The first official week of Big 12 football brings a handful of games worth the price of admission - and, if you’re looking to save a little, three seats stand out this weekend.
Start in Waco, where Colorado and Baylor meet at $12 a ticket. Both teams are chasing win No. 3, but the Buffaloes arrive with more questions on offense after a rough 41-7 loss at Northwestern.
Colorado turned it over four times and went just 4-of-12 on third down in that one, a night that left Julian Lewis and the Buffs searching for answers. There is some help on the way, though: DJ Lagway is expected to return this week after Nate Bennett stepped in to guide the receiver corps for 567 yards across two starts.
Baylor gets the home setting, but Colorado has the bigger bounce-back assignment.
A little farther down the price ladder, TCU at UCF comes in at $13, and that one feels like a solid weekend value. UCF is trying to settle in with quarterback Keyone Jenkins after Alonza Barnett III was injured.
The Knights beat Georgia State 44-30 last week, though they trailed at halftime and had to lean hard on Duke Watson, who ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns, including a go-ahead score to open the second half. Jenkins completed only seven passes, so UCF will need a quicker start when TCU arrives in Orlando.
The Frogs, meanwhile, come in after non-conference games against Grambling State and Arkansas State and are already showing top-25 form with Jaden Craig at quarterback. TCU also expects wide receiver Jordan Dwyer back for his season debut, which adds another layer to the passing game.
The priciest of the bargain trio is No. 15 Utah at Iowa State at $26, and that matchup has the feel of a real measuring stick.
Iowa State, now 7.5-point underdogs at home in Jack Trice Stadium, is coming off a blowout of Bowling Green and now faces one of the league’s most dangerous offenses through three games. Utah has already handled Utah State 33-0, holding the Aggies to 188 total yards, and its linebacker group looks like a major test for Jaylen Raynor and the Cyclones.
Iowa State is 2-1, with the only blemish a 16-13 loss to Iowa, and this weekend will tell plenty about whether the Cyclones can break through against a top-25 opponent or whether the Utes keep rolling into Big 12 play.
In Other News...
UCF Catches TCU In A Spot Big 12 Fans Will Notice
TCU heads into its matchup with UCF still trying to steady itself after a season-opening loss to North Carolina, a result that raised early questions about both the Horned Frogs overall quality and the play at quarterback. The Big 12 spotlight only gets brighter from here, and this game offers an immediate chance for TCU to show it can respond the way a team with higher expectations should.
UCF will be missing starting quarterback Alonza Barnett III, which adds another layer of intrigue to a game that already carries real weight for TCUs standing and perception around the conference. A win would help the Horned Frogs quiet some of the early noise, but it would not wipe away the damage from the opening loss, which is what makes this one more than just another September game. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Opens Big 12 Play With A Chance To Settle Last Years Pain
TCU heads to Orlando on Sept. 26 to open Big 12 play against UCF, and the matchup arrives with a little extra edge after what last year did to the Horned Frogs. They get there coming off a 31-7 win over Arkansas State, a game in which quarterback Jaden Craig has already put himself atop the Big 12 passing leaderboard and helped steady a team that wants its conference opener to feel like more than just a first step.
The timing also works in TCUs favor on the injury front, with UCF set to be without star quarterback Alonza Barnett III and the Frogs expecting wide receiver Jordan Dwyer back from injury. It is the kind of setup that can turn an early league game into a statement opportunity, and Fox Sports 1 will have the broadcast when the Frogs try to start settling some unfinished business. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Opens Big 12 Play With A Chance To Expose TCU Concerns
TCU heads into its Big 12 opener in Orlando with more questions than it likely wanted at this point in the season. The Horned Frogs are 2-1 and heading to the Bounce House to face a UCF team that has its own quarterback situation, but the bigger concern for TCU is the injury list, which includes the absence of Perry Cole Jr. and kicker Kyle Lemmermann. The return of Jordan Dwyer should help, but this is still the kind of early conference game that can reveal how deep a roster really is.
UCF is also expected to be short-handed, with starting quarterback Alonza Barnett III likely out and Keyone Jenkins set to take over. That leaves both teams trying to sort out personnel issues as league play begins, and it puts even more pressure on TCU to handle the trip cleanly. For a Horned Frogs team trying to get its footing before the Big 12 race starts to harden, this opener offers an immediate test of composure, depth and how well the next man up can keep things from getting away. [Read more 🡒]