Big 12 Notes

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Big 12 Notes – Arizona Week

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October 19th – Game Day!

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The Athletic: Big 12 Chaos Meter off the charts 

From The Athletic … Midseason is the perfect time to take stock of the Big 12. In lieu of our typical game-preview-style Chaos Meter, let’s run down the entire conference heading into the second half of the season.

The teams at the top of the Big 12 standings right now were picked sixth, ninth and 13th in the preseason Big 12 poll. The team picked last is tied for third place, while the preseason favorite is in the bottom half. Chaos, indeed.

Let’s take a snapshot of the league by breaking it down into tiers to assess what we’ve seen.

Title Contenders … 

• BYU
• Iowa State
• Texas Tech
• Kansas State

The Upstarts … 

• Arizona State
• Cincinnati
• Colorado (4-2, 2-1)This is an improved Buffaloes squad compared to the first year of the Deion Sanders era. The substantial offensive skill talent keeps them in games, and the additions of Lajohntay Wester and Will Sheppard have made the passing game even more dangerous. Defensively, they’ve been one of the Big 12’s better units on third downs, allowing conversions just 35.2 percent of the time (fourth best in the league).

  After a solid start, the second-half schedule seems ripe for Colorado to, at minimum, get itself to a bowl. If the Buffs win the next two, at Arizona and vs. Cincinnati, things could get really interesting.

Middle of the Pack … 

• West Virginia

Disappointments … 

• Arizona
• Kansas
• Oklahoma State
• UCF
• Utah

The Struggle Bus … 

• Baylor
• Houston
• TCU

… Read full story here …

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October 18th

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CBS Top 100 players still has Travis Hunter at No. 1 (Shedeur at No. 10)

From CBS Sports …  he 2024 college football season is at the midway point, if you hadn’t heard yet. CBS Sports released its midyear All-America team and second-chance College Football Playoff predictions this week, while 247Sports dropped its midseason True Freshman All-America team on Thursday.

That means it’s time for an update to our ranking of the top 100 players in college football. If you remember, we polished up our preseason Top 151 in August. We won’t go the full 151 this time; 100 is certainly enough for now. What separates this list from the preseason one is that we now incorporate true freshmen — we think you can guess the two in the top-20.

Let’s get to the list, which includes the same No. 1 player we’ve had since the spring.

1. Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter (No. 1 in preseason)

Hunter remains at No. 1 and continues to dominate on both sides of the ball. He is a difference maker on both offense and defense, a unique talent we’ve rarely seen. Hunter was injured and missed most of the Kansas State game, which is something to monitor going forward as it deeply affects Colorado’s chances to win. He has 49 catches for 587 yards and six touchdowns offensively. Defensively, despite rarely being tested, he has two interceptions and five passes defended. Hunter is expected to make an immediate impact at the next level, regardless of his role.

2. Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty (No. 44)

Jeanty is having one of the most impressive seasons in recent memory, dominating nearly every rushing statistic. He is on pace for a historic season and currently leads the Heisman race, averaging more than 200 yards per game with 17 touchdowns on the ground. He’s also a threat as a receiver. Jeanty has elite contact balance and the long speed to score anytime he touches the ball.

3. Miami QB Cam Ward (No. 30)

Ward has been a huge addition to the Hurricanes, leading them to several come-from-behind victories in recent weeks. He has cut down on his interceptions, with just five this season, and continues to be one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. Ward leads the nation, averaging 370 passing yards per game with 20 touchdowns while completing 69% of his passes. He has also added three rushing touchdowns and, with the experience and talent around him, is poised to guide the Hurricanes to the playoffs.

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From the Big 12 … 

10. Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders (No. 4)

Sanders continues to impress on the field and is in great position to be the first quarterback taken after the season. He has done an excellent job seeing the field and limiting turnovers, throwing just four interceptions. Despite some inconsistency from his offensive line, Sanders is completing more than 72% of his passes and averaging 336 yards per game with 17 touchdowns. He looks more fit this season and has also shown the ability to extend plays and use his legs as a weapon.

