Week 2 shook up the Big 12 quarterback race, and Arizona State’s Cutter Boley is still sitting at the top of the passing-yardage chart after another busy day through the air. Even with two interceptions, Boley kept piling up numbers and remains the conference leader with 641 passing yards.
A few other quarterbacks made their mark over the weekend, too. TCU’s Jaden Craig answered a quiet opener in Ireland with a huge bounce-back against Grambling, throwing for nearly 400 yards and four touchdowns after managing just 175 passing yards and no scores against North Carolina. Colorado’s Julian Lewis also put together a strong outing, finishing with 366 passing yards and four touchdowns.
Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker, who wasn’t on the passing touchdowns list last week, jumped right onto it after leading the Cowboys to a win over No. 6 Oregon.
Mestemaker threw three touchdown passes in Oklahoma State’s first win of the season. Kansas State’s Avery Johnson matched that kind of production as well, tossing three touchdown passes in the Wildcats’ win over Washington State.
Noah Fifita and Arizona also played BYU tight in the first Big 12 matchup of the season, and his numbers kept him near the top of the conference passing leaderboard.
Here are the Big 12’s passing-yardage leaders after Week 2:
- Cutter Boley, Arizona State - 641
- Jaden Craig, TCU - 566
- Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State - 558
- Noah Fifita, Arizona - 509
- Julian Lewis, Colorado - 490
- Will Hammond, Texas Tech - 487
- Devon Dampier, Utah - 437
- Conner Weigman, Houston - 425
- Bear Bachmeier, BYU - 415
- Isaiah Marshall, Kansas - 414
And here’s the updated passing-touchdown list:
- Cutter Boley, Arizona State - 8
- Avery Johnson, Kansas State - 6
- Bear Bachmeier, BYU - 6
- Julian Lewis, Colorado - 5
- Devon Dampier, Utah - 5
- Isaiah Marshall, Kansas - 4
- Jaden Craig, TCU - 4
- Conner Weigman, Houston - 4
In Other News...
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It was her fourth career Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honor and her first this season, another sign that Leyba remains a central figure for Colorados attack. She also moved to 83 career points, which puts her fifth on the programs all-time scoring list, and gives the Buffaloes even more reason to keep watching how high her final chapter can climb. [Read more 🡒]
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The next two road games will say plenty about whether this group is just off to a decent start or capable of something bigger. Northwestern and Baylor offer very different kinds of tests, and handling both would go a long way toward keeping Colorado on a path that could actually lead to bowl eligibility and a more meaningful season. For a team trying to prove the early results are real, this stretch feels like the hinge point. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Is Still Holding Back On Julian Lewis For Now
Julian Lewis breakout against Weber State gave Colorado a fresh look at what the future could hold at quarterback, but Deion Sanders is not in any hurry to change the plan. The Buffaloes coach pointed to Lewis limited experience at this level and framed the young quarterbacks growth as a process, not a sprint, even as his recent play has given the offense a new jolt of energy.
Lewis is already starting to show the kind of leadership that matters beyond the box score, too, whether it is taking the offensive line out to eat or leaning into the daily work that comes with being the face of the position. Offensive coordinator Brennan Marion has praised Lewis arm strength, while also stressing that the next step is sharpening the habits and details that separate a talented quarterback from a fully trusted one. [Read more 🡒]