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.
- Houston at Oregon State
- Utah at West Virginia
- Baylor at Oklahoma State
Willie Fritz takes his Houston team out west to take on Oregon State who is one of the worst teams in college football. The Beavers are winless through their first four games and have been outscored 156 to 63 so far this season.
I fully expect Houston to take advantage against a bad Beaver defense and control the game on the ground. If I were Washington State, I would be trying to find a way to get myself kicked out of the Pac-12, so I don’t have to be in it with Oregon State.
As for Utah they will be heading to moonshine country to face a bad West Virginia team. The Mountaineers were absolutely curb stomped by Kansas and I would rather pour tabasco in my eyes than have to watch that offense. This should be a good bounce back game for the Utes after a rough loss to Texas Tech.
Last but not least, we have a strange game in Stillwater. Baylor is coming off another tough loss while Oklahoma State will not have Mike Gundy on the sidelines for the first time in over 20 years after an embarrassing loss to Tulsa.
Speaking of embarrassing, that sums up Oklahoma State football right now. Their defense is bad, and their offense looks like it’s coached by Brian Ferentz. That’s good news for Baylor because they are at the very least a respectable team. Sawyer Roberston should have a field day in the house that Boone built and I would be shocked if the Cowboys even kept this one within three scores. Goodbye, Mike Gundy. You will be missed and now you can go back to listening to OAN and focusing on your ranch.
Hair of the Dog
- Cincinnati at Kansas
- UCF at Kansas State
We get two early kickoffs in the Sunflower state and whether you want a mimosa, a screwdriver, or a morning brew (and I ain’t talking coffee), then this is the way to start your day after a late Friday night.
This Cincinnati/Kansas game could have been my shot of the week simply due to the fact that I feel like nobody knows a ton about Cincy other than they like their Skyline chili. While I do believe they are better than what they were a year ago, so is Kansas.
The Jayhawks look improved across the board and Jalon Daniels may be the most underrated quarterback in the country. That offense of theirs will point up points against anyone and will be the best team the Bearcats have seen up to this point.
85 miles east, there is another battle going on. One team doesn’t want to be called Central Florida while the other may be still stuck in Ireland. In all seriousness, UCF finally found their quarterback with Tayven Jackon and that defense of theirs has been outstanding allowing just 26 points through three games.
The real question here is which Kansas State will we get? The one who was supposed to be a Big 12 title contender or the one that has family brawls in the parking lot like you would find outside of a Waffle House at 3 a.m. I guess we will find out soon.
Shot of the Week
- Arizona at No. 14 Iowa 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.
Both teams are coming off bye weeks heading into this one and it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time for Iowa State. The Cyclones narrowly escaped Walmart country with a win and needed a bit of a breather before conference play.
What Iowa State will see is an improved Arizona team. Noah Fifita is the guy we once thought he could be but it’s due to the pieces around him, including star running back Ismail Mahdi. Brent Brennan brought in a ton of new faces on both sides of the ball and their biggest improvement is in the trenches.
I could see Iowa State struggling to run the ball here which is going to put more pressure on Rocco Becht. The big question is who will step up for Iowa State? Will it be the tight ends as usual or will one of the receivers? As far as the defense goes, it will be their toughest test to date. The one thing I am sure of is that Jack Trice will be rocking with the whiteout. Stay hydrated my friends.
Top Shelf Special
- No. 24 TCU at Arizona State
It’s not often we get a prime-time game on a Friday but that is exactly what we are going to get in Tempe this weekend. And my goodness, we get to see a face-off between two Big 12 title contenders.
The Horned Frogs arguably have the best quarterback in the conference with Josh Hoover, who has been electric so far this season. The big reason is all the weapons he has around him including Eric McAlister who made SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee shed tears after the game. That win over SMU also proved that our Big 12 rich kids are better than the ACC rich kids.
Arizona State’s defense was tested against Baylor last weekend and passed with flying colors forcing three turnovers in Waco. This Sun Devil offense has yet to find their big play weapon because they are more suited to grind out possessions. Sam Leavitt will never have the prettiest stat line, but that guy makes plays when it counts. Someone call the Pope because this game is going to be a slobber knocker between the Christians and the Devils in Tempe.
Last Call
- No. 25 BYU at Colorado
With kickoff set for 9:15 p.m. central time, this game is perfect for all you late night sickos and degenerate gamblers out there.
The Mormons are invading Boulder in a very interesting game. We learned a lot about BYU after their win against East Carolina on the road because they are almost identical to their 2024 team. They are going to run the rock with LJ Martin and play great defense. I like to call them the Big Ten team of the Big 12.
Colorado on the other hand finally figured out their quarterback situation and ended up going back to Kaidon Salter. While Salter gives the Buffaloes the best chance to win, it doesn’t change the guys around him. I Expect BYU to win the battle up front and control the clock. Sorry Ralphie VII, Saturday night is for Cosmo.
