Conference play begins in the Big 12 this week.
The league had a moderately respectable nonconference season. It can arguably be described as its best since expansion in 2024.
That opens the door to the possibility of an at-large bid to the Playoff.
But now the real fun begins.
Conference games in the Big 12 tend to be one-possession games. The parity in the league makes every contest a toss-up. The spreads reflect that.
The oddsmakers are predicting three of the five conference games to be within one score.
In this column, I preview all of the regional games (plus one noteworthy matchup) along with a feature on West Virginia.
Let’s dive in.
Featured Team: West Virginia
Oklahoma State at West Virginia
Saturday, September 26
4:00 PM PT, FS1
West Virginia might be back. The Mountaineers beat a ranked Virginia team and are 3-0.
Too many people cast off Rich Rodriguez. Mention his name in a positive light over the past few years, and the internet trolls would come out of their caves.
Now what can they say? His system has always been, and will always be, dependent on the quarterback. A good enough QB can lead a Rich Rod-coached team to 10 wins.
Michael Hawkins Jr. appears to be the right fit. Rodriguez also has a capable backup in Scotty Fox Jr., a potentially critical piece over a long season.
This is the most optimism WVU’s had in years. But the same thing can be said of Oklahoma State. The Cowboys shocked the world when they beat Oregon.
The Pokes followed it up with a convincing win over Murray State. The atmosphere in Morgantown is going to be electric. This is what college football is all about.
Colorado at Baylor
Saturday, September 26
9:00 AM PT, ESPN2
Deion Sanders kicked some players off the team after the blowout loss to Northwestern. The optics of the decision are debatable.
It shows some desperation, but also strength.
Your players shouldn’t be comfortable around you. If they are, they slack off. The best teams fear their coach. A team that isn’t afraid of repercussions will never go anywhere. Now, the tone has been set.
How they respond against Baylor could determine Sanders’ staying power in Boulder. Another blowout loss might be the tipping point.
To avoid that, offensive coordinator Brennan Marion needs his quarterback to play well. Marion’s system is competent with the right QB.
The thing is: Julian Lewis may not be the right guy. If CU has nobody else to replace him, it could be a long season.
No. 15 Utah at Iowa State
Saturday, September 26
12:30 PM PT, FOX
Iowa State thinks they are hot shit. Forget the coaching change that they dealt with over the offseason. The Cyclone fans are as passionate and dedicated as they come.
And they are looking at Utah like this is a winnable game. It is not. Utah is a legitimate Playoff contender.
Morgan Scalley has hit the ground running and exceeded outside expectations. The dominant wins over Arkansas and Utah State have turned heads.
Devon Dampier showed loyalty and stuck with the program despite his coach and OC going to Michigan. His dual-threat nature, athleticism, and decision-making arguably make him the top quarterback in the Big 12.
This game is on Fox for the West Coast’s version of Big Noon. It’s time to run it up.
Arizona at Washington State
Saturday, September 26
4:30 PM PT, CBS
Noah Fifita held on to the ball too long against Northern Illinois. That can’t happen against Washington State.
Any momentum will be seized by the players and crowd. This WSU fanbase is still salty from the Pac-12 divorce and will be hostile.
But this game presents a golden opportunity for Arizona to show the difference between a Power Conference team and a Group of 6 team.
The Cats have been completely unable to run the ball so far this season. If the ground game is effective against Wazzu, Fifita will crush them in the passing attack.
But, if the Cougs get Arizona to be one-dimensional by stopping the run, Fifita could feel the pressure. He threw a bad interception against BYU and has been unwilling to throw the ball away.
On the other side of the ball, Arizona’s defense hasn’t been strong enough to force turnovers. If the UofA “D” creates one or two, the chances of victory raise substantially.
Kansas State at Cincinnati
Saturday, September 26
4:00 PM PT, ESPN2
Collin Klein has Kansas State rolling. The 3-0 start is unexpected.
The Wildcats crushed Washington State and did enough to beat Tulane. But this is the first time K-State is going on the road.
Cincinnati, however, did not look good against Miami of Ohio. The comeback was historic and respectable. Yet, it leaves too many questions.
The Vegas oddsmakers agree, with the line currently set at -6.5 in favor of Kansas State.
The combination of Klein’s offense and Avery Johnson’s skill should be too much for the Bearcats. But for the Big 12 geeks, this is a game to watch.
Straight-Up Staff Picks for Selected Games
|
2026 Week 4 Games |
Dane Miller |
Stephen Vilardo |
Nick Bartlett |
Spencer McLaughlin |
Jack Follman |
| Clemson @ Cal |  Cal |
 Clemson |
Clemson |
Cal |
Clemson |
| Boise St at WMU |  Boise St |
Boise St |
Boise St |
Boise St |
Boise St |
| Colorado @ Baylor |  Baylor |
Baylor |
Baylor |
 Colorado |
Baylor |
| UCLA @ Maryland |  Maryland |
 UCLA |
UCLA |
UCLA |
UCLA |
| Utah @ Iowa St |  Utah |
Utah |
Utah |
Utah |
Utah |
| Oregon @ USC |  Oregon |
 USC |
Oregon |
Oregon |
Oregon |
| Arizona @ WSU |  Arizona |
Arizona |
Arizona |
Arizona |
Arizona |
| Ore St @ UTEP |  Ore St |
Ore St |
Ore St |
Ore St |
Ore St |
| AFA @ Nevada |  Nevada |
 Air Force |
Air Force |
Nevada |
Nevada |
| GA Tech @ Stanford |  Ga Tech |
Ga Tech |
 Stanford |
Ga Tech |
Stanford |
| Minnesota @ UW |  UW |
UW |
UW |
UW |
UW |
| Hawaii @ Wyo |  Hawaii |
Hawaii |
Hawaii |
Hawaii |
 Wyoming |
| Staff Records | 38-8 | 37-9 | 39-7 | 39-7 | 21-3 |
