Around the Big 12 Week 8: Utah survives as UCF and Cincinnati topple unbeaten contenders
UCF handed BYU its first loss in double overtime, Cincinnati stopped Texas Tech, and Utah rallied past Houston to take sole possession of the conference lead. Arizona and Oklahoma State kept pace with emphatic wins.
By Bearcat Bunch · Published
Week 8 rearranged the Big 12 race without making it any easier to predict. BYU and Texas Tech arrived unbeaten and left with road losses, while Utah needed a second-half comeback against Houston to protect its perfect record. UCF and Cincinnati supplied the upsets, Arizona continued its climb, and Oklahoma State turned a one-point halftime deficit into a 33-point victory. At the other end of the standings, Kansas finally collected a conference win with a blocked field goal that preserved a one-point finish.
Dampier and a late takeaway keep Utah unbeaten
Utah 21, Houston 13
Utah did not lead until the fourth quarter, but its offense and defense delivered the sequences that Houston could not match late. Wayshawn Parker's five-yard touchdown run finished a 10-play, 80-yard drive and put the Utes ahead 14–13 with 11:57 remaining. Devon Dampier then added a second rushing touchdown after the defense created a short field.
Houston still had a chance when it took possession at its own 20 with 2:20 left. Jackson Bennee reached Conner Weigman for a strip-sack, and Jireh Moe recovered at the Cougars' 9. Dampier scored on the next play, stretching the lead to eight. Houston responded by reaching the Utah 23, but four consecutive incompletions ended its final scoring opportunity.
The Cougars had spent much of the night putting Utah under pressure. They led 3–0 at halftime, then extended the advantage to 10–0 when Makhi Hughes finished a 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter. Dampier answered with a 22-yard scoring run before Jonathan Dimas' second field goal restored a six-point Houston lead.
Dampier finished with 150 rushing yards and two touchdowns, along with 204 passing yards. His two interceptions contributed to Utah's slow start, but the Utes found a productive way back into the game through his rushing and Parker's finishing.
Weigman threw for 282 yards, with Amare Thomas catching five passes for 133. Houston nevertheless finished with only one touchdown and 86 rushing yards. The Cougars created enough opportunities to threaten an unbeaten opponent; Utah turned its last takeaway into points and then defended the entire eight-point margin. The Utes improved to 7–0 and 4–0 in the conference, while Houston fell to 6–2 and 3–2.
UCF finishes the upset in double overtime
UCF 39, BYU 31 (2OT)
Keyone Jenkins threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Grayson Brousseau in the second overtime, then found Tyren Hornes for the two-point conversion. UCF's defense completed the job by stopping BYU's final possession, securing the Knights' first victory over an AP top-five opponent and ending the Cougars' unbeaten start.
BYU had a chance to limit UCF to a field goal in that second extra period. A roughing-the-kicker penalty instead extended the possession, giving Jenkins another opportunity to reach the end zone. The Cougars then needed a touchdown and conversion of their own, but their final fourth-down pass fell incomplete.
The first overtime had already required an immediate UCF response. Bear Bachmeier connected with Legend Glasker for a 28-yard touchdown, putting BYU ahead 31–24. Jenkins answered on the Knights' first play with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Josh Derry. UCF had matched BYU's score and earned the opportunity to set the terms of the second overtime.
Jenkins completed 25 of 41 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns, adding a rushing score without committing a turnover. Hornes caught six passes for 137 yards, while Duke Watson supplied 94 rushing yards. Their production gave the Knights enough answers to sustain a game in which neither team established more than a one-score advantage.
For BYU, Bachmeier threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns, and Kyler Kasper caught six passes for 129 yards and a score. The Cougars managed only 116 rushing yards, however, and the penalty in overtime turned a possible defensive stop into another full scoring opportunity.
