Will Hammond kept climbing in the Big 12 quarterback picture after a strong showing against Houston, and now he gets one more tune-up before conference play starts to tighten. That’s the backdrop as Week 4 arrives with a slate that includes five Big 12 quarterback matchups and a few chances for some signal-callers to answer questions from last week.
Hammond showed he could hurt defenses with his legs when Texas Tech needed it, and his work with Kenny Johnson helped open up the passing game. The one blemish came on throws that were a little behind his targets, including an interception that came after his receiver slipped on the route. Even with that context, the ball was still put in a dangerous place.
Texas Tech’s final nonconference test comes against Sam Houston State at Noon EDT on TNT. The Bearkats will only see one Power Four offense all season, and it’s the Red Raiders.
Michael Hawkins Jr. also made a clear statement in Week 3, accounting for all five of West Virginia’s touchdowns in the win over Virginia. He kept defenses honest with his legs, but he also worked the middle of the field effectively, hitting DJ Epps three times for gains of more than 20 yards. Later, he dropped a 38-yard completion to Jaden Bray into a tight window.
West Virginia’s next test is at home against Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. EDT on FS1. The Cowboys did enough defensively to keep Dante Moore and Oregon under control in Week 2, with many of the Ducks’ scoring drives coming on short fields.
Another quarterback who stood out on the ground was Johnson, who reminded the league why he belongs in the dual-threat conversation during Kansas State’s 31-20 win over Tulane. He piled up 152 rushing yards and scored twice on the ground, highlighted by a 66-yard burst late in the first half.
Kansas State opens its first Big 12 challenge at Cincinnati at 7 p.m. EDT on ESPN2. Boston College quarterback Mason McKenzie ran for 78 yards against the Bearcats in Week 1, his first start at the FBS level.
Drew Mestemaker was nearly flawless in Oklahoma State’s 59-0 win over Murray State. His only real mistake was a fumble late in the first half, and everything else was clean: 20-of-22 passing for 324 yards and five touchdowns. One of those scores came on a sharp 31-yard deep ball to the end zone early in the third quarter.
Now he gets his first Big 12 defense of the season when West Virginia comes to town at 7 p.m. EDT on FS1. The Mountaineers’ only Power Four opponent this year leaned heavily on the run, and their secondary allowed Deuce Bailey to throw Coastal Carolina into a one-score game in the opener.
Conner Weigman turned in a gritty performance in Houston’s 28-26 loss at Texas Tech. He was a problem with his legs all night, and his passing highlight was a 46-yard touchdown to Koby Young, who pinned the ball to his right shoulder as he crossed the goal line.
Houston closes nonconference play at Georgia Southern this weekend at 4 p.m. EDT on ESPNU. The Eagles went to Clemson in Week 2, though unlike Houston, the Tigers are still unsettled at quarterback.
Julian Lewis had a rough night in Colorado’s 41-7 loss at Northwestern, and Week 4 now offers a chance for either him or DJ Lagway to reset. That’s one of the more intriguing quarterback storylines on the board, along with Hawkins and Mestemaker meeting in a clash of very different offensive styles.
Elsewhere, Bachmeier made just one real mistake in BYU’s 41-23 win at Colorado State, and it came on an interception thrown behind an intended target in the end zone. BYU leaned on the run, but Bachmeier still completed 75% of his passes and connected with Legend Glasker and Walker Lyons on tight-window throws.
The Cougars are off in Week 4 before returning to Big 12 play at TCU in Week 5.
In Arizona, Fifita was sharp in a 42-17 win over Northern Illinois, going 31-of-34 and creating offense when his first options weren’t there. He also delivered a one-handed touchdown strike to Tre Spivey and finished with a 30-yard touchdown run after escaping pressure in the pocket.
Arizona finishes nonconference play at Washington State at 7:30 p.m. EDT on CBS. Fifita was 34-of-43 for 342 yards in the last meeting between the schools, back when they were Pac-12 members.
Dampier’s lone miscue in Utah’s 33-0 win over Utah State was a lost fumble in the third quarter. He carried it 10 times, but his biggest damage came through the air, where he found Braden Pegan for a pair of deep touchdowns.
Utah opens road play at Iowa State this weekend at 3:30 p.m. EDT on FOX. The Cyclones allowed only one explosive pass against Iowa, though the Hawkeyes are hardly the most athletic offense around.
In Other News...
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Risky Avery Johnson Problem
Kansas State heads into its Big 12 matchup with Cincinnati in a tricky spot under center, with senior quarterback Avery Johnson expected to be the only confirmed healthy quarterback available. The Wildcats are already dealing with a thin depth chart at the position, as backup Blake Barnett is out, while Dillon Duff and Jacob Knuth are both listed as questionable.
The rest of the injury report adds to the uncertainty, with safety JaSon Prevard and offensive lineman Oliver Miller ruled out as well. Cincinnati is carrying its own list of unavailable and uncertain players, but for Kansas State, the quarterback situation is the one that looms largest as kickoff approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Finally Gets Its First Real Big 12 Test
Kansas State rolled through its non-conference slate unbeaten, but now the schedule turns toward the kind of week that tells a team what it really is. First-year coach Collin Klein has said those early games served a purpose beyond the wins, giving the Wildcats a chance to sharpen themselves before the more demanding stretch of Big 12 play begins with Cincinnati.
The road opener brings a different sort of pressure, too, because Kansas State is trying to carry that clean start into a conference race that rarely gives teams much margin for error. A win would keep the momentum rolling and reinforce the fast start under Klein, but the Bearcats are the first test that can show how well the Wildcats early progress travels when the opponent knows what is coming. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Faces Its First Real Big 12 Test At Cincinnati
Kansas State finally steps into the part of the schedule that will tell us more about where this team really stands. The Wildcats and Cincinnati are both 3-0 heading into their Big 12 opener, with Collin Kleins team leaning on Avery Johnson, a defense coordinated by Jordan Peterson and the sort of early momentum every contender wants to carry into league play.
Cincinnati has its own reasons to feel confident, especially with Scott Satterfields group chasing a 4-0 start behind quarterback JC French IV and defensive playmaker Antwan Peek Jr. For Kansas State, this trip is less about preserving a clean record than seeing how the Wildcats handle a conference road test against a team eager to make its own statement. [Read more 🡒]