***UPDATE: I made a very boneheaded mistake in the first version of this that I sent out. K-State-Arizona is technically a non-conference game. It was scheduled well before Arizona joined the Big 12. My apologies for the confusion.***

It’s dangerous to say this, but it’s a more boring week in the Big 12 on paper than what we had last week. 

Six schools are favored by at least three scores, and another three are taking on overmatched FCS opponents.

My favorite game of the weekend, though, is another one cut from the same cloth as Missouri and Kansas: the Backyard Brawl. 

Here are the top five things to watch for this week.

Week Three Primer

I’ll be previewing every week of the Big 12 season by giving you the top five things to watch for. Here’s what you need to know about week three.

All times listed are Central Time (CST)

Another Great Game for the College Football Soul

Pitt (2-0) at West Virginia (1-1) – 2:30 ESPN
Line: Pitt -6.5

Last week gave us Kansas–Missouri for the first time since 2011, and it was everything college football should be: regional rivals, Civil War roots, real hatred, a drivable road trip, and a series record the schools still can’t agree on.

The Backyard Brawl is cut from the exact same cloth. West Virginia and Pitt hate each other. It’s a game that should be played every single year. Full stop. 

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi even lobbed a jab at West Virginia this week for not scheduling the game in 2026–28.

Thankfully, the series resumes in 2029. 

For now, WVU limps in. The Mountaineers lost at Ohio, eliminating their College Gameday hopes, and lost star RB Jahiem White and WR Jaden Bray for the season.

Still, history says this one stays close. Since the rivalry resumed in 2022, the three games have been decided by an average of just seven points. My money is on Rich Rod’s squad keeping it tight again.

Can Texas Tech and Utah Take Care of Business?

Oregon State (0-2) at #21 Texas Tech (2-0) – 2:30 Fox
Line: Tech -23.5

#20 Utah (2-0) at Wyoming (2-0) – 7:00 CBS Sports Network
Line: Utah -23.5

It’s never wise to peek too far ahead in college football, but it’s almost impossible not to look at what’s on tap next week in Salt Lake City. 

Texas Tech will be at Rice-Eccles Stadium in what could be the Big 12 game of the year…if both teams take care of overmatched opponents this weekend. 

The Red Raiders and Utes have been two of the most impressive teams in the league so far, and they’re also two of the most fascinating Big 12 teams. Tech is living up to its hype with the program’s most buzz in nearly two decades, while Utah looks revitalized after injury nightmares at quarterback the last two seasons.

Both teams are 23.5-point favorites this week. Utah travels to Wyoming, a place Tech lost at two seasons ago, and the Red Raiders host Oregon State. 

The Utes can lean on a defense that has allowed just one touchdown through two games. It’s easy for that unit to be overshadowed by the Devon Dampier hype at quarterback. 

Texas Tech came out swinging against Arkansas Pine-Bluff and Kent State. The Red Raiders have outscored their opponents 95-0 in the first half so far this season. 

Oregon State should provide a little more resistance than that, but I’d expect Tech to overwhelm them with talent, too.  

Which Wildcats Will Jumpstart Their Season?

K-State (1-2) at Arizona (2-0) – Friday 8:00 Fox
Line: KSU -1.5

This is a huge moment for K-State. On paper, the trip to Arizona looks like just a fairly meaningless non-conference game (this was scheduled before Arizona joined the Big 12). In reality, it could define the Wildcats’ season.

Because the Wildcats have virtually no shot at an at-large playoff bid, the only real prize left is a Big 12 title. Losing in Tucson technically wouldn’t hurt that chase. But fall to 1–3, and the damage goes far beyond the standings. At that point, holding the locker room together might be impossible.

In an era where players can transfer freely and keep a year of eligibility if they haven’t played more than four games, you’re in serious danger of guys shutting down their season after a disappointing start. It’s a risk for any program these days.

Beyond the roster logistics, it’s just hard to see this team mentally picking itself up after another poor performance if it happens. 

Yes, it’s going to be hot. Yes, K-State’s defense is exhausted after being on the field for nearly 27 minutes in the second half of the Army game. Yes, it’s a short week. 

But it’s time for the excuses to end. 

Arizona, meanwhile, can validate its pleasantly surprising 2-0 start. The Wildcats have outscored Weber State and Hawaii 88–9, though those teams are ranked 108th and 227th in the SP+ rankings of all teams at every level of college football. This will be a much truer test.

