Week 9 in the Big 12 is packed, and the conference’s most important game sits right at the top: No. 22 Arizona going to No.
13 Texas Tech. It’s the league’s only ranked-on-ranked matchup this weekend, and that alone puts the spotlight squarely on Lubbock.
Arizona has slipped into the background a bit even while sitting at 6-1. The Wildcats’ only loss came at BYU, and they arrive as one of the better teams in the Big 12 whether the attention is there or not.
Texas Tech, meanwhile, is looking to steady itself after getting its butt kicked by Cincinnati. Both clubs need this one badly if they want to stay near the top of the standings, because the loser could head into November on the wrong side of the race.
No. 6 Utah’s trip to Cincinnati comes next, and there’s plenty of danger here despite the Bearcats being unranked.
Cincinnati has already shown what it can do to Texas Tech, and Nippert Stadium has a reputation for turning into a brutal place to play when the crowd gets going. Saturday will tell us a lot, because the Big 12’s last unbeaten team is walking into that environment.
Arizona State at No. 8 BYU lands third, and the talent gap is obvious enough to explain why the Cougars are favored by more than two touchdowns.
Still, BYU’s week has been anything but ordinary. The Cougars rode the emotional high of Notre Dame into the low point of UCF seven days later, so the question now is simple: can they clean things up against a team they should handle?
Baylor at UCF sits in the middle of the list, though the story here is really the Knights. Baylor has already fired head coach Dave Aranda, so the attention around the Bears has shifted elsewhere.
UCF, fresh off its biggest win since joining the Big 12, suddenly has a path that opens up fast. If the Knights take care of Baylor, Kansas, Arizona State, Iowa State and Colorado are still on the schedule.
No. 24 Oklahoma State at Iowa State comes in fifth, and that placement is driven by how unpredictable this year has been.
Oklahoma State may have the Big 12’s best offense, with the kind of firepower that can push past 50 points on any Saturday. But Ames at night is a different challenge entirely, and that’s enough to keep this one near the top of the watch list.
The bottom two matchups feel more like survival tests than conference-defining showdowns. Kansas at TCU features two teams that are simply chasing bowl eligibility now, and the loser is likely staring at a winter at home. Sonny Dykes is already on the hot seat, which gives the stakes a sharper edge for the Horned Frogs.
Kansas State at Colorado rounds things out. There’s not much here in the Big 12 title picture, but there is plenty of pressure in different ways.
Collin Klein is in his first season at Kansas State, and Avery Johnson’s status for this weekend is still a question. Colorado, meanwhile, is running out of room if it wants to get to six wins, and dropping to 2-6 would make the climb even steeper.
In Other News...
Arizona Just Got A Painful Reality Check In The Rankings
Texas Techs win over Arizona carried a little extra weight beyond the scoreboard, because it came in a weekend full of movement near the top of the college football picture. Ohio States surprise loss at USC shook up the rankings despite the Buckeyes out-gaining the Trojans, and Georgia answered its own setback with a dominant win over Florida, even if the passing game still looked uneven. In that kind of environment, every quality victory matters, and the Red Raiders kept their own playoff case very much alive by taking care of business against Arizona.
For Texas Tech, the result was more than just another conference-style statement. It helped strengthen a rsum that is starting to look the part of a team with real College Football Playoff ambition, especially with other contenders around the country showing cracks. Arizona, meanwhile, was left to absorb a painful reminder of how quickly the rankings can turn when a high-profile matchup slips away, and the Wildcats now have to regroup while the Red Raiders keep building momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Just Sent A Big 12 Message Fans Needed
Texas Techs latest win did more than add another mark in the standings. The Red Raiders handled Arizona 34-26 in a Big 12 game to move to 7-1 overall, and they did it with the kind of run-first control that can travel late in the season. JKoby Williams powered the offense with 186 rushing yards and a touchdown, giving Texas Tech a clear edge in a game where Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita still managed to throw for 417 yards.
Arizona also left Lubbock with a concern beyond the loss, as wide receiver R.J. Mosley suffered a lower-body injury and stayed behind for further evaluation. For Texas Tech, though, the bigger takeaway was the message it sent in the Big 12 race: this is a team that can win in a physical game, protect its place near the top, and keep the championship conversation squarely in view. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Just Created A Quarterback Debate Fans Didnt Expect
Joey McGuire made a notable change under center against No. 22 Arizona, handing the start to Thomas Castellanos in a game that carried real weight for Texas Techs Big 12 push. The move paid off in a 34-26 victory that showed up in more than just the final score, with Castellanos accounting for 261 total yards and three touchdowns while avoiding turnovers as the Red Raiders improved to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play.
What makes the decision linger is how Texas Tech won around him, too. The Red Raiders controlled the line of scrimmage and got strong play from their linebackers, which gave the offense room to breathe and made the quarterback spot feel even more interesting going forward. After a win like this, McGuire has given the fan base something it did not expect to be discussing this late in the season. [Read more 🡒]