Big 12 Notes – Kansas State Week

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Big 12 Notes – Kansas State Week

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November 29th

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Arizona State loss clinches Big 12 title berths for both Texas Tech and BYU

From the Big 12 Conference … BYU and Texas Tech clinched berths in the 2025 Edward Jones Big 12 Football Championship after Arizona State’s loss to Arizona on Friday. Both programs will make their first ever appearance in the Conference Championship.

The 2025 Edward Jones Big 12 Football Championship will kick off at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, December 6 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on ABC. The game will feature a halftime performance by award-winning country music star Jon Pardi, alongside both participating schools’ marching bands.

Texas Tech has a Big 12 record of 7-1 and is 10-1 overall entering its regular season finale at West Virginia on Saturday. The program remained in fifth in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, which is its highest CFP ranking in school history.

BYU will compete for a Conference title in its third season as a Big 12 member. With an overall record of 10-1 and 7-1 in league play, the Cougars will wrap up the regular season with a home game versus UCF on Saturday. BYU was ranked 11th in this week’s CFP rankings as one of three Big 12 teams in the top 13.

Tickets for the 2025 Edward Jones Big 12 Football Championship are available now exclusively through SeatGeek and can be purchased here.

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November 25th

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Oklahoma State hires North Texas coach Eric Morris as its new head coach

From ESPN … Eric Morris, who has led North Texas to a 10-1 record this season, has been hired as the next coach at Oklahoma State, it was announced Tuesday.

Morris will remain with the Mean Green for the rest of the regular season as well as any potential appearances in the American Conference title game and College Football Playoff.

He will take over an Oklahoma State program in a rut. The Cowboys (1-10) haven’t won a Big 12 game over the past two seasons, going 0-17 in conference play during that time, heading into Saturday’s season finale against Iowa State.

“Today begins the next era of Oklahoma State football,” Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg said in a statement. “… Coach Morris has proven his ability to build and lead winning football programs. He has consistently identified, recruited, and developed some of the best players in college football.”

The Mean Green, who host Temple in the regular-season finale Friday, are in a three-way tie with Navy and Tulane atop the American Conference standings.

North Texas has been preparing for Morris’ potential departure, and a search is underway for potential replacements. The school’s location north of Dallas has helped it emerge as an attractive Group of 5 job in recent years.

“I want to express our deep gratitude to Eric for everything he has done for Mean Green Football over the past three seasons,” UNT athletic director Jared Mosley said in a statement. “He took over at one of the most chaotic times in college athletics and brought great success on the field, including two bowl-eligible seasons and the program’s first national ranking in over six decades, while our student-athletes excelled in the classroom and in the Denton community.”

… Continue reading story here …

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November 24th

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Cincinnati apologizes (but, unlike CU, is not fined) for anti-Mormon chants during BYU game

From The Athletic … University of Cincinnati athletic director John Cunningham released a statement apologizing for a vulgar chant by Cincinnati fans directed at BYU during Saturday night’s football game between the Bearcats and Cougars.

Cincinnati fans shouted an expletive and “the Mormons” during the game, a three-word chant that has repeatedly been directed at BYU teams and fans during road games.

“On behalf of the University of Cincinnati and Bearcats Athletics, I want to sincerely apologize to the BYU community and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” Cunningham said via statement, adding that the “use of offensive or religiously derogatory language … was unacceptable and does not reflect our values.”

… Continue reading story here …

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November 23rd

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Kansas State coach Chris Klieman emotional after Utah loss: “I’m crushed we lost the football game”

From The Athletic … Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman teared up multiple times during his postgame news conference following the Wildcats’ 51-47 loss on Saturday at No. 12 Utah, praising his team’s effort while taking exception to some of the criticism he and the team have received.

During a roughly three-minute opening statement, Klieman had to pause multiple times to gather himself, and at one point, Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor walked over to comfort the coach.

“Heartbroken for the kids and for the loss, but it’s one of the greatest efforts I’ve been a part of,” Klieman said. “It’s hard to say this because we lost the game. We’re down so many players. And I know a lot of people thought we’d come over here and lay down and that maybe the kids had cashed it in, because I’ve heard it enough.

