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Big 12 Update: Let a New Era of Chaos Begin

Conference play heats up this week.

Published

2 years ago

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[Devin Wilber/PFB]

We’re about to enter the chaos of this new era of the Big 12.

Most teams start conference play this week, highlighted by favorites Oklahoma State and Utah clashing in Stillwater at 3 p.m. Saturday. Both made it through nonconference play unbeaten, as OSU handled Tulsa 45-10, which you can read about here.

You can see how Utah and the rest of the Big 12 did this last week below.

Arizona State 31, Texas State 28

It was over. And then it wasn’t

Arizona State started Week 3 of the college football season in a wild game that ended twice Thursday night. ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt took a knee on fourth down to run out the clock, but after a review and even in the middle of coach Kenny Dillingham’s postgame interview, the refs decided there was still a tick left when Leavitt’s knee touched the turf so gave Texas State one more play. That extra snap didn’t lead to anything, but OSU fans know better than anyone that even one extra play can change an entire season.

Both teams entered the game undefeated, so with the win, the Sun Devils prevailed through nonconference play unscathed before heading into their first Big 12 slate. ASU looks a heck of a lot better than preseason projections. And the Sun Devils are likely going to start this campaign 4-0 after opening up conference play against a struggling Texas Tech at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

UNLV 23, Kansas 20

The UNLV Rebels: Big 12 slayers.

In what was such a promising season, Kansas has now dropped two in a row after losing to UNLV on Friday night. The Rebels also beat Houston 27-7 Week 1 and, for the first time since 1984, have started a season 3-0.

The game had the chaos you’d expect from Friday the 13th, but ultimately, the Rebels scored a touchdown with 1:51 left then held KU to seal the win. KU’s stars didn’t quite do enough, as quarterback Jalon Daniels threw a pair of interceptions without a TD. He did rush for two scores, though. Devin Neal rushed for 123 yards but didn’t get into the end zone.

Next week now looks like a tossup for the Jayhawks against West Virginia in Morgantown.

Kansas State 31, Arizona 7

The Wildcats won this one, as expected.

In a nonconference game between two Big 12 teams (welcome to 2024) and two Wildcats, K-State handled Arizona in its soft welcome to the league. Arizona scored the first points, but K-State then outscored its opponent 31-0 the rest of the way.

K-State running back, I mean quarterback, Avery Johnson was dangerous in the run game, scrambling for 110 rush yards. He was also 14-of-23 for 156 yards and a pair of TDs through the air. Johnson with DJ Giddens makes K-State’s run game spectacular, as Giddens had 86 rushing yards and a score.

Big 12 play will start for real for both Wildcats now. K-State heads to BYU, while Arizona gets a week off before traveling to Utah.

Cincinnati 27, Miami (OH) 16

Cincinnati bounced back from a one-point heartbreaker Week 2 with another win to finish nonconference play at 2-1.

Running back Corey Kiner carried the Bearcats with 126 rushing yards on 21 carries. He scored once.

The Bearcats now start Big 12 play against Houston at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Texas Tech 66, North Texas 21

Something got into the Red Raiders on Saturday morning.

Texas Tech led 49-7 at halftime while cruising to an easy victory after two disappointing weeks to start the season. Behren Morton had a day, throwing for 273 yards and four TDs while completing only 15 passes. Four different players, including Morton, also scored rushing TDs.

The Red Raiders will hope that momentum carries over when starting Big 12 play against an undefeated Arizona State.

Pitt 38, West Virginia 34

West Virginia lost a close one to its rival and will go into conference play at 1-2. But those losses weren’t cheap to Pitt and Penn State.

Speaking of 1-2 teams, although the record is the same, Kansas’ start has actually been more disappointing. The Mountaineers will host KU at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Utah 38, Utah State 21

Utah survived its week without star quarterback Cam Rising and got past an instate foe.

In Rising’s place, Isaac Wilson was 20-of-33 for 239 yards and three TDs compared to one INT. The Utes mostly relied on their run game, though, with 221 rushing yards as a team and Micah Bernard running for 123 on 17 carries with a score.

OSU gets Utah, the Big 12 preseason favorite, in its first real Big 12 action.

Baylor 31, Air Force 3

Baylor handled Air Force to get through nonconference play at 2-1. Its only nonconference loss was actually to another Big 12 team, Utah, last week.

Next, Baylor heads to Colorado for Coach Prime’s Big 12 debut.

Colorado 28, Colorado State 9

Colorado rebounded from a loss to Nebraska with a win against instate rival.

The Buffaloes’ stars were, well, stars in this one. Shedeur Sanders threw four TDs and two-way standout Travis Hunter caught two of them, along with 100 yards on 13 receptions.

Colorado will start its second reign in the Big 12 next against Baylor.

UCF 35, TCU 34

In what might have been the best game in the entire country, UCF scored a TD and PAT with 36 seconds left to lead for the first time all night and win the game, improving to 3-0 and dropping TCU to 2-1.

TCU led this one 31-20 going into the fourth before UCF scored a pair of TDs in the final frame.

UCF now gets a break before hosting Colorado, while TCU heads to metroplex rival SMU to finish nonconference play.

Houston 33, Rice 7

Houston finally got its first win after a challenging start.

The Cougars are 1-2 to start Big 12 play against Cincinnati.

BYU 34, Wyoming 14

BYU once again had some #Big12AfterDark action as the Cougars improved to 3-0.

Quarterback Jake Retzlaff did it all in this one as BYU’s leading passer and rusher. He threw for 291 yards and three TDs and rushed for 62 yards.

The Cougars will have their biggest test by far when they host Kansas State in another late night game at 9:30 p.m. Saturday.

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