Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton (2) reacts to a touchdown after being taken out during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Kent State Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Justin Rex)
September 18, 2025 - 3:02 AM
Things to watch this week in the Big 12 Conference:
Game of the week
No. 17 Texas Tech (3-0) at No. 16 Utah (3-0), Saturday, noon ET (Fox)
The first meeting in more than a half-century between Texas Tech and Utah will be a Big 12 opener and a matchup of the league's only ranked teams that are playing this week. Behren Morton and the Red Raiders piled up a lot of points in nonconference play, as did the Utes. Tech is the nation's highest-scoring team at 58 points a game and has outscored opponents 154-0 in the first three quarters. Morton has 923 yards passing with an FBS-high 11 touchdowns while playing only 6 1/2 quarters. Utah and new QB Devon Dampier have averaged 45.7 points a game while the Utes also ranked eighth nationally allowing only 8.3 points, including only two TDs.
Utah also went 3-0 in its nonconference games last season when a preseason favorite in its Big 12 debut before going 2-7 in league play. Texas Tech won season openers in 1972 and 1973 in the only previous meetings against Utah.
The undercard
Arizona State (2-1) at Baylor (2-1), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (Fox)
Baylor's Sawyer Robertson is the only Big 12 quarterback already with more than 1,000 yards passing. His 1,070 yards are more than twice the 527 for Arizona State's Sam Leavitt, the preseason Big 12 offensive player of the year. Robertson has thrown 10 touchdowns, and Leavitt five to go with a league-high three interceptions. Arizona State last season won the league title and made the College Football Playoff in its Big 12 debut. The only time Baylor and Arizona State played before was in a 1990 season opener won by the Bears.
Impact players
— TCU's Jordan Dwyer, a league newcomer after three seasons at Idaho, leads the Big 12 with 112.5 yards receiving per game. He has 14 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns for the Horned Frogs (2-0), who host former Southwest Conference rival SMU for maybe the last time on Saturday.
— LJ Martin has had consecutive 100-yard rushing games for BYU (2-0), and is the Big 12 leader with 120.5 yards per game.
— UCF running back Jaden Nixon had a 96-yard kickoff return for a game-opening touchdown and added TD runs of 87 and 66 when the Knights (2-0) won 68-7 over North Carolina A&T in their last game two weeks ago. They now host North Carolina (2-1), which lost in Bill Belichick's debut 48-14 to TCU.
— West Virginia safety Darrian Lewis has interceptions in back-to-back games.
Inside the numbers
Kansas (2-1), which plays its Big 12 opener against West Virginia two weeks after losing to Missouri, has won its last four games after open dates. ... Oklahoma State (1-1) takes a 10-game losing streak against FBS opponents into its game Friday night against instate foe Tulsa. The Cowboys' last game was a 69-3 loss at No. 6 Oregon on Sept. 6. ... Colorado (1-1) and Wyoming play for the first time in 16 years. This will be only the 27th meeting overall in a series that dates to 1900 for the schools only a 150-mile drive apart. ... Five Big 12 teams have open dates, including undefeated teams No. 12 Iowa State (4-0), Arizona (3-0) and Houston (3-0). Cincinnati (2-1) and Kansas State (1-3, 0-1 Big 12) are also off this weekend.
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