The Big 12 football schedule delivers another loaded slate in Week 8, featuring a top-15 showdown and major conference title implications. From a massive matchup between Houston and Utah to BYU’s trip to Orlando to face UCF, this weekend could have a significant impact on both the Big 12 championship race and the College Football Playoff picture.

#1: No. 14 Houston at No. 10 Utah

For the second straight week, College GameDay will be at a Big 12 venue. In fact, the crew only has to travel about 40 miles north from last week’s destination.

This is easily the biggest game on the conference slate. Houston and Utah are both viewed as legitimate Big 12 title contenders, and the stakes are enormous. The Cougars are already chasing teams ahead of them in the standings, so another conference loss would be a major blow to their championship hopes. Meanwhile, Utah is still pursuing a perfect season and a potential College Football Playoff berth.

Big 12 title implications. Playoff implications. It doesn’t get much bigger than this.

#2: No. 2 BYU at UCF

Call me crazy, but I’m fascinated by this game.

More than anything, I want to see how BYU responds after its emotional victory over Notre Dame. Despite being ranked No. 2 in the country, the Cougars enter the weekend as less than a touchdown favorite against a 3-3 UCF team.

The Knights are better than their record suggests, and playing at the Bounce House is never easy for a visiting team. If BYU isn’t fully locked in, UCF has enough talent to make things uncomfortable.

Full Preview and Prediction: BYU vs. UCF

#3: No. 8 Texas Tech at Cincinnati

There’s a sizable gap between the Houston-Utah showdown and the rest of the conference schedule, but this game still carries plenty of intrigue.

Texas Tech enters as a double-digit favorite and one of the Big 12’s top contenders. However, conference road games are never easy, especially at Nippert Stadium.

Can the Red Raiders build off last week’s dominant performance and start fast again? Or will Cincinnati make this a four-quarter battle at home?

Full Preview and Prediction: Texas Tech vs. Cincinnati

#4: West Virginia at TCU

There may not be major conference title stakes attached to this matchup, but the contrast in styles makes it one of the weekend’s most fascinating games.

West Virginia boasts one of the nation’s most explosive rushing attacks but also one of the conference’s most vulnerable defenses. TCU, meanwhile, wins with defense and has struggled to consistently generate offense.

Something has to give, and that’s what makes this matchup so compelling.

Read: West Virginia vs. TCU Prediction and Pick

#5: Colorado at Oklahoma State

A few weeks ago, this game wouldn’t have generated much attention.

That changed after Colorado showed signs of life against Utah last weekend.

We know Oklahoma State can score points, but the Cowboys have had issues getting stops. The biggest question is whether Colorado has enough offensive firepower to take advantage and turn this into a competitive game.

Full Preview and Prediction: Colorado vs. Oklahoma State

#6: Kansas State at Arizona State

Like several games in the middle of these rankings, this one lacks major championship implications.

Arizona State has struggled through a difficult stretch of Big 12 play, while Kansas State enters with momentum following its rivalry win over Kansas. This feels like one of the true toss-up games of the week and could be more competitive than many expect.

Full Preview and Prediction: Kansas State vs. Arizona State

#7: Baylor at Kansas

Call it hate-watching or simply keeping an eye on Dave Aranda’s future.

The biggest storyline here is whether Baylor can rebound from last week’s ugly loss to TCU. Kansas has endured a disappointing season and enters with four losses, but Baylor’s outlook isn’t much brighter.

With a brutal November looming, another defeat could increase pressure on Aranda and raise even more questions about the Bears’ direction.

Full Preview and Prediction: Baylor vs. Kansas

#8: Iowa State at Arizona

This is the least intriguing game of the weekend for me.

Iowa State has struggled to find consistency lately, while Arizona has looked like a solid upper-half Big 12 team throughout the year. Quarterback Noah Fifita has continued to play at a high level despite injuries around him, and Arizona appears well-positioned at home.

