Big 12 Football Week Nine Results: Too Many Close Calls

Mac Walters | Oct 28, 2024

Oct 26, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) pitches the ball in the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Week 9 exclusively featured conference play! There were seven conference games. TCU versus Texas Texas Tech and Kansas versus Kansas State were nail-biters. Great games were played all around the nation, both in and out of the conference.

*Arizona State and Iowa State had their second bye weeks this week.

Big 12 Week 9 Results

#9 BYU (8-0, 5-0) at UCF (3-5, 1-4)

Oct 26, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) is brought down by a group of Central Florida defenders in the first half at FBC Mortgage Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Russell Lansford-Imagn Images / Russell Lansford-Imagn Images

BYU set the tone early and controlled the ball. The Cougars had nearly 40 minutes of possession during the game and did not leave UCF with many opportunities to score. BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns. Cougars running back LJ Martin ran for 101 yards and a touchdown. BYU wide receiver Chase Roberts had two catches for seventy-five yards and a touchdown. UCF had one bright spot, running back RJ Harvey, who rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns. UCF quarterback Jacurri Brown threw two interceptions in the second half and was benched in the fourth quarter. Before he was benched, he completed eight passes for ninety-six yards. Backup quarterback Dylan Rizk came in and threw for 102 yards on six completions. BYU has their second bye week next week, and UCF will play against Arizona.  

Result: BYU beat UCF 37-24.

Oklahoma State (3-5, 0-5) at Baylor (4-4, 2-3)

Oct 26, 2024; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears running back Dawson Pendergrass (35) runs the ball against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the first half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images / Chris Jones-Imagn Images

This is Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson's world, and Oklahoma State is just living in it. Robertson accounted for four touchdowns: three through the air and one on the ground. He passed for 222 yards and ran for an additional seventy-three. Baylor running back Dawson Pendergrass had six carries for 142 yards and a touchdown. Oklahoma State quarterback Alan Bowman threw for 359 yards with one touchdown and interception. Bowman played much better this week than he did in the previous two weeks. OSU running back Ollie Gordon II ran for seventy-seven yards and two touchdowns in their loss. Oklahoma State plays Arizona State next week, and Baylor plays TCU.

Result: Baylor beat Oklahoma State 38-28.

Texas Tech (5-3, 3-2) at TCU (5-3, 3-2)

Oct 26, 2024; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Savion Williams (3) runs for a touchdown against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the first quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

TCU had an amazing fourth-quarterback comeback against Texas Tech. The Horned Frogs started out the game up 14-3 at the end of the first quarter. Halfway through the third quarter, TCU was down 31-14 and pulled off one of the best comebacks of the year. TCU quarterback Josh Hoover threw for 344 yards with three touchdowns, two interceptions, and a fumble. The MVP of the game was TCU wide receiver Savion Williams. He ran for seventy-two yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for eighty-one yards and a touchdown. One of his rushes was a thirty-five-yard rushing touchdown. Williams had a seventy-five-yard receiving touchdown as well.

Horned Frog wide receiver Eric McAlister had an eighty-four-yard go-ahead touchdown with five minutes and ten seconds left to put TCU ahead. Horn Frogs wide receiver Jack Bech caught four passes for seventy-seven yards, his longest being a fifty-two-yard reception. Texas Tech had four fumbles, three of which were lost. Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton was hurt during the game. Red Raiders backup quarterback Will Hammond threw for 121 yards and a touchdown. During Texas Tech's final drive, Hammond fumbled the ball while extending the play for a few more yards to set up the go-ahead field goal. This sealed the game for TCU. Next week, Texas Tech plays at Iowa State, and TCU plays at Baylor.

Result: TCU beat Texas Tech 35-34.

West Virginia (4-4, 3-2) at Arizona (3-5, 1-4)

Oct 26, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Nicco Marchiol (8) looks to throw the ball during the first quarter against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images / Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene was out for the game, and backup quarterback Nicco Marchiol stepped up and led the Mountaineers to a victory over the Wildcats. Marchiol threw for 198 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for thirty-nine yards. WVU scored three times on fourth down; one was a fake field goal. They played aggressively all game and never let up the gas. At one point in the fourth quarter, the Mountaineers were up 31-13.

