BYU-Texas Tech the headliner among Big 12 games to watch as title fight intensifies

Arizona State is still clinging to a shot at the Big 12 title game, but it needs certain results to go its way to keep that hope alive.

One result that would go a long way is if No. 8 BYU (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) can knock off No. 9 Texas Tech (8-1, 5-1) and hand the Red Raiders a second conference loss.

This will be the Big 12’s first conference matchup of top 10 teams since 2021, when No. 9 Baylor beat No. 5 Oklahoma State in the league’s 2021 championship game. The Cougars are the league’s last undefeated team, and they were the No. 7 seed in the first College Football Playoff rankings this week.

The primetime matchup is in Lubbock and the Cougars are yet to see a team the caliber of Texas Tech, with Utah in a rivalry setting being the closest thing so far. The Red Raiders not only lead the Big 12 with 43.6 points and 492.3 total yards per game, they have the top defense allowing only 13.2 points and 271.3 yards per game.

BYU is expected to get back Big 12 leading rusher LJ Martin after he left the Cougars’ last game against Iowa State with a shoulder injury. Averaging 98.6 yards per game, Martin has been listed as probable throughout the week.

Opposite of Martin is Texas Tech running back Cameron Dickey, the Big 12’s third leading rusher at 82.9 yards per game.

With true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier and Martin, BYU ranks third both in scoring 36.3 points and allowing 17 per game. The Cougars average more than 216 yards rushing per game, while Texas Tech has given up only 75 yards per game on the ground and hasn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher.

Bachmeier has six games this season with touchdowns passing and rushing. That is tied for the most in FBS.

BYU and Texas Tech will kick off Saturday at 10 a.m. MST, with ESPN’s “College GameDay” on site.

Which other Big 12 games are most important to the title race?

Cincinnati (7-2, 5-1) is on a bye week, so the BYU-Texas Tech game is the only matchup of the weekend featuring teams with fewer conference losses than ASU (6-3, 4-2).

The Bearcats finish the season with matchups against Arizona (Nov. 15), against BYU (Nov. 22) and at TCU (Nov. 29).

The only teams in action with two conference losses are Houston (8-2, 5-2), which won at UCF (4-5, 1-5) on Friday, and TCU (6-2, 3-2) hosting Iowa State (5-4, 2-4) on Saturday afternoon.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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