Unless the Cyclones show something we haven’t seen recently, it’s hard to view this as one of the week’s premier matchups.

Full Preview and Prediction: Iowa State vs. Arizona

The Big 12 Conference had a great time in Week 7. Many of their ranked teams won, three teams moved into the AP Top 10, with BYU moving up to No. 2. But things can change quickly in the Big 12 Conference and everyone in this league can attest to that. As the league rolls into Week 8 of the season, here are the three teams playing this weekend that have the most to prove, including Utah, TCU and BYU.

Utah

I’m not going to sit here and say that Utah has played some cupcakes. They’ve played four power conference opponents, including three Big 12 teams. The Utes have played well against each one of them, although Colorado certainly gave them some issues last week in Boulder.

But Saturday will be their first game this season against a ranked team when they host No. 14 Houston. It will be an ESPN College Gameday game. It will also be the first of three ranked opponents the Utes will play in their next four games.

So what does Utah need to prove? That they can handle the other Big 12 contenders. All three upcoming ranked teams (BYU and Arizona) all have designs on getting to Arlington. Utah can’t get there without beating them.

If I’m Utah, I don’t care about style points. Houston certainly doesn’t. Just win — any way you can.

TCU

The Horned Frogs are coming off a 17-6 win over Baylor. The good news is TCU won a Big 12 game. The bad news is they scored 17 points on Baylor. The Horned Frogs had lost two straight games before that showdown with Baylor, and it was their first win over a power conference team.

So, what does TCU have to prove? That they can string two wins together against power conference opponents. This was a team that a lot of folks pegged as a sleeper pick in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs look like they’ve slept through the first half of this season.

Sonny Dykes isn’t exactly on solid footing, but I wouldn’t say his seat is hot. But if he follows up a Revivalry win with a road loss to Kansas, which hasn’t won a league game yet, well where does that leave him?

BYU

What does BYU need to prove after that massive win over Notre Dame? Well, the Cougars need to prove they can avoid the trap.

This is about as perfect a trap game scenario as one could come up with. A conference contender wins a massive game at home and then goes on the road to face a .500 team coming off bye week. It’s the classic letdown game scenario for BYU.

I’m here to tell you — the Bounce House is not an easy place to play. Orlando is not an easy place to play. Ask Oklahoma State back 2023, which reached the Big 12 championship game but was shoulder rolled by UCF in Orlando that year.

I’ve seen UCF a couple of times this season. The Knights are undermanned, but head coach Scott Frost and his staff have figured out ways to move the football with quarterback Alonza Barnett III.

BYU must prove it can avoid the trap. Because if the Cougars can’t avoid the trap, they may not win the conference.

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.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The final eight men’s and women’s basketball teams spoke to the media during Big 12 Basketball Media Days on Wednesday.

TCU, Arizona, UCF, BYU, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Houston and Kansas State were in attendance. BYU head coach Kevin Young was not in attendance due to an illness.

The Big 12 men’s and women’s basketball seasons starts on Nov. 2.

Here are five takeaways from the second day in KC.

Tommy Lloyd’s Frustration

Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd is frustrated with the NCAA over five-for-five eligibility. During his time with the media on Wednesday and he made it clear that he’s in favor of the Class of 2022 players being eligible for an additional season in 2026-27. He has one of those players, forward RJ Godfrey.

He’s a Class of 2022 player who played two years at Clemson, another at Georgia and then another at Clemson. He is part of a case in a Georgia court seeking an injunction to allow him to play a fifth year. He was initially granted the injunction, but it has since been stayed on an NCAA appeal.

So, for now, Godfrey can’t play. But there are plenty of other players in the Big 12 that are in Godfrey’s position who are eligible via injunction. That’s where Lloyd’s frustration lies.

“One question I’d have to get when you bring up R.J. in specific is there’s international players getting eligible now that are older than him, a ‘fifth-year’ of eligibility because they didn’t go to college,” Lloyd said. “They played four years pro, but they’re getting eligible now. Somebody has to explain to me how logically this all makes sense.”

