After a wild Week 7 in the Big 12, Week 8 brings another loaded slate for the Big 12, featuring several critical conference matchups. From Houston heading to Salt Lake City to face Utah to UCF hosting BYU, we’re about to learn a lot more about several teams across the league. Some programs are looking to establish themselves as legitimate Big 12 contenders, while others are already fighting to avoid falling behind in the conference race.
Can BYU Avoid a Letdown?
It seems like anytime a team wins a big game; they tend to have a bit of a down performance the following weekend. And this week, I am looking directly at BYU as they are coming off a monster win over Notre Dame and head east to Orlando to take on UCF. Despite their 3-3 record and an injury list that seems like it’s seven pages long, the Knights have shown plenty of fight this season. The Bounce House is typically a tough place for opposing teams and with the Cougars coming in as the number two team in the country, I expect that place to be rocking. The question is, can BYU avoid the hangover and potential disaster on Saturday afternoon?
More: BYU vs. UCF Prediction and Preview
Will Texas Tech Start Fast?
Nobody was more shocked than me last week when it came to Texas Tech. For weeks, I have been saying that all of their slow starts were going to cost them a game this season if they continued to wait until the second half to wake up. Against Arizona State last weekend, we saw just how good the Red Raiders can be when they play for four full quarters. However, that was at home but now they head to Cincinnati to take on a struggling Bearcats squad. I just wonder which Texas Tech team will show up in the first half. The one we saw last weekend or the one in the prior games?
More: Texas Tech vs. Cincinnati Prediction and Preview
Is Utah the Real Deal?
As much praise as I have given the Utes this year, it is fair to wonder just how good Utah really is. While I do think they are the most complete team in the Big 12, their schedule up to this point hasn’t exactly been all that tough. In fact, they haven’t played a single team that has a record above .500 as Iowa State is the only team that is 3-3 with the others being well below average. But that all changes this weekend as a top 15 Houston team comes to town. Connor Weigman is one of the best quarterbacks in the conference, and their defense is probably the best they will see up to this point. This game will determine if Utah is a contender or a pretender.
Can TCU’s Defense Hold Up?
While TCU has one of the worst offenses in the Big 12, their defense is actually one of the best in the Big 12. As crazy as it may sound, their defense is a top three defense statically. This weekend, they will face the best offense they have seen this season with West Virginia. Michael Hawkins Jr. and Cam Cook are two of the best players in the conference, and I am very interested to see if the Horned Frogs are going to be able to slow them down. It truly will be a clash of styles this weekend in Fort Worth.
Will this Be it For Dave Aranda?
Just a couple of weeks ago I talked about Baylor potentially being undefeated in Big 12 play when the month of November arrives. Most of that was due to the play of quarterback DJ Lagway and how light their schedule was. But after their ugly 17-6 loss to TCU, I am starting to question if they can even make it out of this month without multiple losses. November was always going to be tough with BYU, Texas Tech, and Houston to end the year. But when you lose to TCU, the losses could start adding up quickly for Dave Aranda, who is on the hot seat. This weekend against Kansas feels like a must win for Baylor or else.
