THIS WEEK IN THE BIG 12
BIG TEN. BIG NEWS.
Thursday, September 22
West Virginia at Virginia Tech (ESPN) 6:30 p.m. CT/7:30 p.m. ET
Series: WVU 29-23-1
Last Meeting: WVU won 27-21 at home on September 18, 2021.
Saturday, September 24
No. 17/17 Baylor at Iowa State (ESPN2) 11:00 a.m.
Series: BU 11-9
Last Meeting: BU won 31-29 at home on September 25, 2021.
Duke at Kansas (FS1) 11:00 a.m.
Series: DU 2-1
Last Meeting: DU won 52-33 at home on September 25, 2021.
TCU at SMU (ESPNU) 11:00 a.m.
Series: TCU 51-42-7
Last Meeting: SMU won 42-34 at TCU on September 25, 2021.
No. 22/19 Texas at Texas Tech (ESPN) 2:30 p.m.
Series: UT 54-17
Last Meeting: UT won 70-35 at home on September 25, 2021.
Kansas State at No. 6/6 Oklahoma (FOX) 7:00 p.m.
Series: OU 77-21-4
Last Meeting: OU won 37-31 at K-State on October 2, 2021.
All times are listed as Central unless noted
CONFERENCE NEWS AND NOTES
Three conference games highlight the Week 4 schedule while Kansas, TCU and West Virginia wrap-up non-conference play. In power five matchups, Kansas hosts Duke in a battle of unbeatens while West Virginia travels to Virginia Tech.
The Big 12’s .815 (22-5) non-conference win percentage is third in the FBS while the five losses are tied for the fewest.
The Big 12’s .625 (5-3) win percentage against autonomy conferences is the second-best among the A5.
The Big 12’s .955 (21-1) win percentage against unranked non-conference opponents leads the nation and the one loss is the fewest.
No. 6/6 Oklahoma and No. 9/8 Oklahoma State remain ranked in the top 10 of both national polls joined by No. 17/17 Baylor and No. 22/19 Texas. Teams receiving votes include Kansas, Iowa State and TCU. KU received votes for the first time since the 2009 season.
In non-conference outings, the Big 12 leads the nation with an average of 41.1 points, 457.7 total yards and 201.4 rushing yards. The Big 12 also has the highest TD/Interception ratio (3.69), fewest interceptions (16) and lowest interception percentage (1.8).
In all games, the Big 12 is allowing an FBS-low 315.9 yards per game. The 18.1 points allowed is the second-fewest.
The Big 12 has the toughest schedule in the FBS, based on combined win percentage of FBS opponents. K-State and West Virginia are tied for Fourth among FBS teams while Texas Tech’s schedule is 10th.
Sixty percent of Big 12 teams are in the top 20 nationally in scoring offense with over 42 points a game: 5. Kansas (51.0), 7. Oklahoma State (49.7), 9. TCU (48.5), 11. West Virginia (46.0), 16. Baylor (43.7) and 20. Oklahoma (42.3).
Kansas State, Oklahoma and TCU are among the 16 teams that have yet to throw an interception this season. OU, TCU and Texas are tied for fifth in the nation with only one turnover lost.
The Big 12’s six punt return touchdowns and 13.9 punt return yards average are tied for the most in the FBS.
Kansas’ Jalon Daniels (offense), Texas’ Jahdae Barron (defense), Oklahoma State’s Trace Ford (special teams) and Baylor’s Richard Reese (newcomer) earned Big 12 football awards for games played on September 17. It was the first weekly honor for the quartet. Daniels also collected the Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week, KU’s first selection in program history.
DL Chidi Ogbonnaya blocked a third-quarter Texas State field goal, marking Baylor’s first since TJ Franklin vs. TCU in 2021.
Iowa State held Ohio to 24 rushing yards, the fewest allowed by ISU since holding Kansas State to 12 yards on Nov. 5, 2005.
Kansas has scored 159 points through the first three games of the season, tying the school record for most points through three games set by the 2007 Orange Bowl team.
Kansas State intercepted two passes last Saturday, giving them seven for the season, the most in the first three games since the 2000 squad also had seven.
OU’s 49 points were its most scored against Nebraska in Lincoln, and the most allowed by the Huskers at home since the 2017 season finale.
In the Arkansas – Pine Bluff game, Oklahoma State returned multiple blocked kicks for touchdowns in a game for the first time in school history. TCU had a bye last week and will play at SMU Saturday.
DB Jahdae Barron’s interception return for a TD against UTSA was the third non-offensive touchdown in 2022 for Texas, already the most in a season since 2017.
DB Malik Dunlap recorded four pass breakups at NC State, the most in a game by a Red Raider since Justice Nelson recorded five against TCU on Sept. 26, 2015.
WVU scored on all 10 of its possessions, including nine touchdowns against Towson. The Mountaineers had six rushing touchdowns for the first time since Nov. 24, 2007, vs. UConn (7).
The Big 12 Football Weekly Show presented by Old Trapper Beef Jerky is available at 7 p.m. CT each Wednesday through November 30 on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Chuckie Kempf and Harold Kuntz host the program, which features highlights from previous games, analysis and previews. A media panel will also make predictions for each week’s games.
