Top Big 12 football games to watch in Week 6 during Colorado's bye

The Big 12 has some important matchups this weekend that could shape the playoffs, with BYU facing Iowa State Friday night, Houston considered underdogs against Kansas State despite being ranked in the AP poll, and Utah taking on Kansas.

Big 12 Game of the Week

Best Game of the Week: Arizona vs. West Virginia

BYU's game makes a very compelling case for game of the week. But ultimately, Arizona takes on West Virginia. These two evenly matched teams don't want another conference loss, especially the Mountaineers, who have lost their past two games. Both these teams have very different offenses. West Virginia has one of the conference's best run games, with two players over 570 rushing yards.

Meanwhile, Arizona's leading rusher has fewer than 220 rushing yards, but quarterback Noah Fifita has over 1,400 passing yards. It will be interesting to see how these two offenses fare and what proves more effective: an explosive run game or an explosive passing game. This game is also expected to be high-scoring, which should make it even more entertaining.

Big 12 Upset to Watch

Potential upset: Houston vs. Kansas State

It feels a little unfair to call this an upset, since Houston is ranked. Yet, Kansas State is favored at home despite the Cougars' 4-1 record and the Wildcats coming off a 31-26 loss to Cincinnati two weeks ago. Both teams have talented offenses, and Avery Johnson is likely the best all-around offensive player. However, Houston is gritty and can beat anyone, and it nearly knocked Texas Tech off a few weeks ago. Don't be surprised if the Cougars leave Kansas with a win.

Other Big 12 action

Beyond those two games, the biggest game in the conference is clearly BYU vs. Iowa State. The Cyclones are much better than expected and come off a win over West Virginia. If Iowa State quarterback Jaylen Raynor can avoid throwing an interception, this game could get really competitive.

Oklahoma State is also taking on UCF as it tries to remain undefeated in conference play. Meanwhile, Utah is heavily favored against Kansas, and Arizona State is the only team facing a non-conference opponent in its game against Hawaii. The Sun Devils are favored to win that game by multiple possessions. 

Five Big 12 teams have a bye this week: Baylor, Cincinnati, Colorado, TCU and Texas Tech.

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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Top Big 12 football games to watch in Week 6 during Colorado's bye