Big 12 football keeps delivering chaos, and Week 4 is already stirring up plenty of hot takes. One Saturday was enough to send the conversation in a few wild directions, from a quarterback suddenly looking like a star to a team that went from conference booster to conference headache in a hurry.
Start with West Virginia, because Michael Hawkins Jr. just put himself in the center of the league conversation. In the Mountaineers’ 38-27 upset win over Virginia, Hawkins put together the kind of line that turns heads fast: 190 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and no interceptions, plus 18 carries for 123 yards and three more scores on the ground. He also led all FBS quarterbacks in fantasy points over the weekend and finished as the second-highest-scoring player overall behind Duke running back Nate Sheppard.
That’s the kind of performance that forces people to pay attention, even if Hawkins still isn’t getting the national spotlight. If he keeps producing like this and West Virginia keeps stacking wins, the attention will follow soon enough. For now, though, the Big 12 community has a front-row seat to one of the biggest early surprises in the country.
On the other end of the spectrum sits Colorado, and things have gone from encouraging to ugly in a hurry. The Buffaloes gave the conference a lift in Week 1 with a road win at Georgia Tech, which made it easy to believe they might be much improved this season.
That hope took a heavy hit in Chicago, where Northwestern rolled to a 41-7 win over Colorado. After that result, the Buffaloes don’t look like a team helping the Big 12’s image right now.
And the schedule isn’t about to get friendlier. Big 12 play is here, and the road ahead looks rough. Maybe Colorado can scratch out one or two conference wins, but after getting blown out by Northwestern, this team is carrying the label of an embarrassment for now.
Texas Tech, meanwhile, keeps sitting in the middle of the conference conversation after a tense 28-26 win over Houston. It’s easy to look at that result and jump straight to the idea that the Red Raiders are the class of the league.
They did beat a ranked opponent, after all. But the way it played out - right down to the final seconds and without covering the spread - might give people a reason to slow down before declaring Texas Tech a Big 12 juggernaut.
The Red Raiders get a break from conference play next, with Sam Houston State coming to town before Big 12 action resumes at the start of October.
There’s still plenty to watch this weekend, and a few games stand out right away.
Oklahoma State’s trip to West Virginia has suddenly become one of the most interesting matchups on the board. What looked like a routine late-September game before the season now has real energy after West Virginia’s upset of Virginia and Oklahoma State’s strong start, which includes a win over Oregon a few weeks ago and a 59-0 rout of Murray State last weekend. Both offenses are scoring at a high level, and this one has the makings of a major Big 12 shootout.
Kansas State and Cincinnati bring a different kind of pressure. Both teams are 3-0 in non-conference play, and now they meet with a chance to set the tone in league play.
Kansas State is making its first road trip of the season and is a slight favorite, but neither side impressed much last weekend. A win here could shape the direction of either season.
Then there’s No. 15 Utah at Iowa State, which looks like it could be a grinder.
Utah has given up 24 points through three games, while Iowa State has allowed 30. The Cyclones have already shown they’re better than many expected, even after a close loss to in-state rival Iowa, and Utah has looked every bit like a Big 12 title contender early on.
The Utes need a win in Ames to stay on that path toward the Big 12 title game, while an Iowa State upset would shake up the conference picture in a big way.
Another big weekend in the Big 12 is coming, and it already feels like it could change the conversation again.
In Other News...
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Micah Hudsons slow start is the biggest reason that spotlight has lingered. The junior and former five-star recruit has managed only three catches for 44 yards in three games, still searching for the kind of breakthrough season many expected when he arrived. For a Texas Tech passing game leaning on Johnson as its leading receiver, the question now is how long the Red Raiders can keep waiting for Hudson to turn promise into production. [Read more 🡒]
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White was part of a broader defensive reset in the game, with safety Brenden Jordan also making his season debut and transfers Jamond Mathis and Davin Martin logging their first starts. Jordan and linebacker Ben Roberts paced the defense with 10 tackles apiece, a sign that Texas Tech is still sorting out its pieces but may be finding answers in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Darrion Williams Just Gave Texas Tech Real Hope For Next Season
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The Red Raiders are also waiting on separate eligibility rulings for other players hoping to gain a fifth year, which leaves the staff in something of a holding pattern as it tries to plan ahead. Until those decisions are settled, Texas Tech can at least breathe a little easier knowing Williams is not immediately out of the mix, even if the bigger fight is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]