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BYU football players salute the fans after in a Big 12 footba game against Iowa State, a 24-10 victory, at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, on Friday, October 9, 2026.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

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Utah wide receiver Braden Pegan runs the ball for a touchdown after a catch during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Utah State, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)

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Each week of the college football season the Daily Herald’s Darnell Dickson takes a deep dive into the Big 12: What happened and what’s up next with the league’s 16 teams.

1. No. 11 Utah (5-0, 2-0)

Last results: Wayshawn Parker ran for 171 yards and two touchdowns, including a 90-yarder, to lead No. 12 Utah to a 41-24 victory against Kansas.

Game On: Saturday at Colorado (2-3, 0-2), 8:15 p.m. MT (ESPN/ESPN2)

What’s Up? Quarterback Devon Dampier passed for 238 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 68 yards and another score. … Utah leads the overall series with Colorado 36-33-3 and has won 11 of the past 13 meetings, including a 53-7 rout at Salt Lake City last season.

2. No. 8 BYU (5-0, 3-0)

Last results: Quarterback Bear Bachmeier combined for 438 yards of offense (328 passing, 109 rushing) and threw two touchdown passes as No. 8 BYU beat Iowa State 24-10.

Game On: Saturday vs. No. 2 Notre Dame (6-0), 5:30 p.m. MT (ABC)

What’s Up? Bachmeier finished 22 of 30 passing and had his first career 100-yard rushing game. … The last time BYU beat Notre Dame was in 2004, a 20-17 victory at Provo. … The Irish have won the past four meetings, including a 28-20 win at Las Vegas in 2022.

3. No. 10 Texas Tech (5-0, 2-0)

Last results: Bye

Game On: Saturday vs. Arizona State (3-2, 2-1), 1:30 p.m. MT (FOX)

What’s Up? Through five games, Texas Tech’s defense is 37th nationally in points allowed (18.5 per contest) … The series with Arizona State is tied at 3-3. … The last Red Raiders win in the series came in 2024, a 30-22 victory at Lubbock.

4. No. 18 Oklahoma State (4-1, 2-0)

Last results: Drew Mestemaker threw for 304 yards and two scores as No. 18 Oklahoma State defeated UCF 42-28.

Game On: Saturday at No. 20 Houston (5-1, 2-1), 5:30 p.m. MT (FOX)

What’s Up? Mestemaker also ran for a touchdown and a 2-point conversion. … The Cowboys outscored UCF 21-7 in the second half. … The Cowboys’ last win in the series with Houston came on the road in 2023 (43-30).

5. Arizona (5-1, 2-1)

Last results: Noah Fifita threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns as Arizona raced past West Virginia 52-31.

Game On: Bye

What’s Up? Receiver Isaiah Mizell caught six passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns against West Virginia, including a 72-yarder. … Lee Molette III returned a fumble for a score. … The Wildcats are off until an Oct. 24 meeting against Iowa State in Tucson.

6. No. 20 Houston (5-1, 2-1)

Last results: Conner Weigman connected with tight end Patrick Overmyer for four touchdowns as No. 22 Houston handled Kansas State 35-16.

Game On: Saturday vs. No. 18 Oklahoma State (4-1, 2-0), 5:30 p.m. MT (FOX)

What’s Up? Houston led the Wildcats 21-3 at halftime and 28-3 at the 9:23 mark of third quarter. … Houston leads the overall series with Oklahoma State 11-10-1. … The Cougars won the last meeting 39-17 at Stillwater in 2025.

7. Baylor (4-1, 2-0)

Last results: Bye

Game On: Saturday vs. TCU (2-3, 0-2), 5 p.m. MT (FS1)

What’s Up? The Bears’ 4-1 start matches the program’s best since the 2021 season when they won the Big 12 Championship and finished 12-2. … Baylor last beat TCU at Waco in 2024 (37-34). … The first meeting between the two schools came in 1899, a 0-0 tie.

8. Cincinnati (4-1, 1-1)

Last results: Bye

Game On: Saturday at West Virginia (3-3, 0-3), 10 a.m. MT (TNT)

What’s Up? New starting quarterback JC French has thrown for 949 yards, completing 70% of his passes for six touchdowns and zero interceptions. … He’s also rushed for five scores. … The last Cincinnati win in the series with West Virginia came in 2009, a 24-21 home victory.

