Baylor entered its bye week with four consecutive wins and its most productive offensive performance of the season.
The Bears’ 55-19 victory over Arizona State moved them to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in Big 12 play. After opening the season with a one-point loss to Auburn, Baylor returns from its bye to face TCU on Oct. 17.
The remaining schedule includes some of the Big 12’s strongest teams. BYU and Texas Tech are unbeaten, while Houston strengthened its case as a conference contender with a convincing win over Kansas State on Saturday.
With seven games remaining, here’s how Baylor’s opponents stack up from easiest to hardest based on how well they’ve played, who they’ve faced and the personnel they have available.
1. TCU
TCU has a defense capable of keeping it competitive, but its offense has given the Horned Frogs little room for error.
TCU scored just 10 points against North Carolina, 13 against UCF and 10 against BYU, leaving it at 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big 12 play. Its two victories came against Grambling and Arkansas State, making the offensive struggles against stronger opponents difficult to overlook.
The Horned Frogs have allowed only 255 yards and 13.4 points per game, and holding BYU to 17 points gave them a chance to beat one of the conference’s unbeaten teams. They haven’t found enough offensive balance to take advantage, however.
Quarterback Jaden Craig has helped TCU average 280 passing yards per game, while the rushing attack has managed just 125.4 yards per contest and 3.6 yards per carry.
TCU’s offensive struggles make this a game Baylor should be expected to win. The Horned Frogs’ defense could keep it close, but they haven’t shown they can score enough against stronger opponents to keep pace if the Bears build on their performance against Arizona State.
2. Iowa State
Iowa State’s past two games have exposed concerns on both sides of the ball.
Against West Virginia, running back Aiden Flora rushed for 212 yards and three touchdowns while throwing two touchdown passes on trick plays. The Cyclones needed that production to escape with a 45-42 victory.
Less than a week later, Iowa State managed just 200 total yards in a 24-10 loss to BYU, which finished with 506 yards. Quarterback Jaylen Raynor completed 16 of 29 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown, and the Cyclones fell to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play.
Flora still found some success, rushing for 86 yards on 17 carries, but Iowa State couldn’t produce enough around him to keep pace.
The Cyclones entered the season with substantial roster turnover under first-year head coach Jimmy Rogers and have struggled to produce consistently against stronger opponents. Flora has been a bright spot, but the loss to BYU showed how limited the offense can become when he isn’t carrying it.
3. UCF
UCF has spent parts of the past two weeks looking capable of beating ranked opponents. Finishing those games has been another matter.
The Knights led Houston 10-0 at halftime and extended that advantage to 17-0 in the third quarter before allowing 27 unanswered points in a 27-17 loss.
Against No. 18 Oklahoma State on Saturday, UCF was within six points early in the fourth quarter before a backward pass ruled a fumble was returned for a touchdown, helping the Cowboys pull away for a 42-28 victory. The loss dropped the Knights to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play, although quarterback Keyone Jenkins supplied an encouraging performance with 265 passing yards and four touchdowns.
Jenkins has been starting in place of Alonza Barnett III, who was unavailable against Oklahoma State because of a hamstring injury. Barnett’s availability remains worth monitoring, but the Knights showed Saturday that they can generate offense in his absence.
UCF was also shorthanded elsewhere, with offensive linemen Jacob Maiava, Owen Spell and Tyler Gibson and linebacker Lewis Carter listed out against Oklahoma State.
The Knights’ 21-13 victory over TCU remains their only conference win. Their recent performances have shown they can compete with ranked opponents, but costly mistakes have kept them from finishing those games.
4. Kansas
Kansas’ early numbers were impressive, but Saturday’s game against Utah offered a more useful look at where the Jayhawks stand.
Despite falling behind 14-0, Kansas worked its way back to a 27-24 deficit entering the fourth quarter. No. 12 Utah eventually pulled away for a 41-24 victory, dropping the Jayhawks to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in conference play.