14. West Virginia OT Wyatt Milum (No. 100)

Milum is off to a great start for the Mountaineers and is having one of the best seasons in pass protection in the country. He has not allowed a single pressure this season and possesses the size, length, athleticism, and footwork to be an All-American and a likely high draft pick after the season.

21. Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan (No. 13)

The 6-foot-5 McMillan has been dominant as expected, making ridiculous catches seem routine. He currently has 42 receptions and is averaging almost 18 yards per catch. With exceptional fluidity, length, and the ability to dominate contested catches, McMillan can also take it the distance across the middle. He needs more touches if the Wildcats are going to make a bowl game.

40. Texas Tech RB Tahj Brooks (No. 55)

Brooks continues to fly under the radar in a weak Big 12 but is averaging 136 rushing yards per game and has seven touchdowns on the ground. He’s also a receiving threat, though he has seen fewer touches in the passing game this season. Brooks displays excellent balance on contact, with the ability to break arm tackles and churn out yards after contact, making him a key player for the surprising Red Raiders.

47. Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins (NR)

Higgins, a jumbo wideout, has teamed up with Jaylin Noel to form a deadly receiving combo for the Cyclones. Higgins can work the entire field, but his exceptional length and catch radius make him a mismatch on deep fades and contested catches. He’s averaging 13 yards per catch with five touchdowns and 17 explosive receptions this season.

61. Arizona OT Jonah Savaiinaea (NR)

Savaiinaea is a thick and powerful right tackle with a high ceiling and room for growth. He’s nimble and agile for his size, able to displace defenders in the run game and handle pass protection effectively. While he sometimes struggles with the inside move, Savaiinaea has a bright future, likely heading to the next level after this season.

68. Kansas State RB DJ Giddens (NR)

Giddens is averaging 7.3 yards per touch and needs to see more carries, as he’s only getting about 20 touches per game but has already racked up 786 yards this season. He has excellent vision, burst, and the ability to make sharp cuts. While he lacks elite speed, Giddens is a solid player with a bright future.

80. UCF Running Back RJ Harvey (NR)

Harvey is the key to UCF’s ground attack and is having a big year for the Knights, rushing for 694 yards and nine touchdowns with a 6.4 yards-per-carry average. He’s also a threat as a receiver, with nine catches for over 195 yards and two touchdowns. Harvey is quick and elusive, with long speed and the ability to cut outside and hit explosive runs.

84. BYU Quarterback Jake Retzlaff (NR)

Retzlaff has been a major spark for one of the surprise teams in the country this season. His numbers won’t wow people, but he’s been clutch when the Cougars need him, and he’s a weapon as a dual-threat quarterback. He’s averaging 4.6 yards per carry and has completed over 60% of his passes for more than 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns.

86. Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo (NR)

I liked this guy last year after stumbling upon a late-night Pac-12 after-dark game, and I’m still impressed. Skattebo is averaging 5.8 yards per carry and has eight touchdowns on the ground. He’s not just a punisher who delivers blows to defenders—he also has better speed than you’d think. Skattebo has excellent contact balance and is also a receiving threat, with 250 yards on 19 catches. He’s a ball player.

88. TCU WR Jack Bech (NR)

Bech has been a bright spot for one of the most disappointing teams in the country, eclipsing his entire previous college career stats in just half a season. He’s fifth in the nation, averaging 117 yards per game with seven touchdowns. A big-bodied receiver, Bech is difficult to tackle and routinely drags defenders after the catch.

95. Kansas State QB Avery Johnson (No. 151)

The dual-threat sophomore has been clutch for much of the season, improving his passing while completing 62% of his throws with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. Johnson is always a threat on the ground, rushing for 300 yards and three touchdowns. While his numbers aren’t jaw-dropping, Johnson is a winner and a key piece of Kansas State’s success.

… Read full story here …

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October 17th

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ESPN’s Mid-season Top 25 Players includes Shedeur and Travis

From ESPN … Back in August, we attempted to compile a ranking of the 100 best players in college football. It was an arduous task, but one that ended with a list we felt good about.

Seven weeks into the 2024 season, however, some of it looks pretty silly.

