Big 12 'Ball: Chaos, Kicks, and Sunflower Showdown Carnage

By Simon Carroll

Just when you think the Big 12 might give you a normal Saturday, it dumps lightning delays, walk-off field goals, and a freshman running back stealing the spotlight. Week 8 had everything; and this Saturday’s action might be even better…
 
Let’s unpack last weekend’s madness and look ahead to what could be the juiciest Sunflower Showdown we’ve seen in years.

Houston Finds Its Mojo - and Maybe Its Future

There’s clutch, and then there’s walk-off-field-goal-for-bowl-eligibility clutch. Houston’s 31-28 win over Arizona wasn’t just a squeaker — it was a statement.
 
Quarterback Conner Weigman went full backyard-football mode. I’m not often found dishing out compliments to former Aggies, but Wiegman was dominant last Saturday with three touchdowns through the air, nearly 100 yards on the ground, and zero fear. The Cougars gashed Arizona for 232 rushing yards — the most they’ve ever hung on a Big 12 opponent.
 
Perhaps most impressive was how the Cougs didn’t buckle. Arizona have exceeded expectations themselves, and Noah Fifita kept this game to’ing and fro’ing. But Houston didn’t wilt in the hot Texas heat.
 
Willie Fritz has this team playing his way now. Confident. Physical. Borderline cocky – and that’s a compliment. They’re reminiscent of the Tulane team the Fritz took to the Cotton Bowl. For a program that’s been trying to prove it belongs in this league, Saturday felt like the night Houston arrived.
 

Frogs, Bears & Bolts

TCU & Baylor epitomise Big 12 madness. Both schools with incredible quarterbacks, but can’t quite seem to put it all together on a weekly basis. So when they played each other this past weekend we should have known what to expect. This one had everything: drama, points, and a two-hour lightning delay that turned halftime snacks into midnight meals.
 
When the storm finally cleared, TCU held on for a 42-36 win, thanks to Josh Hoover’s steady hand and Kevorian Barnes’ 106 yards on the ground. Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson threw for 318 yards and two scores — and three back-breaking interceptions once the rain stopped and the gremlins took over.
 
Has TCU changed the narrative now, and ready to string together a run in the Big 12? The Frogs’ resilience matters here. After the pause, momentum could’ve flipped. Instead, TCU re-emerged focused and finished the job. Baylor? Same story, different heartbreak.
 

Arizona State Upsets Texas Tech - and the Big 12 Standings

The Big 12 doesn’t do undefeated.
 
Texas Tech fans are going to have nightmares about Will Hammond for a while. The Arizona State freshman RB plunged in for the game-winner with 34 seconds left to give ASU a 26-22 stunner over the previously unbeaten Red Raiders.
 
Tech’s offense — minus injured QB Behren Morton — looked lost, managing just 276 yards after weeks of fireworks. ASU’s defense swarmed, their energy on the sideline contagious, their finish clinical. Despite all this, the Red Raiders mounted a comeback attempt and even took the lead with two minutes left in the game. But ASU perservered, evidently buoyed by the return of starting quarterback Sam Leavitt.
 
The Big 12 doesn’t do safety nets. Any team can bite you if you show up flat, and TTU weren’t on their game against a team probably underappreciated considering they’re the current conference champs. Worth noting, of course, that Arizona State will be heading to London next year to compete in the Union Jack Classic – where they’ll face a team who is gearing up for a rivalry game this weekend…
 

The Sunflower Showdown

Okay. Let’s turn our attentions to this week. I may have mentioned it once or twice on the socials, but I’m out in Lawrence ahead of one of the most widely anticipated Sunflower Showdowns in recent memory. For the uninitiated, the Kansas-Kansas State rivalry game dates back to 1902, the first time the Jayhawks and Wildcats fought for the Governor’s Cup. There have been 121 more meetings since then, with the all-time series either 65-52-5 or 64-53-5 in KU’s favor, depending on which set of fans you ask.

That’s right. These two teams do not like each other. And in 1980, Kansas were forced to forfeit three conference wins for fielding an ineligible player. They beat K-State that season, who feel the result of that game should be reversed.

There have been other memorable moments since then, ranging from the ‘Toilet Bowl’ in 1987 (where the teams had one win between them heading into the game) to 1995, where both schools were ranked ahead of kickoff for the first time. Since then the Wildcats have dominated the series and currently boast a 16-game winning streak in the series. But all that could change on Saturday…

Kansas are much improved under Lance Leipold and have one of the best quarterbacks in college football in Jalon Daniels. K-State, meanwhile, have struggled to find any consistency since their Week 0 loss in Dublin, although recent results are much improved. It will be a hell of a game in front of a packed out David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, one I’m delighted to be on the sidelines for. If the Jayhawks can break the losing streak, we could see absolute carnage.

Big 12: Week 9 Schedule

Saturday:

Kansas State (3-4) @ Kansas (4-3)

BYU (7-0) @ Iowa State (5-2)

Oklahoma State (1-6) @ Texas Tech (6-1)

Baylor (4-3) @ Cincinnati (6-1)

TCU (5-2) @ West Virginia (2-5)

Houston (6-1) @ Arizona State (5-2)

Colorado (3-4) @ Utah (5-2)

Bye Week:

Arizona (4-3), UCF (4-3)

UNION JACK CLASSIC TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

College Football heads to London in 2026! Make sure you get to see the Arizona State Sun Devils take on the Kansas Jayhawks at Wembley Stadium. Book your tickets here:

Mock Draft

SIMON CARROLL

Lead Writer, Head of Content

PREVIOUSLY THE FOUNDER OF NFL DRAFT UK, SIMON HAS BEEN COVERING COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE NFL DRAFT SINCE 2009. BASED IN MANCHESTER, SIMON IS ALSO CO-CREATOR & WEEKLY GUEST OF THE COLLAPSING POCKET PODCAST AND COVERS THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FOR SB NATION.

Twitter Envelope Linkedin Spotify Apple
5/5