Big 12 Football Predictions: Our Insiders Predict Week One Matchups

SALT LAKE CITY – The 16-team era of Big 12 football is here.

Utah enters its first Big 12 season as the favorite in the league. BYU moves into year two and is looking to exceed low expectations with a return to the postseason.

Every week during the 2024 Big 12 season, our insiders here at KSL Sports, Mitch Harper and Steve Bartle, will share their weekly Big 12 football predictions. Follow their coverage throughout the season on their personal X accounts: @Mitch_Harper & @BartleKSLsports.

We will keep a running count throughout the season on how the guys fare on their picks.

Big 12 Football Predictions: Week 1 of the 2024 season

Here’s the 16-game slate to kick off our season of Big 12 football predictions in week one.

No. 12 Utah vs. Southern Utah

• Thursday, August 29
• Kickoff: 7 p.m. (MT)
• TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: Utah
• Mitch Harper: Utah

Get in and get out healthy. Execute crisply from the start and it’ll be a quick night for the first-teams. Utah wins big. -Bartle

RELATED: Some Final Thoughts As Utah Football Begins Game Week For First Time In 2024

UCF vs. New Hampshire

• Thursday, August 29
• Kickoff: 5 p.m. (MT)
• TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: UCF
• Mitch Harper: UCF

No. 22 Kansas vs. Lindenwood

• Thursday, August 29
• Kickoff: 6 p.m. (MT)
• TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: Kansas
• Mitch Harper: Kansas

Colorado vs. North Dakota State

• Thursday, August 29
• Kickoff: 6 p.m. (MT)
• TV: ESPN

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: Colorado
• Mitch Harper: Colorado

Colorado jumps out to a lead but gets into a dogfight in the second half. -Bartle

Do I believe? Yes, I believe Colorado will make a bowl game in 2024. They will take care of business against the Bison. -Harper

 

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TCU at Stanford

• Friday, August 30
• Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. (MT)
• TV: ESPN

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: TCU
• Mitch Harper: TCU

Year two of Troy Taylor at Stanford will be interesting to follow. Sonny Dykes should have learned valuable lessons last season, TCU wins in a shootout. -Bartle

I’m curious to see Andy Avalos’s impact on the TCU defense this season. The week one return should be positive on The Farm. -Harper

BYU vs. Southern Illinois

• Saturday, August 31
• Kickoff: 6 p.m. (MT)
• TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
• Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: BYU
• Mitch Harper: BYU

BYU needs some “style points” to go with this game to show that the 2024 team is better equipped to compete in the Big 12. -Harper

RELATED: BYU, Second Big 12 Team Foot Bill For Southern Illinois Game

West Virginia vs. No. 8 Penn State

• Saturday, August 31
• Kickoff: 10 a.m. (MT)
• TV: FOX

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: Penn State
• Mitch Harper: West Virginia

A sneaky good week one matchup. West Virginia is mostly dismissed but there is potential with the Mountaineers. Still, hard to see Penn State not winning by at least 10 in this one. -Bartle

Narrative shifting opportunity for West Virginia and the Big 12. I’ll call for the Mountaineers to pull off a massive upset. -Harper

No. 17 Oklahoma State vs. South Dakota State

• Saturday, August 31
• Kickoff: Noon (MT)
• TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: Oklahoma State
• Mitch Harper: Oklahoma State

Cincinnati vs. Towson

• Saturday, August 31
• Kickoff: 12:30 p.m. (MT)
• TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: Cincinnati
• Mitch Harper: Cincinnati

Iowa State vs. North Dakota

• Saturday, August 31
• Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. (MT)
• TV: FS1

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: Iowa State
• Mitch Harper: Iowa State

No. 18 Kansas State vs. UT Martin

• Saturday, August 31
• Kickoff: 5 p.m. (MT)
• TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: Kansas State
• Mitch Harper: Kansas State

Baylor vs. Tarleton State

• Saturday, August 31
• Kickoff: 5 p.m. (MT)
• TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: Baylor
• Mitch Harper: Baylor

Houston vs. UNLV

• Saturday, August 31
• Kickoff: 5 p.m. (MT)
• TV: FS1

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: Houston
• Mitch Harper: UNLV

This could be a tough one for Houston, but they come away with the win. -Bartle

Brett Yormark said Las Vegas is an important market for him; the Rebs will get Yormark’s attention with a win over the Coogs. -Harper

Texas Tech vs. Abilene Christian

• Saturday, August 31
• Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. (MT)
• TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: Texas Tech
• Mitch Harper: Texas Tech

No. 21 Arizona vs. New Mexico

• Saturday, August 31
• Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. (MT)
• TV: ESPN

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: Arizona
• Mitch Harper: Arizona

This could actually be a tough contest for Arizona. Teams tend to make a big jump from game one to game two and New Mexico played (and lost in embarrassing fashion to Montana State) in week zero. Potential bounce back opportunity? -Bartle

Arizona’s high-flying offense shines against new-look New Mexico under Bronco Mendenhall. -Harper

Arizona State vs. Wyoming

• Saturday, August 31
• Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. (MT)
• TV: FS1

Insider predictions

• Steve Bartle: Arizona State
• Mitch Harper: Wyoming

I like what ASU did in the transfer portal this offseason. Feels like a tough first contest but ASU squeaks out a win. -Bartle

I’ll go with Wyoming to pull off the upset. -Harper