Big 12 Football Predictions: Our Insiders Predict Week Six Matchups
Oct 2, 2025, 6:37 PM | Updated: Oct 4, 2025, 11:15 am
SALT LAKE CITY – Welcome to week six of Big 12 football in the 2025 season.
Here are our weekly insider picks from BYU Insider Mitch Harper and Utah Insider Steve Bartle.
Check out their daily podcasts, Cougar Tracks, and The Utah Blockcast, for the latest on the Cougs and the Utes.
Big 12 Standings Entering Week 6
- Iowa State – 2-0 in the Big 12 (5-0 overall)
- Arizona State – 2-0 (4-1)
- BYU – 1-0 (4-0)
- Houston – 1-0 (4-0)
- Texas Tech – 1-0 (4-0)
- Cincinnati – 1-0 (3-1)
- Utah – 1-1 (4-1)
- Baylor – 1-1 (3-2)
- Kansas – 1-1 (3-2)
- Kansas State – 1-1 (2-3)
- Arizona – 0-1 (3-1)
- UCF – 0-1 (3-1)
- TCU – 0-1 (3-1)
- Oklahoma State – 0-1 (1-3)
- Colorado – 0-2 (2-3)
- West Virginia – 0-2 (2-3)
Season Totals
(Through Week 5)
- Mitch Harper: 48-11
- Steve Bartle: 47-12
Big 12 football teams ranked in the AP Top 25 poll entering Week 6
- 11. Texas Tech
- 14. Iowa State
- 23. BYU
- 25. Arizona State
Big 12 football predictions throughout the 2025 season
Week 0 | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14
West Virginia at No. 23 BYU
- Friday, October 3
- Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. (MT)
- TV: ESPN
- Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)
Insider Predictions
- Steve Bartle: BYU
- Mitch Harper: BYU
West Virginia continues to struggle on offense — inconsistent quarterback play, poor line play, and not enough playmakers. Plus, the week after Utah affect. The wildcard factor here is the Mountaineers being overlooked, and QB Khalil Wilkins emerging as a dude. -Bartle
BYU is the better team. Big 12 teams placed as 19-point underdogs are 0-5 in those spots since 2023. I’ll be curious to see Bear Bachmeier take some more shots down the field this week, and for BYU’s offense to finish drives with touchdowns inside the red zone. West Virginia’s defense can get after you with sacks, but they have struggled in the Big 12. I expect BYU to roll and to improve to 5-0 this season. -Harper
No. 14 Iowa State at Cincinnati
- Saturday, October 4
- Kickoff: 10 a.m. (MT)/Noon (ET)
- TV: ESPN2
Insider Predictions
- Steve Bartle: Cincinnati
- Mitch Harper: Cincinnati
The Cyclones have been rolling, but their injury report is growing. Now down their top two cornerbacks, this is a prime opportunity for Brendan Sorsby and the Bearcats to pull off an upset. In a close game, I trust ISU to make fewer mistakes and close strong. However, if the Bearcats can get an early jump on the Cyclones, that could be enough to get the upset. -Bartle
Cincinnati experienced its breakthrough win as a Big 12 program last week at Kansas. I’ll call for the momentum to continue as Cincinnati pulls off the win at home in a game where the Bearcats are favored. Defensive tackle Dontay Corleone remains questionable heading into this matchup. -Harper
Kansas State at Baylor
- Saturday, October 4
- Kickoff: 10 a.m. (MT)/11 a.m. (CT)
- TV: ESPN+
Insider Predictions
- Steve Bartle: Baylor
- Mitch Harper: Kansas State
The Wildcats’ offense has been inconsistent, especially on third down and in the red zone. Baylor’s offense has the weapons to stretch K-State’s defense, and its secondary is already thin. Baylor has allowed teams to bully them with the run game, and that will be key to a K-State victory. If K-State’s offense gets rolling early, they can keep pace. If Baylor turns it over, the game opens. However, I’m gonna roll with Sawyer Robertson continuing to spread the wealth through the air, and he has another big outing. -Bartle
Kansas State’s offense showed excellent balance last week. Despite all of the struggles K-State has experienced, they are only 1-1 in Big 12 play. This is expected to be a high-scoring game, with both defenses struggling to stop their opponents. Give me the Wildcats. -Harper
Oklahoma State at Arizona
- Saturday, October 4
- Kickoff: 1 p.m. (MT)
- TV: TNT
Insider Predictions
- Steve Bartle: Arizona
- Mitch Harper: Arizona
Arizona is unpredictable. Good for an upset, but also just as capable of being upset by the bottom of the conference. OSU is a mess right now and though they showed fight last week, the Wildcats take care of business. Noah Fifita has been solid, while Ismail Mahdi has been electric running the ball. -Bartle
Arizona gets back on track with a win over the Pokes. -Harper
No. 11 Texas Tech at Houston
- Saturday, October 4
- Kickoff: 5 p.m. (MT)/6 p.m. (CT)
- TV: ESPN
Insider Predictions
- Steve Bartle: Texas Tech
- Mitch Harper: Texas Tech
Texas Tech’s defense is elite — they defend the pass at a ridiculous rate and limit success in the ground. Houston’s defense is respectable, but Texas Tech’s offensive firepower- 368 passing yards 204 rushing yards per game might be overwhelming. As always, the key to defending Tech is pressure on the QB, and Houston is 11th in the Big 12 in sacks, and towards the bottom of the league in pressure rate as well. -Bartle
This game deserves more national run with two undefeated teams facing off against each other. Houston hasn’t defeated Texas Tech since 2009. The Red Raiders are fresh off a bye week, while the Coogs had a close call against a winless Oregon State team a week ago. Tech wins ,and this should be a victory that propels the Red Raiders securely into the Top 10, but will the pollsters give them the respect they deserve? -Harper
Colorado at TCU
- Saturday, October 4
- Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. (MT)/6:30 p.m. (CT)
- TV: FOX
Insider Predictions
- Steve Bartle: TCU
- Mitch Harper: TCU
The home environment matters, and TCU will be looking for a bounce-back effort after giving away the game to the Sun Devils in the fourth quarter last Friday. Colorado has shown flashes, but penalties and mistakes have been too costly. I wonder how Josh Hoover will respond after the letdown last week. I think he’ll bounce back, but maybe the confidence is rattled a little bit, and the struggles continue. -Bartle
Give me the Horned Frogs. -Harper
Kansas at UCF
- Saturday, October 4
- Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. (MT)/7:30 p.m. (ET)
- TV: ESPN2
Insider Predictions
- Steve Bartle: Kansas
- Mitch Harper: UCF
Home game gives UCF an advantage. Kansas has firepower in Jalon Daniels, but they’ve looked vulnerable on defense. UCF will try to control the line of scrimmage and force Kansas to drive the length of the field. The Jayhawks have one job to do: stop the run. If they can do that, I really like their chance to go on the road and get the win. -Bartle
I’m expecting some chaos in the Big 12 this week. Let’s roll with UCF to protect its home turf again this season. -Harper
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.
