No more undefeated teams in the Big 12. But three one-loss teams. And, lurking behind them, three more two-loss teams. Chaos? No, just the Big 12 Conference in mid-November.
There are three weeks left in the regular season. Texas Tech now has the inside track to a Big 12 Championship game berth. It must win its final two games. BYU and Cincinnati are also on track. Each must win their final three games. It will be impossible for one of them. The Cougars and Bearcats play in a couple of weeks.
Houston, Utah, and Arizona State are all waiting and hoping the three of them screw up.
Here are five things to watch in the 12th week of Big 12 football action.
Most Important Game
Arizona at Cincinnati, 11 a.m. CT Saturday, FS1
Cincinnati is coming off a bye week. Arizona just got bowl eligible. But everything is on the line for the Bearcats. They cannot lose this game.
Cincinnati is one of three teams tied for the Big 12 lead. But the Bearcats won’t get a shot at Texas Tech. Their best shot at getting to Arlington is to win their final three games, which would include a win over BYU next weekend. If Cincinnati can do that, then the Bearcats are heading for the Big 12 title game and contention for the College Football Playoff.
Arizona has executed a nice turnaround under second-year coach Brent Brennan. Quarterback Noah Fifita has grown this season. The defense has taken a major step forward. It’s a building block season for the Wildcats. Now, they can spoil everything for the Bearcats.
Under-The-Radar Game
West Virginia at Arizona State, 12:00 p.m. CT Saturday, TNT
I didn’t think West Virginia would be that good this year. But I did think they would be much better in the back half of the season, and that’s what we’re seeing. The Mountaineers went into Houston and upset the Cougars, and then hosted Colorado and handled the Buffs. Now, it’s time to go cross-country to Tempe and try to screw up whatever shot Arizona State has at defending its Big 12 title.
Arizona State has two losses and needs help if it wants to get back to Arlington. But it also needs to win. The Sun Devils have three games left. They must win all three — and get some help. With WVU playing better, this shapes up to be a potentially interesting game.
Upset to Watch
Kansas State at Oklahoma State, 11 a.m. CT Saturday, ESPNU
I know Oklahoma State has been epically bad this year. The Cowboys haven’t won a conference game and have one game all season. But this is the time of year that a bad team can catch a better team sleeping. I could see that happening this weekend.
Kansas State really has nothing to play for now. Well, OK, a bowl game. But that’s a massive fall from what the Wildcats hoped. Running back Dylan Edwards is on his way to a redshirt. The Wildcats just lost a starting linebacker for the season. OSU can catch them napping. It’s worth tracking on your phone and turning on if things get interesting.
Player to Watch
Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez
UCF at No. 8 Texas Tech, 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday, FOX
After an enormous amount of attention, thanks to ESPN College Gameday and beating the BYU Cougars on Saturday, this is exactly the recipe one would expect to see a team like the Red Raiders take a step back, even if it is against a bad UCF team. Rodriguez is a reason why it’s unlikely to happen.
He received a massive amount of attention last week, and rightly so. He’s one of the best defensive players in the country. He, along with a raft of transfers, has turned Tech’s defense into one of the best in the country. He will probably be the Big 12 defensive player of the year. This almost cinches it.
Incredible.
Big 12 After Dark
TCU at No. 7 BYU, 9:15 p.m. CT, ESPN
TCU isn’t contending for anything, but at least the Horned Frogs can be fun to watch. They have played spoiler in the past. Last year, BYU finally lost its first game in November. It followed that with a loss, and it doomed the Cougars’ Big 12 title game hopes. BYU is hoping history doesn’t repeat itself.
Got YouTube TV? Well, you know the workaround. Go find ESPN Deportes.
