Big 12 football is back Saturday with a packed Week 5 slate, and the conference’s best value spots are spread across a handful of matchups that could easily shake up the league picture.
No. 10 BYU and No.
12 Texas Tech still sit near the top of the Big 12 conversation, but this week’s budget-friendly games give several other teams a chance to grab attention. Here are the best seats that won’t cost much in Week 5.
No. 10 BYU at TCU ($31)
BYU heads to Fort Worth looking to keep its perfect record intact, while TCU tries to avoid an 0-2 start in Big 12 play for the first time since 2022. The Cougars are favored by 6.5 points in most sportsbooks and are also trying to flip the script in a series where they’ve gone just 2-4 all-time against the Horned Frogs.
Last year’s matchup went the other way for TCU in a big way, with BYU rolling 44-13 in Provo. This time, the Cougars bring one of the nation’s top rushing attacks, powered by LJ Martin, into a matchup with Jaden Craig and a TCU offense that has had trouble taking care of the ball through four games.
TCU has usually risen to the occasion against top-10 opponents, and the Horned Frogs are hoping home field helps them clean things up on defense after a 21-13 loss at UCF. That game included seven different stops for TCU, along with two forced fumbles by cornerback Vernon Glover Jr. and safety Kylin Jackson.
West Virginia at Iowa State ($23)
This one comes with one of the tightest lines on the board, and both teams are trying to bounce back after last week’s losses.
West Virginia’s tempo offense, led by quarterback Michael Hawkins, presents a major challenge for an Iowa State defense that allowed 31 points to Utah at home in Ames last weekend. On the other side, the Cyclones will look to quarterback Jaylen Raynor and primary rusher Aiden Flora to do enough offensively to keep pace with the Mountaineers on Saturday.
Baylor at Arizona State ($17)
The cheapest ticket in the group comes with a late-night feel and a matchup that could turn into a shootout. Baylor and Arizona State both have offenses capable of getting past 30 points, and the Sun Devils are favored by just 3.5 points.
Arizona State comes in after taking advantage of Kansas mistakes two weeks ago in London and enters this one a little fresher than Baylor. DJ Lagway threw for 221 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in last week’s 23-13 home win over Colorado in Waco, and his return to form remains the key storyline for the Bears as they face a tough Arizona State secondary.
Baylor also has another path to making noise if the pass rush can get home. Cutter Boley completed only 11 passes against Kansas in Week 3 and was sacked twice, so that part of the game could matter a lot when these teams kick off Saturday.
In Other News...
Iowa State May Have Found The Playmaker Its Offense Needed
Cody Jacksons breakthrough in the 45-42 win over West Virginia gave Iowa State a new layer of explosiveness at a time when the offense needed one. The transfer receiver went from no catches in his first two games to a 160-yard afternoon, giving quarterback Jaylen Raynor a reliable downfield option as Raynor put together a career-high 264 passing yards and a touchdown.
The Cyclones also got plenty of help elsewhere, with Aiden Flora powering the ground game with three rushing touchdowns and Ryver Peppers returning from injury to add depth at running back. It was the kind of balanced showing that can change the feel of an offense, especially with several players also matching or tying career highs in tackles and receptions. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa States Childhood Teammates Are Delivering At The Perfect Time
Aiden Flora and Vince Benetti gave Iowa State another reminder of how quickly a season can turn on familiar faces. The former little league teammates hooked up on a two-yard touchdown pass in the recent win over West Virginia, helping the Cyclones survive a 45-42 shootout and keep momentum rolling at a time when they need it most.
Flora was at the center of it all, scoring five total touchdowns and continuing to lead the team in rushing yards, while Benetti has emerged as the Cyclones top touchdown pass catcher. With injuries piling up as Iowa State gets ready for BYU and Arizona, the timing could hardly be better for a connection that already feels like part of the teams identity. [Read more 🡒]
Aiden Flora Just Changed How Dangerous Iowa State Looks
Week 5 in the Big 12 offered another reminder that Iowa States ceiling may be rising as the season settles in, and Aiden Flora was at the center of it. His standout game gave the Cyclones a different kind of threat to account for, the sort that can force defenses to adjust their plans and change the way a matchup feels from the opening series.
For Iowa State, that matters because the league is already crowded with teams trying to separate themselves, from Texas Techs defensive grind in its win over Colorado to Baylors steady position in the mix. TCUs offensive issues under Sonny Dykes only sharpen the picture, and Floras emergence gives the Cyclones a new variable as the conference race starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]