The Wildcats are the defending Big 12 regular-season and tournament champions and made the NCAA Final Four last season. Lloyd is hoping for a return trip and believes Godfrey can help.

“R.J. is going to help put all the pieces in the right place,” he said. “I hope and pray we get to see it.”

Audi’s an Okie

For three years, Audi Crooks was a star at Iowa State. She’ll be the same thing at Oklahoma State where she’ll play her fourth season of college basketball.

Of course, the fact that she transferred from Iowa State — and she’s an Iowa native — and transferred to OSU in the offseason made news. For most of the summer, she’s been practicing with her new teammates, but the media hasn’t had much opportunity to speak to her. That changed on Wednesday.

She was available, along with Liv McGill and Stailee Heard, as the Cowgirls are the favorites to win the Big 12.

So, why Oklahoma State? One of the factors was getting her head beat in by Oklahoma State in the past.

“I’ve played coach Jacie [Oklahoma State coach Hoyt] the last few years and lost quite a few of those matchups,” she said. “So, I just loved her competitive spirit and nature.”

Crooks said she was one of the last players to leave Iowa State in the transfer portal and had conversations with ISU about what the roster could look like in 2026-27 before she transferred out. There were no hard feeling on her end.

“I was there for three years, so I’m not going to sit around be callous about that,” she said. “I have a lot of love and care for those people and I always will.”

Oklahoma State heads to Iowa State on Jan. 9. On Tuesday, Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly said he wasn’t sure what the reception would be.

Prep Stars Make Media Day Debut

Two of the most sought-after players at media days were freshmen — BYU’s Bruce Branch III and Arizona’s Caden Holt. Both could be one-and-done players for the Cougars and Wildcats so Wednesday may be their only media day appearances.

Branch was a McDonald’s All-American and is following in the footsteps of AJ Dybantsa, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft in June after playing just one season at BYU. Branch sees it as inspiration but not something he has to chase.

“Long story short, just don’t think about it,” Branch said. “Don’t look for rankings, drafts, nothing like that. I just take every day, just use that day to get better. Just really focused on BYU right now. Not really focused on we know what’s next next year or anything like that. Honestly, I just want to win this year. I’m going to do everything in my power for us to do that.”

Holt was considered the No. 2 recruit in the country and was also a McDonald’s All-American. At one point he said he was looking forward to playing on Tuesdays and Fridays, but head coach Tommy Lloyd had to remind him that the Big 12 plays on different days.

“Yeah, yeah, every — two nights a week it’s probably going to be one of the biggest games of my life,” he said. “I’m looking forward to competing with the guys every night in the best conference in the country, honestly. Whatever day it is, Monday through Sunday.”

The TCU Tsunami

The TCU Horned Frogs women’s basketball team is used to success these days. The program has won two straight Big 12 regular-season titles, a Big 12 Tournament title and has reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament each of the last two seasons.

But this is a brand-new team in head coach Mark Campbell’s eyes. To build camaraderie and chemistry, he did what many coaches do — get his kids a foreign trip. In this case it was Toronto.

The Horned Frogs played games, practiced, got to know each other and endured what Campbell called a “tsunami.” It was a tsunami-like storm that dropped torrential rain on Toronto, something the locals considered to be a 100-year storm.

“We were doing a bike tour in Toronto and a tsunami hit,” Campbell said. “It’s one of those things, you can either kind of pout and it sucks or go jump in the puddles. Some of these guys were out there dancing and made the best of it. They had their ponchos on.”

The Horned Frogs were ranked No. 2 in the preseason poll behind Oklahoma State. While Olivia Miles and Marta Suarez are gone, TCU can lean on center Clara Silva as their lead player in 2026-27.

