Oklahoma State and Baylor improved their win streaks to three games, Cincinnati stayed undefeated, and the Big 12’s top dogs took care of business in Week 4. Every team has one conference game under its belt. Here’s where each team stands entering Week 5:
16. Kansas
The Jayhawks were on bye this week and remain in last.
15. Colorado
The Buffalo offense struggled for the second straight week against Baylor, leading to a second straight loss for Colorado. With the exception of a 49-yard trick play, the Buffs were unable to move the ball against Baylor, averaging 2.1 yards per carry and 6.7 yards per pass attempt. Colorado’s defense forced 7 tackles for loss, beating down the Bears at the point of attack, but until the offense shows it can produce, the Buffaloes will be stuck at the bottom of the league.
14. TCU
In many ways, TCU outplayed UCF in Week 4. Unfortunately for the Horned Frogs, 4 turnovers, including 2 interceptions on an otherwise efficient day for quarterback Jaden Craig, cost TCU the game. It was a similar story to TCU’s Week 0 loss to North Carolina, when lackluster offensive execution down the stretch cost them the win. Unless the Horned Frogs can put together a complete, mistake-free game offensively, they’ll continue to struggle in a deep Big 12.
13. UCF
Backup quarterback Keyone Jenkins was nothing but efficient in the Knights’ win over TCU, completing 19 of his 20 passes. The senior lost 2 fumbles on the day, but it was enough to carry UCF to victory. 8 TFLs and 4 sacks from the UCF defense shut down TCU, giving the Knights the breathing room to emerge victorious. UCF’s offense still has a long way to go, but Jenkins’ solid fundamental game and the defense’s shutdown performance will keep the Knights competitive while Scott Frost’s offense figures itself out.
12. Baylor
Quarterback DJ Lagway struggled in his return for the Bears averaging just 5.7 yards per attempt, but a strong defensive performance against Colorado propelled Baylor to victory on Saturday. The Bears’ front seven dominated in the run game, holding the Buffaloes to 2.1 yards per carry. Lagway needs to be better for the Bears to take down the top teams in the Big 12, but their defense will keep them in games week in and week out.
11. West Virginia
The West Virginia passing game had its worst game of the year against Oklahoma State, costing the Mountaineers against the red-hot Cowboys. Michael Hawkins averaged just 6 yards per passing attempt and threw an interception on Saturday. On the ground, though, West Virginia was elite, running for 335 yards and 3 touchdowns. Defensively, the Mountaineers had no answer for Drew Mestemaker, but nobody has had one since Tulsa’s shocking week one upset. More concerning was West Virginia’s inability to slow down running back Caleb Hawkins, who ran for 180 yards.
10. Arizona State
The Sun Devils were on bye this week.
9. Iowa State
A strong second half for the Cyclones brought Iowa State back in striking range of Utah on Saturday, but a 21-point halftime deficit proved too much for the Cyclones to overcome. Cyclone quarterback Jaylen Raynor was under constant pressure, causing the senior to struggle, averaging just 5.1 yards per attempt while throwing 2 interceptions. Aiden Flora was efficient on the ground, but with only 13 touches, he only had 52 total yards on the day. The Cyclones showed that they have the upside to compete with the Big 12’s best, but also showed that their inconsistencies will cost them if they aren’t cleaned up.
8. Kansas State
Kansas State ran 80 offensive plays on Saturday and only scored five times. That tells you everything you need to know about the Wildcats’ ability to finish drives. Avery Johnson was inefficient, averaging under 6 yards per passing attempt, but he totaled nearly 300 yards over the course of the game. On the ground, K-State averaged 5.2 yards per carry while running for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Wildcat run defense struggled, allowing 7.1 yards per carry. With a bye this week, the Wildcats have two weeks to prepare for Houston. An upset over the Cougars would vault Kansas State into the mix for a Big 12 title game appearance, while a loss would all but eliminate them. We’ll see how the Wildcats respond to those stakes in Week 6.
7. Oklahoma State
The Cowboys might be the hottest team in the country. After a Week 1 loss to Tulsa, they’ve ripped off three straight wins with downright dominant offensive performances. Quarterback Drew Mestemaker threw for 389 yards and 3 touchdowns, while running back Caleb Hawkins ran for 180 yards against West Virginia. Cowboy kicker Sam Keltner had a day against the Mountaineers, going 4/4 on field goals, showing a level of reliability that will be crucial for the Cowboys moving forward. With a bye this week, the Cowboys’ next outing will be telling. Have the past three weeks been a lucky streak that will disappear with a week away from the gridiron, or was week one an aberration and the team that beat Oregon the real Oklahoma State?
6. Cincinnati
What a start for the Bearcats. A team with low expectations entering the year is now 4-0, injecting new life into the Scott Satterfield era. The Bearcat offense was efficient again, as quarterback JC French averaged 12.7 yards per passing attempt, albeit on low volume with just 13 throws. The Bearcats ran for 271 yards and 3 touchdowns, averaging over 7 yards per carry. The Cincy defense was far from explosive on Saturday, but three straight stops to open the second half gave the Bearcats the separation they needed to knock off the Wildcats. With Arizona on the schedule this week, the Bearcats have an opportunity to continue their meteoric rise and prove that, after spending their first three years in the bottom half of the league, Cincinnati is right where they belong in the Big 12.
5. Arizona
Noah Fifita balled out for Arizona against Washington State, throwing for 4 touchdowns and nearly 300 yards against the Cougars. The Wildcat front seven was ferocious, generating 3 sacks and 8 TFLs on the day. It wasn’t a perfect day for the Wildcats, but it was a good bounceback win after a tough loss at BYU. With a red-hot Cincinnati team on their way to Tucson for Week 5, the Wildcats have a chance to get in the win column and keep their Big 12 hopes alive as they return to conference play Saturday night.
4. Houston
Connor Weigman continued to make his case as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks, generating 6 total touchdowns on Saturday against Georgia Southern. While Weigman and running back Re’Shaun Sanford were excellent, the defense struggled, forcing the Cougar offense to keep its foot on the gas. The Cougars allowed Eagle quarterback Max Johnson to pass for 284 yards and 3 touchdowns. Houston’s defense will need to step up for the Cougars to make their way back into the Big 12 title race, but their offense remains among the nation’s best.
3. Texas Tech
Coming off of a big win over Houston, the Red Raiders took care of business in their final non-conference game against Sam Houston State. The defense claimed two pick sixes, while the run game produced 219 rushing yards on 6.3 yards per carry. Will Hammond struggled, throwing 3 interceptions while averaging under 8 yards per passing attempt. Texas Tech’s defense and run game have consistently played well enough to compete against the conference’s best, but the Red Raiders will need to get more efficiency from their passing game to avoid an upset that would threaten their College Football Playoff hopes.
2. Utah
The Utes went into Ames and dominated the first half to build an insurmountable lead, dominating the Cyclones at the point of attack, generating quarterback pressures at will defensively while the offense ran for 205 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Utes continued to show that they’re a consistent threat on both sides of the ball that can compete with any team in the country. With a bye next week, Utah will now prepare for its toughest month of the season, in which they’ll face both the Houston and BYU Cougars and travel to currently undefeated Cincinnati, a stretch that will determine Utah’s hoopes for the CFP.
1. BYU
The Cougars were on bye this week.