“I’ve heard (critics say) I’ve cashed it in, I’ve heard the players have cashed it in, we need to get new leadership here, we need to get new players, new coaches. I’m tired of it. I gotta be honest with you, I’m tired of it.

“I’ve given my friggin’ ass life to this place for seven years,” Klieman said as he teared up. “I’ve given everything for seven years and I think I deserve a little bit of respect. I’m frustrated like everybody else is, but I love those kids and I’ll go friggin’ battle with those kids any day.”

The Wildcats rushed for 472 yards in the loss, a program record and the most a Kyle Whittingham-led Utah team had given up in his 21-year tenure. The loss dropped Kansas State to 5-6, a disappointing season after the Wildcats entered the year at No. 17 in the preseason Associated Press poll and were considered a Big 12 title contender.

With seven minutes remaining, Kansas State led 47-35, but the Utes scored the final 16 points, including a 1-yard touchdown run by Devon Dampier with 56 seconds left as the game winner. The Wildcats became the first team to rush for 472-plus yards and lose since 2017, when Army ran for 534 yards in a 52-49 loss to North Texas.

“We stuffed it down their throat the entire game, running the football and we lost. And I’m crushed because of that,” Klieman said. “But I’m gonna stand up here with friggin’ pride and say we battled our ass off against a really good team and I’m crushed we lost the football game.”

… Continue reading story here …

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Colorado opens as 17.5-point road underdogs to Kansas State 

From DraftKings.com …

Big 12 schedule … Six out of eight games have two-touchdown or more lines … 

Friday, November 29th

• No. 14 Utah at Kansas … 10:00 a.m., MT, ESPN … Kansas is a 13.5-point home underdog …
• Arizona at Arizona State … 7:00 p.m., MT, Fox … Arizona State is a 1.5-point home underdog …

Saturday, November 30th

• Colorado at Kansas State … 10:00 a.m., MT, FS1 … Kansas State is a 17.5-point home favorite …
• No. 7 Texas Tech at West Virginia … 10:00 a.m., MT, ESPN … West Virginia is a 21.0-point home underdog …
• Houston at Baylor … 10:00 a.m., MT, TNT … Baylor is a 1.5-point home favorite …
• Iowa State at Oklahoma State … 10:00 a.m., MT, ESPNU … Oklahoma State is a 14.5-point home underdog …
• UCF at No. 11 BYU … 11:00 a.m., MT, ESPN2 … BYU is an 18.5-point home favorite …
• Cincinnati at TCU … 1:30 p.m., MT, Fox … TCU is a 3.5-point home favorite …

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AP Poll: Idle Texas Tech drops two spots; Big 12 down to three teams as Houston drops out

From ESPN … Oregon returned to the top five of The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll Sunday, while five ACC teams were ranked for the second time this season after Georgia Tech took the biggest fall following its second loss in three games.

Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M remained the top three teams for a sixth straight week, and Georgia was No. 4 for the second week in a row.

Oregon jumped over idle Ole Miss to No. 5 — its highest ranking since it was No. 3 in the Oct. 5 poll. The Ducks strengthened their College Football Playoff résumé with a 15-point victory over then-No. 16 USC, extending their winning streak to five games.

Ole Miss was followed by Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Alabama.

Ohio State is No. 1 for a 13th straight week going into its game at No. 15 Michigan. The Buckeyes received 58 first-place votes and were 53 points ahead of Indiana, which was listed first on seven ballots. Texas A&M got the remaining first-place vote.

Five teams from the state of Texas are ranked for a second straight week. The Lone Star State hadn’t had five teams in back-to-back polls since 2016.

Missouri (No. 23) and Houston (No. 25) dropped out.

Others receiving votes: Arizona State 77, Navy 44, Missouri 23, Arizona 20, San Diego State 19, Washington 16, Iowa 10, UNLV 7, South Florida 4, UConn 3, Wake Forest 2, Illinois 1

Dropped from rankings: Missouri 23, Houston 25

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