After Week 7 shook up the Big 12, Week 8 brings a slate that should tell us plenty about where the league stands. There are big tests everywhere: Houston traveling to Salt Lake City to meet Utah, UCF hosting BYU, and a handful of teams trying to prove last week was a turning point rather than a tease.
BYU is the headline act in that group, and the timing is tricky. The Cougars are coming off a massive win over Notre Dame and now have to go east to Orlando to face UCF.
The Knights are only 3-3, but the record doesn’t tell the whole story. They’ve battled through an injury list that seems like it’s seven pages long, and they’ve shown enough fight to make this a dangerous spot.
The Bounce House is usually loud, and with BYU entering as the No. 2 team in the country, the atmosphere should be heavy. The real question is simple: can the Cougars dodge the classic letdown?
Texas Tech offers a different kind of test. Last week against Arizona State, the Red Raiders finally looked like the team many expected them to be, and they did it by playing a full four quarters.
That mattered because their slow starts had become a running theme. It was only a matter of time before that habit burned them.
This week, though, they’re on the road at Cincinnati, where the Bearcats are struggling. The issue isn’t whether Tech can win - it’s which version shows up early.
The one that took over last weekend, or the one that kept waiting too long in previous games?
Utah gets its first real measuring stick of the season. The Utes have earned plenty of praise, and they may be the most complete team in the Big 12, but their schedule hasn’t exactly forced them into deep water yet.
They haven’t faced a team with a record above .500, and Iowa State is the only opponent sitting at 3-3. That changes now with top-15 Houston coming to town.
Connor Weigman is one of the best quarterbacks in the conference, and Houston’s defense may be the best Utah has seen so far. That matchup should say a lot about whether the Utes are the real deal.
In Fort Worth, TCU is dealing with a very different kind of challenge. The Horned Frogs’ offense has been one of the worst in the Big 12, but their defense has quietly been one of the best.
Statistically, it’s a top-three unit. Now they draw their toughest offensive test yet in West Virginia.
Michael Hawkins Jr. and Cam Cook are two of the conference’s best players, and this game should turn into a real style clash. The question is whether TCU’s defense can hold up when the pressure ramps up.
Baylor is the team with the most urgency hanging over it. Dave Aranda’s seat is getting hotter after the Bears’ ugly 17-6 loss to TCU, and a few weeks ago it looked possible they could reach November undefeated in Big 12 play.
That idea feels a lot shakier now. Baylor was already staring at a difficult finish with BYU, Texas Tech, and Houston left on the schedule, but after losing to TCU, the losses could pile up fast.
This weekend against Kansas has the feel of a must-win for Aranda and the Bears.
In Other News...
Baylor's Guards Could Expose Illinois In A Way Fans Notice
Illinois has already shown some early cracks against dynamic perimeter scorers, and Baylors backcourt is the kind of group that can turn those issues into a bigger talking point. In exhibition play, Cincinnatis Tylen Riley piled up 31 points and 13 assists against the Illini, while Baylor guard Kayden Mingo went for 31 in an overtime win over Florida, a reminder of how much damage a confident, high-volume guard can do when the defense struggles to stay in front.
For Baylor, that creates an opening worth watching whenever these teams meet. The Bears do not need a perfect offensive night to stress Illinois if their guards can get downhill, create space and force the kind of reactions that have already given the Illini trouble. The bigger question is whether Illinois has the personnel to keep that from becoming a recurring problem once the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Baylors Offense Is Back Under Pressure Heading Into Kansas
Baylors offense has quickly become a focal point again after a rough showing against TCU left the Bears looking out of sync in all the places they can least afford it. The run game never found footing, the line had trouble creating space, and the passing attack did not provide enough relief, leaving Dave Aranda and offensive coordinator Jake Spavital with plenty to sort out before Kansas comes to town.
The concerns stretch beyond one bad afternoon because the issues were spread across the operation, from the protection up front to the way the receivers created separation and the accuracy from quarterback DJ Lagway. With Kansas next, Baylor does not just need a cleaner script - it needs a response that shows the problems were a one-game setback and not a deeper trend. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor May Have A Maryland Opportunity Worth Watching Closely
Marylands coaching search has already created a situation worth monitoring from Waco, even before any player makes a move. Once the Terps hire a permanent head coach, their roster will get a 15-day window for players to enter the Transfer Portal, and Baylor is the kind of program that could be in the mix if some familiar names decide they want a fresh start.
Among the players tied to that possibility are Malik Washington, Zion Elee and Darrell Carey, each of whom could make sense for Baylor in different ways based on what the Bears need and what their current staff values. None of it is real until those decisions are made, but with no Maryland players in the portal yet, it is the sort of recruiting subplot Baylor fans will want to keep an eye on as the coaching dominoes keep falling. [Read more 🡒]