New Coaches in New Places

UCF’s Gabe Lazo is the only first-year women’s coach that spoke on Wednesday. He’s a Florida native who had just taken a job with LSU when the Knights moved on from Sytia Messer. That put him in a weird spot — should he stay at LSU or take the head-coaching job in his native state?

“It was a difficult conversation to have with coach Kim Mulkey, but it’s something you can’t say no to, right?” Lazo said.

He couldn’t. He took the job. It’s had a side benefit — Disney World is right down the road.

“I’ve been to Disney World six times in the last four months,” Lazo said. “I went to Disney World once as a kid. My mama loves Disney World. She’ll be here. She’ll be going to Disney World.”

TCU and West Virginia meet in Fort Worth for a Week 8 Big 12 matchup with both teams looking to build some momentum after picking up conference wins last weekend. The Horned Frogs are coming off a 17-6 victory over Baylor, while the Mountaineers finally broke through in Big 12 play with a wild 45-42 win over Cincinnati. Can TCU take care of business at home, or will Rich Rodriguez and West Virginia make it two straight? Here’s our prediction, pick and preview for TCU vs. West Virginia.

TCU vs. West Virginia Odds

• Spread: TCU -9.5
• Over/Under: 55.5
• Moneyline: TCU -330/West Virginia +260

Odds as of Tuesday afternoon. Odds are subject to change.

The Biggest Question: West Virginia’s Offense vs. TCU’s Defense?

This game pits TCU’s elite defense against West Virginia’s elite offense. The Horned Frogs are ranked No. 1 in scoring and total defense in the Big 12, giving up just 264 total yards per game, and 12.2 points per game. That defense was on display last week in an upset win over Baylor. Meantime, the Mountaineers did what they do best, score 40+ points and finally get in the win column in Big 12 play. WVU is No. 4 in scoring offense and No. 2 in total offense in the Big 12 Conference so far this season. And it’s not just on the ground, last week it was through the air, as Michael Hawkins Jr. threw for 464 yards and three touchdowns while adding 77 rushing yards in a win vs. Cincinnati.

TCU vs. West Virginia Prediction and Pick

Prediction: West Virginia 31, TCU 27

No doubt, the TCU defense has been solid, but how much has it been skewed by its competition thus far. The Horned Frogs are third in the FBS in scoring defense and seventh in total defense. But they’ve played inconsistent and mediocre offenses like Baylor, UCF, UNC and they took on BYU in a rain-soaked game where LJ Martin left with an injury. I think that perspective matters. They haven’t seen a Michael Hawkins or an offense that can score like WVU’s can.

Now can WVU stop anyone? That remains to be seen. Their defense is last in the Big 12, and by a wide margin. However, the Mountaineers have also already played some elite offenses like Arizona and Oklahoma State. They haven’t seen an offense like TCU’s that ranks at the bottom of the Big 12 in total offense and scoring offense.

Also, the Mountaineers might have more success defensively getting to the quarterback. WVU is in the Top 4 in sacks this season, while TCU has given up the most sacks (17) thus far in the league. In a game that will require TCU to keep up and put up points, it may open up an opportunity for the Mountaineers to actually, dare I say, make a play or two on defense that can flip this game in their favor.

Now to be transparent, he betting market disagrees. TCU opened as roughly a touchdown favorite and has been bet up to around 9.5 points at many sportsbooks, signaling confidence in the Horned Frogs despite their offensive struggles. However, I’m willing to fade that move here. TCU hasn’t faced an offense with the explosiveness of Michael Hawkins and West Virginia, and I believe the market is putting too much weight on the Mountaineers’ defensive deficiencies while overlooking TCU’s offensive limitations.

West Virginia wins. West Virginia covers.

Week 7 of the 2026 Big 12 football season was a historic week for the Big 12. BYU shocked Notre Dame, Houston and Oklahoma State played down to the wire, there was a walk-off win for West Virginia vs. Cincinnati, and the Big 12 now has three teams ranked inside the Top 10 of the AP Poll.

