This Week in the Big 12
Saturday, October 1
Texas Tech at No. 25/RV Kansas State (Big 12 Now) 11:00 a.m.
Series: K-State 13-9
Last Meeting: K-State won 25-24 at Texas Tech on October 23, 2021.
No. 18/16 Oklahoma at TCU (ABC) 11:00 a.m.
Series: OU 17-5
Last Meeting: OU won 52-31 at home on October 16, 2021.
No. 9/7 Oklahoma State at No. 16/14 Baylor (FOX) 2:30 p.m.
Series: OSU 22-19
Last Meeting: BU won 21-16 in Arlington, Texas
(2021 Big 12 Championship) on December 4, 2021.
Iowa State at Kansas (ESPN2) 2:30 p.m.
Series: KU 50-45-6
Last Meeting: ISU won 59-7 at home on October 2, 2021.
West Virginia at Texas (FS1) 6:30 p.m. CT/7:30 p.m. ET
Series: WVU 6-5
Last Meeting: WVU won 31-23 at home on November 20, 2021.
All times are listed as Central unless noted.
Rankings are listed as AP/USA Today Coaches.
Conference News and Notes
The Big 12’s Week 5 schedule features the first full slate of conference games as Oklahoma State and TCU join the other eight teams in beginning league games. In last week’s conference outings, two ranked teams were upset by unranked opponents.
The Big 12’s award-winning “Champions for Life” initiative will begin its eighth year with PSAs during this Saturday’s games. The Big 12 is the only conference in which 80 percent of teams finished the first month of play with a winning record. The Big 12 is one of just two conferences (SEC) with all teams at .500 or higher.
The Big 12 concluded regular season non-conference games with a .833 (25-5) win percentage, which is second in the FBS while the five losses are tied for the fewest. Every Big 12 team finished with a winning record and the win percentage is the highest since going .900 (27-3) in 2011. The Big 12’s .700 (7-3) win percentage against autonomy conferences is the best among the A5.
The Big 12’s .960 (24-1) win percentage against unranked non-conference opponents leads the nation and the one loss is the fewest.
Ninety percent of Big 12 teams are ranked or receiving votes in the national polls. Ranked teams include No. 9/7 Oklahoma State, No. 16/14 Baylor, No. 18/16 Oklahoma and No. 25/RV K-State. The Wildcats entered the AP Poll for the first time this season. Kansas is just outside the Top 25 in both rankings. Other teams receiving votes are Texas Tech, TCU, Texas and Iowa State.
In non-conference outings, the Big 12 leads the nation with an average of 40.7 points, 459.8 total yards and 201.7 rushing yards. The Big 12 also has the highest pass completion pct. (.679), passing TD pct. (7.1) and TD/ Interception ratio (4.19) along with the fewest interceptions (16) and lowest interception percentage (1.7).
K-State is the Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week for Week 4 after its 41-34 win at No. 6/6 Oklahoma. This is the sixth time the Wildcats have earned the award and first since 2019.
Baylor’s Bryson Jackson (co-defensive), K-State’s Adrian Martinez (offensive) and Kobe Savage (newcomer) along with Texas Tech’s Reggie Pearson (co-defensive) and Trey Wolff (special teams) received Big 12 football Week 4 awards after helping their teams to conference wins.
West Virginia’s 33-10 win at Virginia Tech recorded 1.6 million viewers, the second-most watched non-Week 1 Thursday game on ESPN since 2017. It peaked at nearly two million viewers.
The Bears intercepted their first two passes of the year in the game at Iowa State and own a +21 turnover margin under Dave Aranda.
Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel had a career-high 120 yards receiving on a career-high tying seven receptions (Oklahoma – 2021) against Baylor. He is the second receiver in school history with a 100-yard game against the Bears (Darius Reynolds – 178 in 2011).
Kansas improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2009 and is 2-0 at home for the first season since 2013. KU is one of only two A5 teams (Arkansas) to rush for at least 200 yards in every game in 2022.
With the win at No. 6 Oklahoma, Kansas State earned its 11th all-time victory against an Associated Press top-10 team, while it was the fifth in a road game. The Wildcats have defeated a team ranked in the AP Top 25 in four of the last six seasons, including the third time under head coach Chris Klieman. The Wildcats won vs. No.5 Oklahoma in 2019 and at No. 3 Oklahoma in 2020.
The Sooners recorded four tackles for loss vs. K-State and have registered 36 TFL through their first four games this season. The 36 TFL through four games is the fourth-most by an OU team since 2000. No. 9/7 Oklahoma State had a bye last week and will play at No. 16/14 Baylor
Saturday.
TCU is 3-0 for the first time since 2017 when current head coach Sonny Dykes was on staff as an offensive analyst. Dykes became the first TCU head coach to win his opening three games since Francis Schmidt in 1929. Dykes is the 12th head coach since Schmidt.
Texas RB Bijan Robinson rushed for 101 yards with two touchdowns on 16 carries (6.3 ypc) at TTU. It marked his ninth career multi-touchdown game in his 23rd career contest. He has scored a touchdown (rushing or receiving) in 15 of his last 16 games.
The come-from-behind OT win over No. 22/19 Texas gave Texas Tech back-to-back home wins versus ranked opponents. The last time this happened was in 2008 defeating No. 1 Texas and No. 8 Oklahoma State. West Virginia allowed Virginia Tech just 12 rushing yards in the first half and 35 for the game. The Mountaineers have held opponents to under 100 yards on the ground in three of four games in 2022.
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.
