The Big 12 Conference continues to put out the most exciting games every week. This week? It will be the Arizona State Sun Devils, led by Cam Skattebo, and Cincinnati Bearcats.
The Big 12 is as exciting as any college football conference in America. Every weekend there are comeback wins, last-minute victories, and incredible individual performances.
The Arizona State Sun Devils’ lone blemish this year was a one-score loss in Lubbock to the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Outside of that, the Sun Devils have spent the year laughing at a preseason ranking that had them dead last in the Big 12. ASU is 5-1, doesn’t play a ranked team until mid-November, and has a realistic shot at 10 wins on the season.
But standing in their way this weekend are the Cincinnati Bearcats. Cincy has a similar one-score loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders in Lubbock, but they also let the No. 20 Pittsburgh Panthers, an undefeated Power 4 team, come back and beat them by one point. Cincinnati faces a similarly tough November, but also has a chance at really shocking the world by breaking through the nine-win mark.
The matchup between ASU and Cincinnati is the game of the weekend in the Big 12 because it will propel ONE of these teams to a year that far exceeds expectations and the other, well… the other may be who we thought they were.
This game features two of the most electric athletes in the Big 12 who aren’t getting enough national attention. The running backs, ASU’s Cam Skattebo and Cincinnati’s Corey Kiner, are different runners stylistically but they are similarly dominant. Skattebo is averaging 5.8 yards per carry and more than a touchdown per game. Kiner gets 5.9 yards per game himself.
The difference is going to come down to who gets more out of their quarterback, and Brendan Sorsby of Cincinnati may be the Sun Devils’ spoiler. When given time to throw, Sorsby has scorched teams. His 13 touchdowns to three interception ratio is strong and could easily be the difference maker in this exciting Big 12 matchup.
The injury bug continues to bite seventh-year senior quarterback Cam Rising. He missed the entirety of the 2023 Utah Utes football season after suffering a horrific knee injury in the 2022-23 Rose Bowl against the Penn State Nittany Lions. Now he is once again sidelined after returning from injury.
Matt Zenitz of 247Sports posted on X, formerly Twitter, that Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham announced that Rising is out indefinitely. Rising returned to the lineup this past Friday night against the Arizona State Sun Devils. The former Texas quarterback looked like a shell of his former self in the 27-19 loss. Rising never looked comfortable but Whittingham never seemed to entertain the thought of going with freshman backup Isaac Wilson.
Wilson led Utah to wins over Utah State and Oklahoma State since taking over for Rising, who injured his hand in the game against Baylor. Wilson didn’t have the best showing against Arizona, which might be a key reason that they stuck with the veteran quarterback.
Rising threw three interceptions against the Sun Devils and completed just 43.2% of his passes in the loss.
Moving forward it appears to be the Wilson show. Utah will host the TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. MT in Salt Lake City. If the Utes want to try and climb into the Big 12 race it will need Wilson to play lights out down the stretch.
The Big 12 had ANOTHER exciting week of college football. BYU and Iowa State lead the way, but where did Colorado fall after a tough loss to Kansas State?
It would be hard for the Big 12 conference to fit more excitement into a five-game slate than they did last weekend. In a weekend that was set to be dominated by rivalries in the SEC and Big Ten, Big 12 football still seemed to dominate the headlines.
You had ranked teams falling apart (sorry, Utah Utes), last-minute comeback heroics (shouts to the Kansas State Wildcats), and dominant efforts from College Football Playoff caliber teams (Iowa State Cyclones and BYU Cougars… We see you).
The Big 12 did have six teams on byes this week, but that didn’t stop some of them from moving in our power rankings. Further, the top of the conference appears up for grabs… while the bottom continues to be more or less the same week to week. While that’s up for some programs to figure out, the “truck stop conference” appears to be doing anything besides stopping.
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No. 1 – BYU Cougars
Dominant defense, strong specialists, and an offense capable of getting the job done. BYU gets to boast a lot of things after getting to 6-0 over the weekend with a convincing win over the Arizona Wildcats. Provo, Utah, continues to look like one of the toughest places to play in America.
No. 2 – Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State went halfway across the country to Morgantown, West Virginia, and beat the West Virginia Mountaineers into the “should we fire our coach?” conversation. ISU continues to impress with their explosive receiving core and dominant defensive backs. It’s hard to pick a team more built for modern football.