As we move deeper into October, the gap between the top and bottom of the Big 12 is becoming clearer. But figuring out the order near the top? That’s getting more difficult by the week.

So, after another wild Saturday across the conference, here’s where all 16 teams stand in our Big 12 Football Power Rankings after Week 7.

1. BYU Cougars (Last Week: No. 1)

BYU, you have the best win in college football after beating Notre Dame on Saturday night. And as a result, you remain No. 1 in our Power Rankings, and it’s not all that close. Bear Bachmeier should be a household name for college football fans, BYU deserves to be the favorite to win the Big 12, and the Big 12 should be a serious contender for two teams to make the College Football Playoff this year.

2. Houston Cougars (Last Week: No. 5)

This will be controversial, but I am giving Houston the nod over Texas Tech for No. 2 this week. The quality of win vs. Oklahoma State last week, compared to Tech boat racing a really bad Arizona State team is why I am giving the edge to UH. Houston’s Strength of Schedule is No. 44, while Texas Tech is No. 82. The two teams have played head-to-head, with Texas Tech winning by two, but at this point, that game was a month ago, and since then, Houston has been more consistent and beaten much better competition.

3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (Last Week: 4)

Texas Tech finally looked like the team we thought they could be this season with a dominant victory over Arizona State. But, was this game more about a get-right game for Tech or is Arizona State just that bad. They’ve lost their two Big 12 games by a total score of 108-44. For now, I’m putting Tech in the No. 3 slot.

4. Utah Utes (Last Week: No. 2)

The Utes continue to play with fire. Yes, they’re 6-0, but the resume is underwhelming, and Saturday night vs. Colorado did not help the cause. They dominated the first half, Colorado has more penalty yards than total yards, but somehow the Buffaloes led the game in the third quarter. Utah won, but something just feels a bit off the last couple of weeks.

5. Oklahoma State Cowboys (Last Week: No. 3)

The Oklahoma State Cowboys went to Houston and could not get the stops when they needed them, and also found themselves digging another first-half hole, and had to make a second-half comeback, which has become a too-frequent issue for the Pokes. They can’t keep needing second-half comebacks, especially as the competition improves. It bit them on Saturday.

No. 6: Arizona Wildcats (Last Week: No. 6)

Arizona continues to be the team that is quietly not getting enough attention. But they are ranked in the Top 25 this week following their bye week. Now, it’s home to Iowa State before a huge road game at Texas Tech next week.

No. 7: Iowa State Cyclones (Last Week: No. 9)

We now get into the messy part of the Power Rankings. Iowa State was off, but I’m moving them up. They have 3 losses, but they’re to BYU, Utah and Iowa. They also have a win over West Virginia, who just beat Cincinnati. So off the bye week, I’m sliding the Cyclones up to No. 7. But I admit, it’s a mess starting here.

No. 8: West Virginia Mountaineers (Last Week: No. 11)

West Virginia slides up three spots after beating Cincinnati on a walk-off field goal on Saturday. WVU is 1-3 in the league, but they have three losses to teams all ranked ahead of them in the Power Rankings. If only this team could find a semblance of a defense…

No. 9: Cincinnati Bearcats (Last Week: No. 8)

Cincinnati led for most of the game in Morgantown, except for when it mattered most. They put together a really good game, outgaining WVU, but they also couldn’t slow down Michael Hawkins Jr. to save their life. Now, they’re home to take on Texas Tech, which sets up all kinds of storylines ahead of Week 8.

No. 10: UCF Knights (Last Week: No. 10)

UCF was on a bye this week, but remains in the No. 10 slot in the Power Rankings. The Knights will get a crack at BYU this weekend, which … could be a letdown game for the Cougars?

No. 11: Kansas State Wildcats (Last Week: No. 12)

Death, taxes and a K-State win in the Sunflower Showdown. Kansas State moves up to No. 11 after beating Kansas on Saturday for the 18th-straight time. What else can you say? This series has been dominated one way for nearly two decades. There are soon-to-be KSU players who haven’t been alive for a KU win over K-State in football. Just wild.