UCF improved to 4–3 and 2–2 in the Big 12. BYU remained well positioned at 6–1 and 3–1, but its first defeat came with clear execution problems to address: a stalled ground game, an extended overtime possession and an unanswered final touchdown.
Cincinnati makes Texas Tech pay at both ends of the half
Cincinnati 37, Texas Tech 24
Cincinnati built an 18-point halftime lead, weathered two third-quarter interceptions and finished the upset with Cole Tabb's 58-yard touchdown run. The Bearcats handed Texas Tech its first loss behind Tabb's 173 rushing yards and four touchdown passes from JC French IV.
The decisive separation came late in the second quarter. French found Malachi Henry for a five-yard touchdown with 1:37 remaining, and MJ Cannon intercepted Will Hammond on Texas Tech's next possession. Cincinnati quickly covered 75 yards, helped by Tabb's 51-yard run, before French connected with tight end Lyviel Waters for a two-yard touchdown just before halftime. The Bearcats led 24–6.
Texas Tech's defense briefly reopened the game. Peyton Morgan returned an interception 53 yards for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 24–15 after an unsuccessful two-point attempt. Another interception gave the Red Raiders a chance to get closer, but that possession ended with a missed field goal.
French recovered with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Larenzo Fenner, and Tabb's long scoring run in the fourth quarter restored a comfortable margin. Cincinnati finished with 255 rushing yards, providing enough support for French to overcome his two giveaways without making the passing game carry every possession.
Hammond threw for 227 yards, while J'Koby Williams gained 81 yards on 11 carries. Texas Tech's broader offensive output did not produce enough touchdowns: the Red Raiders settled for four field goals and did not score an offensive touchdown until the final minute. Three turnovers and 13 penalties for 85 yards repeatedly made their recovery more difficult.
The Bearcats moved to 5–2 and 2–2 in conference play. Texas Tech fell to 6–1 and 3–1 after Cincinnati paired explosive runs with defensive stops that kept the Red Raiders exchanging field goals for touchdowns.
Arizona removes Iowa State's running game from the equation
Arizona 39, Iowa State 3
Arizona's second offensive play produced a 71-yard touchdown pass from Noah Fifita to Isaiah Mizell. The Wildcats led 15–0 within the first nine minutes and 25–3 at halftime, giving a defense that controlled Iowa State's ground game plenty of room to protect the lead.
Fifita completed 27 of 34 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns. Mizell caught eight passes for 134 yards, while Henry Gabalis added a 40-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. Arizona finished with 477 total yards and improved to 6–1 overall and 3–1 in the Big 12.
Iowa State's offense could not establish a dependable response. The Cyclones managed 221 total yards and only 52 rushing yards on 31 attempts, ending their 23-game streak of reaching 100 yards on the ground. Aiden Flora finished with 36 yards on 12 carries.
The quarterback change did not solve those problems. Jaylen Raynor completed eight of 10 passes for 106 yards before Connor Moberly replaced him to begin the second half. Moberly went seven of 17 for 63 yards. Iowa State finished three of 14 on third down, repeatedly leaving its defense to protect a substantial deficit.
Arizona also supplied the individual stops that prevented promising possessions from becoming touchdowns. Cam Chapa made an open-field tackle on fourth-and-three at the Wildcats' 22, and Raynor lost a fumble while trying to pitch the ball under pressure. Kyle Konrady's 40-yard field goal remained Iowa State's only score.
The Cyclones' defense kept Arizona scoreless in the third quarter and well into the fourth. Sullivan Schlimgen finished with 15 tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss. That resistance could only delay the result, however, because Iowa State never assembled the scoring response needed to make Arizona's lead vulnerable. The Cyclones dropped to 3–4 and 1–3.
Oklahoma State turns Colorado's opening fumble into a second-half rout
Oklahoma State 57, Colorado 24
Colorado led 24–23 at halftime. Oklahoma State scored all 34 points after it, beginning with a touchdown made possible by a fumble on the Buffaloes' first snap of the third quarter.
