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The 2025 college football season is now six weeks in, and the Big 12 seems to be establishing a four-team upper tier, with Texas Tech emerging as the team to beat. Those programs included Iowa State, Arizona State, BYU and Cincinnati. Utah, Kansas, TCU and Baylor are just below that upper echelon. The Week 7 Big 12 slate features one matchup that could decide who plays Texas Tech in the Big 12 title game.

Every week, our staff gathers to pick every Big 12 football game. It is a challenging task, especially considering the conference’s crowded nature. It remains to be seen whether one of the teams mentioned will pull away and become the team to beat, as is often the case in the Big 12; the title race is still very much up for grabs.

So, how will Week 7 play out in the Big 12? We have only seven games on the schedule, one of the conference’s lighter weekends of the season. Our Buffaloes Wire staff picked all seven games in the conference straight up.

Here are our expert picks for Week 7. But first, here are the standings so far from our writers through five weeks.

All games are scheduled for Saturday, October 11, unless otherwise noted, and all times are Mountain Time.

Standings so far

Charlie Strella: 52-12

Jack Freeman: 48-17

Griffin Dreifaldt: 52-12

10:00 a.m., FS1

Griffin: Cincinnati

Cincinnati takes care of business with a dominant win over UCF. The Bearcats continue to prove they’re a legitimate threat in the Big 12 and show no signs of slowing down.

Jack: Cincinnati

Charlie: Cincinnati

Oklahoma State vs. Houston

10:00 a.m., TNT

Griffin: Houston

Jack: Houston

Charlie: Houston

1:30 p.m., ESPN

We will share our Colorado-Iowa State predictions in a separate post, where each staff member will provide a final score prediction and offer some thoughts. Colorado is hoping to make a rebound after back-to-back tough losses.

1:30 p.m., Fox

Griffin: TCU

Jack: TCU

TCU looked unstoppable against Colorado, with Josh Hoover dotting up the Buffaloes’ defense en route to a 35-21 victory, and I see a very similar result this week. Kansas State’s defense couldn’t stop a fly last week against Baylor, and the offense will be without its best player, running back Dylan Edwards, yet again. It seems like the Wildcats cannot catch a break in 2025, as they show flashes but ultimately fail to live up to their potential. Meanwhile, the Horned Frogs have Big 12 title ambitions and play like it.

Charlie: Kansas State

Kansas State not having running back Dylan Edwards will definitely hurt, but the game is in Manhattan, Kansas, which is more important. The Wildcats are starting to turn a corner, and I think they complete that turn around this weekend against TCU.

No. 10 Texas Tech vs. Kansas

5:30 p.m., Fox

Griffin: Texas Tech

Texas Tech beats Kansas on the road. The Red Raiders become the first team to finally contain Jalon Daniels and the Jayhawks’ high-powered offense, walking out of Lawrence with an impressive win.

Jack: Texas Tech

Charlie: Texas Tech

I like Kansas to cover the two-touchdown spread, but the Red Raiders are a top-10 team for a reason, and I expect them to continue to show that, especially at home.

6:00 p.m., ESPN2

Griffin: BYU

Jack: BYU

Charlie: BYU

Arizona is a much-improved squad, but BYU can contend for the Big 12 title, and the Wildcats aren’t on that level quite yet. I do think this game remains close, but the Cougars have enough to pull away late.

8:15 p.m., ESPN

Griffin: Arizona State

Arizona State pulls off the upset in Salt Lake City. We saw what happened when Utah faced a real offense in Texas Tech — they struggled big time. The Sun Devils pick up where the Red Raiders left off, lighting up the scoreboard in a high-scoring Big 12 classic under the lights.

Jack: Utah

Depending on what versions of these two teams show up, we could be in for one of the greatest Big 12 Conference games of the season or a snoozefest where both offenses manage to snatch failure from the jaws of success. Arizona State hasn’t had the explosive offense that you’d expect from Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson, yet, they’ve managed several close wins over quality Big 12 opponents. Utah is a boom-or-bust team that depends on its quarterback, Devon Dampier, to get things rolling. As a noted fan of Dampier’s play, I’m picking Utah because I believe he’s found his stride for the Utes.