Quarterback Isaiah Marshall gave Kansas a chance, completing 19 of 37 passes for a career-high 333 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Cam Pickett accounted for eight catches and 134 yards, helping the Jayhawks remain competitive even as their running game struggled.
Kansas finished with just 58 rushing yards and allowed 545 total yards, including 287 on the ground. That defensive performance was a considerable departure from the numbers the Jayhawks built during their first four games.
Much of Kansas’ early production came in victories over LIU and Middle Tennessee by a combined 106-6. The Jayhawks have lost all three games against Power Four opponents, although two of those defeats came against ranked Missouri and Utah. Their other loss was a 24-17 defeat against Arizona State.
That competition provides some context for Kansas’ record. Marshall and Pickett gave the Jayhawks a productive passing attack against unbeaten Utah, keeping them within three points entering the fourth quarter. Kansas still needs more from its running game and defense, but Saturday’s performance offered more reason for optimism than its lopsided wins.
5. BYU
BYU’s offense responded well to the absence of running back LJ Martin against Iowa State, with quarterback Bear Bachmeier taking on much of the responsibility.
Bachmeier threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns and added 109 rushing yards in Friday’s 24-10 victory. BYU improved to 5-0 overall and 3-0 in conference play while outgaining Iowa State 506-200.
Martin suffered a lower-body injury against TCU and is expected to miss four to six weeks, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. BYU struggled offensively in that 17-10 victory, making Bachmeier’s production against Iowa State an encouraging response with Martin facing an extended absence.
BYU has won each of its first five games by at least seven points, including a 28-17 victory over Arizona. Its defense has allowed just 27 points over the past two games, providing a dependable foundation even as the offense adjusts without Martin.
Bachmeier’s ability to contribute through the air and on the ground gives the Cougars another way to sustain that offense. Paired with their defensive consistency, his performance against Iowa State reinforced BYU’s place among the conference’s strongest teams.
6. Houston
Houston strengthened its case as one of the Big 12’s top teams with a balanced offensive performance and a convincing win over Kansas State on Saturday.
The Cougars won 35-16 to improve to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Big 12 play. Quarterback Conner Weigman threw for 242 yards and four touchdowns, all to tight end Patrick Overmyer, who finished with eight catches for 83 yards.
Houston paired that passing production with 233 rushing yards, finishing with 475 total yards while holding Kansas State to 299. The Cougars led 21-3 at halftime and 35-9 late in the third quarter, establishing control well before the Wildcats’ final touchdown.
It was a stronger performance from start to finish than Houston’s previous victory, when it needed 27 unanswered points to overcome a 17-0 third-quarter deficit against UCF.
The Cougars’ only loss remains a 28-26 defeat against Texas Tech. Weigman threw for 282 yards and three touchdowns in that game, with Houston falling short on a late two-point conversion that would have tied it.
There are injury concerns to monitor. Freshman running back John Hebert is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a leg injury, while linebacker Jaden Yates and wide receiver Muizz Tounkara were ruled out against Kansas State.
Even with those absences, Houston showed Saturday how effective it can be when its running game complements Weigman. The Cougars followed their comeback against UCF with a performance in which they took control early and maintained it.
7. Texas Tech
Texas Tech hasn’t dominated every game, but the defending Big 12 champions have continued to find ways to win.
The Red Raiders are 5-0, with their closest victory coming against Houston. Quarterback Will Hammond threw for 257 yards and a touchdown in the 28-26 win, while running backs J’Koby Williams and Cameron Dickey contributed second-half rushing touchdowns.
Their defense has provided a dependable foundation. Texas Tech has allowed just 91.4 rushing yards per game, and all five opponents have finished below 30 points. Three have scored 14 or fewer, including Colorado in the Red Raiders’ most recent 29-7 victory.
Williams and Dickey give Texas Tech multiple options in the backfield, while Hammond’s production against Houston showed he can contribute through the air alongside the rushing attack.
Houston’s success since that meeting adds weight to the Red Raiders’ victory. Combined with their unbeaten record and consistent run defense, it gives Texas Tech the strongest case for being the best team left on Baylor’s schedule.
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