Week 2 is already throwing the Big 12 into the deep end.
After a chaotic opening weekend, the conference gets a schedule packed with non-conference tests and even the first league game of the 2026 season. Kansas is stepping into its first real measuring stick against Missouri.
Arizona State is walking into Kyle Field. Iowa State and Arizona both have games that could say a lot about where they really stand.
And Oklahoma State, after a rough start, has to show some actual pulse.
Kansas is the biggest early curiosity because there’s still so much to sort out. The Jayhawks have gone 5-7 in back-to-back seasons, and roster churn has kept them from finding much consistency on either side of the ball.
This year brings a familiar face back into the mix with Andy Kotelnicki returning as offensive coordinator, and Isaiah Marshall now takes over at quarterback after Jalon Daniels’ departure from Lawrence. That setup gives Kansas a different look, but Missouri is a serious early barometer.
The Tigers may not be the SEC’s elite, but if Kansas can beat a ranked Missouri team in the Border War, the conversation around the Jayhawks changes fast.
Oklahoma State is in a different kind of spotlight. The offseason chatter centered on the Cowboys’ offense taking a big step forward, but the opener against Tulsa produced only 10 points and left more doubts than answers.
In a twist, the defense may have actually looked better than the unit that was supposed to carry the load. Now comes Oregon, with Oklahoma State installed as a 20-plus-point underdog at home.
The Ducks had their own scare against Boise State last weekend, so Dan Lanning should have his team locked in. No one is asking Oklahoma State to suddenly turn into a track meet machine, but it does need to show something on offense.
If Drew Mestemaker and the rest of that group look just as lost as they did against Tulsa, the questions in Stillwater are going to get louder in a hurry.
Arizona State presents a different kind of storyline. Earlier this week, Cutter Boley was mentioned as a quarterback who could wind up as one of the Big 12’s best after throwing six touchdown passes in his debut in Tempe.
That came after the Sun Devils lost Sam Leavitt, which was a major hit, especially considering what he did against Clemson. Still, Kenny Dillingham has a reputation as a quarterback developer, and Boley now gets one of the toughest tests possible: a trip to Kyle Field against a Texas A&M defense that is described as outstanding.
If Boley can handle that stage and play well, Arizona State’s quarterback transition starts looking a lot less scary.
Cy-Hawk week also brings one of the conference’s most interesting rivalry games. Iowa State heads to Iowa City looking for a third straight win over Iowa, something the Cyclones haven’t done since running off five in a row from 1998 through 2002.
This one has a different feel than the rivalry games of the last decade because the Jimmy Rogers era has begun in Ames and the roster is full of new pieces. Kirk Ferentz, meanwhile, is still on the sideline for Iowa, but this Hawkeyes team isn’t being treated like a Big Ten title contender.
Iowa State is a heavy underdog, but the chance to keep its recent run alive is right there.
Then there’s Arizona, which gets thrown straight into Big 12 play with a trip to Provo to face BYU. It’s only early September, but the conference race already gets a first look.
The Cougars are the favorite, yet the more interesting question is whether Arizona can show it belongs in the mix right away. Noah Fifita gives the Wildcats an experienced quarterback who can keep them competitive, but winning on the road against BYU is a different kind of challenge than what Arizona saw in Week 1.
The Big 12 championship picture won’t be decided on Saturday, but this game should reveal something real about both teams. If Arizona can hang with BYU, or even steal it, the Wildcats will have earned a place in the contender conversation.
In Other News...
Kasen Carpenter Gives Kansas Real Hope Ahead Of Missouri Test
Kansas enters the Border Showdown with a lot to like up front, and Kasen Carpenter has quickly become part of the reason why. The former Oklahoma State lineman, who also spent time at Tulsa before landing in Lawrence, was one of three transfers on an offensive line that helped fuel a dominant season-opening win. For a team trying to build early-season momentum, the immediate comfort provided by a veteran center has been a welcome development.
Lance Leipold has already pointed to the offensive line as a key area to watch, and for good reason. Missouri will provide a very different kind of challenge than what Kansas saw in Week 1, and the Jayhawks know the meeting will tell them a lot more about where this front really stands. Carpenters rise has given Kansas real hope, but the next test is the one that will show how far that hope can travel. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Fans Should Notice What Just Changed In The Border Showdown
The Border Showdown already had plenty of attention around it, and the betting market has only sharpened that edge. Missouri opened as the bigger favorite, but the number has tightened at FanDuel Sportsbook after both teams handled FCS opponents in their season openers, with the Tigers carrying a national ranking and Kansas trying to sort through an early test that now looks a little more manageable on paper.
Part of the shift appears tied to Kansas backfield situation, with running back Ahmad Hardy unavailable because of an offseason injury. For a rivalry game that rarely needs extra juice, the changing line suggests there is real respect for what Kansas can bring into Columbia even before the full picture is clear, and it leaves one of the more interesting questions in this matchup still hanging over the week. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Leans Into Border War Tension With Provocative Missouri Message
The Border War is back on the schedule, and Kansas is making sure the old rivalry arrives with the kind of edge that has always made it matter. With No. 23 Missouri coming to face the Jayhawks, Kansas football rolled out a Civil War-themed hype video to stir up interest around a series whose name carries more than just football baggage.
The matchup has long been tied to the states deep historical conflicts, from the Kansas-Nebraska Act to Bleeding Kansas and the Lawrence Massacre, and the program clearly wanted to lean into that weight. The timing adds another layer to a game that already needs little selling, even if Kansas is leaving some of the full message to the imagination for now. [Read more 🡒]