No. 6 Oklahoma @ Kansas
Saturday, Oct. 28, 11 a.m. CT on Fox
If the events of the start of Halloween weekend haven’t taken too much out of you, the early slate features a critical game for the Big 12. Three weeks removed from beating Texas at the Cotton Bowl, Oklahoma will face another big test when they head to Kansas for their final matchup as Big 12 opponents. The Sooners were brought down to the wire last week against UCF, trailing at the start of the fourth quarter and winning by just two.
The Sooners have been one of the best teams in college football this season, but the Jayhawks are no slouch. Even without Preseason All-Big 12 offensive player of the year Jalon Daniels, who is doubtful to play on Saturday, Kansas is 5–2 without a single game under 30 points scored. Junior running back Devin Neal is a top five contender in rushing yards and yards from scrimmage in the Big 12, averaging 7.3 yards per carry.
This matchup has major implications for Texas fans and the Big 12. Kansas has been one of the best overall offensive teams in the Big 12, and Oklahoma is fighting every week to stay undefeated and remain ahead of the pack. If Kansas can put up a similar fight to what UCF did a week before, this time with Oklahoma as the visiting team, the Jayhawks might be able to come away with a win.
BYU @ No. 7 Texas
Saturday, Oct. 28, 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC
Despite starting the season in a commanding 5–0 fashion, Texas has been on the back foot in both of its last two matchups. The Longhorns have been vulnerable, losing to Oklahoma and nearly collapsing against Houston in their last two games. On top of that, redshirt sophomore quarterback Quinn Ewers is out with a shoulder injury, meaning redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy will be making his first career start on Saturday.
BYU features a veteran team led by former USC and Pittsburgh quarterback Kedon Slovis. The Cougars are 5–2 on the year and are looking to make their first statement win as a member of the Big 12. The week before, BYU took down Texas Tech 27-14, forcing five turnovers from the Red Raiders. The Cougar defense struggles to contain offenses but has forced the most turnovers of any team in the Big 12 this season. A potential upset could be brewing if Texas falls victim to the turnover bug.
Colorado @ No. 23 UCLA
Saturday, Oct. 28, 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC
A true “Prime Time” matchup, nothing can be more entertaining than Deion Sanders in Los Angeles. Colorado had been the story of College Football early this season. Between the polarizing hire of Sanders, the mass amounts of talent coming in and out of the program, and its upset victories over TCU and Nebraska, the Colorado Buffaloes have been a fun team to watch in 2023. But it has gotten a lot worse for the Buffs, as they’ve lost three of their last four games and currently have the worst ranked defense in all of college football. Colorado is filled with talent, with Sanders’ son Shedeur heading the very impressive offense. Shedeur is first in the nation in completions and top five in passing yards and touchdowns. Shedeur is usually joined by two-way star and former five-star Travis Hunter, but the cornerback wide receiver combo will likely be out for the matchup.
The UCLA Bruins are no pushovers themselves, entering the game as 17-point favorites, according to ESPN. The Bruins come off a convincing 42-7 win over Stanford, where junior quarterback Ethan Garbers made his second career start. The game didn’t come without controversy, as former starting quarterback and true freshman Dante Moore was said to be injured and unable to start, yet was put in near the end of the game. It is unclear who is starting on Saturday, but there’s plenty to look out for between two extremely entertaining Pac-12 teams.