No. 3 – Kansas State Wildcats
Quarterback Avery Johnson may have had the best play of the weekend with his game-winning 50-yard touchdown pass over the Colorado Buffaloes. Johnson was held in check as a runner, but the rest of the Wildcats added over 200 yards rushing to make up for his -15. KSU continues to dominate Big 12 play since dropping their game to BYU. Thankfully for one fan in particular.
No. 4 – Texas Tech Red Raiders
Had the Red Raiders not lost so badly to the Washington State Cougars in the non-conference, it would be easy to rank Tech even higher. Tech comes out of the bye unscathed, but their in-conference strength of schedule is questionable. Narrowly beating the Cincinnati Bearcats and Arizona Wildcats hasn’t aged well, but beating the Arizona State Sun Devils in Lubbock looks better each week. Tech has similarly weak opponents the next two weeks, but if they can scare Iowa State later this month they may have a shot to climb.
No. 5 – Arizona State Sun Devils
ASU climbs the highest this week. Last week’s 8th-place team leaps into the top half of the conference after knocking off what’s left of quarterback Cam Rising and the Utah Utes. While that game may tell us more about Utah, it’s hard to ignore Arizona State’s 5-1 record. That, and they have a running back with the best running back name in college football: Cam Skattebo.
No. 6 – Cincinnati Bearcats
Last weekend’s narrow win in Orlando over the UCF Knights may ultimately tell us more about UCF, Gus Malzahn, and whatever the situation is with KJ Jefferson… but for now, Cincy is 4-2 and their two losses are to an undefeated Pitt Panthers team and those darned Red Raiders. When he’s “right,” quarterback Brendan Sorsby is a talented gunslinger and Corey Kiner is a strong back.
No. 7 – Colorado Buffaloes
Coach Deion “Prime” Sanders, his son and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and wide receiver cornerback Travis Hunter make for a star-studded team… but the Buffs continue to flirt with the bad type of destiny as they continue to play these close finishes. Colorado thought they had a huge win over KSU with just under three minutes left…Now, they look ahead to get on track with Arizona.
No. 8 – Arizona Wildcats
Arizona’s win over Utah is looking less impressive, and while their loss to BYU isn’t disqualifying… it wasn’t pretty. Big Noon Kickoff and the crowd it brought created a challenging environment, but quarterback Noah Fifita needed to show America something in this one.
No. 9 – Utah Utes
The Utes will want to blame the Friday night collapse to Arizona State on the “first-game-back-rust” of Cam Rising, but truthfully they were outplayed as an entire offense. The biggest thing keeping Utah from a precipitous fall is that, if Rising were to return to form, they have some potential big wins on their schedule. Until they hit those marks, they continue to trend down.
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No. 10 West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia with the rare “climbs a spot in a loss,” but that is really more a function of teams ahead of them falling. WVU has three losses to three teams who may all end up in the College Football Playoff (and are all ranked in the AP top 10 right now), but at some point they’re going to have to beat the good teams put in front of them. WVU could shoot up the rankings if they finish 9-3, but they face another ranked opponent next weekend in Kansas State.
No. 11 – Oklahoma State Cowboys
OSU manages to “climb a spot without playing,” which is really hard for a team that is 0-3 in conference to pull off. But it’s hard to “get worse” in a week you don’t play, and we have to assume they’re working on their quarterback issues in the bye week, right? A return to Arlington for the Big 12 title game is out of reach… but is a good bowl game?
No. 12 – Houston Cougars
The Coogs are still riding high off of a win over TCU more than a week ago, and head to Arrowhead stadium looking to build on an actual “winning streak.” Unlike other teams in this part of the Power Rankings, it appears they may have found a quarterback in Zeon Chriss. If they can ride the dual threat of Chriss into a few more Big 12 wins, who’s to say they can’t shock the world and make a bowl game?
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No. 13 – TCU Horned Frogs
TCU is another team that couldn’t get worse if they weren’t playing, but they are hoping to take advantage of a down Utah team this weekend. TCU blew a late one to UCF and beat the Kansas Jayhawks. While that makes it weird to put them ahead of UCF… It’s a function of what we’ve seen on the field most recently.
No. 14 – UCF Knights
I get it- it’s weird to see UCF fall below a team they beat. But UCF is spiraling, and positively worse than they were a few weeks ago. They have major questions at quarterback, a prominent media voice asking for a new coach, and two games coming up they absolutely will not win. The Bounce House is a tough place to play, but it’s hard to feel good about what’s happening in Orlando.