So, it only made sense for us to take a mulligan on that preseason list and get to work on a revised midseason edition. We compiled our top 25 players at the halfway mark of the season, considering their impact on the field, their potential for the second half, and their overall talent and ability to change the game.

Narrowing a list down to 25 was nearly impossible, with a few particularly painful cuts (sorry, Bryson Daily and Blake Horvath). It also meant leaving off some big names (Carson Beck, Jaxson Dart and Tetairoa McMillan). But in the end, these 25 players have defined the first seven weeks of the season and can help tell the story of how 2024 will ultimately look when we get to the playoff.

16. Shedeur Sanders

QB, Colorado, Senior
Notable 2024 stats: 2,018 yards, 17 TD, 70.6 QBR
Preseason ranking: 24

Watching Sanders play is like witnessing a tightrope walk between skyscrapers. With an offensive line that is often a sieve and some inconsistency among skill players not named Travis Hunter, Sanders has made much out of his current circumstance while still displaying the kinds of traits that make him an appealing NFL prospect. In six games, Sanders has already thrown for over 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns. Of players who have attempted over 200 passes this season, only Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel has a higher completion percentage. Colorado is far from one of the better teams in the country, but there’s no doubt that Sanders is one of the best in the sport under center.

3. Travis Hunter

WR, Colorado, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 49 rec, 587 yards, 6 TD
Preseason ranking: 3

Despite Hunter getting injured against Kansas State in Colorado’s most recent game, his season remains an unparalleled wonder to watch. As a receiver, Hunter has caught 49 passes for 587 yards and six touchdowns. He is Shedeur Sanders’ No. 1 option and has carried on that role as effectively as possible while also playing full snap counts on the other side of the ball. On defense, Hunter hasn’t just been solid as a defensive back. He has been a playmaker, intercepting two passes, deflecting three others, forcing a fumble and totaling 16 tackles too. His absence in the Buffs’ second loss of the season only served to further highlight his impact. Without him, Colorado’s ceiling is infinitely lower

… Noteworthy … Sanders and Hunter were the only two players from the Big 12 to make the Top 25 list … 

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October 16th

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Travis Hunter a First-Team mid-season All-American at two positions

From CBS Sports … With the college football season at its midway point, our panel of experts were faced with plenty of difficult decisions when convening to select the 2024 CBS Sports Midseason All-America team. It should perhaps come as no surprise, then, that voting was spread out to include players from 23 different teams across eight different conferences.

The effects of conference realignment were certainly felt with the newly expanded Power Four conferences garnering 20 selections. The SEC led all conferences with eight picks, followed by the Big Ten (five), ACC (four) and Big 12 (three). However, only three teams — Texas, Ohio State and Iowa — had more than one selection with two apiece. Colorado was the only team with one player — two-way star Travis Hunter — earning a nod at multiple positions. Notably absent from the team were programs like Georgia, Oregon and Clemson, all of which figure to be heavily involved in the College Football Playoff picture at season’s end.

This year’s unanimous selections include Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks.

In an effort to modernize our All-America team and make it more representative of the current game, CBS Sports in 2022 adjusted the defensive roster positions, adding an additional defensive back slot. Furthermore, any EDGE rushers voted onto the team are positioned as listed on official team rosters.

2024 CBS Sports Midseason All-America

* unanimous selection | classes from official team rosters

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October 15th

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CU at No. 42 in latest CBS Sports 1-134 rankings 

From CBS Sports … Making tough decisions regarding the best teams in college football gets really difficult in the month of October as conference play provides notable outcomes on a week-in, week-out basis. But things get particularly challenging in the wake of a massive weekend like we had in Week 7 with top teams squaring off in instant classics throughout the day.

Oregon offered a strong case to be the No. 1 team in the country with its performance in a 32-31 win against Ohio State on Saturday night, but unfortunately for the Ducks, there is no vacancy in the top spot. Our voters on the panel for the CBS Sports 134 — a comprehensive ranking of every FBS team from experts at CBS Sports and 247Sports — did not budge off Texas’ claim to No. 1, especially after a dominant performance against Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry.

