The college football regular season came to a close on Saturday Night as rivalry weekend wrapped up what's been an incredible season. Week 14 set the conference championship matchups, and in the Big 12, the two clear best teams all season in Texas Tech and BYU will battle it out for the Big 12 Championship.
Aside from the teams fighting to stay alive in the Playoff race, we had a ton of other action in the Big 12. Teams fought to earn bowl eligibility, while others lost, blowing their chance at making a bowl game. The Oklahoma State Cowboys found their next head coach in Eric Morris, and the coaching carousel could soon come for other Big 12 coaches.
Power Ranking the Big 12: Utah and BYU pick up resilient wins to remain in the Playoff hunt
The Oklahoma State Cowboys fell short once again, ending their run in Big 12 play winless after the loss to Iowa State. It became clear early in the year that this team was severely flawed leading to Mike Gundy's firing, and Eric Morris is going to have a massive rebuild on his hands once he officially takes over the program.
Deion Sanders' team ended its season with a loss that allowed Kansas State to clinch bowl eligibility at 6-6. The Buffaloes were always going to struggle this season after losing Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, but Deion Sanders should be at the point where the down years aren't this bad. The Buffaloes have a massive overhaul ahead of them this offseason as Coach Prime will need to load up in the portal to compete next season.
Rich Rodriguez's first season back in Morgantown ended with a blowout loss to Texas Tech that defined most of this team's season. The Mountaineers' offense is going to need a massive influx of talent, as this group clearly lacks the playmakers to compete in the Big 12, getting shut out on Saturday. How Rodriguez manages this offseason will define the direction of the program under his leadership, as they need to crush the Transfer Portal.
Scott Frost's return to UCF ends with the Knights finishing below .500 as they allowed BYU to dominate after the first quarter. Tayven Jackson showed some encouraging signs in this game, which could make him the starter next year as he passed for 232 yards and a pair of scores against a tough defense. Frost will need to overhaul this roster this offseason if the Knights are ever going to reach the heights they reached during his first tenure at UCF.
After coming into the season with the hopes of making the Playoff and winning the Big 12, Baylor failing to go .500 should be viewed as unacceptable. Dave Aranda's defense once again struggled, allowing 31 points, dealing another blow to his future as the Bears' head coach. With AD Mack Rhoades out at Baylor, it'll be interesting to see if the school continues to back Aranda, who's now 36-37 for his career.
Kansas had a golden opportunity to make a bowl game, but they instead allowed Utah to outscore them 21-7 in the 4th quarter to cost them the game. Jalon Daniels struggled with three interceptions in the game, including a pair in the 4th quarter, allowing Utah to come back and win the game. Lance Leipold has done a nice job with this program, but he hasn't quite met the expectations he set for himself after winning 9 games two seasons ago.
After a disappointing start to the season, Kansas State knocked off Colorado to earn bowl eligibility in the final weekend of the season. Joe Jackson ran wild for the Wildcats, picking up 142 yards and 3 touchdowns in the win. Avery Johnson wasn't asked to do a ton, which kicks off an interesting offseason for the quarterback, as it wouldn't be shocking to see him leave, while his return could set both sides up for a bounce-back season.
Matt Campbell's team bounced back from a rough stretch, winning its final three games of the season. It wasn't pretty on Saturday, but the Cyclones handed Oklahoma State another loss with a quiet performance on offense and a stellar showing defensively. The Cyclones will now watch to see if one of these top Power 4 schools comes calling for Matt Campbell; otherwise, Iowa State always has a chance to win the Big 12.
The Cincinnati Bearcats limped to the finish line this season, losing their final 4 games of the year, all of which were in league play. The Bearcats defense had no answers for TCU's offense, allowing the Horned Frogs to pick up 544 yards and 6 touchdowns. The game now becomes seeing who Cincinnati can bring back for next season, as it'll determine if this team takes the next step or continues to slide.
Sonny Dykes team went on a nice run to end the season, adding a nice win over Cincinnati a week after they beat Houston. Josh Hoover was stellar for the Horned Frogs, going 19-22 for 306 yards while Jeremy Payne added 174 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground. This team has a ton of exciting pieces, and if Josh Hoover returns for one more season, this team could enter next season as a favorite in the Big 12.
The Arizona State Sun Devils had a promising season derailed by injuries, as losing Sam Leavitt left this offense with no real passing attack. On Friday, we saw just what can happen when the Sun Devils can't run at will, as Jeff Sims couldn't get anything going with their passing attack. If Kenny Dillingham is truly sticking around, he'll likely have a massive overhaul ahead of him, especially if Leavitt leaves, while Jordyn Tyson will be off to the NFL.
The Arizona Wildcats closed the regular season out on a high note, beating Arizona State in the Territorial Cup. The Wildcats' defense stepped up in a big way, shutting down Arizona State's rushing attack while keeping Jeff Sims from ever finding a rhythm as a passer. Brett Brennan had a shaky first season, but this year has to encourage the Wildcats about the future of this program.
The Houston Cougars survived a late surge by Baylor to finish the season with an impressive 9-3 record while winning 6 games in league play. Conner Weigman threw an interception but scored 3 touchdowns with a monster day running the ball as he picked up 121 yards and 2 scores with his legs. If not for a shocking loss to West Virginia, this team would've been in the Playoff race, but Willie Fritz continues to build this program toward the Playoff.
Kyle Whittingham's team rallied in the 4th quarter, outscoring Kansas 21-7 to survive a potential upset to end the year. Devon Dampier was electric with three touchdowns, but it was the 97-yard pick-six by Elijah Davis that won Utah the game. The Utes are going to need some help in Conference Championship weekend to make the Playoff, but this was a stellar bounce back season for the Utes.
After starting slow, the BYU Cougars poured it on UCF, winning 41-21 after trailing 14-0 to start the game. LJ Martin delivered another signature performance with 95 yards and 3 touchdowns while Bear Bachmeier took perfect care of the football. The Cougars now have a chance to avenge their only loss as they'll face Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship Game.
Texas Tech wrapped up its season of dominance in the Big 12 with an incredible 49-0 blowout win over West Virginia. The defense was dominant, holding the Mountaineers under 200 yards while forcing a pair of interceptions. Joey McGuire was able to get his new backup quarterback, Lloyd Jones III, some reps in case of emergency, and even he impressed. The Red Raiders are now likely a win away from a Top 4 seed in the Playoff, earning an automatic bye into the second round.