By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports
W.Welcome to the new Big 12, ladies and gentlemen.
The eyes of the college football world are on No. 7 BYU and No. 8 Texas Tech as the two teams battle for a Playoff spot.
The contest has huge implications for the postseason and epitomizes the status of the expanded conference.
With the potential for three teams to reach the Promised Land this year, the winner of the game will be on the verge of securing their spot.
Here I can see a preview of that matchup, along with the Colorado and Arizona game. And at the bottom, I take a look at the other matchups in the Big 12 this week.
#7 BYU at #8 Texas Tech
Saturday November 8
9:00 a.m. Pacific Time, ABC
tTheir matchup in Lubbock, Texas, could be the biggest game in BYU football history.
A Playoff invite is within reach, and it becomes much more likely if the Cougars beat Texas Tech on their home field.
But the Red Raiders are a force. Their defensive line is arguably the best in the Big 12 and they have weapons on offense. To secure victory, BYU must win the line of scrimmage.
Fortunately, the Cougars are built to win the battle from the start and have the personnel to do so.
Star running back LJ Martin is expected to play, a critical factor after he left the Iowa State game early with an injury. Leading the team with 789 rushing yards, BYU needs him to ease the load on Bear Bachmeier.
Any turnover would be difficult to overcome and the environment promises to be hostile. But Bachmeier has proven his worth away from home so far this season.
The game, then, could come down to the play of BYU’s defense. Behren Morton is not a mobile quarterback and could be susceptible to pressure.
Texas Tech’s rushing offense is also probably its only relatively weak spot, potentially creating a schematic opportunity that defensive coordinator Jay Hill can exploit.
However, the one thing that can’t happen is that you get beaten at the top. If TTU converts downfield shots with any consistency or connects with deep passes in critical situations, it will be difficult to beat the Red Raiders on their home field.
However, if downfield shots are avoided and BYU’s front line gains backfield penetration, the Cougars can walk away with a surprising victory.
Colorado in West Virginia
Saturday November 8
9:00 am Pacific Time, TNT
tHis West Virginia team is not the same Mountaineer team from earlier in the season.
True freshman quarterback Scotty Fox Jr. has changed the dynamic. He is the exact prototype of a quarterback who unlocks Rich Rodriguez’s offense.
Fox carried the ball 10 times for 65 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against Houston last week.
With the emergence of an offensive leader, the rest of the squad has recovered.
The Mountaineers battled close to TCU and then pulled off a surprising road win over Houston.
West Virginia might be near the bottom of the Big 12 standings, but they’re guaranteed to be better than their record indicates. In other words, Colorado is in trouble.
Add in the complicating factor of Julian Lewis making his first career start, on the road no less, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Still, Colorado has the receivers to take advantage of WVU’s defense. If Lewis, or any quarterback he plays, is accurate with his throws and uses his legs to extend plays, it’s reasonable to expect a close game.
But CU has looked terrible in its last few outings and could be embarrassed by a rising West Virginia team looking for something to prove.
Kansas in Arizona
Saturday November 8
12:30 p.m. Pacific Time, ESPN2
W.What happened last week doesn’t matter.
Arizona crushed a horrible Colorado team in Boulder. So what?
The victory proved nothing in the grand scheme of things, other than further exposing the incompetence of Deion Sanders’ program.
However, beating Kansas to reach bowl eligibility would be a different story. Especially if the victory is convincing.
Kicking off at 1:30 pm local time under the dazzling Tucson sun, the Wildcats should thrive. The intensity of the UV rays is different here and Brent Brennan preaches violence.
Expect the UA defense to be very aggressive in pressuring Jalon Daniels, providing multiple looks and using pre-snap moves to create confusion.
It’s a game where Arizona’s defensive backs could have a field day.
Daniels has done a great job taking care of the ball this season. But this is a day-in-the-desert game. It is not a normal Saturday where the usual things are going to work.
And on the other side of the ball, Arizona’s offense is clicking.
Noah Fifita is playing out of his depth, receivers are crushing him and there is depth at running back.
As long as the Wildcats keep Daniels from hitting them with his legs, Arizona should defend its home field. And if all goes well, the game may not be especially close.
The rest of the big 12
hHouston heads to Orlando for a Friday night game against Central Florida. The Knights are 4-4 and it is their Space Game.
UCF rarely loses this matchup, plus the Cougars are bouncing back from a questionable loss. But the narrow differential in favor of Houston feels bad again.
Last week, Vegas thought Baylor would have trouble with the Knights and the Bears ended up destroying them. It seems that a similar result is coming.
The space game aspect of the matchup makes it more questionable. But Houston should win by at least a touchdown, if not more.
tCU hosts an Iowa State team that has completely collapsed. The Cyclones, once considered the leaders of the Big 12, have lost four straight games since beating Arizona on Sept. 27.
Rocco Becht has regressed tremendously and the team is dealing with injuries all over the place.
On the other side, TCU has a quiet 6-2 record and a two-game winning streak. Josh Hoover remains one of the best quarterbacks in the Conference and the Horned Frogs are undefeated at home.
Maybe ISU changes its season. But TCU is more likely to get the job done.
Miller covers college basketball and college football, as well as Formula 1 racing as a senior writer and assistant editor for SuperWest Sports.