No. 15 – Baylor Bears
The bye week didn’t change anyone’s mind on head coach Dave Aranda. I’m sure they’re going to have a great Tuesday practice, but until they have a good game, they’re going to sit at the bottom of the power rankings. It feels impossible that they head into Lubbock and compete, let alone win, right?
No. 16 – Kansas Jayhawks
Still can’t be ranked higher than last in an FBS conference until you beat an FBS team.
Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham was fired up postgame after a win over the Utah Utes put his team at 5-1 on the year.
Quite a few college football programs have performed unexpectedly this season – a testament in many ways to the difficulty predicting how teams will do in the NIL and transfer portal era.
Some programs are wildly underperforming expectations, like the Florida State Seminoles, Oklahoma State Cowboys, and Kansas Jayhawks, while others are playing at a much higher level, like the Indiana Hoosiers who became the first bowl eligible team in the country.
Another program in the latter category is Kenny Dillingham’s Arizona State Sun Devils, who entered the Big 12 coming off a 3-9 campaign in 2023.
ASU is now 5-1 on the year and 2-1 in Big 12 play after a stunning victory over the No. 16 ranked Utah Utes, who despite having veteran quarterback Cam Rising back were unable to generate much offense against Dillingham’s defense.
Rising did not look ready to return to the field, although a first-quarter leg injury contributed to his struggles. The seventh-year senior had a trio of interceptions, completing just 16 of 37 passes for 209 yards.
“Those guys did a great job of getting open, but I wasn’t able to get them the ball and throw it accurate,” Rising said. “We just weren’t able to move it because of that.”
The Sun Devils are now 5-1 on the season, with the only loss coming on the road at Texas Tech, 30-22.
However, some of the wins are a bit dubious. Mississippi State is the worst team in the SEC, while Kansas is arguably the worst team in the Big 12 – and Arizona State beat each of them by one score or less.
The Utah win is the first really good W for Dillingham this season – and arguably the biggest of his first two seasons as head coach after coming over from Oregon ahead of the 2023 season.
Dillingham, who went to Arizona State, sure knew how to celebrate the moment after the game – screaming through his postgame interview and getting caught in the student mosh pit.
“I was one of these guys,” Dillingham exclaimed while the crowd pulled him away. “I was doing this!”
The Sun Devils are on the road in Week 8 against Cincinnati before a bye to close out October.
The Kansas State Wildcats have their work cut out for them this weekend when they play the Colorado Buffaloes. With a lot riding on this, including a big fan bet, what is the key to victory?
The Big 12 conference matchup with the highest stakes in Week 7 will take place in Boulder, Colorado on Saturday evening when the No. 18 Kansas State Wildcats take on the 4-1 Colorado Buffaloes.
Aside from dropping a game to the BYU Cougars in Week 4, K-State has been a powerhouse. Colorado, aside from dropping a game to Nebraska in Week 2, has been hard to judge. They blew out the UCF Knights but needed overtime to escape the Baylor Bears at home.
Kansas State got blown out by BYU, but what was even more embarrassing that weekend may have been one of their most significant fans.
Twitter/X user @SaintBillSnyder, who is notorious for making outrageous claims about what he will do if Kansas State loses, kept his word following the BYU game… which resulted in a rather embarrassing incident regarding a Taco Bell burrito.
For what it’s worth, this week @SaintBillSnyder went on to the Locked On Big 12 Squad show and said he will get a tattoo of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders… on his behind. This will add a layer of permanence to the shame of a loss this weekend, especially after his viral reaction to losing to BYU.
Syndication: Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Keys to Victory
Kansas State coach Chris Kleiman has built a strong program each game since that weekend at BYU, and in some ways, the Wildcats have been riding the good karma that comes with a fan honoring his bets. But Colorado is their toughest opponent since their last loss.
The Buffs have two of the best handful of athletes in all of college football in Sanders and wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. Sometimes football comes down to “the Jimmies and the Joes” being more important than the X’s and the O’s.
Kansas State has their own playmaker at quarterback in Avery Johnson. Johnson is one of the highest-ranked recruits to ever step on campus in Manhattan, and he can pick apart defenses with his arm and legs alike.
What will Kansas State need to do? Control the clock. Johnson is a great runner, and Colorado gives up over 150 yards per game on the ground.
What will the Buffaloes need to do? Get after Johnson. Seven different Buffaloes have a sack this year, and four have more than one. If Colorado wants to add some names to that list, and force a loyal K-State fan to add a tattoo to his backside, they need to add a few names to that list Saturday.
All four ranked teams (Iowa State Cyclones, BYU Cougars, Utah Utes, and Kansas State Wildcats) each head into tough matchups this weekend. What matchups must you see?
All four ranked Big 12 teams play this weekend, and only one gets to play at home. As exciting as the Big 12 has been this season, the “roller coaster” effect of the conference has not projected many teams into the College Football Playoffs.
Presently, many experts argue that the Big 12 will get just one team in. Therefore, winning the conference will be paramount. This weekend, all four ranked Big 12 Teams could lose.
The No. 16 Utah Utes, No. 14 BYU Cougars, No. 11 Iowa State Cyclones, and No. 18 Kansas State Wildcats each face tough tasks in Week 7, and none of them can afford a loss this late in the season. No. 14 BYU is clinging on to a great nonconference win over SMU, but letting one slip at home would be catastrophic for their chances at a Big 12 Title. No. 11 Iowa State heads to West Virginia, who is undefeated in Big 12 play and should be raucous on Saturday night.
But what game will be the best game? We rank the Big 12 games between ranked programs in Week 7.
This week’s four most important Big 12 games:
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Game 4 No. 16 Utah Utes at Arizona State Sun Devils
In this week’s version of Big 12 meets Friday Night Lights, the Utah Utes head to Tempe, Arizona, to take on the Arizona State Sun Devils. The biggest issue for Utah, however, will be in their own backfield: who takes the snaps?
Head coach Kyle Whittingham, as recently as Monday, gave a very vague answer about starting quarterback Cam Rising’s availability. Utah is a very strong team, but without Rising they are a much more beatable one. Backup quarterback (turned starter through injury) Isaac Wilson has more interceptions than touchdowns. As a true freshman, the game appears to be moving too fast.
Arizona State’s Clayton Smith has a sack in four of his last five games and in each of his four “sack games,” Arizona State has ended up victorious. Is the long shot possible?
Game 3 No. 11 Iowa State Cyclones at West Virginia Mountaineers
Iowa State enters the weekend as the highest-ranked Big 12 team in the AP Top 25 Poll, and the West Virginia Mountaineers enter the weekend undefeated in the Big 12 conference. If the Mountaineers had won even one, let alone both, of their Power 4 non-conference games this game could have slingshotted up to the number one spot. West Virginia is averaging nearly 440 yards of offense per game, and and Iowa State allows just 271 yards per contest. Something has to break there.
Game 2 No. 14 BYU Cougars Host Arizona Wildcats
BYU sits atop our Big 12 power rankings, but Arizona has already gone into the state of Utah and taken out a top Big 12 team before. BYU rides the hot play of quarterback Jake Retzlaff. Retzlaff has over 1350 total yards and 13 total touchdowns through 5 games.
BYU is 5-0, and looking to improve on their top 15 ranking the AP Poll. Arizona entered the year as a darkhorse contender and, while that has fallen through some, quarterback Noah Fifita has been their best player in big moments. If Arizona finds some secret to winning in the state of Utah and plays spoiler again, BYU may see their season ruined.
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Game 1 No. 18 Kansas State Wildcats at Colorado Buffaloes
The last person you want to play in a given week when you’re back is against the wall and you’re trying to play your way to Arlington for the Big 12 title has got to be the best quarterback in the Big 12. But the best quarterback in the Big 12 (Shedeur Sanders) and the best player in college football (WR/DB Travis Hunter)? Coach Deion “Prime” Sanders has Colorado not-so-quietly climbing up the Big 12 Leaderboards.
But, KSU quarterback Avery Johnson is as true of a dual-threat quarterback as there could possibly be. Kansas State looks to keep their run to the conference title, and perhaps a revenge game with the Cougars, and a talented Colorado team sits in their way this week.
The Big 12 Conference is one of the wildest conferences in all of College Football. After Week 6, BYU, Iowa State, and Colorado lead the Conference heading into Week 7.
The Big 12 was not immune to the chaos of Week 6 in college football. Top teams fell on unranked road trips, fields were stormed, and goalposts went down and into the river.
