Week 7 gives the Big 12 a little bit of everything: a massive non-conference showcase, two ranked league games, and rivalry matchups that can still flip the conference race on its head. It’s the kind of weekend that can reshape the conversation fast, and the headliner is obvious.
No. 8 BYU against No.
2 Notre Dame sits at the top of the board for a reason. BYU has been one of the season’s biggest surprises, while Notre Dame carries the national profile and College Football Playoff expectations that always travel with that brand.
The quarterback battle alone makes this one worth circling, but the bigger draw is how both teams have already shown they can win in different ways. BYU has found answers in multiple styles, and Notre Dame has leaned on the physicality and depth that separate elite programs from the pack.
Put that on a national stage with the spotlight turned all the way up, and it’s easy to see why this is the game everyone will be watching.
The second ranked showdown on the schedule deserves plenty of attention too. No.
18 Oklahoma State heads to No. 20 Houston in a meeting that brings real heat to the Big 12 weekend.
Oklahoma State’s offense has caught fire in recent weeks, with Drew Mestemaker emerging as one of college football’s top quarterbacks. Houston has its own weapon in Connor Weigman, who may be the most underrated quarterback in the country.
Both teams arrive playing some of their best football of the year, and if Houston fans were waiting for a game to make the stadium shake, this is it.
Rivalry games are never just background noise, and TCU at Baylor is proof. TCU’s season may not be living up to its usual standard, but this matchup still carries plenty of weight inside the conference.
Recent meetings have been full of points, though this one may not follow that script. Baylor comes in as one of the few unbeaten teams in Big 12 play, and it has a chance to further solidify its place in the race.
Then there’s Kansas at Kansas State, another rivalry game with no shortage of edge. The Sunflower Showdown has belonged to Kansas State in recent years, but this is the sort of spot where Kansas can make the night uncomfortable.
Both teams are coming off losses, which gives the meeting even more urgency. The simple question hanging over it: Can the Jayhawks finally snap the streak?
Cincinnati at West Virginia doesn’t carry the same title stakes, but it has more intrigue than it first appears to. Cincinnati has only one loss, though it’s coming off a heavy defeat to Arizona.
West Virginia is in a similar spot after Arizona handled the Mountaineers with ease last week. Both teams need a response, and with defensive questions on both sides, this one could turn into a track meet in Morgantown.
Arizona State at No. 10 Texas Tech looked better on paper before the season than it does now.
Arizona State has lost some of its shine after being blown out by Baylor two weeks ago and struggling against Hawaii last weekend. Texas Tech has issues of its own, but the Red Raiders still have a major edge in talent and should be in command for most of the afternoon.
Finally, No. 11 Utah at Colorado carries an unusual number attached to it: a road favorite by more than two touchdowns.
That says plenty about the gap between the two teams right now. Utah has played like one of the best teams in the Big 12, maybe the best, and looks set to keep rolling.
Colorado, meanwhile, has been sliding in recent weeks. Unless the Buffaloes suddenly find something they’ve been missing all season, Utah should head into Boulder and leave with a comfortable win.
In Other News...
Kansas Fans Already Have A New Reason To Debate Bill Selfs Roster
The Big 12 mens basketball preseason poll has already given Kansas fans something to chew on before the first real tip, with the Jayhawks slotted third behind Arizona and Houston. It is a familiar kind of early-season pressure for Bill Selfs program, especially with Arizona picked first and Houston second in a setup that mirrors the leagues final standings from last year.
For a fan base that measures almost every preseason projection against championship expectations, the ranking is bound to spark the usual roster debate around where Kansas stands and how quickly this group can prove itself. The Jayhawks will get their first look in an exhibition game against Pitt State at Allen Fieldhouse, a chance to start answering some of those questions before the season begins in earnest. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Heads Into Sunflower Showdown Missing Key Pieces Again
Kansas heads into Saturdays Sunflower Showdown still piecing together its lineup, with wide receiver Keaton Kubecka and cornerback Syeed Gibbs both ruled out for the matchup with Kansas State. It is another reminder of how thin the Jayhawks have had to manage parts of this season, and it comes at a time when the rivalry game carries extra weight for both sides.
Both teams are chasing their first Big 12 win, which only adds to the urgency in a series that already tends to bring out plenty of edge. Kansas State also has a key status to monitor, with tight end Garrett Oakley listed as questionable, leaving at least one more notable absence unresolved as kickoff approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Self's Early Message To Two Key Kansas Returnees
Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White have spent the early stages of Kansas preseason trying to catch up, but both are now practicing with the Jayhawks and are expected to make their unofficial return in an upcoming exhibition game against Pitt State. They arrived after the rest of the roster had already been training since June, which has given Bill Self and his staff a little extra time to ease them into the flow rather than rushing the process.
Self said neither player will start the exhibition, but he made it clear the Jayhawks view both as important additions. For a team trying to get everyone on the same page before the games start to count, getting Council and White integrated now matters almost as much as their eventual production once the real rotation takes shape. [Read more 🡒]