No. 12: TCU Horned Frogs (Last Week: No. 16)

TCU’s defense remains one of the more underrated defenses in college football this season, and that was on display in a 17-6 win over Baylor on Saturday. The Horned Frogs get out of the basement thanks to a road win over their biggest rival. Well deserved.

No. 13: Baylor Bears (Last Week: No. 7)

Baylor plummets this week after being a sizable favorite against the Horned Frogs and losing this game at home in a poor showing for Dave Aranda’s squad. This is the kind of loss that gets Dave Aranda back on the hot seat, unless the Bears turn things around quickly this weekend at Kansas.

No. 14: Colorado Buffaloes (Last Week: No. 13)

Colorado falls one spot here. They played a very solid second half against Utah, but it doesn’t change the fact that this team still has a ton of issues, like penalties, that have just been problematic ever since Deion Sanders got the job. At some point, that’s just a problem that has to fall on the head coach, and not the players.

No. 15: Kansas Jayhawks (Last Week: No. 15)

Kansas went to Manhattan and blew a 17-7 lead to fall to Kansas State for an 18th-straight time. Kansas’ schedule only has one ranked team left on it (No. 2 BYU) and if they can’t get some wins here, it’s just a bad look for Lance Leipold in trying to convince the fan base he can get this program back to where it was just a few short years ago.

No. 16: Arizona State Sun Devils (Last Week: No. 14)

Arizona State, welcome to the basement. And it’s well deserved after losing their last two Big 12 games 108-44. The team is a mess on defense. They now have a quarterback controversy. And nothing seems to be working. 2024 feels like a long time ago.

Welcome to Week 8 of the Big 12 football season.

The BYU-Notre Dame matchup is the headliner, but several strong Big 12 games are part of the program this week, with two rivalries in the form of Kansas-Kansas State and Baylor-TCU reinforcing the weekend slate.

But those budget seats? Here’s a look at my top 3 Big 12 Budget Seats this weekend.

TCU at Baylor ($48)

Back home in Waco after a big win at Arizona State, Baylor is protecting its perfect 2-0 Big 12 start this weekend when TCU comes to town.

DJ Lagway continues to return to form following an early-season injury from the Auburn loss; The Florida transfer threw for 306 yards and 4 touchdowns last week in Tempe, and he’ll be a big test for a TCU defense that continues to impress despite its 2-3 record entering this matchup. Holding BYU to 17 points last week, the Frogs held Bear Bachmeier to just 62 total passing yards and weren’t too bad against the run, giving up 154 rushing yards and two Bachmeier rushing touchdowns in the one-score loss.

It’s a rivalry week for the Bears, and having this game at home certainly helps, but TCU is out to prove its name following a decent performance by Jaden Craig (18 for 25, 187 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) last week, as the Frogs navigate their scoring woes.

No. 18 Oklahoma State at No. 20 Houston ($47)

It’s a top-25 Big 12 matchup for Houston this week at home and arguably Oklahoma State’s biggest conference-play opportunity to date following wins at West Virginia and UCF at home.

Houston doesn’t necessarily give itself a home advantage attendance-wise, but they’re a 4.5-point favorite this week at home following an impressive 35-16 win at Kansas State, where Conner Weigman threw for 4 touchdowns.

Drew Mestemaker, subject to midseason honors already 1,575 yards into his Cowboy career, takes the talented OSU offense on the road as they look to defend a perfect 2-0 start to conference play.

Cincinnati at West Virginia ($42)

One of the slimmest spreads of the weekend, Cincinnati and West Virginia (1.5-point favorite) collide on Saturday in Morgantown.