As we cross the midway point of the season, things are getting tighter. The preseason rankings are so far in the rearview it’s hard to imagine they ever happened. (Remember when the Utah Utes and Kansas Jayhawks were in the top three?)
Going into Week 6, it felt like the Big 12 was set to have a quiet week. As we emerged from it, multiple upsets mixed up our Power Rankings completely.
For some teams, having Week 6 off was actually a benefit. The BYU Cougars left a lasting impression and sit atop the charts. For others, like the Kansas Jayhawks, the more they play the farther they seem to fall.
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No. 1 BYU Cougars (5-0, 2-0)
It would have taken some serious leapfrogging for anyone to really get ahead of quarterback Jake Retzlaff and the Cougars. In their bye week, BYU didn’t lose (obviously), but perhaps more importantly they saw their biggest non-conference win (SMU Mustangs) continue to win and earn a spot in the AP Top 25. The Cougs hope to be well-rested and ready for the Arizona Wildcats this weekend.
No. 2 Iowa State Cyclones (5-0, 2-0)
Iowa State eventually took control of their game with the Baylor Bears, and had they dominated it from start to finish (ISU was down 14-3 in the second quarter, but won 43-21) they may have taken the top spot. The Cyclones rode explosive plays from wideouts Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, combined with a steady pounding of the rock from Jaylon Jackson.
ISU will see the West Virginia Mountaineers this weekend as they continue to make their case to play at the Big 12 title game in Arlington.
No. 3 Kansas State Wildcats (4-1, 1-1)
Kansas State was off this week, but they remain an impressive Big 12 team with one bad loss to the most impressive Big 12 team. After losing to BYU in Week 4, KSU bounced back in Week 5, and heads to Boulder for a huge matchup with the Colorado Buffaloes in Week 7. If Avery Johnson continues to play as he has for four of their five games, that Week 7 matchup could end up feeling like a playoff game.
No. 4 Colorado Buffaloes (4-1, 2-0)
As the fourth unmoved team in our Big 12 Power Rankings, Colorado also sits pat after a bye in Week 6. Colorado has the best two players in the conference in WR/CB Travis Hunter and Quarterback Shedeur Sanders. They have the most thrilling win (over Baylor Bears in OT), and one of the most dominant (48-21 over UCF Knights) in the conference thus far.
The biggest knock thus far has been a bad loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Had that gone differently, it’s fair to think they would be atop the conference. If they were to knock off Kansas State in Week 7… They may be about to get that chance.
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No. 5 Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-1, 3-0)
In the greatest surprise of the Top 5, Texas Tech leaps up two spots from 7th to 5th. The Red Raiders are undefeated in the conference, and Lubbock continues to be one of the most challenging venues to play in. Tech is the only Big 12 team that is 3-0 in conference, but their strength of schedule is up for debate. Beating the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson was strong, and narrowly escaping home contests with the Cincinnati Bearcats and Arizona State Sun Devils. Much like the Buffaloes, a non-conference loss at the Washington State Cougars plagues the Red Raiders’ ranking.
No. 6 Arizona Wildcats (3-2, 1-1)
Arizona is leapfrogged this week by the same Red Raider team that beat them. The third-quarter push made it look like Arizona had some late-night magic in-store… but ultimately the Wildcats couldn’t stay out of their own way. Beating the Utah Utes in Salt Lake City still ranks as one of the best wins in the conference, but the Wildcats will need to have the same mojo as they head to Provo this weekend to propel themselves up the rankings.
No. 7 Utah Utes (4-1, 1-1)
After losing to Arizona, the Utes saw the Red Raiders leap frog past them in the rankings (as Tech beat Arizona). Utah is, on paper, one of the strongest teams in the conference. But until injured quarterback Cam Rising is both playing and back to himself, it’s hard to figure out where this team lands. The Utes boast a strong defense, and the team has high hopes. Getting right with a win over Arizona State this weekend would be a strong start.
No. 8 Arizona State Sun Devils (4-1, 1-1)
The Sun Devils rebounded from their loss to Texas Tech, with an extra week to prepare, by beating last week’s last-placed team in the conference (Kansas Jayhawks). A game-winning drive late helped ASU’s win-loss total and it helped move them up in our Power Rankings. If the Sun Devils can beat Utah they may keep moving up… and if they can’t, they may fall back some.
