Welcome to Week 8 of the Big 12 football season, and the league’s schedule has a little bit of everything this weekend.
BYU-Notre Dame is the biggest name on the board, but the Big 12 still has plenty to sell, with Kansas-Kansas State and Baylor-TCU giving the slate some extra edge. If you’re hunting for value instead of splurging, there are a few tickets that stand out.
TCU at Baylor is the cheapest of the bunch at $48, and it comes with both momentum and intrigue. Baylor returns to Waco after a big win at Arizona State, carrying a perfect 2-0 start in Big 12 play into a rivalry game on its home field.
DJ Lagway is also trending in the right direction after an early-season injury in the Auburn loss. The Florida transfer threw for 306 yards and four touchdowns last week in Tempe, and he’ll be challenged by a TCU defense that has been better than its 2-3 record suggests.
The Frogs held BYU to 17 points last week, limited Bear Bachmeier to just 62 total passing yards, and were steady enough against the run in a one-score loss, allowing 154 rushing yards and two Bachmeier rushing touchdowns. TCU is still trying to sort out its scoring issues, but it did get a decent line from Jaden Craig last week - 18 completions on 25 attempts for 187 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
No. 18 Oklahoma State at No.
20 Houston is the priciest budget option at $47, and it may be the most compelling matchup of the three. Houston, which is a 4.5-point favorite at home, is coming off an impressive 35-16 win at Kansas State, where Conner Weigman threw for four touchdowns.
The Cougars don’t always get much of a home-field edge in terms of crowd size, but this is still a top-25 conference game with real weight to it. Oklahoma State enters with its own story line, as Drew Mestemaker and the Cowboy offense take a perfect 2-0 Big 12 start on the road after conference wins at West Virginia and against UCF at home.
Mestemaker already has 1,575 yards this season and is in line for midseason honors attention.
Then there’s Cincinnati at West Virginia, the tightest line of the weekend and the cheapest seat on the list at $42. West Virginia is a 1.5-point favorite in Morgantown, even though the Mountaineers are 0-3 to open Big 12 play under Michael Hawkins Jr.
Cincinnati comes in after a rough 34-7 loss at Arizona, its first dip from the production level it had been carrying earlier in the year. JC French IV has shown he can handle pressure, including in close games against Kansas State and Miami (Ohio), but this trip sets up as a difficult road ask.
The Bearcats still want to lean on the run game, with Gi’Bran Payne leading the way, and that approach should be in play again against a West Virginia defense ranked 98th against the run. The Mountaineers are giving up 163.8 rushing yards per game and have already allowed nine rushing touchdowns.
In Other News...
Houston Faces A Tough Formula To Upset Oklahoma State
Houstons path to an upset in Stillwater starts with making Oklahoma State uncomfortable. The Cowboys offense leans on quarterback Drew Mestemakers ability to stay on schedule, while receiver Wyatt Young adds another layer of difficulty because he can move around and force the Cougars to sort things out on the fly. For Houston, the first order of business is simple in theory and difficult in practice: tackle cleanly, avoid giving up easy yards, and make the Cowboys earn every bit of space they get.
The challenge only grows when Caleb Hawkins gets rolling, because Oklahoma State can turn a routine run into a much bigger problem if the first wave of tacklers does not finish the play. On the other side, Houstons own offense has to manage pass rusher Jaleel Johnson while still looking for chances to attack outside and create some balance. It is the kind of game where a few missed stops or one clean pocket at the wrong time can tilt everything, and that leaves the Cougars with a thin margin for error if they want to pull this off. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Secondary Faces Its Biggest Test Yet Against Oklahoma State
The No. 20 Cougars head into a significant home matchup with No. 18 Oklahoma State carrying a defense that has quietly started to settle in, especially on the back end. Houstons secondary has looked better of late and brings experienced pieces to the field, which matters in a game of this size and in a league where one busted coverage can change everything in a hurry.
Oklahoma State brings a dangerous challenge into town, with quarterback Drew Mestemaker directing an offense that has been one of the more productive units in the Big 12. For Houston, this is the kind of test that can sharpen a defenses identity, and the Cougars will need their secondary to keep matching routes, contesting throws and holding up under the pressure of a top-tier conference opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Willie Fritz Is Making A Big Home Field Push For Houston
Willie Fritz is treating Houstons next home date like more than just another October game. With the Cougars sitting in the top 20, the program is leaning hard into the atmosphere around the Oct. 17 matchup at TDECU Stadium, hoping a packed house can help turn a big Big 12 showdown into a true home-field edge. Senior defensive back Jordan Allen joined the push as Houston looks to give fans plenty of reasons to show up early and stay loud.
Houston Athletics is layering in a full-night experience to match the stakes. The home slate against a ranked opponent will include discounted beers, a pregame concert in Cougar Alley, a drone show at halftime and during quarter breaks, and a $1,000 student scholarship giveaway during the game, all aimed at making the building feel as energized as the moment demands. [Read more 🡒]