The Wildcats struggled to score in the first half. They only had one scoring drive. Arizona quarterback Noah Fafita played well this week; he threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns. This was the only game of the season where he did not throw an interception. Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan had ten receptions for 202 yards and a touchdown; he had a thirty-four-yard touchdown catch. West Virginia has their second bye week next week,and Arizona plays at UCF.

Result: West Virginia beat Arizona 31-26.

Utah (4-4, 1-4) at Houston (3-5, 2-3)

Oct 26, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Zeon Chriss (2) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Utah Utes at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

I do not know what is more surprising: how poorly Utah has done in the Big 12 or that Houston has won multiple conference games. Houston won with its first gaming-winning field since 2009. Utah quarterback Isaac Wilson was benched halfway through the third quarter. He had thrown for 171 yards and a touchdown. Third-string Utah quarterback Brandon Rose threw for forty-five yards and an interception. He threw an interception on Utah's final drive that gave the Cougars good enough field position to win. Houston quarterback Zeon Chriss threw for sixty-one yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Next week, Utah is on their bye week, and Houston plays Kansas State.

Pick: Houston beat Utah 17-14.

Kansas (2-6, 1-4) at #17 Kansas State (7-1, 4-1)

Oct 26, 2024; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson (2) looks for room to run against the Kansas Jayhawks in the fourth quarter at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images / Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

This game came down to the wire! This is the sixteenth straight year the Wildcats have beaten the Jayhawks. Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson threw for two touchdowns and ran for one. He threw for 253 yards in the victory. Kansas State running back DJ Giddens ran for 156 yards and had one catch for fifteen yards. Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels threw for 209 yards and a touchdown while accounting for two turnovers. Kansas running back Devin Neal had sixty-six rushing yards. Neal and Daniels were tied for the most rushing yards on the team, and each had one touchdown. Kansas had almost two minutes to score a field goal but failed to convert on downs. Kansas has their bye week this week, and Kansas State plays at Houston.

Result: Kansas State beat Kansas 29-27.

Cincinnati (5-3, 3-2) at #23 Colorado (6-2, 4-1)

Oct 26, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) carries the ball in the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Travis Hunter won both the Big 12 offensive and defensive player of the week this week. He is the first player ever to accomplish this feat. He set personal single-game records with four pass breakups and 153 receiving yards. He played 132 snaps during the game, including all sixty-one defensive snaps. He currently leads the Big 12 in pass breakups with seven. Hunter had two receiving touchdowns as well. Colorado is now bowl-eligible. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw for 323 yards and two touchdowns while rushing a score in as well. Sanders completed his first fifteen passes in a row, a program record. Colorado running back Isaiah Augustave ran for ninety-one yards and a touchdown. Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Colorado head coach Deion Sanders said, " Don't rank us... We don't like that. We'd rather be in the back in the dark.". Both teams have a bye week next week; this is Colorado's second.

Pick: Colorado beat Cincinnati 34-23.

Week 9 Big Games Outside the Big 12

Syracuse (5-2, 2-2) vs. #18 Pittsburgh (7-0, 3-0)

Oct 24, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Rasheem Biles (31) returns an interception for a touchdown while being chased by Syracuse Orange offensive lineman Da'Metrius Weatherspoon (57) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord is the first quarterback this season to have three interceptions in the first quarter. McCord threw five interceptions, and three were returned for a touchdown. This is the first time since 2015 that a player has thrown three pick-sixes in a single game; Kyle Allen was the last person to do so. McCord threw for 321 yards while completing thirty-five of sixty-four passes. Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein threw for 108 yards with two touchdowns while completing eleven of fifteen attempts. Syracuse outgained Pittsburgh 327 yards to 217 yards. When the defense forces five turnovers, it makes it so the offense does not have as many yards due to better field position. Syracuse plays Virginia Tech next week, and Pittsburgh plays #20 SMU.

Result: Pittsburgh beat Syracuse. 42-13.

#15 Boise State (6-1, 3-0) at UNLV (6-2, 3-1)

Oct 12, 2024; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Boise State Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen (4) and wide receiver Austin Bolt (81) react in the end zone after Bolt scoring a fourth quarter touchdown against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images / Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty ran for 128 yards and a touchdown as well. This brought down his yearly average. This is an insane statistic to me.