Michael Hawkins Jr. and the Mountaineers are 0-3 to begin Big 12 play, but they’ll get a Bearcat offense that struggled to produce at previous rates last week at Arizona in a 34-7 loss for their first of the year. JC French IV is a capable passer, as demonstrated in tight matchups with Kansas State and Miami (Ohio), but he’ll walk into a tough road environment this week in search of a win.

Cincinnati leans heavily on its ground game, led by Gi’Bran Payne (392 yards, 62 yards), and they’ll certainly look that way again this week against the 98th rushing defense in the country; The Mountaineers cough up 163.8 rushing yards per game and have given up nine different rushing touchdowns already this season.

The mid-point of the 2026 college football season is this weekend and the Big 12 has some big games on the schedule. A Top 25 showdown. Two rivalry games. And a Top 10 showdown between Notre Dame and BYU. All kinds of good stuff this weekend. Each week here at Heartland College Sports I’ll point out three hot seat coaches going into the next slate of games. I’ll explain why for each. And remember — it’s not always about job security.

Sonny Dykes, TCU

Welcome back from the bye week, Sonny. Things cooled down in Fort Worth? No? Well, I guess that’s how it goes.

You know what cools the seat down? Winning. You’ve got a good chance on Saturday against Baylor. Your arch-rival. The Revivalry. It’s a great opportunity to right the ship — a little bit at least.

Baylor enters the game coming off a bye week but in much better shape. The Bears are undefeated in the Big 12 and, if things fall right, there’s a path for them to really shake up the race to the conference title game. A loss to TCU isn’t part of the plan.

Rivalry games can bring out the best in the team that is seen as down and that’s TCU. If Dykes can’t get his team out of this doom loop they’ve been in since Big 12 play began then that seat is only going to get hotter.

Deion Sanders, Colorado

So, to be clear. It wasn’t a playbook. It was a set of play sheets. Deion Sanders talked about the much-discussed play sheets that were reportedly found in a hotel bar before their game with Texas Tech. Among the nuggets:

“I don’t think we have a whole playbook.”

“Why would we [look into it]? It’s over.”

“We probably know a lot more than you think we do.”

“That happens sometimes.”

“We scored on the first drive, so I guess it didn’t work.”

Did he forget they lost 29-7? Perhaps the play this week against Utah is to just leave the whole game script in the hotel bar for the Utes to find? If so, I nominate Pasta Jay’s in downtown Boulder. Not a hotel bar but great, old-style Italian. Have the bison ravioli. Yum.

If Colorado loses to Utah, it will have lost four straight games. At what point does new athletic director Fernando Lovo start thinking about pulling the trigger?

I’m not sure what worries me more — that the play sheets were left in a bar or that Colorado doesn’t have a playbook?

Joey McGuire, Texas Tech

McGuire has been on this list before and like last time it’s not about job security. He’s not going anywhere.

The Red Raiders are coming off a bye week. He and his staff got two weeks to correct some of the issues that have ailed the offense. In terms of timing, this was a good place to take a break and get some things reset.

Based on that, the pressure is on. Bigger games are coming up against Arizona, Oklahoma State and Baylor. Every week the Red Raiders stay undefeated the bigger the target gets on their collective back. So far, they’ve handled it well. But handling that pressure week to week is tough.

But the “hot” part about his week is all on Tech’s part. Why? The Red Raiders went 8-1 in league play last year. Remember which team beat them? You know you do.

Arizona State. Don’t let the desire for revenge derail you from the overall goal, Raider Nation.

The Big 12 Conference released its men’s basketball preseason honors ahead of the league’s 2026 Basketball Media Days later this month at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year: Motiejus Krivas, Arizona

Back to lead Arizona following a Final Four run, Krivas returns to the Tommy Lloyd and Wildcats this season as a First Team All-Big 12 center and a member of the league’s All-Defensive Team. Krivas limited opponents to 36.7% whenever he touched the ball and chipped in 10.4 points (56.9%), 8.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game as a junior.

