Welcome to the Big 12 Buzz. This is a place where you can relax, have a drink and get your Big 12 fix. And if you just happen to catch a good buzz here then there’s no need to worry, trust me, it happens.
Think of this space as a good local dive bar. The floors are sticky, the jukebox is blaring, and the ice never melts in the urinal trough. Here, the bottles stay full, the beers stay cold, and everyone is somebody.
So pull up a stool, and let’s see what we have in store this week.
Easy Drinkers
I call these easy drinkers because just like a delicious Ames Lager, they will go down smoothly. And boy, do we have plenty of them this week with three games that have double digit spreads.
- UCF at Cincinnati
- Houston at Oklahoma State
- Kansas at No. 9 Texas Tech
The Knights are in a bit of a pickle with their quarterback situation. Tavyen Jackson got hurt for the second straight week and neither Cam Fancher nor Jacurri Brown are capable of keeping the offense moving. They are in a bad spot facing Cincinnati on the road who has one of the best offenses in the Big 12 led by Brendan Sorsby. Also, how in the hell is Cincy not ranked inside the top 25? Shame on you AP voters. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since half of them don’t watch college football anyways.
Next up we have Houston traveling to Stillwater where the best football team in town is the high school team. Seriously, has anyone seen Oklahoma State play football lately? If I were a TNT executive, there is no way I would be willing to air the Cowboys back-to-back weeks on my network. Whether it’s Connor Weigman or Zeon Chriss, the Cougars should claw the Pokes.
Last but not least is Kansas traveling to oil country to face the best team money can buy in the Big 12. As much as I like Jalon Daniels and the Kansas offense, they don’t stand a chance against Texas Tech in Lubbock. The Red Raiders didn’t even play their best over the last two road games and still won by 20 plus.
Beer Goggles
- No. 18 BYU @ Arizona
I have had my fair share of questions about BYU and Arizona. Is the beer making these two teams better than they actually are? Well, we are about to find out.
For whatever reason, I am having Déjà vu with BYU again. Here they are, 5-0 and I feel like I don’t have a great read on the Cougars. But what I do know is that I put too much stock into BYU losing Jake Retzlaff because Bear Bachmeier looks like an upgrade at quarterback. The Cougars do everything well from special teams, defense, and running the football. And if Bear airs it out like he did last week against West Virginia, then BYU is going to be a team to keep an eye on nationally.
As for Arizona, they are a bit harder to read. While they do look better than they were last season, how good are they? Noah Fifita has played well, and he actually has some weapons around him. But at the end of the day, their best win came against Kansas State at home which doesn’t tell me a whole lot.
IPA or THC?
- No. 22 Iowa State at Colorado
For those who have been to the rocky mountain state know that it’s full of IPA’s and THC seltzers. While I may not be a fan of either one, I do understand the effect it can have on some people.
Colorado is reeling after close back-to-back losses against BYU and TCU. They start off strong and fade away as the game goes on like one would after a few of those Colorado seltzers. While Kaidon Salter is talented, he also makes a ton of mistakes that have cost the Buffaloes.
As for Iowa State, they are coming off a tough loss of their own against Cincinnati where they played their worst game of the season. The Cyclones can’t afford another slow start to the game. I understand injuries have already plagued this team, but they are a better football team than Colorado. This is a must win game for Iowa State and if they lose then they may as well stock up on IPA’s and THC because it’s only going to get tougher from here on out.
Shot of the Week
- TCU at Kansas State
Just like when you walk into any bar, you never know what’s going to be up on that board. And just like this game, I am not really sure what to expect.
Neither team played their best last weekend yet had vastly different results. TCU ended up beating Colorado by two scores while Kansas State folded up like a cheap tent in Waco. Speaking of tents, remember that Iowa State game in Waco that one year? I still haven’t forgiven Baylor for that.
Anyways, this game is the most underrated game of the weekend. If TCU comes to play with Josh Hoover, then the Horned Frogs should win this game. But if they get off to a slow start like they did last week then they may be in serious trouble. Depending on which Kansas State team shows up, this will either come down to the wire or end up being a blowout. The Wildcats kissed their Jerry World hopes goodbye last weekend and are trying to salvage their season at this point, but they still have some talent on their roster.
Top Shelf Special
- No. 21 Arizona State at Utah
For all you late night sickos and degenerate gamblers, we have a late-night top shelf special this weekend with a huge showdown in Salt Lake City.
As of now, the Utes are a 5.5-point favorite at home which is a bit high for my taste. The last time we saw Utah at home, they were getting their head kicked in by Texas Tech. Then again, a lot of teams do. I know the Utes defense is as good as anyone’s in the Big 12 but what will the offense look like? Utah loves to run the football with their powerful big boys up front but can Devon Dampier throw it when they need to?
Arizona State has been tested already this season with battles against Mississippi State and TCU. Much like Utah, their defense is stout, and they have an absolute gamer at quarterback with Sam Leavitt. The Sun Devils have more weapons offensively, but I just wonder how they will handle a hostile road environment.