Charlie: Utah

I might have gone initially with Arizona State on the road, but with Sun Devils’ quarterback Sam Leavitt listed as doubtful for Saturday night’s contest, the outlook changes drastically. Utah has a prolific offense led by Devon Dampier, and Rice-Eccles will be fired up Saturday night. Give me the Utes.

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PHOENIX ― The Las Vegas Aces haven’t had an easy route to the WNBA Finals.

The Aces were 11-11 at the All-Star break before their inconceivable 16-game win streak to finish the regular season. They went from ninth place in the WNBA standings to the WNBA Finals. Forward A’ja Wilson was asked to describe the season in one word and eventually settled on circuitous, meaning having a circular or winding course. Wilson’s depiction of the Aces’ path to a possible third title in four seasons is perfect in every sense of the word.

As the 2025 WNBA Finals continue, USA TODAY asked the Aces one question: What goes into championship DNA? The players pointed to several key components including keeping their composure, doing all the little things right, being relentless and putting team over self.

“I don’t know if people understand the pressure that athletes face in any game, but obviously in the Finals, it’s just different,” guard Jewell Loyd said. “I think having that resilient mindset and just being really composed ― you can’t really forget who you are and what got you here.”

Loyd said Las Vegas has had numerous conversations about fundamentals like boxing out, rebounding and meeting the ball, which may feel akin to things players practice in middle school basketball. Still, Loyd maintains everything matters at this stage. Guard Chelsea Gray says to winning a championship involves things that don’t show up on a stat sheet.

As USA TODAY chatted with more Aces players, there was another overarching sentiment and premise that they agreed upon. Any athlete in the WNBA Finals is typically a “dawg,” someone who is relentless in their pursuit of winning at a high level. Dawgs are the ultimate competitors who would stop at nothing to win, but also they are selfless for the greater good of the team.

They put the team before themselves, and they are so good individually, but even better with other “dawgs.” Guard Dana Evans, who had 21 points off the bench in Las Vegas’ Game 1 win over the Phoenix Mercury, gave a simple yet rousing definition of what being a “dawg” means at this stage.

“You gotta really, really want it because both teams are gonna fight really, really hard to be the champion,” Evans said. “You gotta be able to separate yourself, and have that ‘dawg’ mentality, like, ‘No, I’m going to take it’ pretty much attitude.”

Many on Las Vegas’ roster are familiar with taking titles. Gray leads the team with three rings. Wilson, Loyd, guard Jackie Young, forward Kierstan Bell and center Kiah Stokes each have two championships. Evans rounds out the group with the title she won with Chicago Sky in 2021. With that much experience, it’s easy to think players might have the need to take over. However, center Megan Gustafson says it’s the opposite.

Chelsea Gray and A’ja Wilson on Aces season

USA TODAY’s Meghan Hall asks Chelsea Gray and A’ja Wilson at WNBA Finals media availabilities if they could describe the Aces season in one word.

Sports Pulse

For Las Vegas, it’s about making sure everyone is a star in their role and ensuring each person is doing what is asked by the coaching staff and supporting one another. Gustafson says there may be superstars on their team, but when you’re chasing a championship, none of that matters.

“At the end of the day, we don’t care about who has the most points, who’s doing the best,” Gustafson said. “A’ja [Wilson] ― she doesn’t care at all. She just wants Aces to win. She doesn’t want herself to win. She wants Aces to win. We all want the Aces to win.”That sort of mentality is something coach Becky Hammon has prioritized throughout her entire tenure. Hammon made it clear she values high-character individuals who build good habits, and that’s why she’s passed on very good players who she believed, while talented, didn’t quite fit the Aces.

She also said she expects her players to be who they are every day, no matter the circumstance. Hammon said if she’s asking her team to be themselves, but “they are an a–hole, it’s probably not going to work out.” In her words, she’ll take character and competitiveness because she can “cook with that,” and she has, to within one win of another WNBA Finals championship.

“I got a group of ladies that are all that, have all those intangibles,” Hammon said. “You’re talking about character? Like A’ja [Wilson], Chelsea [Gray], Jackie [Young], Jewell [Loyd], Cheyenne [Parker-Tyus], Kiah [Stokes] … the whole list of them [are] high, high, level character people, and that’s why the wheels didn’t fall off. It’s because of their character.”

