Cincinnati already bettered its Big 12 debut, now has long trip to Colorado with both contending

Updated Oct. 24, 2024 6:10 a.m. ET

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Game of the week

Cincinnati (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) at Colorado (5-2, 3-1), Saturday, 10:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The Bearcats have already won more games than they did in their Big 12 debut last season. Now they go more than 1,200 miles for their longest trip this year to play league newcomer Colorado in a matchup of teams that are part of a four-way tie just a game behind undefeated Big 12 co-leaders No. 10 Iowa State and No. 11 BYU. After going 3-9 in coach Scott Satterfield's first season, Cincinnati has transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby among 47 new scholarship players and its only losses are by one point to undefeated Pittsburgh and 44-41 at Texas Tech after missing a field goal on the final play. Colorado's Shedeur Sanders has thrown for 324 yards a game with a league-high 19 TDs and completed 72.2% of his passes. The Buffaloes defense had 16 sacks the past three games.

The undercard

The farthest distance between Big 12 schools is the more than 2,300 miles from BYU to UCF. The 11th-ranked Cougars (7-0, 4-0), coming off an open date, make that trip to play Saturday. The Knights (3-4, 1-3) have lost their last four games since opening conference play with a 35-34 win at TCU. Sophomore transfer Jacurri Brown is now the starter over sixth-year senior K.J. Jefferson, the transfer from Arkansas and preseason Big 12 newcomer of the year who threw for 1,012 yards while starting the first five games.

Impact players

Big 12 rushing leader Tahj Brooks (134 ypg) from Texas Tech has run for 95 yards or more in 17 consecutive games, going over 100 yards in 14 of those. Only one other FBS player since 1996 has had such a streak, with Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim having 19 games in a row with at least 95 yards from 2020-22. The Red Raiders play Saturday at TCU, which is 13th in the Big 12 allowing 164.1 yards rushing per game.

Inside the numbers

No. 16 Kansas State (6-1, 3-1) will go for its 16th win in a row over instate rival Kansas in the Sunflower Showdown. The 15-game streak is the longest in the series that dates back to 1902 and is led by the Jayhawks 65-51-5. ... Oklahoma State (3-4, 0-4) goes to Baylor with a four-game losing streak. The Cowboys haven't lost five in a row since 2014. They have had 13 winning streaks of at least four games since then, and had lost three in a row only twice before their current streak. ... Big 12 defenders have 114 interceptions, the most by any FBS conference. ... No. 10 Iowa State (7-0, 4-0) and Arizona State (5-2, 2-2) this week become the first Big 12 teams to have their second open dates this season. ... Utah and Houston are meeting Saturday for the first time since 1978. ... West Virginia and Arizona play for the first time.

Record-chasing hometown runner

Kansas senior Devin Neal's 40 career rushing touchdowns are the most nationally among active players, and two shy of breaking the record for his hometown university. His 3,869 career rushing yards are 82 behind Tech's Tajh Brooks for the most for Power Four runners, and 73 from breaking June Henley's school record that has stood since 1996. Neal ran for 138 yards and three touchdowns against K-State last year.

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