After a wild Week 2, Week 3 brings another loaded slate for the Big 12 with several key matchups and a pair of conference games this weekend.
From Texas Tech in first big test against Houston to Arizona State and Kansas heading to London, we’re about to learn a lot more about several teams across the conference. Here are my five biggest questions for the Big 12 heading into Week 3.
Who Wants to Sit in the Driver’s Seat?
Coming into the season, there were two big games that I had circled on my football calendar in conference play. One was the Holy War, and this was the other one. Why? Because with the way the schedules played out this season, we aren’t going to see all the top teams play one another this year.
Texas Tech is still viewed as the top dog of the Big 12 by many, but I don’t think they are as good as they were a year ago. However, they don’t have to face BYU or Utah this season, which is good for them. That means that this game against Houston is likely their toughest conference matchup for them. As for Houston, this is their chance to not only establish themselves as arguably the best team in the Big 12, but to also completely shake up the conference as well.
Do We Really Need Games Overseas?
Ever since he took over as commissioner, it’s been clear that Brett Yormark has wanted to plant the Big 12 flag in every place known to man. The next stop? Wembley Stadium in London, where Kansas will face Arizona State in a conference showdown.
I understand what Yormark is trying to do, but I am here to tell you it’s not going to change opinions on college football in London. Do people in London care about football in general? No. Will it make people become Kansas or Arizona State fans? I seriously doubt it. I am not sure what to expect as far as a crowd goes, but at the end of the day, this game should be in either Lawrence or Tempe.
I just hope that Brett Yormark realizes that at some point we stop trying to turn everyone outside of America into Big 12 fans when we need to focus on getting more Big 12 fans here in America where people care about football.
Will the Real Oklahoma State Please Stand Up?
One could certainly make an argument that no team in college football has had a crazier first two weeks of the season than Oklahoma State. Their year started off by losing to Tulsa by two touchdowns, which was mind-boggling enough, but then they pulled off a miracle last weekend as they took down a Top 10 Oregon team.
Not only did they beat them, but they dominated them if you look at the stat sheet instead of focusing on the scoreboard. All offseason long, we heard about how good their offense would be under Drew Mestemaker and all the weapons he has to work with. But after experiencing the low of lows and the high of all highs, my question is: what Oklahoma State team will we see this weekend?
The one that lost to Tulsa or the one that beat Oregon? The good news is that they play Murray State on Saturday, which shouldn’t be a problem, but I wonder where this roller coaster ride will take them next.
Has West Virginia Improved?
After a disappointing 4-8 season in his return to Morgantown, head coach Rich Rodriguez looks to get West Virginia’s football program back to prominence. Obviously, he didn’t have a ton of time to prepare for the 2025 season, but this 2026 team should look much better.
With a full offseason under his belt, Rich Rod has more of his players in the program and a new quarterback in Michael Hawkins Jr.; the question is, will West Virginia be better in 2026?
Sitting at 2-0 with wins over Coastal Carolina and UT Martin, we don’t know the answer just yet. But we will learn a lot about this West Virginia team this weekend as they head to Charlotte and face a Top 25 Virginia squad, and I can’t wait to see how they stack up.
Can Colorado’s Offense Soar?
Going into the year, I must admit, I was not high on Colorado. In fact, I had them finishing in the bottom three of the Big 12 this season. However, after seeing them take down Georgia Tech, in a game in which they weren’t great offensively, they still managed to walk out of Atlanta with a win.
Last weekend against Weber State, quarterback Julian Lewis was excellent as he threw for over 300 yards and four touchdown passes. But that was inferior competition, and now they must go to Illinois to take on Northwestern on the road.
It’s going to be another grind, but I hope this time we see Colorado’s offense play well against a respectable defense. We already know that the Buffs defense can hold their own against a physical attack, but what about the offense? Can they fire on all cylinders against a power four team? If they can, watch out because Colorado is going to surprise some people this season.