MIAMI, Oct. 10 (UPI) — More evidence will be provided for the Tua Tagovaila-Justin Herbert 2020 NFL Draft debate Sunday, when the Miami Dolphins host the Los Angeles Chargers.

Tagovailoa and Herbert will be forever linked after the Dolphins opted to pick Tagovailoa at No. 5 overall in 2025 instead of Herbert, who went No. 6 to the Chargers. Many consider Herbert the superior physical talent, while he also managed to stay healthier through his first six seasons.

But Tagovailoa has a 2-1 record against Herbert’s Chargers and has a chance to earn more ground in the fan-fueled rivalry. Despite fans’ constant reminders of that draft-day decision, Tagovailoa said he only hopes Herbert keeps playing for many years.

“I think he’s done a great job,” Tagovailoa said. “He’s done a phenomenal job within his career this far. I hope he has a long career.

“I know everyone wants to do the comparisons with all the dudes who were in my draft class, but all you can do is be happy for the guys, where they’re at in their life of football, and wish the best for them. That’s all I would want to do and hope the same in return.”

Joe Burrow, the No. 1 overall pick, Jordan Love (No. 26) and Jalen Hurts (No. 53) were among the other quarterbacks selected early on in 2020, but they each have recorded playoff victories — unlike Herbert and Tagovailoa.

Hurts and Burrow reached Super Bowls, with the former earning the NFL’s most recent crown. Love has a 1-2 playoff mark after leading the Green Bay Packers to the postseason in each of his first two full seasons as a starter.

Herbert and Tagovailoa, both of whom have seen coaching changes and offensive system facelifts, still are searching for playoff success. Herbert is 0-2 in the postseason; Tagovailoa is 0-1.

All of the quarterbacks from that 2020 class have earned lucrative second contracts, including Tagovailoa’s four-year, $212.4 million pact and Herbert’s five-year, $262 million deal.

Herbert leads Tagovailoa in many notable passing statistics, including yards (22,322 versus 16,514), touchdown passes (145 versus 110) and wins (44 versus 39).

But Tagovailoa has a better completion percentage (68.3% versus 66.4%), winning percentage (58.2% versus 52.3%) and quarterback rating (98.1 versus. 96.4).

Herbert also played nearly a full-season’s worth of games more than Tagovailoa, due to the Dolphins’ quarterback’s injury history. Both are one-time Pro Bowl selections.

Despite links to the class, which most likely will be discussed for his entire career, Tagovailoa remains focused on his role with the Dolphins and said he doesn’t keep in touch with the other quarterbacks from 2020.

Herbert and Tagovailoa both have said they don’t maintain a personal relationship.

“I would say I haven’t really had too much communication with a lot of the guys in my draft class,” Tagovailoa said. “Everyone is in a different stage in their lives. Some are married, some aren’t married. Maybe some dating supermodels, some not.”

Like many fans, Tagovailoa previously touted Herbert for his arm strength and ability to throw on the run. He also said he previously found himself “fanning over” some of his deep throws. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel also praised Herbert for his strength and athletic ability earlier this week.

“I think his ability to extend plays and … make a defense cover the entire field,” McDaniel said. “He can put the ball across the field 50 yards on the other hash, so when he’s using his athletic ability, he stresses your plaster and your connectivity to eligibles down the field.

“That threat of arm and legs, I think he’s a competitor, I think he keeps getting better,” and he’s someone who makes the opposing team try to minimizing his production,” McDaniel said.

In their head-to-head meetings, Tagovailoa holds a 6 to 4 advantage over Herbert in touchdown tosses, but trails in completion percentage (54.1% versus 70.7%) and yards (780 versus 783). Herbert also found the end zone twice with his legs, while Tagovailoa didn’t log a rushing score in their first three meetings.

Tagovailoa completed 70.7% of his throws for 1,008 yards, 10 scores and four interceptions through his first five starts this season, when the Dolphins went 1-4. Herbert completed 65.7% of his throws for 1,229 yards, eight scores and four interceptions for the 3-2 Chargers.

The 2025 Dolphins have the No. 29 offense in the NFL, with the league’s third-worst rushing attack. They rank 21st in passing yards. Herbert’s Chargers have the No. 12 offense in the NFL, including the No. 10 pass offense and No. 14 rushing offense.