Quinton Hammonds recovered Isaac Wilson's fumble, and Drew Mestemaker found tight end Morgan McPhaul for a three-yard touchdown two plays later. The Cowboys forced a punt and followed with a 78-yard touchdown drive, with Caleb Hawkins contributing a 39-yard run and a 17-yard reception. A close game had become a 37–24 Oklahoma State lead before Colorado could produce a second-half score.
Mestemaker finished with 386 passing yards and four touchdowns, while Hawkins rushed for 120 yards. Oklahoma State generated 598 yards altogether, giving it repeated opportunities to add to the lead once its defense began ending Colorado possessions.
Sam Keltner supplied an equally valuable contribution before the game opened up. His three second-quarter field goals kept the Cowboys within one point at halftime. He finished with a school-record five makes, extending his run of successful attempts to 18 and tying the program record.
Colorado's first-half passing game had been much more effective. Wilson completed his first nine attempts and finished the half 14-for-16 for 222 yards, two passing touchdowns and a rushing score. Joseph Williams and DeAndre Moore Jr. both finished the game with more than 100 receiving yards.
After halftime, the Buffaloes produced only 120 yards, punted four times and committed three turnovers. Their early scoring pace disappeared while Oklahoma State continued creating long gains.
The Cowboys improved to 5–2 and 3–1, although Hammonds and tight end Carson Kolb left with injuries. Eric Morris offered no immediate postgame update on either player. Colorado dropped to 2–5 and 0–4, with its encouraging opening half overwhelmed by a second half in which it could neither protect the ball nor slow the scoring.
Mack gives Arizona State an answer through another quarterback change
Arizona State 28, Kansas State 17
Cardae Mack scored all four Arizona State touchdowns, finishing with 159 rushing yards on 26 carries. His 12-yard run at the start of the fourth quarter put the Sun Devils ahead 21–17, and an 11-yard score later in the period supplied the final margin.
Arizona State needed that production while moving through three quarterbacks. Mikey Keene made his first start for the Sun Devils and threw for 160 yards, but left with an injury late in the second quarter. Cutter Boley initially replaced him before freshman Jake Fette entered and directed the two touchdown drives that decided the game.
Fette completed three of six passes for 45 yards. His passing totals were modest, but Arizona State reached the end zone twice with him running the offense. Reed Harris gave the Sun Devils an explosive receiving option across the quarterback changes, finishing with six catches for 147 yards.
Kansas State had an unfamiliar starter of its own. With Avery Johnson unavailable because of injury, Jacob Knuth made his first career start and completed 26 of 41 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown. He added a rushing score while dealing with an ankle injury.
The Wildcats avoided turnovers but could not supply their quarterback with the running support they needed. Kansas State finished with 84 rushing yards on 31 carries and only 17 points despite six possessions reaching Arizona State territory. Its fourth-quarter scoring opportunities disappeared while Mack kept finishing the Sun Devils' drives.
Both teams left 4–3 overall, with Arizona State improving to 2–2 in the conference and Kansas State falling to 1–3. In Monday updates, Kenny Dillingham said Fette would start if Keene remained unavailable, while Collin Klein described Johnson as day-to-day. Those decisions remained dependent on availability; Mack's production was the most reliable part of Arizona State's answer on Saturday.
West Virginia finds the final stop against TCU
West Virginia 24, TCU 20
TCU generated 484 yards and reached West Virginia's 14-yard line with a chance to take the lead in the final minute. The Mountaineers ended that opportunity with a strip-sack, and Ben Cutter's recovery at the 23 allowed West Virginia to run out the clock.
It was the last and most consequential of three TCU turnovers. The Horned Frogs moved the ball repeatedly, but their final two possessions ended on downs and with the lost fumble. West Virginia protected the lead it had taken when Michael Hawkins Jr. found Cam Cook for a 13-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
Hawkins completed only seven of 15 passes for 79 yards, making the scoring connection with Cook especially valuable. He also ran for two touchdowns, while Cook gained 90 yards on 18 carries against his former school. West Virginia finished with 265 total yards, but its backfield supplied all three touchdowns and its defense stopped the possessions that could have reversed the result.