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No. 9 Cincinnati Bearcats (3-2, 1-1)
After starting the year with head coach Scott Satterfield on the hot seat, the Cincinnati Bearcats’ “odd” year of close losses and big wins had an off-week. As Cincy looks to knock off the UCF Knights Saturday, they likely set up the second half of their season to either be a “Bowl Game push” or a “bowl plunge,” as in down the drain. Win or lose, quarterback Brendan Sorsby has been a really strong signal-caller.
No. 10 UCF Knights (3-2, 1-1)
The UCF Knights felt like one of the darlings of the Big 12 heading into Week 5. Then, they lost in blowout fashion to the Colorado Buffaloes. To follow that up? They get throttled by the Florida Gators. UCF isn’t quite in a free fall, but they’re not far.
UCF needs to throw together a string of conference wins in October to make any progress in the rankings, and that will likely require quarterback KJ Jefferson to be a true dual threat.
No. 11 West Virginia Mountaineers (3-2, 2-0)
West Virginia is 2-0 in the conference, and their two non-conference losses are to Power 4 opponents (The Penn State Nittany Lions and Pittsburgh Panthers). But we’ve gotten to the point where it’s hard to understand their strength of schedule within the conference. Kansas looks like a bad football team, and WVU beat them, at home, by a score of just 32-28. Oklahoma State opened the year a favorite but is far from it now, and WVU beat them 38-14 last weekend.
If WVU makes a splash with the Iowa State game this weekend, they may have the highest climb in the rankings of any team this year. But until then? Here’s where we are.
No. 12 Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-3, 0-3)
The Oklahoma State Cowboys season is in danger of slipping away. Three straight conference losses has Mike Gundy’s crew reeling and, while they have a bye week this week, they have to go to Provo to play BYU later this month and head to Colorado later this year. That’s conceivably five conference losses for a team that, coming off a trip to the title game last year, thought they had a trip to Arlington locked up.
While it would take more upsets, it wouldn’t be impossible for the Cowboys to miss a Bowl Game altogether.
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No. 13 Houston Cougars (2-4, 1-2)
The Houston Cougars leap two spots here after securing their first Big 12 win in Ft. Worth over the TCU Horned Frogs. After making the move to Zeon Chriss it appears they have figured out who they want to play quarterback, their defense has been a strength all year, and their running game proved dominant in the contest. Houston’s found a path to victory as they head into a bye week. After the bye week, they get to try to repeat the same success with the Kansas Jayhawks.
No. 14 TCU Horned Frogs (3-3, 1-2)
TCU has a conference win, but they also have a blowout loss to rival SMU, a blown lead to UCF, and now a loss to Houston. TCU is not the same program that played in the national title game in 2023. Their defense can’t stop the run, their offense has talented individuals but lacks cohesion. In the modern Big 12 conference that won’t beat anyone they have left.
No. 15 Baylor Bears (2-4, 0-3)
The Baylor Bears appear to be letting the Dave Aranda experiment run its course. It’s unclear why else they would be keeping him and his staff in Waco for the rest of this season. Baylor is 2-4 presently but has various halves and quarters of games they’ve played where they look like they could be 4-2. Their inconsistency continues to plague them and fixing that may take a very painful off-season.
No. 16 Kansas Jayhawks (1-5, 0-3)
Kansas still has not beaten an FBS team. It is hard to be ranked anything besides last in an FBS conference until you can beat an FBS team. Period.
Two of Colorado’s upcoming opponents were ranked in the latest Coaches Poll
The post-Week 6 US LBM Coaches Poll reaffirmed that in the Big 12, no team is helmet and shoulder pads above the rest.
Moreover, if the league continues its cannibalistic tendencies, the conference champion might be the only Big 12 team headed to the newly expanded College Football Playoff.
Only two of Colorado’s seven remaining regular season opponents were ranked in the latest Coaches Poll, including Week 7 foe Kansas State. The No. 19 Wildcats will be at Folsom Field on Saturday (8:15 p.m. MT, ESPN) for arguably the biggest Big 12 game of the weekend.
Utah, which comes to Boulder on Nov. 16, was ranked No. 17 in the post-Week 6 poll. Ahead of the Utes and Wildcats, No. 16 BYU and No. 13 Iowa State were the only other ranked Big 12 teams.
Colorado received 16 votes while Arizona (12), Texas Tech (eight) and Arizona State (one) followed.