The Dolphins and Chargers will kick off at 1 p.m. EDT Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Chargers are 3.5-point favorites.

“I think the only perspective you have is what you can do to help your team win every week,” Tagovailoa said. “I can’t go and look at what these other quarterbacks are doing and focus on what I need to do for that week to get the job done in order to help our team win.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a necessity of me needing to watch these other quarterbacks and see where do I stand, did I have a better game, did I have a worse game. The way teams prepare for those quarterbacks versus how we’re preparing for a certain defense is all going to be different.

“I wouldn’t say I categorize myself as if I played well [or] to see how I stacked up against this person or not. That’s not how I go about it. I’ve got to do my job, and my job is to play well enough to help my team win games.”

In the first part of our Q&A with BBC Sport’s Manchester United reporter Simon Stone, we take a look at Ruben Amorim’s philosophy and future.

Joey asked: How does Amorim view his 3-4-3 system aligning with United’s history of counter-attacking football, deployed primarily in 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 formations? It seems that his philosophy does not embrace the club’s own philosophy and history.

Simon answered: That is one for chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox to answer. Manchester United employed Amorim knowing what his preferred style of play was and knowing he would not change.

There are many ways of looking at the merits of Amorim’s system but I don’t think it is fair to accuse him of not embracing the club’s culture by using it.

I don’t know for certain, but it is pretty safe to assume if United had gone to him and said “we want you to be our manager but you need to completely change what you believe has made you successful”, he would probably have said “no thanks”.

James asked: Would any other manager survive in the Premier League, never mind at United, if they openly stated they have one way of playing and then had the loss record of Amorim?

Simon answered: I suspect even Amorim must know he is fortunate to still have a job.

However, it has to be remember how out on a limb United went to get him. They sacked Dan Ashworth because they did not like the options he put forward, which included Thomas Frank and Marco Silva. Then they rejected his request to join from Sporting in the summer. There is an element of ‘you have made your bed’ about United’s present situation.

The three years Sir Jim Ratcliffe is talking about is a stretch – as is the end of the season, as sources told me in the wake of the Brentford defeat – if results do not improve significantly. But I think Amorim is safe for a bit of time. He does need to get better results, though.

Come back later on Friday for part two of Simon’s Q&A, which focuses on United’s academy.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Filip Chytil scored twice and the Vancouver Canucks opened their season with a 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.

The Czech center batted a puck into the net at 2:53 of the third period after it went off the back of Calgary defenseman Kevin Bahl’s head.

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Chytil followed up just under six minutes later, collecting a puck from Arshdeep Bains and streaking up the ice, then firing a shot up and over Dustin Wolf.

Kiefer Sherwood, Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Brock Boeser also scored for the Canucks, and Thatcher Demko stopped 17 shots.

Morgan Frost scored for Calgary, beating Demko with 6:54 left.

Wolf made 21 saves for the Flames, who were coming off a 4-3 shootout win in Edmonton on Wednesday night.

Up next

Flames: Host St. Louis on Saturday.

Canucks: At Edmonton on Saturday night.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

CHICAGO – From a room discreetly tucked away behind the right-field concourse at Wrigley Field, Pat Murphy turned a question about his starting pitcher that night into a recitation of Shakespeare.

“To be or not to be, that is the question,” the Milwaukee Brewers manager began. “Whether it’s nobler in the minds to suffer the slings and arrows of begotten fortune, or bear arms – I’ll stop. What is that, ‘Hamlet?’”

That play, Murphy went on to inform the group of reporters a couple hours before first pitch in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, is his favorite Shakespearean tragedy.

Not long after, his team moved to within one more loss away from a tragedy of their own. 

On the afternoon of Oct. 8, the Brewers walked into the visiting clubhouse at Wrigley leading the series, 2-0, and with ideas of turning the cramped confines into the scene of a party.

Instead, they lost Game 3. Then, still with another chance to advance to the National League Championship Series, for the fourth time in four games they watched as their starting pitcher got roughed up in the first inning for the fourth time in four games, setting the tone for a dominant 5-0 Chicago Cubs win.

