Cincinnati and Texas Tech are the big winners from week six in the Big 12. 

The Bearcats are in the mix to be the biggest challenger to the Red Raiders, but will Tech get legitimately pushed in Big 12 play this year?

Here are my five biggest takeaways from the weekend.

1. We All Owe Cincinnati An Apology

I knew Cincinnati had a legitimate shot to beat Iowa State on Saturday, but I didn’t see a 31–7 first-half lead coming.

The final score shows a one-possession game, but the Bearcats thoroughly handled the Cyclones. If not for a questionable pass-interference call that erased a late first-half Cincinnati interception, this might’ve been a 20-point win for Scott Satterfield’s team.

It made for an incredible scene for Cincy fans after the game.

The Bearcats have now won four straight for the first time since joining the Big 12.

Quarterback Brendan Sorsby gets plenty of attention, and he’s earned it, but the foundation of Cincinnati’s surge is its running game. The Bearcats rank second nationally in yards per carry (6.58) and piled up more than 200 rushing yards in the first half alone against Iowa State.

All you need to know about that ground attack is in the clip below:

After watching back-to-back wins over Kansas and Iowa State, I’ve seen enough. Cincinnati is a legitimate contender to reach the Big 12 title game.

The Bearcats’ schedule helps, too. They don’t play Texas Tech or Arizona State, and their toughest remaining matchup is November 1 at Utah.

Enjoy the ride, Bearcats fans. You’ve earned it.

2. Texas Tech is That Team

Texas Tech didn’t play its best game on Saturday at Houston. 

The Red Raiders couldn’t finish drives, got in their own way with eight penalties, and had to kick seven field goals. Yet, they still pummeled previously unbeaten Houston by 24. 

Beyond those missed opportunities, the numbers were staggering. Tech out-gained the Cougars 552–267, held the ball for nearly 38 minutes, knocked starting QB Conner Weigman out before halftime, forced three turnovers, and limited Houston to 3.4 yards per carry.

It’s obvious that Tech is the most talented team in the Big 12. That doesn’t guarantee a title, but it’s sobering for everyone else that a C performance on the road still produced a blowout.

Edge David Bailey might be the best pass rusher in the country. Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, who had a slick interception, looks like an All-American. The offense is teeming with weapons if they can develop more consistency. 

Tech is now a top-ten team, and deservedly so. They may not get pushed much the rest of the way, though a road trip to Arizona State next weekend looms as their toughest remaining test.

Complacency might be the Red Raiders’ toughest opponent from here on out.

3. BYU Needs to Clean Things Up

BYU doesn’t need to apologize for a double-digit conference win over West Virginia, but the Cougars do need to tighten things up if they want to stay in the title hunt.

Head coach Kalani Sitake called his team’s play “thoughtless” after three turnovers and ten penalties kept an injury-riddled WVU team in it. Two of those turnovers gave the Mountaineers short fields for touchdowns.

True freshman QB Bear Bachmeier deserves credit for reaching October without a turnover, but he can’t afford multi-turnover games if BYU wants to contend.

On the plus side, Bachmeier was more prolific through the air than we’ve seen, throwing for a career-high 351 yards. Receivers Chase Roberts and Parker Kingston did plenty of heavy lifting after the catch.

If the passing game has truly turned a corner, that’s a huge development heading into a brutal four-game stretch against Arizona, Utah, Iowa State, and Texas Tech—teams with a combined 18-3 record.

Health will matter, too. Linebackers Jack Kelly and Isaiah Glasker both came out of the WVU game banged up, and BYU needs them at full strength.

Getting to 5-0 with a true freshman quarterback is impressive, but the toughest part of the schedule starts now.

4. Colorado Can’t Finish

Colorado’s loss at TCU felt like déjà vu. Jump out to a 14–0 lead, blow it, rally back, and fall short again.

The Buffs are now 2-4 without a win over a Power Four opponent, but they aren’t that far off. They’ve gone toe-to-toe with No. 13 Georgia Tech, No. 18 BYU, and a TCU team receiving top-25 votes.

They just can’t close.

A punt that ricocheted off a Colorado player’s back in the fourth quarter was the killer this time, gifting TCU the go-ahead touchdown.

To make matters worse, head coach Deion Sanders is dealing with more health issues.

There’s no shortage of adversity in Boulder, and it’s unclear whether the fixes are on the roster. Some are calling for five-star freshman JuJu Lewis after Kaidon Salter’s three-interception night, but that alone won’t solve everything.

With Iowa State and Utah next, things may get worse before they get better.

5. KU and Arizona Take Care of Business

Arizona has already matched last year’s win total by early October. The Wildcats routed a reeling Oklahoma State 41-13 behind 375 yards and five touchdowns from quarterback Noah Fifita.

It’s their best start since 2019 and a needed rebound after a blowout loss in Ames.

Now comes a real test: BYU visits Tucson this Saturday. The Cougars are a top-20 team and have Utah looming next week. If BYU’s focus slips, Arizona is good enough to pounce.

Things were looking bleak for Kansas at UCF in the first half. The Jayhawks trailed by as many as ten and allowed over ten yards per carry to the Knights' offense. 

But the defense flipped the script after halftime, holding the Knights to just 37 rushing yards on 23 carries and shutting them out the rest of the way.

It wasn’t pretty on a rain-soaked night in Orlando, but it was gritty—and maybe a turning point for KU’s defense.

If that was a true turning point for the Jayhawks' defense, it’s a huge deal for a team that still has Texas Tech, Iowa State, and Utah on the schedule.

What You Need to Know

• SEC pundit Paul Finebaum is no longer on ESPN. The network removed him after reports that he is considering running for Senate in Alabama. 

• The latest college football bracketology from On3 has only one Big 12 team in the field. 

• But ESPN’s SP+ actually has two Big 12 teams in the field right now.  

• Nick Saban has some very high praise for Texas Tech football. 

• Oklahoma State QB Zane Flores won’t play this week for the Cowboys. Here is who will.

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