Overview
- BYU leads the standings at 7-0 overall and 4-0 in Big 12 play, riding three fourth-quarter comebacks with freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier drawing praise from coaches.
- Arizona State’s late win over previously unbeaten Texas Tech gave the Sun Devils a key tiebreaker and set up a consequential home game against Houston, which neither team’s schedule includes BYU or Cincinnati.
- Cincinnati sits at 6-1 and 4-0 after six straight wins, with trench play led by Dontay Corleone and Joe Cotton, and hosts Baylor this week to further solidify its position.
- Despite the setback, CBS Sports still pegs Texas Tech as the league’s team to beat, citing a dominant front seven with David Bailey and Jacob Rodriguez, while noting quarterback Behren Morton’s health as pivotal.
- Parity has surged since the league added Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State, with eight conference games decided by three or fewer points and recent seasons producing frequent first-time title-game participants.