The Big 12 doesn’t ease into Week 7. It comes at you with a ranked showdown, a rivalry game in Kansas, and another one in Texas, and a handful of teams that have to answer real questions before the weekend is over. BYU hosts Notre Dame, Oklahoma State heads to Houston, and the conference’s pressure points are easy to spot.
Oklahoma State is one of them. The Cowboys have been one of the season’s biggest surprises, and Drew Mestemaker has been central to that rise.
But the next step is proving that hot start is real Big 12 contention, not just a nice run through the opening stretch. Houston is the perfect test because the Cougars are also being talked about as title hopefuls.
The difference is that Houston was supposed to be here. Oklahoma State wasn’t.
That makes this one pretty straightforward for the Cowboys. Win, and the path opens up.
Their next three games are favorable enough that they could be 6-0 heading into the Nov. 14 matchup with Texas Tech. Lose, and they slip back into the big crowd of teams with no room for error the rest of the way.
Kansas State has a different kind of proving ground: survival. The Wildcats meet Kansas in the Sunflower Showdown, and after dropping their first two Big 12 games to Cincinnati and Houston, the concern isn’t just about a bad stretch.
It’s about whether this thing starts sliding fast. Losing to your rival is always a shot.
Losing to Kansas this year would land differently. The Jayhawks have a losing record, Lance Leipold may be on the hot seat, and Kansas State has not dropped this rivalry game in 16 years.
If the Wildcats lose now, the conversation turns from disappointment to something much worse.
Baylor and TCU are bundled together here because they’re meeting each other, and because both have a lot riding on the same game. And credit to both schools for leaning into “Revivalry” on social media.
That’s the one we’ll use. “Bluebonnet Battle” is not it.
For Baylor, the assignment is clean. The Bears are undefeated in Big 12 play, they’re coming off a bye, and they have a chance to get through the first third of conference play without a loss.
That would keep them right where they want to be: in the hunt for a spot in the Big 12 Championship game. A stumble in a rivalry game would complicate all of that in a hurry.
TCU’s pressure is harsher. The Horned Frogs are also coming off a bye, but they still haven’t won a Big 12 game.
They’ve already lost to UCF and BYU, and another defeat here would basically shut the door on their Big 12 title hopes. It would also leave their bowl picture in a dangerous place.
There’s even the bigger question hanging over Sonny Dykes, but as the source makes clear, the game itself comes first.
In Other News...
TCU Fans Have A New Reason To Rally Around Thien An Nguyen
Thien An Nguyen is giving TCU plenty to cheer for beyond the usual fall calendar. The Horned Frogs alum and current medical student is competing on season 51 of CBS Survivor, and the school made a point to celebrate her latest appearance with a campus watch party. About 30 family members and friends gathered to watch the episode together, turning the evening into a small but meaningful show of support for one of their own.
Nguyen said she appreciated the backing and the chance to share the viewing experience with people who have been rooting for her. For TCU fans, it adds a new kind of storyline to follow, one that stretches far beyond Fort Worth and gives the campus a connection to one of televisions most enduring competition shows. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Offense Faces A Brutal Test Against Surging Baylor
TCU heads to McLane Stadium on Oct. 17 needing a reset, and the matchup comes at a tricky moment. Baylor has opened 4-1 overall and 2-0 in Big 12 play, while the Horned Frogs are 2-3 and still searching for a conference breakthrough. The contrast is clear on paper: Baylor has paired efficient offense with steady defense, and TCU has shown enough between the lines to move the ball but not enough to cash those drives in when the competition has stiffened.
The Horned Frogs have run into trouble turning production into points against Power Four opponents, which makes this trip a demanding one for an offense already trying to find its footing. Baylors recent surge adds another layer to the test, because the Bears are playing with balance and confidence on both sides of the ball. For TCU, the challenge is not just keeping pace, but proving it can finish possessions against a team that has been far more complete in conference play. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Has A Real Chance To Pull Away From TCU Again
Baylor comes out of a bye week with a chance to put some real distance between itself and TCU in the rivalry race, and the setup is favorable for the Bears at home after a strong previous win. The Horned Frogs, meanwhile, are trying to steady an offense that has been inconsistent for weeks, and the trip to Waco arrives with enough concern up front to make the matchup feel even tougher on the road.
For TCU, the challenge is as much about survival as execution. Baylor will be watching closely to see whether its quarterback can keep the offense on schedule, while the other side of the ball is focused on getting consistent pressure on the Horned Frogs quarterback and creating takeaways. If TCU cannot protect the pocket and clean up its recent offensive issues, Baylor has a clear path to turn this into another frustrating afternoon for the Frogs. [Read more 🡒]