Week 6 is where the Big 12 starts to separate a little. The league has already packed in enough drama to make the standings feel crowded, but this weekend brings a stretch of games that can push a few teams into the spotlight and knock others back into the middle of the pack.
The headliners are easy to spot. Iowa State goes to BYU in Provo in one of the weekend’s biggest games, with the Cougars trying to stay unbeaten in Big 12 play and the Cyclones chasing a road win that would say plenty about where they stand.
In Manhattan, Kansas State hosts Texas Tech in another heavyweight matchup with Arlington on everyone’s mind. Both teams enter Week 6 with their eyes firmly set on the Big 12 Championship Game, and the margin for mistakes is already getting thin.
Elsewhere, Oklahoma State is back home after another strong offensive showing and will try to keep its place among the conference’s top contenders against UCF. The Knights have flashed enough to make this one interesting, but they’ll need a clean performance to test a Cowboys team with title goals.
Arizona heads to West Virginia in a game that gives both teams a chance to grab some momentum in conference play. The Wildcats are leaning on one of the Big 12’s top quarterbacks, while the Mountaineers will try to protect home field and stay in the race.
Kansas also gets a difficult trip, heading west to face Utah in one of its toughest games of the season. The Utes have already established themselves as one of the league’s best teams, and the Jayhawks are looking for a road win that could give them some traction in Big 12 play.
And in another matchup with a very different feel, Arizona State stays home for what is hoped to be a get-right game against 1-4 Hawaii. The Sun Devils are coming off a 55-19 loss to Baylor last week and will be looking to steady themselves.
In Other News...
Kansas Faces One More Problem In Brutal Road Test At Utah
Kansas is already walking into one of its toughest road tests of the season at No. 12 Utah, and now the weather has joined the list of problems. Kickoff at Rice-Eccles Stadium was moved earlier because of expected severe weather from the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel, with Salt Lake City under a wind advisory and the possibility of thunderstorms hanging over the game.
For a Jayhawks team that has already had to manage the usual difficulties of playing away from home, the conditions could make every phase feel more volatile. Special teams, in particular, looms as a key pressure point, and the kind of wind and weather expected in Utah can turn routine plays into game-changing moments. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Veterans Still Have To Earn Their Place In Bill Self's Rotation
Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White are back with the Kansas mens basketball team after receiving preliminary injunctions that allow them to pursue additional college eligibility, but their return has not changed the standard inside Bill Selfs program. For now, both veterans are working to make their case the old-fashioned way, using practice reps and scout-team work to show they can help in a rotation that has already been reshaped by significant roster turnover.
For Kansas, the value goes beyond simply adding two experienced names to the roster. Council and White bring knowledge that can help teammates settle in and give the Jayhawks a more useful practice environment, but neither is walking into a guaranteed role. In a group still sorting itself out, their immediate job is to prove they belong in the mix, and Selfs rotation remains very much up for grabs. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Lineup Puzzle Could Reshape A Key Starting Battle
Kansas has already added one layer of intrigue to its preseason rotation by bringing back Tre White, and now the coaching staff is weighing another move that could ripple through the lineup. Utah transfer Keanu Dawes has emerged as a possible small-ball center option, giving the Jayhawks a chance to mix and match more freely while searching for the best fit around White and the rest of the roster.
Dawes has said he is open to playing multiple positions, including center, and that flexibility is exactly what makes this battle worth watching. Christian Reeves and Paul Mbiya still loom as important pieces inside, but if Dawes ends up anchoring smaller lineups, the shape of Kansas frontcourt could look very different once the season begins. [Read more 🡒]