This Week’s Schedule
Friday, September 8 CT
Illinois at Kansas (ESPN2) 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 9
No. 12/12 Utah at Baylor (ESPN) 11:00 a.m.
Troy at No. 15/15 Kansas State (FS1) 11:00 a.m.
Southern Utah at BYU (Big 12 Now on ESPN+) 2:00 p.m.
Iowa at Iowa State (FOX) 2:30 p.m.
SMU at No. 18/17 Oklahoma (SoonerVision on ESPN+) 5:00 p.m.
Duquesne at West Virginia (Big 12 Now on ESPN+) 5:00 p.m.
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (The CW) 5:30 p.m.
No. 13/13 Oregon at Texas Tech (FOX) 6:00 p.m.
No. 11/10 Texas at No. 3/3 Alabama (ESPN) 6:00 p.m.
UCF at Boise State (FS1) 6:00 p.m.
Houston at Rice (NFL Network) 6:00 p.m.
Nicholls at TCU (Big 12 Now on ESPN+) 7:00 p.m.
Oklahoma State at Arizona State (FS1) 9:30 p.m.
All times listed as Central
Conference News & Notes
The Big 12 will play seven of its 14 games this week against teams from other A5 conferences. Two of the matchups feature future Big 12 schools as No. 12/12 Utah travels to Baylor and Arizona State hosts Oklahoma State.
ESPN’s College GameDay will be on-site for the No. 11/10 Texas at No. 3/3 Alabama game a week after FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff went live from the Colorado at TCU season opener. Last season, a Big 12 television partner pregame show originated from a Conference game nine times in eight contests. The game is one of just two ranked matchups nationally this week.
Ten of 14 Big 12 teams are ranked or receiving votes in the AP and AFCA Coaches polls including No. 11/10 Texas, No. 15/15 K-State and No. 18/17 Oklahoma.
The Big 12 went 10-4 (.714) in the first week of the season. New members BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston picked up wins in their Big 12 debuts.
Five Big 12 teams were at 100% or over in home stadium capacity last week
to rank second among conferences. TCU leads Big 12 programs as it ranked
second among teams at 115.86 capacity followed by 6. K-State (104.13), 8.
Oklahoma (103.86), 10. Cincinnati (101.85) and 15. Oklahoma State (100.0).
A total of 13 Conference teams were over 92% capacity.
The Big 12’s 15 interceptions lead the nation.
The Big 12 is second among all conferences in total offense (478.4) and passing (294.5) as well as third in scoring (38.1), rushing (183.9), completion pct. (67.9) and passer rating (158.2).
BYU, K-State and Oklahoma are among the five teams that pitched shutouts in their opening game. BYU and OU were the only two FBS teams to shut out another FBS foe.
UCF racked up 389 rushing yards in its season opener to lead FBS teams.
Half of Big 12 defenses gave up less than 100 yards rushing last week, highlighted by K-State allowing just six yards to rank second nationally. Others include 6. Texas (27), 10. BYU (38), 14. Oklahoma (48), 18. TCU (55), 26. Kansas (74) and 42. UCF (95)
Three Big 12 QBs are in the top five nationally in total offense: 4. Tyler Shough (TTU), 374.0, T5. Emory Jones (UC) and John Rhys Plumlee (UCF), 371.0.
“Big 12 Homecoming” will make its debut Sept. 14-16 at Houston as the Cougars host TCU on Sept. 16 in their first Big 12 game.
Cincinnati’s Emory Jones (offensive and newcomer), Iowa State’s Jeremiah Cooper (defensive), BYU’s Ryan Rehkow (co-special teams) and Oklahoma’s Gavin Freeman (co-special teams) picked up the first Big 12 football weekly awards of the season.
Baylor senior TE Drake Dabney had a career-best six catches for 101 yards with a career-high two TD grabs. Dabney’s 100-yard receiving game was the first for a Baylor tight end since Ken Hodge went for 121 yards on six catches in 1964 vs. Oregon State.
BYU recorded its first shutout since a 64-0 win over Savannah State in 2014. It was the program’s first shutout over an FBS opponent since a 47-0 win over Hawaii in 2012.
UCF set a program record with 8.5 rushing yards per carry, besting the previous high of 8.3 set on Nov. 11, 1986.
Cincinnati QB Emory Jones became the first Bearcat quarterback to throw for five touchdowns since Gunner Kiel versus UCF on Oct. 31, 2015. He also tied his single-game total touchdown record by a quarterback with seven.
Houston’s 14 points allowed were its fewest in a season opener since permitting 13 in a 62-13 win vs. Southern on Aug. 30, 2013. Iowa State’s Jaylin Noel surpassed 100 career receptions, matching Otto Stowe (1968-70) for the third-fastest (25 games) to 100 receptions in school history.
Kansas’ Dylan McDuffie and Devin Neal are the second Power Five duo since 2012 to rush for a touchdown of at least 15 yards in their first carry of the season (Ole Miss – Sept. 5, 2015 with Jaylen Walton and Chad Kelly).
K-State shutout its opponent for the second-straight season opener, the first time the Wildcats did so in consecutive seasons since 1998 and 1999.
Oklahoma set a school record for completion percentage (minimum 15 pass attempts). QBs Dillon Gabriel and Jackson Arnold combined to complete 30 of 33 pass attempts (90.9%). Gabriel was 19 for 22 and Arnold was 11 for 11 in his collegiate debut.
Oklahoma State set a school record with nine consecutive wins in season openers with a 27-13 victory over Central Arkansas. In addition to the active streak, there were also eight straight wins in season openers from 1981-88 and from 1928-35.
Namdi Obiazor had TCU’s first blocked field goal since Ochaun Mathis against West Virginia in 2021.
Texas recorded multiple interceptions for the first time since Oct. 8, 2022 vs. Oklahoma. LB Jaylan Ford and DB Austin Jordan each tallied one against Rice.
Texas Tech LB Jesiah Pierre set a career-high for tackles with 14, including matching his previous career-high (7) in the first half. It was the most tackles in a single game since Kosi Eldridge posted 14 last season against Oklahoma.
In his first game as a Mountaineer, WR Devin Carter led WVU in receiving with six receptions for 90 yards.
