Key injuries continue to affect the Big 12 title race, and College GameDay could be heading to a Big 12 game in back-to-back weeks if one team avoids an upset on Saturday. 

Plus, is the perception of the league hurting nationally because the former AAC and independent schools are at the top of the league standings?

Here are my five biggest takeaways from week ten in the Big 12.

Houston, Cincinnati, and BYU Affecting the Big 12’s Perception?

#17 Cincinnati (7-1, 5-0) at #24 Utah (6-2, 3-2) – 9:15 ESPN
Line: Utah -9.5

West Virginia (2-6, 0-5) at #22 Houston (7-1, 4-1) – 11:00 FS1
Line: Houston -12.5

Many across college football mocked the Big 12 for adding Houston, Cincinnati, UCF, and BYU after losing Texas and Oklahoma, even though all four had posted 11-win seasons within five years of joining. The joke was that the Big 12 had become a glorified Group of Five league.

Even some fans of the “hateful eight” Big 12 holdovers have done their share of teasing and grumbling as the newcomers found their footing.

With BYU, Cincinnati, and Houston all in the top four of the Big 12 standings heading into November, who’s laughing now?

BYU has won 12 of its last 14 Big 12 games and is 8-0 for a second straight season. Cincinnati has the Big 12’s lone Heisman contender and is one of only two Big 12 teams to make the College Football Playoff in the four-team era. Say what you will about Houston’s schedule, but the Cougars are simply doing what head coach Willie Fritz has done at literally every stop of his coaching career: winning big. 

Would there be more respect for the Big 12 if more established brands like Utah, TCU, and Oklahoma State were at the top? Perhaps. The Utes have played in two of the last four Rose Bowls, TCU was in the national title game three seasons ago, and Oklahoma State has eight 10+ win seasons since 2010. 

I made that same argument last year when Arizona State and BYU were in the playoff mix. If Utah or Oklahoma State had those same resumes, one likely would’ve been a serious at-large contender. That’s part of why the Big 12 ditched its preseason media poll this year.

But, honestly, outside of the playoff selection committee, who cares what people think? There will always be plenty of haters ready to bring down the Big 12, no matter who is at the top. No Big 12 team will ever win a hypothetical match-up against the SEC. 

Texas has the best SEC record of any team since joining the conference. Where are the haters lining up to trash the SEC for that?

The rest of the Big 12 schools only have themselves to blame for what the standings say right now. K-State started 1-3 and lost at home to Army. Oklahoma State has lost 14 straight Big 12 games. Utah is 5-9 in Big 12 games. Arizona State hasn’t surrounded QB Sam Leavitt and WR Jordyn Tyson with enough help. 

Meanwhile, BYU is building a national brand behind a true freshman quarterback, Cincinnati sits atop the standings with a coach many assumed was on borrowed time, and Houston rebuilt from the studs after the Dana Holgorsen era.

Time to tip your cap to three programs that looked overmatched after 2023 and proved everyone wrong.

This season should be a wake-up call for the legacy Big 12 programs, who assumed that spot at the top was theirs by default.

Is Texas Tech on Upset Alert in Manhattan?

#13 Texas Tech (7-1, 4-1) at K-State (4-4, 3-2) – 2:30 Fox
Line: Tech -7.5

Situationally, this has all the makings of an upset. 

K-State has rediscovered itself after a brutal start and now looks like a team much better than its record—think Kansas in 2024. The Wildcats return home to what will be their most fired-up crowd of the season; nothing energizes Manhattan like a blowout win over KU. Texas Tech could also be peeking ahead to a massive showdown with BYU next week. And the Red Raiders have lost eight straight and 12 of the last 13 to K-State.

There’s just one problem for the Wildcats: none of that helps block Tech’s defensive ends David Bailey and Romello Height.

KSU’s offensive line has not been a strength this year, and they have their work cut out for them with a dominant Red Raider front seven that averages over three sacks per game. It doesn’t help that K-State’s ground game is pedestrian at best without RB Dylan Edwards, who isn’t playing this week and likely won’t play the rest of the year. 

The margins are getting thinner for Tech due to injuries, but they got good news this week with QB Behren Morton set to start for the first time in three games and TE Terrance Carter Jr. listed as probable on the injury report. 

If Morton goes down for the fourth time this season, the Red Raiders could be in some real trouble. Backup QB Will Hammond is out for the season with a torn ACL. 

There’s a chance College Gameday will be in Lubbock next week if Tech takes care of business on Saturday. ESPN’s Reece Davis teased as much earlier this week. 

But first, the Red Raiders have to exorcise some demons. They haven’t won in Manhattan since Mike Leach beat Ron Prince back in 2008.

Cincinnati Takes Center Stage in Salt Lake City

#17 Cincinnati (7-1, 5-0) at #24 Utah (6-2, 3-2) – 9:15 ESPN
Line: Utah -9.5

The eyes of the college football world are on Salt Lake City this weekend with College Gameday in town for this Big 12 headliner. 

