College football in Texas and the Big 12 Conference continues this weekend. Here is a look at what is on tap for Week 5:
FRIDAY
Cincinnati (2-2) at BYU (3-1), 9:15 p.m. CT, ESPN
The media picked both of these teams to finish among the bottom four in the Big 12 this season, and both are entering this matchup 0-1 in conference play. Cincinnati has some terrible losses on its resume, while BYU has played better since its season opener against Sam Houston.
***
SATURDAY
No.24 Kansas (4-0) at No.3 Texas (4-0), 2:30 p.m. CT, ABC
Kansas and Texas are entering this game undefeated, with similar numbers through their first four games. The one advantage Kansas may have is its rushing offense, which ranks 12th in the nation as opposed to Texas’ 67th-ranked attack. Still, Texas is by far the best team the Jayhawks have faced, winning each of its games by double digits, and playing in Austin is a massive challenge, especially with how the Longhorns have opened the season.
***
Iowa State (2-2) at No.14 Oklahoma (4-0), 6 p.m. CT, FS1
Iowa State is being given just a 5.5% chance to win this game. While the offense from Oklahoma gets all the attention, the Sooners’ defense is also having a great year — allowing just 34 points through four games, including holding the best offense it has faced (SMU) to just 11 points. Iowa State has struggled to score against lesser defenses, which could lead to a long day for the Cyclones.
***
Texas A&M (3-1) at Arkansas (2-2), 11 a.m. CT, SEC Network, AT&T Stadium
The Southwest Classic kicks off Saturday morning in Arlington. After a tumultuous offseason, Jimbo Fisher has A&M sitting at 3-1 through four games, averaging nearly 40 points per game behind its passing offense. That offense took a severe hit as starting quarterback Connor Weigman was injured last week and ruled out for the rest of the season. They will turn to backup Max Johnson, who has NFL bloodlines and previous experience as a starter in the SEC. Arkansas has yet to beat a Power Five opponent but has won two in a row.
***
Houston (2-2) at Texas Tech (1-3), 2:30 p.m. CT, FS2
Both these teams would have liked better starts to the season, but the winner of this one has a chance to turn things around. Houston scored just 13 points in its only previous Power Five game this season and will have to keep up with a Texas Tech offense that has scored at least 33 points three times. Tech will turn to backup quarterback Behren Morton with Tyler Shough injured and will be hungry for a win after falling to West Virginia last week.
***
Baylor (1-3) at UCF (3-1), 2:30 p.m. CT, FS1
The season could not have started any worse for Baylor, but a win over UCF would go a long way toward fixing it. Baylor opened the year with a loss to Texas State and was humiliated against Texas at home last week. Meanwhile, UCF does not have an overly impressive win but is hosting its first Big 12 home game and looking to prove it belongs after losing its conference opener.
***
East Carolina (1-3) at Rice (2-2), 6 p.m. CT, ESPN+
Rice’s offense has stood out in most games behind transfer quarterback JT Daniels and wide receiver Luke McCaffrey. The Owls put up nearly twice as many yards per game as East Carolina, so it will really depend on if their defense can get stops. East Carolina has only scored 44 points this season against Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
***
Abilene Christian (2-2) at North Texas (1-2), 6 p.m. CT, ESPN+
North Texas returns from its bye week looking for its second consecutive win. The quarterback change to Chandler Rogers paid dividends as he threw for 313 yards and two touchdowns to help lead the Mean Green to a victory over Louisiana Tech. Now, UNT faces Abilene Christian, a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) team. Any signs of struggles against the FCS opponent would be catastrophic and signal significant concern for North Texas’s season.
***
Charlotte (1-3) at SMU (2-2), 6:30 p.m. CT, ESPNU
SMU kicks off conference play after coming up short in the Battle for the Iron Skillet against TCU last week. The Mustangs have thrived offensively this season but struggled to finish drives with touchdowns against elite opponents. They should return to their dominant ways this week as a bad Charlotte team with a first-year head coach comes to town.
***
West Virginia (3-1) at TCU (3-1), 7 p.m. CT, ESPN2
This game features two 3-1 Big 12 teams, but they are vastly different. West Virginia has only played one team with a winning record and was trounced 38-15. The Mountaineers also do not have a particularly threatening offense. Meanwhile, TCU has bounced back from the early loss to Colorado while playing excellent complementary football. The horned Frogs have been clicking offensively, and the defense has returned to its stubborn ways. West Virginia may not have the offensive firepower to keep up, skewing this game in favor of TCU.
