Week 8 took a little shine off the Big 12’s momentum. BYU and Texas Tech both stumbled, Utah had to scrap to the finish against Houston, and the conference’s push for multiple playoff teams suddenly looked a touch less tidy.
In a league that changes by the hour, though, there’s no time to sit on that. Week 9 brings a fresh set of tests, and these three teams have the most to answer for.
Texas Tech is at the top of the list because the Red Raiders have real questions now, not theoretical ones. Cincinnati didn’t just hand them their first loss of the season - it also put a spotlight on the offensive issues Texas Tech had been able to hide.
They’re still waiting on running back Cameron Dickey, and there’s a chance he could be back for Arizona this weekend. That would come at exactly the right time, because Arizona might be playing the best football of any Big 12 team right now.
This is the kind of game that forces Texas Tech to show whether it’s still the preseason version of itself. Arizona’s hot streak, and the play of quarterback Noah Fifita, make that a tough ask.
The Red Raiders need their offense humming again, and Dickey’s presence would matter. When he scores a touchdown, the Red Raiders don’t lose.
And with this season sitting right in front of them, another setback would make their path to the Big 12 Championship Game extremely thin unless chaos takes over elsewhere. They need to answer.
Cincinnati is the next team with something to prove, even if it doesn’t look obvious at first glance. The Bearcats host Utah, the conference’s highest-ranked team and the last undefeated squad standing.
On paper, that’s a brutal draw. But Cincinnati already blew up the script once by knocking off Texas Tech, and that makes this week more than just a survival test.
The real challenge is avoiding the classic letdown after a big win. That’s what this game is about: proving the Bearcats can stack strong performances in back-to-back weeks.
Last week’s upset didn’t happen in a vacuum, either. UC carried some offseason frustration, including what it felt from Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell.
Utah won’t give Cincinnati that same edge. The Utes aren’t going to provide bulletin board material, and the Bearcats are going to have to create their own energy at home.
Then there’s Oklahoma State, a team that can’t afford to drift in any road game from here on out. The Cowboys have dropped two of their three road contests this season, and if they want to stay alive in the Big 12 Championship race, that has to stop.
Their three-point loss at Houston two weeks ago was respectable, but it also knocked them out of the unbeaten league picture. Another road miss would be a major blow.
What Oklahoma State has to prove now is simple: it can win the kind of close road game contenders have to win. That’s the assignment, especially with Eric Morris knowing firsthand how difficult a place Ames can be at night from his time at Texas Tech.
The Cowboys’ jump from 1-11 to contender status has been one of the Big 12’s best stories, and Morris deserves plenty of credit for the turnaround. But storylines only go so far.
OSU has reached the point where it needs to cash in on games it’s supposed to take.
In Other News...
Texas Tech Just Created A Quarterback Debate Fans Didnt Expect
Joey McGuire made the kind of quarterback call that can reshape a season, and Thomas Castellanos rewarded it in a big way against No. 22 Arizona. In his first start, Castellanos helped Texas Tech to a 34-26 win by piling up 261 total yards and three touchdowns without a turnover, while the Red Raiders controlled the line of scrimmage and got strong play from their linebackers.
The victory pushed Texas Tech to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in Big 12 play, but it also left the program with a new question it did not seem to expect this late in the year. McGuires decision worked, the offense looked different with Castellanos at the controls, and now the Red Raiders have to sort out what comes next at the most important position on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Has A Huge Week 9 Chance In The Big 12 Race
Week 9 is loaded with games that could reshape the Big 12 race and the broader playoff picture, and Texas Techs meeting with Arizona sits right in the middle of that conversation. The Red Raiders are part of a slate that also includes Utah against Cincinnati and a handful of heavyweight nonconference matchups, so every result around them carries some extra weight as the standings start to tighten.
For Texas Tech, the Arizona game is more than just another October test. It comes with the usual mix of injuries and recent form shaping the outlook, and it lands in a week where the conference picture could shift quickly. With so many contenders involved in consequential games, the Red Raiders know this one could say a lot about where they stand when the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech May Have Found A Much Higher Ceiling On Offense
Thomas Castellanos gave Texas Tech a different gear on offense in the kind of game that can reshape a season. After taking over as the starting quarterback in place of Will Hammond, Castellanos helped steer a late drive that ended with J'Koby Williams bursting for a 64-yard run and sealing a 34-26 win over Arizona, a result that carried real weight in the Big 12 race.
The numbers only tell part of the story, though they do underline the shift. Castellanos threw for 144 yards and two touchdowns while adding 117 rushing yards and another score, giving the Red Raiders a balanced threat they had been searching for. For a team trying to climb in the conference, the bigger question now is whether this version of the offense is the new baseline or just a promising snapshot. [Read more 🡒]