Big 12 Football: Week 7 Matchups and Predictions

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Week 7 in the Big 12 has five games on the slate, with four teams on their bye week. The action begins with a Thursday night game in Houston, with the Coogs taking on the Mountaineers. Kansas looks to stay in the Big 12 championship race with a road game in Stillwater. Iowa State looks to keep its winning streak going with a game in Cincinnati. TCU, now with Josh Hoover under center, tries to get their season back on track as they host BYU. And Kansas State travels to Lubbock for what may be the most entertaining game in the conference this week.
2023 Big 12 Predictions Results
On the season, I am 38-22 (.633) in predicting Big 12 games. Last week, I went 1-4. Texas Tech winning the BU-TT Bowl was the only one I had right. I had Kansas State, TCU, Texas, and UCF all winning, and none did.
Here are the previous predictions from earlier this season:
Big 12 Week 7 Matchups and Predictions
All times listed are Central Time.
Houston (2-3, 0-2) vs. West Virginia (4-1, 2-0)
Thursday, 6 p.m., ESPN
Houston coach Dana Holgorsen gets to face the team he coached for eight years until he bolted for Houston in 2019. His Coogs are still struggling to find their first-ever win in Big 12 conference play. West Virginia has been unexpectedly hot the first half of the season, with their only loss coming from a top-ten Penn State team in Happy Valley. Look for the ‘Eers to continue the hot streak.
Pick: West Virginia
Cincinnati (2-3, 0-2) vs. Iowa State (3-3, 2-1)
Saturday, 11 a.m., FS1
Another team looking for its first-ever Big 12 conference win is the Bearcats. Nippert Stadium is an intimate setting with a raucous crowd. The Cyclones are coming off a big win over TCU. This game is a tossup. It could go either way. That will be a theme as you continue reading. I think I’m going to give a slight edge to Cincinnati.
Pick: Cincinnati
Oklahoma State (3-2, 1-1) vs. #23 Kansas (5-1, 2-1)
Saturday, 2:30 p.m., FS1
Oklahoma State hosted one team from the Sunflower State last week and got an unexpected win over the defending champions. Can they do it again, this time against the Jayhawks? Perhaps. If KU quarterback Jalon Daniels were playing, I’d have no problem picking KU. But he’s listed as doubtful. Last week, Kansas had no trouble rolling over UCF even without Daniels. Lance Leipold has figured out the Kansas magic, and the Jayhawks win a close one.
Pick: Kansas
TCU (3-3, 1-2) vs. BYU (4-1, 1-1)
Saturday, 2:30 p.m., ESPN
These two teams are set to renew a conference rivalry. The two were Mountain West foes from 2005-2010, and the Frogs went 4-2 in that stretch. We know that Chandler Morris is out, and Josh Hoover gets the start at QB for the Frogs. Can the Frogs stop their skid? Or will their disappointing season continue? BYU looks to be settling in quite nicely as part of the Big 12. It will be another of the close Big 12 games this week. Kicker Griffin Kell has struggled, and the struggles will continue. I foresee a missed field goal by Kell as time expires that would have given TCU the lead.
Read our complete preview of BYU here.
Pick: BYU
Texas Tech (3-3, 2-1) vs. Kansas State (3-2, 1-1)
Saturday, 6 p.m., FS1
I’m still on the Cats bandwagon. Sure, I picked them to go to the Natty this year. That’s not happening. But despite a loss last week in Stillwater, they are still a decent team with plenty of talent. Sure, Texas Tech has won its last two games, but they were against Houston and Baylor. I need to see more from the Red Raiders before I take them over a good team.
Pick: Kansas State
Big 12 Bye Weeks
- Baylor (2-4, 1-2)
- #5 Oklahoma (6-0, 3-0)
- #9 Texas (5-1, 2-1)
- UCF (3-3, 0-3)
TCU Football Week 7 Opponent Preview: BYU Cougars
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Barry is the managing editor/publisher of TCU Horned Frogs On SI and oversees a team of 15+ writers, photographers, and podcasters covering all 22 of TCU’s sports. He writes on football, basketball (men’s and women’s), baseball, men’s tennis, and other sports as needed. His weekly articles include Big 12 Power Rankings and Poll Watching during the football, basketball, and baseball seasons. He is a frequent guest on one of the many podcasts that TCU Horned Frogs On SI writers host covering football, baseball, basketball, and other sports. Barry is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). He has represented TCU Horned Frogs On SI at the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, the 2023 College Football National Championship, the 2023 College World Series, the 2024 NCAA Men’s Tennis National Championship, Big 12 Football Media Days, and Big 12 Basketball Media Days. Barry has followed TCU sports since the Jim Wacker days. He is an avid sports fan and traveler, and he loves any opportunity to see a sporting event in person. He has been to 18 of the 30 MLB ballparks, experienced game day at 25 college football stadiums, seen 21 NFL stadiums, and been to 16 bowl games.
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