Big 12 Football Predictions: Our Insiders Predict Week Seven Matchups

SALT LAKE CITY – It’s time for another week of Big 12 football predictions.

This week’s week seven schedule is loaded around the Big 12. It’s the type of week that could give us a clear picture of who the contenders and pretenders are in the Big 12 championship race.

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.

Big 12 standings entering week seven

• Texas Tech – 3-0 (5-1 overall)
• BYU – 2-0 (5-0)
• Iowa State – 2-0 (5-0)
• Colorado – 2-0 (4-1)
• West Virginia – 2-0 (3-2)
• Arizona State – 1-1 (4-1)
• Kansas State – 1-1 (4-1)
• Utah – 1-1 (4-1)
• Arizona – 1-1 (3-2)
• UCF – 1-1 (3-2)
• Cincinnati – 1-1 (3-2)
• TCU – 1-2 (3-3)
• Houston – 1-2 (2-4)
• Oklahoma State – 0-3 (3-3)
• Baylor – 0-3 (2-4)
• Kansas – 0-2 (1-5)

Big 12 Football Predictions: Week 7 of the 2024 season

Here’s the five-game slate to kick off our week seven edition of Big 12 football predictions.

Season Totals

(Through Week 6)

• Steve Bartle: 50-15
• Mitch Harper: 49-16

No. 16 Utah at Arizona State

• Friday, October 11
• Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. (MT)
• TV: ESPN

Insider Predictions

• Steve Bartle: Utah
• Mitch Harper: Utah

RELATED: Pivotal Matchup At ASU Will Reveal A Lot About Utah Football

Utah coming off of a bye week is typically a good thing. They own a 13-6 record under Kyle Whittingham in 19 games following a bye week. Obviously, there is a going on with Utah, centering on quarterback Cam Rising. He is the ultimate X-Factor for the Utes. If he plays, that will be a significant boost to Utah’s ability to get a win in Tempe. Regardless, Utah is capable of a hard-earned victory with or without him. -Bartle

Big 12 title hopes are on the line in the desert for Utah. I like Utah off a bye week and their defensive line, particularly Van Fillinger, to lead Utah to a hard-fought win. -Harper

Cincinnati at UCF

• Saturday, October 12
• Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. (MT)
• TV: ESPN2

Insider Predictions

• Steve Bartle: Cincinnati
• Mitch Harper: Cincinnati

More than a handful of UCF players entering the Transfer Portal at midseason raised some eyebrows. This Knights season feels like it is trending backwards in a hurry. Cincinnati gets a big road win led by QB Brendan Sorsby, who has quietly put together a solid season to this point. -Harper

UCF is the better team in this matchup. They have a powerful run game and a lot of talent. However, there are a lot of things not working in their favor at the moment. Given the loss to Flordia and the unfortunate situation in the state right now, I believe the Bearcats win comfortably. -Bartle

Arizona at No. 14 BYU

• Saturday, October 12
• Kickoff: 2 p.m. (MT)
• TV: FOX
• Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)

Insider Predictions

• Steve Bartle: BYU
• Mitch Harper: BYU

RELATED: Jay Hill Sees Areas For ‘Next Level’ Growth From BYU’s Stout Defense

BYU’s retooled offensive line without Connor Pay at center will be an area to monitor in this matchup. Either Bruce Mitchell or Sonny Makasini is going to get the start. Both defenses are stout in this matchup; I could see this being a low-scoring game. But BYU wins by a touchdown. -Harper

This one will be surprisingly tight but somehow, some way, the Cougars find a way to get the win to stay unblemished on the season. Arizona is a good team that has a true star in Tetairoa McMillan. He’s been held out of the end zone since his four touchdowns in week one. The Wildcats find a way to get him back to paydirt. -Bartle

No. 11 Iowa State at West Virginia

• Saturday, October 12
• Kickoff: 6 p.m. (MT)
• TV: FOX

Insider Predictions

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

This one should be Iowa State and it should be a comfortable margin. How much of last week’s win over Oklahoma State was due to the Cowboys simply being bad? However, there just seem to be strong vibes for the Mountaineers in this one. -Bartle

Iowa State’s No. 1 defense in the Big 12 brings the potent Mountaineer ground attack with Jaheim White and CJ Donaldson to a halt. Cyclones stay unbeaten and earn an impressive road win in primetime. -Harper

No. 18 Kansas State at Colorado

• Saturday, October 12
• Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. (MT)
• TV: ESPN

Insider Predictions

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

I’m torn on this one. This has the makings of a wild Big 12 contest. I believe Kansas State is still one of the best teams in this league, so I’ll give them the edge. But the Buffs have the best individual talents in the league in Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. This could be a monster late-night TV rating for the league—K-State in a close one. -Harper 

It seems the Wildcats found their groove again after an embarrassing performance against BYU. With a bye week to prepare, the Wildcats go into Boulder and earn a big win in the conference race. Avery Johnson comes up big in this one for the Wildcats. Colorado is an opportunistic defense but is No. 13 in the conference in total defense. Johnson takes advantage of that in this one. -Bartle

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.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.

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