This weekend’s college football on FOX: No. 23 Kansas St. vs. No. 7 Texas in Big-12 showdown in tripleheader
No. 23 Kansas St. hits the road to face No. 7 Texas in a massive Big-12 matchup Saturday on FOX.
The Wildcats are the defending Big-12 champions and are on a hot streak, winning their last two games in dominant fashion.
Texas is in a perfect position to play in the conference championship game and to earn a College Football Playoff berth if they can win their remaining games starting Saturday against Kansas State.
Coverage begins with Big Noon Kickoff at 10 a.m. ET live from Austin, TX, followed by No. 23 Kansas State at No. 7 Texas at noon ET. And the action rolls on at 3:30 p.m. ET when No. 11 Penn State squares off with Maryland, and in the nightcap, BYU battles West Virginia at 7 p.m. ET.
No. 23 Kansas State vs. No. 7 Texas
Kansas State and Texas are among the five sharing first place in the Big 12 and seeking a pivotal win toward a berth in the league championship game.
The Wildcats utilize a two quarterback system with Will Howard and Avery Johnson. Howard is more of a passing threat, and has shown that he can break a long touchdown run too.
Seth Porter #16 of the Kansas State Wildcats celebrates with Anthony Frias II #26 after scoring a touchdown in the second half against the Houston Cougars at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium on October 28, 2023 in Manhattan, Kansas. (Photo by Pete
But Johnson brings an element of speed as a runner — he scored five touchdowns against Texas Tech — that will challenge Texas' defensive discipline.
Longhorns quarterback Maalik Murphy will get the start again in place of injured Quinn Ewers. Murphy had two touchdown passes against BYU but also had two turnovers.
Texas has won six in a row against the Wildcats. Kansas State boasts the best scoring defense in the Big 12 and hasn't allowed a touchdown over the last two games that the Wildcats won, the Associated Press reported.
No. 11 Penn State vs. Maryland
The Nittany Lions are attempting to avoid a trap game the week before a showdown with Michigan.
Maryland has lost three straight games and still needs one more win to secure bowl eligibility, the AP noted.
Penn State QB Drew Allar threw an FBS-record 311 passes before being intercepted for the first time in last week's win over Indiana.
Drew Allar #15 of the Penn State Nittany Lions scrambles against the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half at Beaver Stadium on October 28, 2023 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
And Maryland has nine interceptions this season, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten, but only one of the turnovers has come during the team's three-game losing streak.
Penn State has held its last seven opponents under 100 yards rushing to lead the Big Ten, and ranks third nationally with 32 sacks.
The Terrapins have won 17 consecutive games when leading after the third quarter. Maryland hasn't beaten a top-10 opponent since 2007, when they defeated No. 8 Boston College, the AP reported.
BYU vs. West Virginia
BYU or West Virginia will become bowl eligible when they meet for the first time as Big 12 members. BYU is looking for a strong November to avoid its worst record since 2019, when it went 7-6.
While West Virginia has never won more than six games in a season under fifth-year coach Neal Brown, the AP noted.
Kedon Slovis #10 of the Brigham Young Cougars rolls out of the pocket agaisnt the Cincinnati Bearcats during the first half of their game at LaVell Edwards Stadium September 29, 2023 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
West Virginia QB Garrett Greene is dual-threat and set a career high in passing yards and a season high for rushing in back-to-back games last month.
But he takes on a BYU defense, which has allowed only six rushing touchdowns, but their eight sacks are the fewest in the league.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.