KANSAS

Top Big 12 Football Storylines For Week 6: Will Kansas Finally Celebrate?

Week 6 in the Big 12 features six games and a compelling instate non-conference matchup that'll decide the Sunshine State's best team behind Miami.

Rich Cirminiello

Kansas Jayhawks running back Daniel Hishaw Jr. (9) runs in for a touchdown during the third quarter of the game against TCU Horned Frogs Saturday, September 28, 2024, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas Jayhawks running back Daniel Hishaw Jr. (9) runs in for a touchdown during the third quarter of the game against TCU Horned Frogs Saturday, September 28, 2024, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. / Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Week 6 in the Big 12 begins Friday night when Houston visits TCU. All but BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado, Kansas State, and Utah will be in action, and Kansas meets Arizona State for the first time in school history.

For the Jayhawks, this is a critical trip to Tempe that could determine whether the program plays out the string in the second half of 2024, or competes for bowl eligibility.

Top Big 12 Storylines For Week 6

5. Oklahoma State Needs to Rebound

It wasn't that long ago that OSU was one of the favorites to win the Big 12. Now the Cowboys are trying to rebound from back-to-back losses to Utah and Kansas State.

After failing to contain Avery Johnson in Manhattan, Oklahoma State will now look to corral another dual-threat QB, West Virginia's Garrett Greene.

4. You're Running Out of Time, Kansas

If the Jayhawks can't break through this weekend, this once-promising season might need to be toe-tagged.

Kansas is taking a four-game losing streak to Tempe... four games that the Jayhawks led at some point after halftime. If KU wants to rescue this season, it has to get QB Jalon Daniels on track and it must find a way to finish a close game.

3. Iowa State Eyes a Bear Trap

The 4-0 Cyclones are the highest ranked Big 12 team, with a quality win at Iowa. Enter Baylor, which dropped consecutive games to Colorado and BYU but played well enough to win both.

Iowa State is in the unfamiliar position of being the hunted. And while the D has been sensational, the offense must improve to remain a conference frontrunner.

2. Sunshine State Showdown

Okay, so there are no Big 12 or national implications, but this one outta be fun in Gainesville.

Plenty of storylines here. UCF will be trying to bounce back after getting throttled at home by Colorado. Embattled Florida coach Billy Napier needs this game, especially with the wicked back end of the schedule. The intensity will be very high Saturday night at the Swamp.

1. Texas Tech at Arizona After Dark

Six Big 12 teams have yet to lose a conference game. Two of them will meet in Tucson in the final kickoff of Week 6.

What do we REALLY know about Texas Tech, whose two Big 12 wins came in Lubbock against Cincinnati and Arizona State? Arizona is fresh off an impressive get-off-the-mat win over Utah, just a week after getting schooled by K-State. Bank on a wild shootout that features around 800 yards of passing.

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Rich Cirminiello
RICH CIRMINIELLO

I've been the VP of College Awards for the Maxwell Football Club since 2008. I oversee and manage all aspects of the Maxwell Award (CFB Player of the Year), Bednarik Award (Defensive POY) and Munger Award (CFB Coach of the Year), including creating watch lists, steering the selection committee and choosing players of the week. I appear weekly on SportsGrid TV to discuss college football, both as a guest and a co-host of various live shows. I oversee and manage two additional college awards, outside the purview of the Maxwell Football Club - former Seattle Seahawk RB Shaun Alexander's Freshman of the Year Award & the Buddy Teevens Award, which was created by Peyton Manning, Archie Manning and Omaha Productions in honor of the late Dartmouth coach. I'm contracted out each May by Phil Steele to help edit the magazine and write select articles leading up to the publication of his annual College Football Preview in June.

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