Week 8 left the Big 12 looking every bit like the jammed-up, hard-to-read league it has been all fall, but the latest shuffle still produced a few clear winners and losers. Utah remains the conference’s lone unbeaten team, six Big 12 programs are sitting in the AP Top 25, Baylor made a coaching change, and the stretch run is officially here. Against that backdrop, a few teams helped their case in a big way while others took a hard hit.
UCF belongs at the top of the rising list after grinding out an overtime win over BYU. The Knights had to claw for everything in a game that never came easy, and that mattered even more considering how they’ve been piecing things together without quarterback Alonzo Barnett III.
It’s the kind of win that can steady a season and give Scott Frost’s team a real foundation to build on. If Barnett returns, UCF has a path to bowl eligibility.
Cincinnati also made noise in a way that should echo around the rest of the conference. The Bearcats came out and controlled Texas Tech from the start, turning what many expected to be a difficult matchup into a statement performance.
For a team still trying to prove itself in the Big 12 race, that kind of win matters. It also dented Texas Tech’s title hopes in the process.
Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield kept his comments measured afterward, but the result had to feel good all the same.
Arizona rounds out the stock-up group, and the Wildcats deserve it. A lot of people figured last year’s nine-win season might be the ceiling, but Brent Brennan’s team has kept pushing instead of slipping backward.
With Noah Fifita helping steer the offense, Arizona looks at least as good in some areas as it did a year ago. The win over Iowa State was decisive, and it kept the Wildcats squarely in the conversation for a Big 12 championship game spot.
They’ve also got a tough stretch ahead, with Texas Tech this weekend and Utah two weekends from now, but that only adds to the importance of where they stand now.
The hard fall starts with Baylor, which officially moved on from Dave Aranda on Sunday. The Bears looked like a surprise contender not long ago, but the blocked game-winning field goal against Kansas changed the mood fast.
Baylor’s stock cratered with the firing, and the rest of the season now figures to be a rough ride in Waco. Aranda earned respect across the conference, and the expectation is that he’ll land on his feet, possibly as a defensive coordinator in the SEC next year.
For Baylor, though, the search for the next leader is front and center.
Colorado is another team whose stock took a real hit. Against Oklahoma State, the Buffaloes were sharp in the first half and then completely lost the script after one mistake on the first play of the second half.
They went from 24 points before halftime to nothing after it, and the swing in momentum was as dramatic as anything seen all year. The defense remains solid, even if the game numbers won’t reflect that here, but the offense has become too inconsistent to trust.
The concern now is bigger than one loss.
Iowa State also slides down after a poor showing against Arizona. The Cyclones usually bring some level of fight, even in rough stretches, but that wasn’t there this time.
They lacked energy, they lacked consistency, and the result was one of their worst performances in a long time. Benching quarterback Jaylen Raynor only added to the sense that things are off right now.
A Halloween game against Oklahoma State offers a chance to respond, but at the moment Iowa State is looking more and more like a team headed for a bowl-game miss.
In Other News...
Baylors UCF Prep Just Got More Complicated Than It Looked
UCFs latest availability report adds another layer to Baylors preparation for Saturday, with quarterback Keyone Jenkins cleared to start after going through concussion protocol. For a Bears defense already trying to get ready for a different look on the other side, that matters. It means Baylor has to account for a healthy starting quarterback while also tracking a roster that is still being shuffled around elsewhere.
The Knights will be without starting safety Demari Henderson and cornerback DJ Bell, and that leaves some uncertainty on the back end even as the offense gets a potential boost. Up front, Jacob Maiava and Owen Spell could be back, while Tyler Gibson is out, and other names including Duane Thomas Jr. and Caleb Rollerson are still sitting in the probable-or-questionable range. For Baylor, the picture is clear enough to know this wont be a clean opponent-prep week, but not clear enough to know exactly what UCF will look like when the game kicks off. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Klanderman Sends Baylor A Clear Message After Sudden Coaching Change
Baylors newest coach stepped into his first media availability with a lot to unpack, and Joe Klanderman leaned straight into the reality of the moment. He talked through why he decided to join the program, how the players handled the sudden coaching change, and why his first job is to bring both energy and stability to a group that has had to absorb a major jolt.
Klanderman also made clear he understands the challenge ahead, both on the field and around the program. He stressed being accessible, staying engaged with the community and helping the Bears settle in after an abrupt departure that left its mark, a reminder that this season now carries as much about adjustment as it does about results. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Suddenly Enters The Lincoln Riley Coaching Carousel Talk
Lincoln Rileys name has quickly slipped into the discussion around Baylors opening as the coaching carousel starts to spin again, with USCs recent loss and uneven play putting fresh attention on his long-term future in Los Angeles. The chatter has also widened beyond Waco, with TCU mentioned as another possible Big 12 landing spot if Riley ever decides a change is needed, a reminder of how fast speculation can build when a high-profile program stumbles.
For Baylor, the connection is mostly about the kind of coach the program could dream about if the right opportunity ever opened up. Riley has long been viewed as one of the sports most recognizable offensive minds, and insiders have pointed to previous interest as part of the reason his name keeps surfacing in Big 12 conversations. The immediate answer may come from USCs side, where the upcoming Ohio State game looms large and could shape how secure Riley feels in his current job. [Read more 🡒]