It’s a huge year for Brent Brennan, who is probably fighting for his job just over a year into his tenure. While a win Friday wouldn’t be a Big 12 victory, it would provide a serious shot in the arm and some validation for a program in desperate need of both. 

QB Noah Fifita lit up Weber State last week for 373 yards and five TDs. Against a shaky K-State secondary, he could have a field day.

Colorado’s Quarterback Musical Chairs

Colorado (1-1) at Houston (2-0) – Friday 6:30 ESPN
Line: Houston -4.5

Remember when Deion Sanders brought two QBs to media days? Neither is starting Friday. Say hello to QB1 Ryan Staub.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports that Staub earned the job for now after completing 7 of 10 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns against Delaware on Saturday, though Sanders hasn’t officially announced it.

Staub waited behind Shedeur Sanders for two years and stuck around despite five-star recruit JuJu Lewis and high-profile transfer Kaidon Salter arriving in Boulder this year.

Houston’s Conner Weigman, a former five-star himself, has five TDs and zero turnovers so far. The Cougars are No. 2 in the Big 12 in scoring and total defense.

This is a big barometer game. If Houston is for real, this is one it should win—and it could spark a serious run with Oregon State, Oklahoma State, and Arizona as three of the next four opponents.

Weird Road Spot for Iowa State

#14 Iowa State (3-0) at Arkansas State (1-1) – 3:00 ESPN2
Line: ISU -20.5

Iowa State is riding about as high as you can in early September. 

The Cyclones have already beaten both of their chief rivals and are atop the Big 12 standings with a conference win already under their belt. ISU has a golden opportunity to work its way into the top ten by the time it hosts BYU on October 25th. 

Before they get there, they have a bizarre road game in Jonesboro, Arkansas. 

For a lot of teams, this would be a trap game. Iowa State has to come down from the high of beating Iowa at home for the first time in the Matt Campbell era, and Arkansas State isn’t a name that gets players fired up. The Red Wolves lost 56-14 to Arkansas last week. 

But the Cyclones already handled a similar situation with ease this year. They demolished a good South Dakota team 55-7 in between games against the aforementioned rivals. 

Matt Campbell’s team is about as tough as they come, so it seems foolish to expect anything less than a businesslike performance on Saturday. 

Why would Iowa State schedule this game? They did so in 2014 before Campbell had arrived. 

It’s not totally unheard of. Both Missouri and Miami agreed to games in Jonesboro within the last decade, though the Miami game was cancelled due to hurricane-related travel issues.

Week Three Power Rankings

1. Iowa State (LW: 1)

2. Utah (LW: 2)

3. TCU (LW: 3)

4. Texas Tech (LW: 5)

5. Baylor (LW: 8)

6. BYU (LW: 7)

7. Kansas (LW: 6)

8. Arizona State (LW: 4)

9. Cincinnati (LW: 9)

10. Houston (LW: 12)

11. Colorado (LW: 11)

12. Arizona (LW: 13)

13. UCF (LW: 16)

14. West Virginia (LW: 14)

15. K-State (LW: 10)

16. Oklahoma State (LW: 15)

• Iowa State stays firmly at the top with the league’s best resume by a long shot. 

• Texas Tech moves up a spot, thanks to Arizona State blowing it late at Mississippi State, and Baylor vaults right back into the top five on the strength of the best win in the league this year at SMU. 

• It’s hard to parse six through nine. BYU has been dominant against subpar competition, while the other three all have tight losses in road games (or de facto road games) against Big Ten and SEC teams. For now, I’ll give the Cougars the benefit of the doubt. 

• K-State and Oklahoma State have to be at the bottom after suffering the most embarrassing losses of the league season so far. West Virginia’s performance at Ohio was certainly more respectable than the Wildcats’ loss to Army and the Cowboys’ loss by 66 at Oregon.

What You Need to Know

• One Big 12 coach is the most likely coach in the country to be fired, according to Bookies.com. This one probably shouldn’t surprise you. 

• Another Big 12 coach was mentioned as a candidate for two potential Power Two job openings this offseason. 

• Former K-State receiver Tre Spivey is now at Arizona, and he had some very pointed comments about his former team this week, leading up to the game.

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