Big 12 football picks, predictions for every Week 7 game

We are already in Week 7 of the 2026 college football season, and the Big 12 Conference is proving it can produce multiple College Football Playoff teams, perhaps three, with BYU, Texas Tech, and Utah all in the top 12 of both national polls.

For Colorado, the Buffaloes are back from their bye week, but they've lost three straight games and are struggling to score against Power Four opponents. A cleaner performance, especially on offense, would be a welcome sight, even if it might not be enough to beat a talented Utah team.

Elsewhere in the conference, the slate includes six Big 12 matchups and one marquee nonconference battle featuring two top 10 teams. No. 2 Notre Dame travels to No. 8 BYU for a primetime showdown in Provo, a major moment for the Big 12 on a national stage. Other notable matchups include a ranked battle between Oklahoma State and Houston and a sneaky good matchup between Cincinnati and West Virginia.

Our Buffaloes Wire staff picked all the conference games straight up, plus a few other marquee matchups. Here are our expert picks for Week 7.

All games are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 16, and all times are Mountain Time, unless noted. UCF, Arizona and Iowa State are off this week.

West Virginia vs. Cincinnati

10 a.m., TNT

Ariana: Cincinnati

West Virginia started the season 3-0, but has since gone 0-3, including a 52-31 loss to Arizona. In all of their losses this season, the Mountaineers have given up at least 40 points. Cincinnati, on the other hand, hasn't given up 40 or more points since their final regular-season game in 2025. Simply put, the Bearcats have a better defense, and that will win them over West Virginia.

Charlie: Cincinnati

Neither team has inspired much confidence lately, but I like Cincinnati to bounce back after its bye week. West Virginia's defense has been getting shredded by Big 12 opponents and looks like a completely different team than it did at the start of the season. This could turn into a shootout, but give me Cincinnati in a close one.

Kansas State vs. Kansas

10 a.m., FS1

Ariana: Kansas State

Both teams are still looking for their first Power Four win of the season. But Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson ultimately gives them the edge. While it is problematic for the Wildcats to rely so much on Johnson every game, he is a talented player who can beat the Jayhawks through the air and on the ground. Kansas will probably be competitive since they have put up a fight in all of their games, but it will not be enough.

Charlie: Kansas State

The Sunflower Showdown is a great rivalry game, but in 2026 it features two teams struggling. Kansas State has been disappointing, especially defensively, but I still trust the Wildcats more than Kansas. Avery Johnson should make enough plays against a struggling Jayhawks defense to keep the rivalry winning streak alive.

No. 9 Texas Tech vs. Arizona State

1:30 p.m., Fox

Ariana: Texas Tech

Arizona State is a good team, but Texas Tech is better. The Red Raiders have an elite defense that can get after the ball and has held every team to under 30 points this season. By contrast, the Sun Devils allowed Texas A&M and Baylor to score at least 48 points. Texas Tech needs quarterback Will Hammond to perform better; he has only five touchdown passes and five interceptions. Still, the Red Raiders will win against Arizona State.

Charlie: Texas Tech

Colorado saw firsthand how dominant Texas Tech's defense can be, forcing four turnovers against the Buffs two weeks ago. I don't expect Arizona State to move the ball much in Lubbock. The Sun Devils have enough talent to make this interesting early, but the Red Raiders are simply the better team and should pull away in the second half.

Baylor vs. TCU

5 p.m., FS1

Ariana: Baylor

Baylor is simply the better team. DJ Lagway has performed really well for the Bears, and Gavin Freeman is one of the Big 12's best receivers. TCU has struggled with consistency and turnovers in multiple losses this year. Especially with Baylor at home, they will win this game.

Charlie: Baylor

TCU has been one of the Big 12's biggest disappointments, while Baylor has quietly put together an impressive start to conference play and is 4-1 overall. The Horned Frogs have had an extra week to prepare, but I'm not convinced they've fixed their issues.