Here’s a complete look at the post-Week 6 US LBM Coaches Poll:
Ranking
Team
Record
Points
1
Texas Longhorns
5-0
1,364 (44)
2
Ohio State Buckeyes
5-0
1,330 (11)
3
Oregon Ducks
5-0
1,215
4
Georgia Bulldogs
4-1
1,174
5
Penn State Nittany Lions
5-0
1,163
6
Miami Hurricanes
6-0
1,085
7
Alabama Crimson Tide
4-1
1,035
8
Ole Miss Rebels
5-1
935
9
Tennessee Volunteers
4-1
856
10
LSU Tigers
4-1
839
11
Clemson Tigers
4-1
818
12
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
4-1
807
13
Iowa State Cyclones
5-0
695
14
Texas A&M Aggies
5-1
564
15
BYU Cougars
5-0
549
16
Oklahoma Sooners
4-1
541
17
Utah Utes
4-1
479
18
Missouri Tigers
4-1
473
19
Kansas State Wildcats
4-1
360
20
Indiana Hoosiers
6-0
358
21
Michigan Wolverines
4-2
224
22
Boise State Broncos
4-1
213
23
Illinois Fighting Illini
4-1
179
24
Pittsburgh Panthers
5-0
170
25
SMU Mustangs
5-1
123
Schools Dropped Out
No. 15 USC; No. 22 Louisville; No. 23 UNLV;
Others Receiving Votes
USC 102; Nebraska 68; Army West Point 36; Navy 26; Colorado 16; Kentucky 12; Arizona 12; UNLV 11; Texas Tech 8; Virginia 7; Washington 5; Liberty 5; Vanderbilt 4; Rutgers 3; Arkansas 3; Tulane 2; Louisville 2; Iowa 2; Syracuse 1; Arizona State 1;
The Big 12 Conference NEEDS to have some representation at the Heisman Trophy presentation. Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter, Avery Johnson, and Jake Retzlaff make their cases!
The Big 12 is trying to solidify itself as the third most powerful conference in college football, hoping to survive whatever comes next in the NCAA.
Adding strong programs, like the Utah Utes, helps, but star power is a critical element of success in the eyes of many. TV contracts drive a lot of conference prestige, and stars drive those contracts.
To achieve that star power the Big 12 needs Heisman Trophy candidates.
Deion Sanders and his Colorado Buffaloes are doing their part, with quarterback Shedeur Sanders and wide receiver/defensive back hybrid Travis Hunter both squarely in the mix ahead of Week 6 of the season.
The Colorado duo are not the only candidates to take home college football’s most coveted prize however, with Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson on the list… But what’s their present argument for the big prize? And is there a dark horse candidate in the Big 12? Let’s break it down:
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The Favorite: Shedeur Sanders
The Colorado Buffaloes do top the list, twice. And to be fair, they have a lot left to prove. But the Heisman has been, by and large, a quarterback award. Since 2000, 20 quarterbacks have won the award. And the quarterback with the most star power in the Big 12 has to be the guy with a celebration that is…flexing his watch?
Sanders is top-10 in passing yards, top-5 in passing touchdowns, has just three interceptions, and – somehow – the stats don’t tell the whole story. Sanders is constantly running around for his life. He has the Hail Mary’s to seal comebacks and he can march down the field. The only question is: is Shedeur Sanders even his own team’s best player? And can he be the Most Outstanding Player in America if he isn’t?
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The Best: Travis Hunter
Nationally, Travis Hunter is 4th in receiving yards, and 3rd in receiving touchdowns. Also, he has played more defensive snaps than offensive snaps this year because, as talented a wideout as he is, he is an even better defensive back. Hunter could be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft as a wide receiver or a cornerback. He was a preseason All-American at two positions. He makes dazzling plays on both sides of the ball and, if he really had the opportunity to focus on one thing, could probably play any position.
Sanders needs Hunter, Hunter needs Sanders. The only issue that either player could run into as they hope to get invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony is stealing one anothers’ votes.
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The Other Guy: Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson is only ranked in the top 60 of all NCAA players in rushing yards and added a pair of rushing touchdowns last week… as a quarterback. He also has 880 pass yards and nine touchdowns. Obviously, the Wildcats took a spill in Provo, Utah, but most do.