The unsung hero of this game was Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen, who threw for 209 yards and a touchdown while rushing for fifty-eight yards a touchdown. He had a forty-nine-yard rush during the opening drive. UNLV, in the first half, shut down Jeanty; Jeanty hurt his forearm during the game and had it fully taped up, but still played the whole game. The Cowboys' quarterback, Hajj-Malik Williams, threw for 179 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown, with his longest being a seventy-one-yard rush. Next week, Boise State will play San Diego State, and UNLV will have their bye week.

Result: Boise State beat UNLV 29-24.

#8 Notre Dame (6-1) vs Navy (6-1, 4-0)

Oct 26, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) leaps to avoid Navy Midshipmen cornerback Ira Oniha (3) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Notre Dame dominated this game on both sides of the ball. Navy seemed to have no answers to the Fighting Irish's offense. Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard ran for eighty-three yards and a touchdown while passing for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns. Navy quarterback Blake Horvath threw for eighty-eight yards and an interception. He ran for 129 yards and a touchdown. Notre Dame has their bye week next week, and Navy plays Rice.

Result: Notre Dame beat Navy 51-24.

#24 Illinois (6-2, 3-2) at #1 Oregon (8-0, 5-0)

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel leaves the field after the win over Illinois at Autzen Stadium in Eugene Saturday, Oct 26, 2024. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon Head Coach Dan Lanning seems to have found the answer in Eugene. Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for 291 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Ducks running back Jordan James ran for eighty-three yards. Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson had six catches for 102 yards and a touchdown. Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer played one of his worst games of the year this week. He threw for two interceptions; going into this week, he had one on the year. Illinois plays Minnesota next week, and Oregon plays at Michigan.

Result: Oregon beat Illinois 38-9.

#25 Missouri (6-2, 2-2) at #15 Alabama (6-2, 3-2)

Oct 26, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jam Miller (26) stiff arms Missouri Tigers linebacker Corey Flagg Jr. (11) as he carries the ball in for a touchdown during the second half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images / Butch Dill-Imagn Images

Alabama's defense had three interceptions this week. This is the Alabama standard: defense wins football games, which is what former head coach Nick Saban made his career on. The Crimson Tide ran for four touchdowns against the Tigers. Alabama running back Jam Miller rushed for two touchdowns. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe threw for 215 yards while running for 50 yards and a touchdown. Missouri quarterback Drew Pyne threw for thirty yards and three interceptions. Missouri and Alabama both have their bye weeks this week.

Result: Alabama beat Missouri 34-0.

#5 Texas (7-1, 3-1) at #25 Vanderbilt (5-3, 2-2)

Texas Longhorns wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. (0) catches a touchdown while guarded by Vanderbilt Commodores safety Dontae Carter (21) during the first half of their game at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Vanderbilt gave Texas all that they wanted and more this week. Vanderbilt attempted an onside kick after scoring a touchdown to make it a three-point game. They did not recover, and Texas won the game. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers has not looked good since he returned from his injury. He threw for 288 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. The Dawgs exposed Texas' offensive line troubles and Ewers' ability to play under pressure, and Vanderbilt took advantage of it. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia led the team in passing and rushing this week. Vanderbilt's three losses are by a combined ten points. Vanderbilt plays at Auburn next week, and Texas will have their second bye.

Result: Texas beat Vanderbilt 27-24.

#8 LSU (6-2, 3-1) at #16 Texas A&M (7-1, 5-0)

Oct 26, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs the ball in the third quarter against the LSU Tigers at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images. / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Unless Texas A&M loses a game they are favored in, they most likely punched their ticket to their first SEC championship game. The only notable match left for the Aggies is Texas at home, which would still only put them with one loss in the conference if they lost. The story of this game is that Texas A&M backup quarterback Marcel Reed was put in and proceeded to throw two passes for seventy yards and run for three touchdowns. Garrett Nussmeier threw three interceptions in the second half after playing a remarkable first half. He threw for 405 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. This was an incredible game to watch. Texas A&M plays South Carolina next week, and LSU has their second bye week.

Result: Texas A&M beat LSU 38-23.

I was 10-4 this week, bringing my season record to 81-27 in all games. I have been right 75% of the time this season.

---

Want to join the discussion? Click here to become a member of the Killer Frogs message board community today!

Follow KillerFrogs on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest TCU news! Follow KillerFrogs onFacebook and Instagram as well.