked uncomfortable on the road in Nippert Stadium.
Meantime, Hoover finished 23/33 for 275 yards and four touchdowns, with a QBR of 78.4, but those numbers are a little deceiving. He was off of his game as well much of the night, and while he rallied late, it didn’t feel like a classic Josh Hoover performance.
Both quarterbacks have a similar problem: Their teams can’t run the ball well. Iowa State is 10th in the Big 12 in rushing yards per game, while TCU is 16th. If either of these teams are going to make a run to a Big 12 Championship Game, and both can do it, they need a running game to help balance the offense and support their own quarterback.
What’s Up With Baylor’s Fan Base?
The Bears and K-State Wildcats were tied at 17 at halftime, and THIS is the scene from Waco to in the second half?!
This is pathetic and embarrassing. Baylor did find itself down 14 points in the second half, but it’s WEEK 6 of the season, and Baylor entered the season with expectations of winning the Big 12. And guess what? After a comeback win, they still have every reason to believe they can reach a Big 12 Championship Game. Granted, they have issues on both sides of the ball, most notably on defense, but that aside, the fan support from the Baylor Faithful was absolutely pathetic. The coaching staff, players and program deserve better.
And please don’t tell me it’s hot. It’s Waco. Baylor fans know hot. That is not an excuse.
Career Night for BYU Cougars
There were multiple career-bests on Friday night for BYU‘s offense in a 38-24 win over West Virginia. Freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier threw for a career-high 351 yards. Chase Roberts had a career-high 161 yards on four catches, and Parker Kingston added a career-high 111 yards and a touchdown on four receptions. BYU piled up 517 yards against the Mountaineers, who have been bad defensively, but this is still an impressive showing for the Cougars. If this offense continues to grow under Bachmeier, combined with that stout defense, BYU will remain in the thick of the Big 12 Conference title race heading into the second half of the season.
