The Big 12 championship race should tighten up a bit in Week 9 with several key matchups involving teams squarely in the chase to Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 7.
In all, 14 of the 16 conference teams will be in action with the Iowa State Cyclones and Arizona State Sun Devils on a bye week. Iowa State returns to action next week in Ames when they host the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Arizona State will travel to Stillwater to take on the reeling Oklahoma State Cowboys.
As for the rest of the Big 12, there is plenty of action to break down ahead of Saturday. These four games should be on your radar in Week 9:
Cincinnati Bearcats vs Colorado Buffaloes
The Colorado Buffaloes are looking to keep pace with the top teams in the conference as the Big 12 title race approaches the final month of the season. Both the Buffs and Cincinnati Bearcats are tied for second in the conference at 3-1 in Big 12 play along with Kansas State and Texas Tech. Everyone is looking up the BYU Cougars and Iowa State Cyclones at 4-0.
This game will give the winner a leg up in the race down the stretch. The loser won’t be out by any means but makes their path to the title game more difficult.
Prediction: Colorado Buffaloes hold off Cincinnati in this one
Kansas Jayhawks vs Kansas State Wildcats
The Sunflower Showdown has different goals on the line for this annual battle in the state of Kansas. The visiting Jayhawks are just trying to keep their postseason dreams alive as they come into the game at 2-5 (1-3). They are all but out of the conference title race but another loss would mean they must win all four games in November to earn a third straight bowl bid.
The Wildcats are winners of three straight games and are very much in the thick of the race. Which didn’t look to be the case after the BYU Cougars thumped them 38-9 in Provo. Avery Johnson has this Kansas State squad humming along as they head into this rivalry matchup.
Prediction: Kansas State finds a way to win again to improve to 4-1 in conference play. Kansas begins the countdown to basketball season, not that it hadn’t already started weeks ago.
BYU Cougars vs UCF Knights
This matchup between the UCF Knights and BYU Cougars could throw a wrench in the Big 12 title race. The home team is just 1-3 in conference play but they have a chance to play spoiler to BYU’s bid at the conference title and a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoffs.
The Cougars survived a scare against the Oklahoma State Cowboys a week ago thanks to a late touchdown with just 10 seconds left in the game. This week should be about taking care of business against the Knights. Slowing down a mobile quarterback will be key on defense.
Prediction: Another close game but ultimately I will go with the visiting BYU Cougars by a touchdown.
Texas Tech Red Raiders vs TCU Horned Frogs
The “Battle for the Saddle” gets underway this weekend in the West Texas Championship. When I think West Texas, I think of Lubbock vs Fort Worth. Perhaps a new name for this game should be in play but I digress, on to bigger issues. Since the march to the CFP title game in 2022, it has been a lot of mediocre results for the Frogs, last week’s result notwithstanding. TCU sits in the middle of the pack in the Big 12 but a win this week will help their postseason outlook.
For Texas Tech, the Red Raiders are right in the mix for the conference title but last week’s result left a sour taste in their mouths. They must correct some of the defensive issues that were exposed against Baylor last week. The Red Raiders are just a game out of first place but a loss this week could send them spiraling with matchups against Iowa State and Colorado coming up before the open week.
Prediction: TCU does enough offensively to put pressure on Tech and defends the home turf in a close game.