While Utah plays a role, Cincinnati is the national story that ESPN is following out west. The nation has finally taken notice of the Bearcats. 

QB Brendan Sorsby is getting Heisman hype and lots of national love this week. 

He even got an upgrade from EA Sports in NCAA 25. 

The love isn’t coming from the oddsmakers in Vegas, though. Cincy is a 9.5-point underdog at Utah, which seems crazy until you realize that the Utes are computer darlings right now. 

Josh Pate’s JP Poll, which is a computer power rating, has Utah in the top 12. So do CBS’s Tom Fornelli’s power ratings. 

The Bearcats are also going to be without leading rusher Evan Pryor on Saturday, while Utah gets starting QB Devon Dampier back. 

It’s the perfect setup for Scott Satterfield. His team is finally getting attention, but he can still play the “disrespect” card to keep that chip on their shoulder.

To win, Cincinnati must handle Utah’s physicality and make Dampier prove he can beat them through the air.

Injuries Continue to Derail Arizona State’s Season

Arizona State (5-3, 3-2) at Iowa State (5-3, 2-3) – 12:00 TNT
Line: ISU -7.5

This 2024 Big 12 championship game rematch is a matchup of two teams whose seasons are going in the wrong direction. 

Iowa State has lost three straight since a 5-0 start that vaulted them into the top 15. Arizona State has lost two of three while dealing with injuries to its two best players.

Unfortunately, for the Sun Devils, injuries are still a big issue. QB Sam Leavitt is out Saturday, and WR Jordyn Tyson was listed as doubtful on the initial injury report. 

That makes winning in Ames a tall order for an ASU team built almost exclusively around Leavitt and Tyson. 

The Cyclones have dealt with their fair share of injuries as well, most notably losing both starting cornerbacks weeks ago. They are essentially out of the Big 12 title race, but this is a prideful program that still has a realistic shot at eight or nine wins. 

Campbell’s name continues to pop up for the Penn State job, especially after Nebraska’s Matt Rhule effectively removed himself from the mix by signing an extension this week.

An interesting coaching carousel awaits, but for now, Campbell is focused on securing his fifth 8+ win season in Ames. That starts by holding serve against Arizona State.

Colorado Needs to Prove There’s Something Left 

Arizona (4-3, 1-3) at Colorado (3-5, 1-4) – 6:00 FS1
Line: Arizona -3.5

Last week wasn’t pretty for Colorado, to put it mildly. 

The Buffaloes gave up 422 yards rushing and seven sacks to Utah, who was playing without starting QB Devon Dampier. Colorado had -18 yards of offense in the first half and trailed 43-0 at halftime, the worst halftime deficit for the program since 2012.  

“This is probably the worst beating I’ve ever had except when my momma whooped me as a kid,” Colorado head coach Deion Sanders said.

Sanders also had to spend time this week answering questions about senior quality control analyst Warren Sapp kicking over pylons in Salt Lake City before the game. 

Needless to say, the vibes aren’t great in Boulder at the moment. 

If the Buffs want any shot at a bowl game, winning this game against scuffling Arizona is a must. But at this point, it’s about pride as much as postseason hopes.

Can Coach Prime rally his team after one of the most humiliating losses of his tenure? 

Arizona should be equally desperate. After a 3-0 start, the Wildcats have dropped three of four—two in heartbreaking fashion. A bowl is still in reach, but this is their most winnable remaining game.

Week Ten Power Rankings

1. BYU (LW: 1)
2. Texas Tech (LW: 2)
3. Cincinnati (LW: 3)
4. Houston (LW: 5)
5. Utah (LW: 6)
6. Arizona State (LW: 4)
7. K-State (LW: 12)
8. TCU (LW: 7)
9. Iowa State (LW: 8)
10. Baylor (LW: 9)
11. Arizona (LW: 11)
12. Kansas (LW: 10)
13. UCF (LW: 14)
14. Colorado (LW: 13)
15. West Virginia (LW: 16)
16. Oklahoma State (LW: 15)

• No changes at the top this week, with BYU, Texas Tech, and Cincinnati all winning, but Houston and Utah benefit from Arizona State’s fall. 

• K-State is the biggest mover. I’ve been as critical as anybody about the way the Wildcats started the season, but they’ve been a much better team for a month now. That’s a team that belongs in the top half of the league. 

• I’m moving West Virginia out of the cellar after the Mountaineers pushed TCU into the fourth quarter. The performance from freshman QB Scotty Fox Jr. against the Horned Frogs provides some optimism for the future in Morgantown.

What You Need to Know

• The Big 12 dropped a really cool throwback video for K-State and Texas Tech fans. 

• The biggest sports podcast in the world gave one of the Big 12’s hottest teams a shout-out this week. 

• BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick gave BYUtv an update on star running back LJ Martin’s status this week. 

• One Big 12 coach has been linked to the LSU opening after the Tigers fired Brian Kelly this week. 

• A national college football pundit has two Big 12 teams, including Utah, in his power rankings…but not BYU or Cincinnati. Yes, really.

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