Things to watch this week in the Big 12 Conference:
Game of the week
Arizona State (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) at No. 20 Kansas State (7-2, 4-2, No. 16 CFP), Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
The first meeting since the 2002 Holiday Bowl between Big 12 newcomer Arizona State and Kansas State could very well become an elimination game for a spot in the conference championship game. They are part of a four-way tie for third place behind No. 7 BYU and No. 18 Colorado with three games left in the regular season. After K-State, the Sun Devils return home to play BYU (9-0, 6-0, No. 6 CFP). Colorado's only conference loss was to the Wildcats, who finish the season at Iowa State (which along with West Virginia is also 4-2 in league play). D.J. Giddens is five yards from becoming the fourth Kansas State player with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Arizona State's Cam Skattebo already has 1,001 yards rushing, and could return after missing last week's game with a shoulder injury.
The undercard
Baylor (5-4, 3-3) at West Virginia (5-4, 4-2), Saturday, 4 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Only undefeated BYU has a longer winning streak in the Big 12 than Baylor's three in a row. The Bears, coming off an open date, go to West Virginia with the winner getting bowl eligible. The Bears went into this season with questions about the future of coach Dave Aranda, now 28-29 in his fifth season. Baylor has rushed for 855 yards and 10 TDs in its three-game winning streak. The Mountaineers are coming off back-to-back road wins at Arizona and Cincinnati, but are 2-3 at home.
Impact players
Kansas running back Devin Neal is now the career leader at his hometown university with 3,951 yards and 43 touchdowns rushing going into Saturday's game at BYU. He ran for 116 yards and two TDs in a win over Iowa State last week to pass June Henley's record marks of 3,841 yards and 41 TDs that had stood since 1996. It was also Neal's school-record 18th 100-yard game.
Colorado's Shedeur Sanders is one of only three FBS quarterbacks who rank top 10 nationally in passing yards (2,822), passing touchdowns (24) and completion percentage (72.9%). The Buffaloes host Utah, which is second in the Big 12 allowing only 175 yards per game and 10 TDs through the air. Two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter's nine receiving TDs are tied for the Big 12 lead, and he is third with 69 catches.
Inside the numbers
Houston (4-5, 3-3) has matched its overall win total from last year's Big 12 debut season, and exceeded the two conference wins after its upset win over Kansas State last week. The Cougars play at league newcomer Arizona (3-6, 1-5) on Friday night. ... Rocco Becht has thrown a TD pass in 13 consecutive games for Iowa State (7-2, 4-2) to break Brock Purdy's school record. ... The Big 12 leads the nation with 13 games with the winning points scored in the final minute of the fourth quarter, and 24 lead changes in the fourth quarter.
No more opens
This will be the final weekend for open dates in the Big 12, with Oklahoma State (3-7, 0-7), TCU (6-4, 4-3), Texas Tech (6-4, 4-3) and UCF (4-6, 2-5) all having the weekend off. All 16 teams will play on each of the last two weekends of the regular season. There has been only one weekend (Oct. 18-19) since the first Saturday in September with a full slate of games in the league.
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