Expert picks and predictions for the Week 13 Big 12 football slate
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
The 2025 college football season is now 12 weeks in, and the Big 12 is once again coming down to the wire. Texas Tech seems like a near lock to be one of the teams playing for a conference title, while BYU, Utah, Houston, Arizona State and Cincinnati all remain in contention for that second spot.
The Week 12 Big 12 slate features seven games, each with varying levels of importance in the Big 12 title race. BYU, which has the inside track to Arlington, once again cannot afford to slip up against Cincinnati if it wants to hold onto a spot in the title game. In-state rival Utah and Arizona State both have to keep pace by winning out, including this week against Kansas State and Colorado, respectively. Those contests, along with TCU at Houston, are the matchups to watch this weekend.
Every week, our staff gathers to pick every Big 12 football game. It is a challenging task, especially considering the conference's crowded nature. No one seems likely to catch Texas Tech, but who plays them in the title game remains anyone's guess.
So, how will Week 13 play out in the Big 12? Our Buffaloes Wire staff picked all seven conference games straight up.
Here are our expert picks for Week 13. But first, here are the standings so far from our writers through 12 weeks.
All games are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 22, and all times are Mountain Time.
Standings so far
Big 12 games only
Charlie Strella: 82-21
Jack Freeman: 75-28
Griffin Dreifaldt: 76-27
Iowa State vs. Kansas
10:00 a.m., FS1
Griffin: Iowa State
Jack: Iowa State
Xavier: Iowa State
Charlie: Iowa State
Despite taking a step back from their 11-win season a year ago, Iowa State still has a chance to win eight games. They get one step closer with a home win over Kansas.
Arizona vs. Baylor
11:00 a.m., TNT
Griffin: Arizona
Jack: Arizona
Xavier: Baylor
Charlie: Arizona
I was a big fan of Baylor coming into the season, but its defense has never been up to par. Arizona, meanwhile, seems like the most underrated Big 12 team, and I'm going with them to grab an eighth win.
No. 12 Utah vs. Kansas State
2:00 p.m., ESPN2
Griffin: Utah
Jack: Utah
As it turns out, Utah might have a generational rushing offense on its hands behind freshman quarterback Byard Ficklin. The Utes demolished Baylor's defense to keep them in the race for the Big 12 Conference Championship. Now they turn their eyes on Kansas State, in the midst of a resurgence in what should be a great game. K-State has had issues stopping the run, especially early, and I don't see them slowing down Utah.
Xavier: Utah
The team standing in the way of the Wildcats being bowl eligible after a rough start to the season is the Utah Utes. However, at Rice-Eccles Stadium and against a stout Utah defense, I think the Wildcats will have a tough time earning eligibility against the Utes. K-State allows nearly 300 yards per game and the Utah offense should have no problem. I could see this being a close game if Utah plays with their food, but the Utes should take care of business on home turf.
Charlie: Utah
No. 23 Houston vs. TCU
2:00 p.m., Fox
Griffin: TCU
TCU got embarrassed last week against BYU, but Houston quietly hasn't been great lately either. They lost to West Virginia and barely got past a shaky UCF team. I think the Horned Frogs can keep Houston on their heels and pull off the upset in H-town.
Jack: Houston
Xavier: TCU
It's a long shot for Houston to win the Big 12 despite being in third place, but to do so, they have to beat TCU first. The Coogs will have to shut down the arm of Josh Hoover, who is second in the Big 12 in passing and has led the Horned Frogs to upset wins this season. After falling to BYU in their second straight conference loss, the Horned Frogs will respond against Houston. Houston is just a 1.5-point favorite, and the Horned Frogs will take advantage of their opportunity to spoil the Coogs' chances at the Big 12.
Charlie: Houston
The Cougars have more to play for than the Horned Frogs, and at home, they continue to remain in the hunt for a Big 12 title game berth.
UCF vs. Oklahoma State
2:00 p.m., ESPN+
Griffin: UCF
Jack: UCF
Xavier: UCF
Charlie: UCF
Now, if Oklahoma State were to get one Big 12 win, this is probably the game to do it, but I won't be the one predicting it.
Cincinnati vs. No. 11 BYU
6:00 p.m., Fox
Griffin: Cincinnati
I'm going to keep fading BYU because I don't see them as legitimate Big 12 threats. Cincinnati's offense is explosive and loaded with real NFL talent, and I think they can do enough on that side of the ball to balance out their defensive issues.
Jack: Cincinnati
One of my Big 12 Conference championship predictions took a massive hit when Cincinnati lost last week to Arizona, yet they can still claw their way back in and open up Pandora's box with a win against BYU. While I think the Cougars are more than likely the better team in this one, the prospect of a Cincy win is too alluring not to ride with the Bearcats.
Xavier: Cincinnati
This matchup brings an unstoppable force against an immovable object. The Bearcats' offense versus BYU's defense will be a sight to see. Cincinnati needs to prove itself after two straight conference losses, nearly faltering its chances in the Big 12 race. The Bearcats have an ample opportunity to put themselves back in position to contend for the Big 12 title, while BYU is looking to keep its CFP hopes alive. This game couldn't pack in more storylines; otherwise, it would be a telenovela. It's a toss-up as to who wins, too. Does BYU's late-game magic wear off? Do the Bearcats and Brendan Sorsby get back on track after a heartbreaker against Arizona? Defense wins games, and that's been the story so far for BYU. But I think that in Cincinnati, under the prime-time lights, Sorsby and company won't spoil their opportunity to make some noise in the Big 12. It'll be close, but give me the Bearcats.
Charlie: BYU
This game will be close throughout. To get the win, the Bearcats have to be the aggressor from the start. Brendan Sorsby must play his best game of the season, which will be difficult against a tough Cougar defense. I think BYU survives in the end and wins.
Colorado vs. No. 25 Arizona State
6:00 p.m., ESPN2
We have shared our Colorado-Arizona State predictions in a separate post, where each staff member will provide a final score prediction and offer some thoughts. Colorado is aiming to pull off its second-ranked win of the season and snap a three-game skid.
Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Big 12 football picks and predictions for Week 13
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos