Week 6 of the 2026 Big 12 football season is in the books, with BYU staying unbeaten, Oklahoma State continuing its surge, and Utah and Kansas highlighting another consequential Saturday across the conference.
At this point in the season, we’re running out of time for excuses. We’re deep enough into October that teams are starting to tell us exactly who they are, and the Big 12 championship race is beginning to take shape.
Some teams strengthened their case as legitimate contenders this weekend. Others suffered the kind of losses that could completely change the direction of their seasons. And with conference play heating up and the College Football Playoff picture beginning to matter more each week, the stakes are only getting bigger from here.
So, what did we learn?
Here are my five biggest Big 12 football takeaways from Week 6.
Separation Saturday in Week 6?
The favorites all took care of business in Week 6 of the Big 12 football season. Sort of? BYU beat Iowa State on Friday night 24-10 and covered the spread in the process. Arizona crushed West Virginia 52-31 to get a win and a cover. Houston was technically an underdog, although as I noted in our K-State vs. Houston preview and prediction, I thought Houston would win outright, which they did. Oklahoma State was off a bye week and started a bit slow, but got it going for a 42-28 win vs. UCF, including a cover. And then it was Kansas hanging tough with Utah, however the Utes pull away for a 41-24 victory.
These are five teams, BYU, Arizona, Oklahoma State, Houston and Utah, who are the teams, along with Texas Tech, that seem to be separating themselves atop the Big 12 Conference, and we saw much more of that on Saturday. The league is starting to take shape as we get set to start the back half of the regular season.
Also, if you’re keeping track at home, our Week 6 Big 12 predictions went 5-0 in the league games against the spread.
K-State Blasted Off the Ball, Again
One of my big questions coming into the week was wondering how much better Kansas State looked after its loss to Cincinnati and a bye week. The answer is not much better. The Wildcats got pushed around, much like they did against Cincinnati. They allowed Houston to rush for 233 yards, while they only gained 117 on the ground. Kansas State had zero sacks and one tackle for loss, while Houston finished with two sacks and five tackles for loss.
Now, credit to Houston. Going on the road and dominating in Manhattan is not something most teams are able to do. But Houston started strong and did not look back. And while Makhi Hughes gets most of the attention in the backfield, they are developing a really strong 1-2 punch alongside Re’Shaun Sanford II. And then, there was the four touchdown catches for senior tight end Patrick Overmyer, who has really impressed since transferring in from UTSA.
UCF’s Second Half Woes Continue
Oklahoma State trailed most of the first half vs. UCF, but a 21-21 game at halftime, led to the Cowboys taking a 27-21 lead early in the fourth quarter. And then, as the Knights were driving toward a possible go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter, Keyon Jenkins’ backwards pass was knocked down by Oklahoma State’s Christian Bodnar and returned for a touchdown by Evan Jackson. Mestemaker’s conversion run gave the Cowboys a 35-21 cushion with 10:32 left. That was the backbreaker for the Knights, who one week after blowing a 17-0 lead at Houston, didn’t have the firepower to hang with the Cowboys in Stillwater.
And while the Cowboys have the offense to stay in this Big 12 race the next few weeks, this UCF team is really showing flashes. I know there are no moral victories, but if you’re a UCF fan, I firmly believe that there is progress with this program that isn’t always showing up in the box score, and isn’t showing up when you’re working with a back-up quarterback, back-up offensive linemen and back-up linebackers.
Arizona’s Offense Hums, West Virginia Defense… is the Slums
The Arizona Wildcats didn’t have their Top 3 wide receivers due to injuries, but you would not have known it watching the game. Noah Fifita and Isaiah Mizell took advantage of a West Virginia secondary that has struggled all season, committed several interference penalties on Saturday and got burned in one-on-one coverage. Fifita completed 16 of 23 passes for a season-high 341 yards. Mizell, a sophomore, set career highs with six catches for 183 yards. He had entered the game with 176 yards all season. WVU’s defense turned him into Jerry Rice.
The Mountaineers are now 0-3 in Big 12 play, and their UVA win feels like a lifetime ago at this point. And the offense is mostly doing its part, but this defense just can’t stop anything. And the offense is sometimes forced to try and do too much, which can cause problems as well. West Virginia couldn’t reach the end zone on several first-half scoring chances, including a short field goal, a lost fumble at the 2 and a turnover on downs at the 3. All in all, it does not look like Rich Rod’s team is ready for a Year 2 turnaround.
Utah Hangs On, But Kansas Showed Plenty
Looking at a box score, you may not think this game was competitive, but it was. And that’s credit to Kansas, and specifically quarterback Isaiah Marshall, who had himself a great game on Saturday. He went 19/37 for 333 yards, one touchdown pass and one touchdown run. Marshall started slow, but once he got going, this Kansas offense was clicking. The Jayhawks were down 34-24 at the one-yard line in the fourth quarter, and went for it on a fourth-and-goal, which they could not convert. A couple of plays later, it was Wayshawn Parker taking it over 90 yards to the house to essentially seal the win.
And while Utah did show some defensive vulnerabilities on Saturday night, Marshall also deserves a ton of credit for playing a tough game on a difficult road environment. That’s the kind of game that can be a building block for KU as they try to re-establish the program. And if they can carry that performance forward, they might be able to beat K-State for the first time since 2008 next week.
