Utah Leads Big 12 Pack After 49-25 Win
Seven teams remain within two games of the top seed with four weeks left in the conference season.
By Julia Novak ·
No. 3 Utah secured a 49-25 victory over Cincinnati on Saturday, extending its undefeated conference record to 5-0. The win at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati was decisive, with the Utes building a 42-6 halftime lead. Quarterback Devon Dampier passed for 260 yards and three touchdowns, while the defense contributed two scores. Utah’s total offensive output reached 534 yards in the contest.
The victory moved the Utes up three positions in the Associated Press Top 25. This marks their highest ranking since October 18, 2015. The team had previously reached No. 2 in 2008 following a win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Utah now stands as the only undefeated program in the Big 12.
The conference race remains tight with four weeks remaining before the championship game on December 4 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Seven teams are currently within two games of the lead. No. 7 BYU and No. 13 Texas Tech sit one game behind at 4-1 in conference play. No. 24 Arizona, No. 17 Houston, Baylor, and Oklahoma State are all tied at 3-2.
BYU defeated Arizona State 27-20 in Provo, Utah, on Saturday. The Cougars needed a late 95-yard touchdown drive to close out the game against a Sun Devils squad featuring freshman quarterback Jake Fette. BYU coach Kalani Sitake acknowledged areas for improvement after the win. The team’s next challenge is a matchup against Utah in the Holy War.
Texas Tech overcame a halftime deficit to beat Arizona 34-26. Quarterback Tommy Castellanos threw two touchdown passes and rushed for 117 yards. The Red Raiders recorded 328 rushing yards in the comeback. Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita threw for 417 yards but his team managed only 12 net rushing yards. The loss dropped Arizona to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference.
Oklahoma State suffered a 51-49 loss to Iowa State on a last-second field goal. Kyle Konrardy kicked a 34-yard attempt as time expired to end the game. The result dropped the Cowboys to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play, knocking them out of the AP Top 25. Baylor defeated UCF 41-9 on Friday, improving to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big 12. Quarterback DJ Lagway threw for 319 yards and four touchdowns in the win.
Houston, which had a bye, remains at 6-2 overall and 3-2 in conference play. The team has no ranked opponents left on its schedule. Arizona State, now 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference, plays Oklahoma State on November 21 and Arizona on November 28.