9. Arizona State (3-2, 2-1)

Last result: Cardae Mack ran for 154 yards and two scores and Cutter Boley threw a pair of touchdown passes as Arizona State topped Hawaii 30-12.

Game On: Saturday at No. 10 Texas Tech (5-0, 2-0), 1:30 p.m. MT (FOX)

What’s Up? Jaren Hamilton had three kick returns for 67 yards with a long of 27 and Jalen Moss added a punt return for 21 yards. … The overall series with Texas Tech is tied at 3-3. … ASU won the last meeting 26-22 at Tempe in 2025.

10. Iowa State (3-3, 1-2)

Last results: Iowa State managed just 200 total yards, its lowest total in a game since 2018, in a 24-10 loss at No. 8 BYU.

Game On: Bye

What’s Up? Running back Aiden Flora finished with 86 rushing yards but had just 11 in the first half. … The Cyclones managed just 69 total yards of offense through three quarters. … Iowa State is off until Oct. 24, when it will travel to Arizona.

11. Kansas State (3-2, 0-2)

Last results: Kansas State fell behind No. 22 Houston 28-3 and ended up losing 35-16.

Game On: Saturday vs. Kansas (2-3, 0-2), 10 a.m. MT (FS1)

What’s Up? The Wildcats came into the game with Houston leading the nation in pass defense with 106.3 yards per game but gave up more than that by halftime. … Kansas State has won the past 17 meetings with Kansas, including 42-17 at Lawrence last season. … The current streak began in 2009.

12. UCF (3-3, 1-2)

Last results: The Golden Knights lost their 12th straight road game on Saturday, a 42-28 loss to No. 18 Oklahoma State.

Game On: Bye

What’s Up? Keyone Jenkins threw for 265 yards and four touchdowns against Oklahoma State, including a 15 of 18 performance in the first half for 118 yards and three scores. … UCF will take a bye week before hosting BYU on Oct. 24.

13. West Virginia (3-3, 0-3)

Last results: Cam Cook rushed 34 times for 151 yards and two TD’s as West Virginia fell to Arizona 52-31.

Game On: Saturday vs. Cincinnati (4-1, 1-1), 10 a.m. MT (TNT)

What’s Up? The Mountaineers ran for 303 yards and four touchdowns. … Quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. was 11 of 28 for 219 yards passing and rushed 25 times for 98 yards and one touchdown. … West Virginia leads the overall series with Cincinnati 18-3-1 and has won the past four meetings, including a 31-24 victory at Cincinnati in 2024.

14. TCU (2-3, 0-2)

Last results: Bye

Game On: Saturday at Baylor (4-1, 2-0), 5 p.m. MT (FS1)

What’s Up? The Horned Frogs are 15th in the country in scoring defense (13.4 per game) but 91st in scoring offense (25.4). … TCU leads the overall series with Baylor 60-54-7. … The Horned Frogs won the last meeting 42-36 at Fort Worth in 2025.

15. Kansas (2-3, 0-2)

Last results: Cam Pickett had a season-high 134 yards on eight catches for Kansas, which lost at No. 12 Utah 41-24.

Game On: Saturday at Kansas State (3-2, 0-2) 10 a.m. MT (FS1)

What’s Up? Isaiah Marshall passed for 333 yards and two touchdowns for the Jayhawks. … Kansas pulled to within three points, 27-24, late in the third quarter. … The Jayhawks lead the overall Sunflower Showdown series 64-54-5 but haven’t won since 2008 at Lawrence (52-21).

16. Colorado (2-2, 0-1)

Last results: Bye

Game On: Saturday vs. No. 11 Utah (5-0, 2-0), 8:15 p.m. MT (ESPN/ESPN2)

What’s Up? Colorado is third in the FBS with 8.6 tackles for loss per game. … The Buffaloes last win against Utah came in 2024, a 49-24 victory at Boulder. … Before that, the last time Colorado beat the Utes was in 2016, a 27-22 home win.