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 you’ll always have more than one.
- Samford at Baylor
- Northwestern State at Cincinnati
- Oregon State at No. 21 Texas Tech
- No. 14 Iowa State at Arkansas State
- No. 20 Utah at Wyoming
- Abilene Christian at TCU
We have a lot of easy drinkers this weekend as we enter the final weekend of non-conference action for most teams.
Starting with Baylor, they get Samford at home to kick off Saturday. I know Sawyer Robertson will light up the Bulldogs but the important thing for the Bears is showing some life on defense because they have been really bad.
For Cincinnati, they are playing an FCS opponent in Northwestern State. I don’t know about you, but I had no idea what state they were even from until I looked it up (Louisiana). Since I don’t expect Bobby Boucher to suit up for the Demons, the Bearcats should have no problem with them.
Oregon State at Texas Tech would have been more interesting years ago but it’s 2025 and these programs are different. The Beavers are stuck in no man’s land while the Red Raiders are in Landman’s land which has a lot more money to pay players. Considering the fact that Oregon State lost to Fresno State in week one and just lost to Cal by three touchdowns, Tech should roll.
The Cyclones are making their way down to Walmart country to take on Arkansas State. For those not familiar with Arkansas State, they are like the Great Value version of Arkansas. Iowa State will rush for at least 200 yards in this one due to the Red Wolves’ poor defense so expect plenty of Abu Sama and Carson Hansen.
Utah is hitting the road to Laramie which is interesting because the last time a Big 12 team went there, they lost. But this Utah team is built differently than Texas Tech was two years ago. The Utes are going to dominate the line of scrimmage and run the ball with ease between Devon Dampier and their running backs.
Last but not least is TCU who is hosting Abilene Christian. The Wildcats are coming off a four-touchdown loss to Tulsa and unless Bill Belichick put a curse on TCU after their game, the Horned Frogs should have little trouble Saturday. In a battle of who is more Christian, I’ll take TCU.
Bouncer’s Special
- Pitt at West Virginia
If you are looking for a fist fight, then look no further than the Backyard Brawl. Despite being just 75 miles apart, their hatred for one another is much longer than that. The Panthers aren’t a very good team, but neither is West Virginia. The Mountaineers just lost to Ohio in Athens which is a place no Big 12 team should ever go to again.
With the news of star running back Jahiem White out for the season, it’s hard to imagine this offense doing much with few weapons around Nico Marchiol. While this may be known as the Backyard Brawl, this score is going to look is going to look like a Cy-Hawk game. But the one thing I can guarantee outside of the moonshine drinking in the parking lot is that this will be a physical game.
Shot of the Week
- Kansas State at Arizona
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.
Arizona has yet to play anyone with a pulse but there is no doubt in my mind that they look better than they did a year ago. Noah Fifita looks more comfortable, and their defense is improved.
Meanwhile, Kansas State is fighting to try and salvage their season after a disappointing start. Avery Johnson hasn’t been great, and the Wildcats don’t seem to have their run game figured out after the loss of Dylan Edwards who could play Saturday. And to make matters worse, their defense has been shaky at best.
While this may not be a conference game, this is a critical one for both teams. This is a chance for Arizona to show everyone that they are improved and a chance for Kansas State to get back on track.
Top Shelf Special
- Colorado at Houston
It’s not often we get a prime-time game on a Friday but that is exactly what we are going to get on Friday night down in Houston. It is the only conference matchup this entire weekend and it is certainly intriguing.
Colorado announced this week that they are going to start Ryan Staub at quarterback. Staub, once the third string quarterback showed some flashes against Delaware last weekend and will get the start over Kaidon Salter and blue-chip freshman Julian Lewis. I wouldn’t be surprised to see two or even all three quarterbacks see the field. It seems like Deion and his staff are just riding the hot hand at this point.
As for Houston, they haven’t been tested up to this point with easy wins over Stephen F. Austin and Rice. We know how good Houston’s defense is but much like their opponent, all eyes will be on the quarterback position with Connor Weigman who hasn’t faced stiff competition. I expected this one to be a low scoring game that will come down to quarterback play and it’s a toss-up on who will be the guy to make the big play.
Last Call
- Texas State at Arizona State
With kickoff set for 9:30 p.m. central time, this game is perfect for all you late night sickos out there. The Sun Devils come back to Tempe after a rough weekend in Starkville. But that doesn’t mean they can take Saturday off because the Texas State Bobcats are coming to town. The Bobcats head west after a shootout win over their rival UTSA which I need to mention due to the fact that my wife is a Texas State graduate.
While their defense is questionable, they have a high-powered offense led by quarterback Brad Jackson. Brad has some weapons around him with Chris Dawn and Beau Sparks, so I expect Texas State to take their fair share of shots like Mississippi State did against Arizona State’s secondary.
The biggest thing for the Sun Devils is getting Sam Leavitt back on track. He played his worst game in an Arizona State uniform last weekend. Sure, Arizona State had plenty of success on the ground but without a passing game, this offense was one dimensional. If Sam can get back on track, then Arizona State shouldn’t have an issue in this game.