No. 8 BYU vs. No. 2 Notre Dame

5:30 p.m., ABC

Ariana: Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish are double-digit favorites. While I think it will be closer than that, I still think Notre Dame will win. Their quarterback, CJ Carr, has 16 touchdown passes this season. They aren't as good on the ground as they were last season with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, but neither is BYU, as LJ Martin just hasn't looked the same this year. The Cougars had two close calls against TCU and Iowa State, while Notre Dame hasn't had one this year. BYU will make this game interesting, but Notre Dame still wins.

Charlie: Notre Dame

For the Big 12's sake, I want BYU to pull off the upset, and the double-digit spread surprises me. It will be a closer game. Notre Dame is a different challenge than anything BYU has faced so far. The Cougars should make this a four-quarter battle, but I think the Irish have just enough talent to win.

No. 18 Houston vs. No. 20 Oklahoma State

5:30 p.m., Fox

Ariana: Houston

Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker is going to make this game very interesting, but Houston has the better overall team. They went down to the wire against Texas Tech and have won all their other games easily. The Cowboys' Week 1 struggles against Tulsa seem far behind them after their upset win over Oregon and wins against West Virginia and UCF. Still, with the Cougars' defense playing the way it has, Houston will come out on top.

Charlie: Houston

This might be the weekend's most intriguing conference matchup. Oklahoma State's offense has been impressive, but Houston made a statement with a dominant road win over Kansas State, and I believe in what the Cougars are doing. Conner Weigman and the Cougars have the offensive firepower to keep up with the Cowboys, and I trust Houston's defense more, as they own the Big 12's top run stop.

Colorado vs. No. 11 Utah

8:15 p.m., ESPN

We shared our Colorado-Utah predictions in a separate post, with each staff member providing a final-score prediction and thoughts on the game.

No.4 Indiana vs. No. 5 Ohio State

10 a.m., Fox

Ariana: Ohio State

This should be the best game of the week in college football. Both teams are top-five in the AP poll. Indiana won the National Championship last year, and Ohio State is favored to do the same this year. The Hoosiers are at home, which should give them an advantage. However, Indiana has had some close calls against Northwestern and Nebraska in the past few weeks. Ohio State lost to Texas in Week 2, but has dominated its opponents since. It will likely come down to the final play, but the Buckeyes will be on top when the clock hits all zeroes.

Charlie: Ohio State

Indiana has coasted through the early part of its schedule and was tested against Northwestern. The Hoosiers are elite, but Ohio State is another beast. Jeremiah Smith will have his Heisman moment on the road in Bloomington and the Buckeyes will snap Indiana's unbeaten streak.

No. 14 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Alabama

1:30 p.m., ABC

Ariana: Alabama

Alabama is coming off a close loss to Georgia, but they will bounce back against Tennessee. Quarterback Keelon Russell has played incredibly well this season and is top-10 in the FBS in passing yards and quarterback rating. He also has only two interceptions with 12 passing touchdowns. Tennessee's quarterback has only one interception but has thrown only seven touchdowns. Russell is the better quarterback, and he will lead the Crimson Tide to a win.

Charlie: Alabama

The "Third Saturday in October" rivalry game rarely disappoints, and I expect another great game in Knoxville. Tennessee has the talent to give Alabama problems, especially at home, but I'm not betting against the Crimson Tide right now. They probably should have beaten Georgia, if not for a boneheaded, unsportsmanlike penalty.

No. 10 Ole Miss vs. No. 13 Missouri

1:30 p.m., SEC Network

Ariana: Missouri

Trinidad Chambliss may be one of the best quarterbacks in college football right now. There is something to be said for momentum. After losing to Mississippi State, Missouri blew out Florida, who looked unstoppable at the time, and beat Texas A&M by 21 points. Ole Miss is a very talented team, but the Tigers are hot right now and not a team to bet against.

Charlie: Ole Miss

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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Big 12 football picks, predictions for every Week 7 game