Preseason Newcomer of the Year: Paulius Murauskas, Arizona State

A top-10 transfer from St. Mary’s, Murauskas – a two-time All-West Coast Conference First Team forward – adds an instant presence to the Sun Devils this season following Randy Bennett’s departure for Tempe. Last season, Murauskas drew 18.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game as a junior at St. Mary’s

Preseason Freshman of the Year: Tyran Stokes, Kansas

Tapping Kansas over Kentucky, Stokes broke the internet with his Kansas commitment earlier this year and now becomes the second Jayhawk in a row, following Darryn Peterson, to net the Big 12’s preseason freshman honor. Stokes enters his first year of college basketball as the No. 1 high school prospect in the country; Stokes is a McDonald’s All-American and has three gold medals representing USA Basketball on the global stage.

2026-27 All-Big 12 Preseason Team

• Ivan Kharchenkov, Arizona

• Motiejus Krivas, Arizona

• Paulius Murauskas, Arizona State

• Robert Wright III, BYU

• Dedan Thomas Jr., Houston

• Joseph Tugler, Houston

•Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State

• Tyran Stokes, Kansas

• Xavier Edmonds, TCU

• JT Toppin, Texas Tech

The Big 12 Conference has some of the biggest games in the country this weekend, starting with a Top 25 matchup between two teams with Big 12 title aspirations. BYU hosts Notre Dame, while Oklahoma State travels to Houston. We also have two of the best rivalry games in the conference, with one taking place in Kansas and another in Texas.

As we enter Week 7, here are four teams that to me have the most to prove going into the weekend.

Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State has been one of the surprises of the season. With Drew Mestemaker at quarterback, the Cowboys have played their way into potential Big 12 contention. This week, Oklahoma State gets to prove that it belongs in that conversation.

The Cowboys are heading to Houston to take on the Cougars, another team with Big 12 title aspirations. But they’re where they were expected to be. The Cowboys were not.

The job is simple this week — the Cowboys must prove they belong in the conversation. If OSU wins, their next three games are favorable enough to allow the Cowboys to be 6-0 going into their Nov. 14 showdown with Texas Tech.

If they lose, well, the Cowboys are just part of the group that will have no margin for error the rest of the season.

Kansas State

The Kansas State Wildcats face the Kansas Jayhawks in the Sunflower Showdown this weekend. What does Kansas State need to prove? That the Wildcats aren’t going to take a nosedive.

Kansas State has lost its first two Big 12 games to Cincinnati and to Houston. While losing to your rival is never good, losing to Kansas this year would be especially bad. The Jayhawks have a losing record, head coach Lance Leipold might be on the hot seat, and the Wildcats haven’t lost this game in 16 years.

Nothing says bottoming out quite like losing to your rival for the first time in 16 years. Kansas State needs to prove that they’ve already hit rock bottom and are ready to bounce back up.

Baylor and TCU

We will pair Baylor and TCU this week since they’re playing one another. First, hats off to both schools for using “Revivalry” in their social accounts. We’re never going to call it the “Bluebonnet Battle.” That’s just ridiculous.

For Baylor, the prove it is simple. The Bears are undefeated in Big 12 play, they’re coming off a bye week and there’s an opportunity for to get through the first third of Big 12 play undefeated. The Bears want to prove they are a legitimate contender to get to the Big 12 Championship game. Baylor can’t afford to get tripped up in a rivalry game this weekend if that’s the goal.

For TCU, they must prove that their season isn’t about to fall off a cliff. The Horned Frogs are coming off a bye week and in case you need to be reminded they have yet to win a Big 12 game. They’ve lost to UCF and BYU. Maybe playing a team with a non-ubiquitous acronym will help?

If the Horned Frogs lose this game their Big 12 title hopes are done. And I’m not sure I would give them a puncher’s chance against West Virginia next weekend. You could even say the Horned Frogs’ bowl game hopes are on the line. Sonny Dykes job? We’ll see. Let’s play the game first.