Things to keep an eye on this week in the Big 12 Conference:

**Game of the Week**
The matchup of the week features No. 11 Iowa State (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) going up against Texas Tech (5-3, 3-2) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET, which will be broadcast on ESPN. Iowa State is entering November undefeated, marking just the third time in the school’s long history—spanning 133 years—that they have achieved this milestone. The previous instances occurred in 1916 and 1938. After a week off, the Cyclones have shown solid defense, allowing an average of only 14 points and 133 yards passing per game. They are currently on a five-game winning streak in the Big 12, aiming to break the program record of six consecutive wins. Texas Tech is looking to bounce back from two straight losses after starting strong with a 3-0 conference record. The Red Raiders recently suffered a heart-wrenching defeat against TCU, where they squandered a 17-point halftime lead, losing 35-34. Furthermore, Tahj Brooks, who leads the Big 12 in rushing, has recorded at least 95 rushing yards in 18 consecutive games, just one game away from tying the longest streak in FBS since 1996. However, the Cyclones have struggled against the run, ranking second-to-last in the conference by giving up an average of 170 rushing yards per game, including a staggering 354 in their most recent outing.

**The Undercard**
No. 15 Kansas State (7-1, 4-1) looks to extend its winning streak to five after a disappointing 38-9 defeat in its Big 12 opener against still-undefeated BYU back on September 21. The Wildcats will face Houston (3-5, 2-3) this Saturday, a team that has managed to win two of its last three encounters following a tough stretch where they were shut out in their initial two conference games. The two programs have met only once previously, during the Cougars’ Big 12 debut last year, when they faced a 41-0 loss in Manhattan, Kansas.

**Impact Players**
Baylor linebacker Matt Jones stood out last week with a remarkable performance that included a career-high 10 solo tackles and a total of 12 tackles in a victory against Oklahoma State. He also recorded three tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble near the goal line. Leading Baylor (4-4, 2-3) with an average of nine tackles per game—second best in the Big 12—Jones is tied for the conference lead with three sacks. He previously faced TCU (5-3, 3-2) last season, amassing 11 tackles during that matchup and will play against them again in Waco this Saturday.

**Inside the Numbers**
Oklahoma State is currently enduring a long five-game losing streak, tying their longest skid since 2014. In fact, the last time the team lost more consecutively was in 2000 when they experienced a seven-game losing streak. The Cowboys (3-6, 0-5) will attempt to break this unflattering trend during their homecoming game against Arizona State (5-2, 2-2), a Big 12 newcomer that suffered defeats to Oklahoma State in each of the last two seasons. Additionally, Arizona will play a game in the Eastern time zone for the first time since 1999 when they face UCF this Saturday. Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan leads both the Big 12 and ranks third nationally with an impressive 982 receiving yards. This week, six teams, including No. 9 BYU (8-0, 5-0), No. 23 Colorado (6-2, 4-1), Cincinnati (5-3, 3-2), Kansas (2-6, 1-4), Utah (4-4, 1-4), and West Virginia (4-4, 3-2) will take their second and final bye weeks of the season.

**Bowling Reservations**
Following their victory over Cincinnati last weekend, Colorado (6-2, 4-1) has become the fourth team in the Big 12 to secure bowl eligibility this season. Alongside Colorado, both BYU, Iowa State, and Kansas State have already achieved the six wins needed for postseason play. This weekend, Arizona State, Texas Tech, and TCU all have the opportunity to reach their sixth win and join the bowl-eligible ranks.