With BYU on a much-needed bye week during Week 11, Cougar fans may need some suggestions for other games to watch this weekend.
Here’s a few with some BYU ties that are worth tuning into:
Friday
East Carolina at Cincinnati, 6 p.m. MST (ESPN2)
Cougar fans get a glimpse at one of the other schools moving to the Big 12 with them next year, Cincinnati, against the team that handed BYU its most recent loss.
The Pirates play all four future Big 12 teams in succession and are already 2-0 against them, with wins over UCF and BYU, and Cincinnati and Houston up next. Can East Carolina beat them all?
Saturday
No. 7 LSU at Arkansas, 10 a.m. (ESPN)
The Tigers are coming off a win over Alabama and are trending upward — LSU has the inside track to the SEC West title after beating Ole Miss the week before topping the Crimson Tide.
The Razorbacks beat BYU in Provo back in October, just the second SEC team to come to the Cougars’ home field. Can Arkansas, once a Top 10 team but now sitting at 5-4, make this a competitive game?
No. 9 Alabama at No. 11 Ole Miss, 1:30 p.m. (CBS)
This one is about seeing how Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart performs in his first matchup against Alabama.
Dart is a Utah native and someone the Cougars recruited hard, not only as a high school prospect but when he transferred from USC after last season.
Dart has thrown for 1,911 yard and 14 touchdowns this year, while rushing for 473 yards. Can he help the Rebels beat the Crimson Tide?
No. 19 Kansas State at Baylor, 5 p.m. (FS1)
BYU’s best win thus far this season was over defending Big 12 champion Baylor back in September.
After a bit of a midseason slump, the Bears (6-3) have won three straight and are still in contention to play in the Big 12 championship.
If Baylor can win its next three, the Bears would earn the right to defend their title. It’s the most difficult stretch of the season, though. Starting with Kansas State, Baylor will face the other top three teams in the Big 12 to finish the year, including games against TCU and at Texas.
No. 4 TCU at No. 18 Texas, 5:30 p.m. (ABC)
Can the Big 12 put a team into the College Football Playoff the year before BYU joins?
The hope lies with the unbeaten Horned Frogs, who already have a two-game lead in conference play and have their sights set on something bigger.
This could very well be a preview of the Big 12 championship in December, and for Cougar fans, a glimpse at the upper crust of the conference, including the Longhorns, who are led by former BYU quarterback Steve Sarkisian.
Stanford at No. 13 Utah, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
This game will give BYU fans an advance look at the Cougars’ regular-season finale opponent, Stanford, while also following one of the other local FBS teams.
The Cardinal beat Notre Dame one week after BYU lost to the Fighting Irish back in October, but Stanford has fallen back into struggling — the Cardinal have lost two straight by an average of 31.5 points.
This will provide a good litmus test where Stanford, a heavy underdog, stands in an up and down season.