The true dual-threat quarterback seems poised to help the Kansas State Wildcats bounce back from and win the Big 12. To do that, they would likely have to win on the road in Boulder, Colorado, on October 12th, and could avenge their early loss to BYU in a title game trip to Arlington, Texas. With the Buffaloes splitting votes, could Avery Johnson be the Big 12’s best bet?
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The Dark horse: Jake Retzlaff
Retzlaff, quarterback of the BYU Cougars, is an elite passer. The Corona, California, native has over 1,200 yards passing and has thrown 11 touchdowns. After beating the Baylor Bears last week, BYU sits at 5-0 and could make noise nationally very soon. The Cougars’ early season win over the SMU Mustangs looks better every week, they beat KSU like very few teams have in the Chris Kleiman era, and their statement game comes in a game they call “The Holy War.” BYU heads to No. 18 Utah in early November in a game that could propel him into the conversation.
The Cougars wrap with the Kansas Jayhawks, the Arizona State Sun Devils, and the Houston Cougars. Four programs Retzlaff has the potential to light up on his way to a Big 12 title game in Arlington.
The Big 12 conference is full of exciting football… and some ugly football. What is the good game, the bad game, and the ugly game this weekend?
The Big 12 is solidifying itself as the third power conference in college football for one reason: excitement. Every single week, the Big 12 finds some new way to impress and make headlines. Last week, it was coach Deion Sanders and Travis Hunter propelling the Colorado Buffaloes up the Big 12 power rankings following a big win in Orlando.
Do the UCF Knights have different luck at home this week? With just one ranked team in action, what does the Big 12 have up their sleeve for Week 6? Without the No. 17 BYU Cougars, No. 18 Utah Utes, or No. 20 Kansas State Wildcats in action to carry the load, is there any good game to watch this weekend? Without Coach Prime in action, is there anything to keep an eye on? Or is it just all ugly?
Let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the just plain ugly coming up in Week 6 out of the Big 12:
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The Good: UCF Knights Hosting Florida Gators
Last week, Coach Prime announced that UCF would have a big recruiting weekend because he was in town. But this weekend? UCF can take down the Florida Gators and take one more step towards control of the Sunshine State.
Florida is in a down season… for the third season in a row. The Billy Napier experiment is failing, and UCF can put one more nail in the coffin. Meanwhile, UCF is – as a program – trending upwards.
Head coach Gus Malzahn leads quarterback KJ Jefferson and running back RJ Harvey as the Knights look to respond to a tough loss to Colorado. UCF’s efforts have been largely based on winning in-state recruiting battles, and a win over their SEC neighbors would go a long way with kids in Floridian high schools.
The Bad: Kansas Jayhawks at Arizona State Sun Devils.
After starting the year with high hopes, and coming off of multiple years of steady growth, it appears the world has figured out the coach Lance Leipold system in Kansas. The Jayhawks have not won a game over a FBS opponent yet this year. That’s bad.
Arizona State sits at 3-1, but their wins appear to be over bad teams. Sure, the Mississippi State Bulldogs are an SEC team… but not a good one. Yes, San Marcos, Texas, can be a hard place to play… but it was a Big 12 team against a Sun Belt team in Texas State. The Sun Devils played a competitive game in Lubbock against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in Week 4 but still came up short. It’s hard to imagine that either of these teams are “good,” but that doesn’t mean it can’t be competitive or fun.
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The Ugly: Houston Cougars at TCU Horned Frogs
The Houston Cougars football program went from 2000 to 2023 without being shut out once. In four games this season, Houston has been kept out of the end zone twice and scored just once in garbage time against the UNLV Rebels. The Cougar offense is ugly. Quarterback duties will be split between Donovan Smith and Zeon Chriss, but it feels certain if either scores a touchdown the job is theirs.
The TCU Horned Frogs were in the National Championship in 2022. They are 8-9 in the 17 games since, and saw their coach thrown out of a blowout loss to crosstown rival: the SMU Mustangs. It was ugly.
TCU head coach Sonny Dykes has Kendal Briles, AJ Ricker, Malcolm Kelly, Doug Meacham, and Ryan Dorchester on his staff, each of whom coached at Houston in some capacity. But the cherry on top? Dana Holgorsen, whom Houston fired last December, serves as a Defensive Analyst at TCU.
This game is sure to be ugly throughout… the only question is if it’s ugly enough to be the kind of thing you can’t look away from.