The Ducks did move up two spots to No. 2, though, taking over the spot that was previously held by Ohio State, which only fell one spot to No. 3. The voters have strong agreements on Texas and Oregon, but sorting out the rest of the top 10 has gotten much more difficult in recent weeks. The Buckeyes beat out Penn State for No. 3 by the smallest of margins with an average ranking of 4.0 to 4.1 showing not only how close those two teams are but that other top 10 teams are occupying spots in the top five on ballots. After all, if Ohio State can be in the top five with one loss, there’s possibly an argument for Georgia (No. 6 this week) or Alabama (No. 7 this week) as well.

And while there’s plenty of shuffling throughout the top 30, most of it resembled moving pieces around the board without disrupting the pre-existing order outside of Ole Miss’ eight-spot drop from No. 12 to No. 20 in the wake of the Rebels’ loss at LSU. The biggest and most notable adjustments this week are found outside the top 25, and we’ve detailed those in the Mover’s Report below the top 25 table.

• No. 27 Arizona State (+15): A slow climb up the CBS Sports 134 just got a big boost with Friday night’s win against Utah, which has Kenny Dillingham’s crew already eclipsing their preseason win total from the oddsmakers (4.5) and in the Big 12 title hunt. Arizona State is 5-1 overall with three power conference wins, and the only defeat was an eight-point loss on the road at Texas Tech, which is also 5-1 on the year.
• No. 54 Cincinnati (+15): The Bearcats returned to action out of an off-week with a hard-fought road win at UCF, holding the Knights offense in check and securing a victory that has Cincinnati at 4-2 at the season’s midpoint. It wasn’t the prettiest win, but Brendan Sorsby continues to be a huge upgrade at quarterback for Scott Satterfield and the Bearcats are on track to be a bowl team after going 3-9 in their Big 12 debut last season.
• No. 38 Utah (-18): Cam Rising finally returned, but the offensive impact was not what anyone expected as he threw three interceptions and the offense again did not operate at a high level in the red zone. The Utes are 4-2 overall with several winnable games left on the schedule, but those Big 12 title hopes from the preseason are thinning with each additional loss.

From the Big 12 … 

• No. 8 … Iowa State … same ranking as last week
• No. 11 … BYU … down one spot
• No. 19 … Kansas State … same as last week
• No. 23 … Nebraska … same as last week
• No. 27 … Arizona State … up 15 spots
• No. 29 … Texas Tech … up 7 spots
• No. 38 … Utah … down 18 spots
• No. 40 … Georgia Tech (2025 opponent) … up eight spots
• No. 42 … Colorado … down two spots
• No. 45 … Arizona … down one spot
• No. 54 … Cincinnati … up 15 spots
• No. 58 … West Virginia … down three spots
• No. 62 … Oklahoma State … up four spots
• No. 70 … UCF … down nine spots
• No. 73 … TCU … up three spots
• No. 81 … Baylor … down three spots
• No. 82 … Houston … up one spot
• No. 86 … Kansas … up three spots
• No. 90 … Colorado State … up 17 spots 
• No. 124 … Wyoming (2025 opponent) … down two spots

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October 14th

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Utah’s Cam Rising out “indefinitely”; Utes return to true freshman at quarterback

From ESPN … Utah quarterback Cam Rising will be out “indefinitely,” and true freshman Isaac Wilson will start in his place, Utes coach Kyle Whittingham announced Monday.

Rising returned to the field Friday against Arizona State after sitting out the previous three games because of a hand injury, but he sustained a lower-leg injury early in the contest. He remained in the game but was visibly hampered and completed only 16 of 37 passes with three interceptions and no touchdowns in a 27-19 loss.

Whittingham usually does not provide injury updates unless they are season-ending in nature but began his news conference by addressing Rising’s status.

“Isaac Wilson will be our starter until further notice — that way we don’t have to address that each time we talk,” Whittingham said. “I can’t give you a timeline. It could be the rest of the season. I’m not sure how exactly long it will be, but I know it’s going to be a minute.”

Rising’s injury is the latest in a string setbacks that have plagued him throughout his career. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury early in the first game of the 2020 season; exited the Rose Bowl game because of a concussion to end the 2021 season; and suffered a serious knee injury in the Rose Bowl the following season that caused him to sit out all of 2023.

