Week 6 is where the Big 12 starts to separate a little. The league has already packed in enough drama to make the standings feel crowded, but this weekend brings a stretch of games that can push a few teams into the spotlight and knock others back into the middle of the pack.
The headliners are easy to spot. Iowa State goes to BYU in Provo in one of the weekend’s biggest games, with the Cougars trying to stay unbeaten in Big 12 play and the Cyclones chasing a road win that would say plenty about where they stand.
In Manhattan, Kansas State hosts Texas Tech in another heavyweight matchup with Arlington on everyone’s mind. Both teams enter Week 6 with their eyes firmly set on the Big 12 Championship Game, and the margin for mistakes is already getting thin.
Elsewhere, Oklahoma State is back home after another strong offensive showing and will try to keep its place among the conference’s top contenders against UCF. The Knights have flashed enough to make this one interesting, but they’ll need a clean performance to test a Cowboys team with title goals.
Arizona heads to West Virginia in a game that gives both teams a chance to grab some momentum in conference play. The Wildcats are leaning on one of the Big 12’s top quarterbacks, while the Mountaineers will try to protect home field and stay in the race.
Kansas also gets a difficult trip, heading west to face Utah in one of its toughest games of the season. The Utes have already established themselves as one of the league’s best teams, and the Jayhawks are looking for a road win that could give them some traction in Big 12 play.
And in another matchup with a very different feel, Arizona State stays home for what is hoped to be a get-right game against 1-4 Hawaii. The Sun Devils are coming off a 55-19 loss to Baylor last week and will be looking to steady themselves.
In Other News...
UCF Faces A Brutal Test To Keep Its Offense Alive Against Oklahoma State
The offense has been forced to adjust in a hurry as UCF heads into a daunting matchup with No. 18 Oklahoma State, and the latest injury report only sharpens the challenge. Starting quarterback Alonza Barnett III and center Jacob Maiava are both out, leaving the Knights to piece together an attack that has already had to deal with more than its share of shuffling up front.
Backup quarterback Keyone Jenkins is probable and has played well recently, which gives UCF at least some stability at the most important spot. The plan is to lean on the run game to help Jenkins and offset the issues along the offensive line, though there is a small opening for another lift if wide receiver Duane Thomas Jr., now questionable, is able to get back into the mix after sitting out all season. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Heads Into A Trickier Oklahoma State Test Than Fans Realize
The trip to Stillwater looks a lot more complicated than the record might suggest for UCF, because Oklahoma State is no longer the same team that bottomed out a year ago. Under new coach Eric Morris, the Cowboys have been rebuilt in a more organized, more disciplined way, and the early returns have been enough to make them look like a far sturdier Big 12 test than the average October road game.
What has made the turnaround work is a defense that can punish mistakes and an offense that is still trying to iron out some of the finer points. Quarterback turnovers remain a concern, third-down production has been uneven, and the red zone has been a persistent issue, all of which gives UCF a chance to keep the game tight if it handles the ball cleanly. Even so, Matthew Postins read on the matchup is clear enough: this is not a soft landing spot for a team trying to keep its conference footing steady. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona State Sits In A Stretch That Could Define Colorados Bowl Push
Arizona States place on Colorados remaining schedule is part of what makes this stretch so unforgiving for the Buffaloes. At 2-3 heading into a bye, Colorado is trying to map out a path to bowl eligibility, and the calendar leaves little margin for error with UCF, Kansas State, Cincinnati, Houston and Oklahoma State still ahead, along with the Sun Devils and three ranked opponents lurking in the mix.
The next few weeks will tell the story of whether Colorado can steady both sides of the ball against a run of opponents that bring different problems, from home-field tests to difficult matchups against more complete teams. Arizona State is one of the games that helps define the rest of the season, because the Buffaloes are already deep enough into a tough slate that every remaining Saturday starts to feel like a referendum on whether the bowl push is still realistic. [Read more 🡒]