BOX SCORE: Cubs 5, Brewers 0

The Brewers now must win Game 5 back home on Oct. 11 in order to avoid their latest, most torturous October exit yet – which is saying something.

On an island 18 feet in diameter with a sea of bloodthirsty Cubs fans surrounding him, Peralta toed the slab as chants of “Fred-dy!” rained down beginning with the second hitter he saw.

He buckled.

After giving up a one-out single to Nico Hoerner on a hanging curveball and a four-pitch walk to Kyle Tucker that ratcheted the decibels from the crowd up, Peralta left a 94.8 mph fastball over the middle of the plate and belt-high for Ian Happ. 

The crack of Happ’s bat cut through the chants. The ball cut through the crosswind. Three to nothing, Cubs. 

More: Brewers’ choice to start Freddy in Peralta in Game 4 was clear – and also didn’t work

The Brewers offense, meanwhile, which has staked its identity upon creating pressure and grinding out rallies, went quietly into the crisp evening against Chicago left-hander Matthew Boyd and a parade of relievers 

Only nine times in MLB history has a team come back from a 2-0 deficit to win in a best-of-five series. It hasn’t happened in the National League since the Cincinnati Reds blew a 2-0 lead to the San Francisco Giants. 

Given the Brewers’ recent playoff woes – they have lost in the first round in each of their five previous appearances – there will be no short of nervous energy by the time the first pitch is thrown at American Family Field. 

One chance after another goes for naught

The Brewers weren’t without their opportunities against Boyd. They put the leadoff runner on against him in three of five innings and had 10 at-bats with a runner on base. Zero hits came of it. 

After stranding leadoff walks in the first and second, the Brewers’ best chance against Boyd, who they torched for six first-inning runs in Game 1, came in the fifth when Sal Frelick led off with a double and Blake Perkins walked. 

Joey Ortiz, despite being the tying run, bunted the runners over. Home plate umpire Lance Barksdale started Christian Yelich’s at-bat off by calling a sinker that missed the top of the zone by four inches a strike, then the designated hitter later struck out swinging. 

That foiled Pat Murphy’s idea of batting Yelich first, allowing the left-hander Boyd to face him a third time before turning the ball over to Daniel Palencia to face Jackson Chourio. The Cubs were able to get their preferred matchup in both instances and won both when Chourio popped the first pitch up. 

Cubs tack on against Aaron Ashby, defense in the sixth

A Caleb Durbin error allowed the Cubs a bit of extra breathing room in the sixth. 

Carson Kelly opened the inning with a slow chopper toward third base, which Durbin bobbled upon gloving it. Three batters later, Matt Shaw chased an 0-2 curveball at his ankles and golfed it into center for a single to score Kelly from second, giving the Cubs a 4-0 advantage. 

It was the first error of the series from the typically-surehanded Brewers defense.

Robert Gasser, the only Brewers pitcher to not appear in the series in the first three games, gave up a litany of hard contact, including solo homers to Kyle Tucker and Michael Busch, in the seventh and eighth innings. Gasser surrendured five hits and came within inches of it being six hits and three homers, as a Carson Kelly fly ball to left was initially called a two-run dinger but later overturned via video review.

Busch has been the ultimate thorn in the side with three homers in the series alone — which would be just one shy of the Brewers’ franchise postseason career record of four.

Pitching lines up as do-or-die bullpen game

The Brewers’ lack of starting pitching depth leaves them staring at what is likely a bullpen game for all the series marbles in Game 5. 

The nod could go to Ashby, who gave up a three-run homer in the first inning as the Game 2 opener and then struggled in Game 4. Perhaps his recent performance, though, will keep the Brewers from going that route. 

The rest of the bullpen will all be theoretically available coming off an off-day Oct. 10. 

The Cubs could do what they did in Game 4 with Boyd and bring back a lefty starter who the Brewers roughed up earlier in the series with elimination on the line. Milwaukee tagged Shota Imanaga for four runs in its Game 2 victory, but the Japanese southpaw figures to be the one to get the call. 

The Brewers, just 2-7 in their last nine elimination games, will cross the white lines with plenty of skeletons in the franchise closet.

Is this season truly a magical brew? Or is it merely just the latest chapter in the story of the protagonist with a fatal flaw?