The Big 12 race is starting to sort itself out, and the separation is showing up in a hurry. Some teams are building real momentum, some are hanging around, and a few are discovering just how hard this stretch of the season can be.
One of the clearest risers right now is Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are not just winning; they’re looking like a team that can decide the shape of this conference race.
Drew Mestmaker threw for more than 300 yards against UCF, and the defense answered after a few tackling issues by holding the Knights to seven second-half points while also scoring a defensive touchdown. That’s the formula working in real time: the offense piling on pressure, the defense delivering at the exact moments that matter.
Saturday’s game against Houston is the big hinge point. It’s Oklahoma State’s first matchup against a ranked opponent while ranked itself, and the stakes are obvious.
If the Cowboys handle business, they could roll into their Nov. 14 meeting with Texas Tech still undefeated in Big 12 play. If they slip, they’re still in the hunt, but the climb gets steeper fast.
Either way, their stock is moving up.
Arizona also earned a serious boost. The Wildcats went into Morgantown for a noon kickoff - 9 a.m. back in Tucson - and did it without three wide receivers.
None of that slowed them down. Arizona put up 51 points, Noah Fifita threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns, and Isaiah Mizell stepped into the spotlight with six catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns.
The defense gave up 31, but that number doesn’t carry the same weight against a West Virginia team that is built to score. With six games played and only one loss, to BYU, Arizona is very much in the mix for the Big 12 title game.
As long as Fifita keeps operating at this level, the Wildcats will have a chance.
Utah has climbed into the same conversation. Last weekend was the first time the Utes really had to deal with a push, and Kansas made them work for it.
Utah led only 21-17 at halftime, the Jayhawks challenged them in different ways, and the Utes had to adjust before finally pulling away after the break. The second-half response mattered.
So did Wayshawn Parker, who ripped off 171 yards and two touchdowns and now looks like the running back Utah should keep feeding. He’s done this before, too, helping close the door on an upset-minded opponent in Iowa State earlier in Big 12 play.
After coming in with some skepticism tied to the coaching change, Utah now looks to be in excellent shape.
Not every stock report is glowing, though. UCF is still stuck in a tough pattern away from home.
The Knights have now dropped 12 straight road games since beating TCU in their Big 12 debut in September of 2023. Scott Frost is the one who has to break that streak, and the reality is that his team keeps showing fight without finding a finish.
Against Oklahoma State, UCF was missing 10 players, including Alonza Barnett III and Duane Thomas Jr., and that kind of depletion leaves the offense with very little margin. The defensive line can only carry so much.
If the Knights can’t start turning these close road games into wins, a bowl berth is going to remain out of reach.
Kansas State is another team whose season is heading in the wrong direction. It’s unusual to look at the Wildcats and see a team that simply doesn’t look like Kansas State, but that’s where things stand.
Houston came in and controlled the game after a tight first quarter, and the biggest issue remains on the defensive side. The portal losses hit hard, Collin Klein worked to patch things together, but there just isn’t enough there right now.
That puts a lot on Avery Johnson and the offense, and it also raises the stakes for this weekend’s Sunflower Showdown against Kansas. Kansas State’s 17-year run in that rivalry is on the line.
BYU is in a strange spot in this discussion because the Cougars are still undefeated, but the injury to LJ Martin changes the temperature around the team. Bear Bachmeier turned in a huge performance, throwing for 329 yards and rushing for 109 more, and he pretty much carried the load.
That’s the problem. It’s hard to imagine asking him to do that every week.
BYU did get six other players involved in the run game, but Preston Rex led the non-Bear rushers with 21 years. The Cougars now have to find a real answer on the ground, and they need one quickly with No.
2 Notre Dame coming to town.
In Other News...
BYU Suddenly Has A Notre Dame Backfield Decision To Make
BYU got a notable backfield development this week when second-string running back Sione Moa was medically cleared to play and took part in practice ahead of the matchup with Notre Dame, according to offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick. Moa had been sidelined since suffering a knee injury in the season opener and undergoing surgery in September, so his return after five weeks points to a recovery that appears to have moved faster than many might have expected.
Sione Moas availability still isnt settled, though, and the Cougars are weighing whether he is ready for the physical demands that come with this particular game. For a BYU offense that could use added depth in the backfield, his status adds a real layer of intrigue heading into a high-profile test, with the staff having to decide how much to lean on a player who is back on the field but not yet a sure thing for Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
Clayton Young Just Gave BYU Fans A Stunning Reason To Celebrate
Less than a month after nursing a hamstring injury, Clayton Young gave BYU fans plenty to smile about at the Chicago Marathon. The former Cougar delivered a personal best, finished seventh overall and led all Americans in 2:05:23, turning in one of the most eye-catching performances by a U.S. runner in recent memory.
Young came up just short of the American record held by his training partner Conner Mantz, but the bigger story for BYU supporters is how quickly he bounced back and how well he handled the recovery process. He took a cautious route, tested the hamstring in training runs before signing up to race, and then showed he was ready for the biggest stage with a result that should only add to the buzz around the program. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Just Landed A Huge Recruiting Opportunity With A Five-Star Wing
BYU is set to get a major look in the recruitment of AJ Williams, one of the top wings in the 2027 class, when the five-star prospect arrives in Provo on October 15. Williams, a 6-foot-7 standout from Eagles Landing Christian Academy, has trimmed his list to 10 schools and already taken several visits, putting the Cougars firmly in the mix at a time when every impression matters.
What makes this trip especially noteworthy is how much momentum BYU appears to have already built in the race for a player ranked No. 5 in his class. No decision date has been announced, but with Williams still weighing a handful of top options and an early signing period looming in November 2026, the Cougars now have a chance to strengthen their standing on the kind of recruit that can change the outlook of a class. [Read more 🡒]