The 2025 college football season is now a week in, and the Big 12 made several statements during the opening weekend, with a potential new title favorite emerging.
Every week, our staff gathers to pick the Big 12 football games. It is a challenging task, especially considering the conference’s crowded nature. Iowa State might be the new title favorite while Kansas, Arizona State, Texas Tech and Utah look like legitimate contenders as well.
So, just how will the second week play out in the Big 12? Our Buffaloes Wire staff picked all the games in the conference straight up.
Here are our expert picks for Week 2 as we see if what teams’ opening week performances were real or not. First, here are the standings so far from our writers.
All games are scheduled for Saturday, September 6, and all times are Mountain Time.
Standings so far
Charlie Strella: 15-1
Jack Freeman: 13-3
Griffin Dreifaldt: 15-1
Xavier Michnewicz: 13-3
Iowa State vs. Iowa
10:00 a.m., Fox
Griffin: Iowa State
I anticipate ISU quarterback Rocco Becht to have another solid outing, but the Hawkeye defense gives him some trouble in this one. Can the Hawkeyes’ passing offense do anything this week after new Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski threw for just 44 yards last week? Unlikely, but this should be a fun defensive slugfest.
Jack: Iowa State
The Cy-Hawk game is seemingly always a classic, but this year carries a lot more weight. Iowa looks to avenge its loss last year, but I don’t see that happening. Rocco Becht has the Cyclones rolling, and I see them taking the trophy for the second year in a row for the first time since 2011
Charlie: Iowa State
Iowa has dominated this rivalry the past decade, winning seven of the ten matchups. An even crazier note is that Iowa State has not won a home Cy-Hawk game since 2011. That was also the last time the Cyclones won back-to-back matchups. I like how Rocco Becht is playing, so give me Iowa State.
Baylor at SMU
10:00 a.m., The CW Network
Griffin: Baylor
SMU is ranked No. 16 in the country, playing at home, but the Baylor Bears find a way to win this one. After Baylor got outplayed last week against Auburn, I believe the Bears will come out hungry in this one and stun Kevin Jennings and the Mustangs in Dallas.
Jack: SMU
Charlie: Baylor
I picked the Bears last week, and their defense let me down. Baylor plays a better game this week against SMU and notched a big-time win.
Texas Tech vs. Kent State
10:00 a.m., TNT/truTV/HBO Max
Griffin: Texas Tech
Jack: Texas Tech
Charlie: Texas Tech
Oregon vs. Oklahoma State
1:30 p.m., CBS
Griffin: Oregon
After Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy’s comments about Oregon’s NIL funds, “Oregon is paying a lot, a lot of money for their team. From a nonconference standpoint, there’s coaches saying they should play teams with similar budgets”. Dan Lanning responded with “we spend to win.” I expect a beatdown in Eugene on Saturday. The spread has now climbed to almost 30 points in favor of the Ducks, and honestly, I don’t know if that’s enough. Lanning gets his team fired up, and the Ducks roll by 35+ in this game.
Jack: Oregon
Charlie: Oregon
I wish Oklahoma State could give the Ducks a fight, but it just isn’t happening this year. Perhaps a few years ago, but the Cowboys are still on their way back to being an elite program.
Kansas at Missouri
1:30 p.m., ESPN2
Griffin: Kansas
Give me the Jayhawks in this one, as they win the border war. Mizzou is a 6.5-point favorite in this game, but Kansas has impressed early, and they surprise the country this week, knocking off a competent SEC team. Expect a shootout between the Penn State transfer QB, Beau Pribula, and Kansas’s Jalon Daniels.
Jack: Kansas
Another classic rivalry game in Week 2, which should reveal much about the two teams. Through three games, Kansas has looked excellent, but they haven’t really played anyone of note. Jalon Daniels has been mistake-free; if he can continue, the Jayhawks will walk away with their biggest win in years.
Charlie: Missouri
Man, this is a tough one. My colleague’s points are all valid, and if this game were being played in Lawrence, I would probably pick the Jayhawks. But it isn’t. Tigers quarterback Beau Pribula will outduel Jalon Daniels in Columbia.
Cincinnati vs. Bowling Green
1:30 p.m., ESPN+
Griffin: Cincinnati
Jack: Bowling Green
Cincinnati put up an impressive fight against Nebraska in their opener, but I’ve got Bowling Green pulling off the upset for one reason: Pudge the locker room cat. The internet sensation guided the Falcons to win in Week 1, and it wouldn’t be right to pick against his motivational powers for the foreseeable future.
Charlie: Cincinnati
1:30 p.m., Fox
We will share our Colorado-Delaware predictions in a separate post, with each staff member providing a final score prediction and some thoughts on the game. This game should not be close, but Colorado will need to show improvements from Week 1.
West Virginia at Ohio
2:00 p.m., ESPNU
Griffin: West Virginia
Jack: West Virginia
Charlie: Ohio
Ohio nearly, and perhaps should have, beaten Rutgers last week, and now the Bobcats get their Power 4 upset. The Mountaineers are just too new, and Ohio is the home team.
Utah vs. Cal Poly
4:00 p.m., ESPN+
Griffin: Utah
Jack: Utah
Charlie: Utah
5:00 p.m., ESPN
Griffin: Kansas State
Jack: Kansas State
Charlie: Kanasas State
The Wildcats need a big win. Army isn’t the easiest opponent in the world, but K-State is a tier above and gets back on the right track.
Houston at Rice
5:00 p.m., ESPN+
Griffin: Houston
Jack: Houston
Charlie: Houston
The Cougars looked good in Week 1, and that should give them enough momentum to go on the road and beat Rice.
UCF vs. North Carolina A&T
5:00 p.m., ESPN+
Griffin: UCF
Jack: UCF
Charlie: UCF
Arizona State at Mississippi State
5:30 p.m., ESPN2
Griffin: Arizona State
Jack: Arizona State
Charlie: Arizona State
Going on the road to any SEC environment is difficult, but the Sun Devils are up to the task. Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyyson will be too much for the Bulldogs’ defense to handle
Arizona vs. Weber State
8:00 p.m., ESPN+
Griffin: Arizona
Jack: Arizona
Charlie: Arizona
BYU vs. Stanford
8:15 p.m., ESPN
Griffin: BYU
Jack: BYU
Charlie: BYU
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