For TCU, Jaden Craig completed 33 of 47 passes for 372 yards, with one passing touchdown and one rushing score. Jordan Dwyer and Kari Ashley each exceeded 100 receiving yards. Craig's early touchdown pass to Ka'Morreun Pimpton completed a 16-play, 91-yard opening drive and demonstrated how effectively the Horned Frogs could move the ball.
Finishing was another matter. TCU scored on only three of five red-zone opportunities, missed a field goal and committed eight penalties for 81 yards. Two lost fumbles and an interception repeatedly interrupted an offense that collected 29 first downs.
West Virginia improved to 5–3 and 2–3 in the Big 12 with its second consecutive conference win. TCU fell to 3–4 and 1–3, left to reconcile another close defeat with an offensive performance that supplied plenty of yardage and too few completed scoring drives.
Marshall's late run and Herold's block finish Kansas' comeback
Kansas 25, Baylor 24
Isaiah Marshall scored on a 15-yard run with 1:13 remaining, and Blake Herold blocked Baylor's 45-yard field-goal attempt in the final minute. Those two plays delivered Kansas' first Big 12 victory of the season and ended a 14-game losing streak against the Bears.
The Jayhawks trailed 21–10 entering the fourth quarter. Marshall immediately cut into that deficit with a 34-yard touchdown pass to Nik McMillan on fourth-and-three, and Martin Connington's field goal later brought Kansas within two.
Baylor still held control after Rhett Armstrong made a 42-yard field goal with 2:40 left, putting the Bears ahead 24–19. Kansas answered with a six-play, 71-yard drive that ended with Marshall's winning run. Baylor then moved back into kicking range, but Herold denied the final attempt and preserved the one-point lead.
Dylan Edwards carried 30 times for 156 yards, giving Kansas a productive ground option even while Baylor's pass rush disrupted the afternoon. His 16-yard gain on third-and-one set up Marshall's winning touchdown on the next snap. The Bears sacked Marshall five times and intercepted him twice, but Kansas extended possessions with five fourth-down conversions, including McMillan's fourth-quarter touchdown.
Marshall finished with 212 passing yards and two touchdown passes in addition to his rushing score. The Jayhawks needed his late response after Devon Jordan returned one of his interceptions 42 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter.
DJ Lagway threw for 236 yards and a touchdown for Baylor, with Gavin Freeman catching nine passes for 123 yards. Jayden McGowan's eight-yard touchdown reception had extended the Bears' lead to 21–10, but Baylor's offense could add only three points after that.
Kansas improved to 3–4 and 1–3. Baylor fell to 4–3 and 2–2 despite generating sacks, takeaways and a defensive touchdown. The Jayhawks kept their comeback alive on fourth down, then paired a successful final touchdown drive with the special-teams stop needed to preserve the lead.
Where Week 8 Leaves the Race
Utah stands alone at 4–0 in Big 12 play. Its win over Houston mattered twice: the Utes protected their unbeaten record and pushed a direct challenger to a second conference loss. Arizona, BYU, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State form the next group at 3–1, leaving little room for another stumble.
Arizona and Oklahoma State strengthened their positions with convincing finishes, while BYU and Texas Tech lost the separation their unbeaten records had provided. UCF and Cincinnati both reached 2–2 by beating contenders, demonstrating how quickly that leading group can be pulled back toward the rest of the conference.
Below them, West Virginia's consecutive wins moved it to 2–3, and Kansas' first conference victory prevented the Jayhawks from falling alongside Colorado at 0–4. Week 8 produced a sole leader, but the eight games also showed how much the race can change when a fourth-down stop, a penalty or a late turnover becomes the decisive play.