Rising, 25, began his career at Texas, where he redshirted in 2018, and sat out the 2019 season after transferring to Utah. Whittingham hinted at the possibility Rising could have another season of eligibility, but it’s unclear if that will happen.

“Now that we’re in the situation that we’re in, that’s a possibility,” Whittingham said. “We’ll have to explore that in detail with the compliance department. And I’m not even sure Cam would be interested in going that route. He’s got a lot to think about, and so [he needs] to just take a step back right now and let them get this most recent injury thoroughly diagnosed. … That would be something we’re talking about sooner rather than later.”

… Continue reading story here …

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Arizona struggling on offense heading into game against CU

From the Arizona Republic … (On Arizona’s 41-19 loss to BYU) …

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October 13th

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Utah falls out of AP poll; Iowa State moves into the the Top Ten

From ESPN … Oregon and Penn State each moved up a spot in the Associated Press college football poll Sunday following thrilling wins in high-profile games, and Top 25 newcomers Navy and Army are in the rankings together for the first time since 1960.

Texas strengthened its hold on No. 1 with its 31-point victory over Oklahoma. The Longhorns received 56 of 62 first-place votes, four more than last week and their most since they were a unanimous No. 1 in October 2008.

This weekend wasn’t as wild as the week before, when four of the top 11 teams were upset and only two teams held their spots in the ensuing rankings shuffle.

That’s not to say Week 7 was devoid of excitement.

Oregon’s 32-31 home win over Ohio State featured seven lead changes and moved the Ducks to No. 2 with the other six first-place votes. It’s their highest ranking since they ended the 2014 season at No. 2 after losing to the Buckeyes in the inaugural College Football Playoff championship game.

Penn State rose to No. 3 with a 33-30 overtime win at USC, the Nittany Lions’ highest ranking in seven years.

Penn State-USC was one of four games involving AP Top 25 teams that went to overtime Saturday, including three in the top 10.

Ohio State dropped two spots to No. 4, and Georgia remained No. 5. Miami, Alabama, LSU, Iowa State and Clemson rounded out the top 10.

Army, which beat UAB 44-10, and Navy, which was idle, broke through for their first simultaneous rankings since Oct. 3, 1960.

Their coinciding appearance that season lasted just one week. Army was 3-0 and ranked No. 18 before dropping two straight games and finishing 6-3-1. Navy had entered the rankings a week earlier, at No. 17, and ended the season 9-2 and ranked No. 4.

Army (6-0) and Navy (5-0) have not each been unbeaten at this point in a season since 1945, weeks after World War II ended and in the era when service academies were powerhouses of the sport.

Others receiving votes … Vanderbilt 68, Nebraska 62, Arizona State 39, Oklahoma 36, Washington State 32, Iowa 29, Texas Tech 18, Syracuse 13, Arkansas 13, Utah 7, Louisville 6, USC 5, Liberty 2, UNLV 1

Dropped from rankings: Utah 16, Oklahoma 18

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Big 12 lines for Week Eight – CU opens as a 3.5-point road underdog 

From Draft Kings …

From the Big 12 … 

Friday, October 18th

• Oklahoma State at No. 13 BYU … 8:15 p.m., MT, ESPN … BYU is a 9.0-point home favorite …

Saturday, October 19th

• Arizona State at Cincinnati … 10:00 a.m., MT, ESPN+ … Cincinnati is a 2.5-point home favorite …
• Houston at Kansas … 1:30 p.m., MT, ESPN+ … Kansas is a 6.5-point home favorite …
• Colorado at Arizona … 2:00 p.m., MT, Fox … Arizona is a 3.5-point home favorite …
• Baylor at Texas Tech … 2:00 p.m., MT, ESPN2 … Texas Tech is a 6.5-point home favorite …
• UCF at No. 9 Iowa State … 5:30 p.m., MT, FS1 … Iowa State is a 13.5-point home favorite …
• No. 17 Kansas State at West Virginia … 5:30 p.m., MT, Fox … West Virginia is a 3.5-point home underdog …
• TCU at Utah … 8:30 p.m., MT, ESPN. Utah is a 7.0-point home favorite …

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