Utah News

As Utah’s high court has increasingly become a target for retaliation from the Legislature’s Republican supermajority, Gov. Spencer Cox announced his latest nomination for a soon-to-be-open justice position. If confirmed, Cox will have appointed a majority of the bench.

The nominated candidate, who still needs the Utah Senate’s approval, is 3rd District Judge John Nielsen. He summarized his judicial philosophy to reporters as “textualist” and “originalist.”

“There’s a right way and a less appropriate way to decide cases and to interpret … laws,” Cox said. “And I feel very strongly that that textualist and originalist approach is the only way to anchor our system in a way that doesn’t lead to eventual chaos. Judges are not supposed to pick laws or make up laws.”

Legal originalists and textualists generally believe legal documents, like the Constitution, should be interpreted now as they originally would have been understood by the public when those documents were enacted.

Adding to Cox’s comments, Nielsen said, “The essence of those philosophies is that you are trying to ensure that your interpretation fits with the intent of the lawmaker — in the case of the statute, the Legislature; in the case of the Constitution, the will of the people.”

Nielsen was nominated to the 3rd District Court by Cox just last September, and unanimously confirmed by the Senate the following month. If confirmed again, Nielsen will replace Justice John Pearce, who announced earlier this year that he’d be retiring in December.

The Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee, as of Tuesday afternoon, had not yet posted the date of its next meeting.

Nielsen’s appointment to the Supreme Court comes at a time of considerable tension between the Legislature and the court, which has repeatedly blocked key parts of the Republican supermajority’s agenda.

Justices upheld the pause on a law outlawing almost all abortions, limited the Legislature’s power to undo citizen-passed ballot initiatives and voided a proposed constitutional amendment that sought to undo the initiative ruling.

Cox, too, has expressed frustration with some of those decisions.

When asked whether he thought Nielsen’s “originalist” philosophy is missing from the current court, Cox responded, “I don’t know that it’s missing from the current court. I’ve been very forthright about some disagreements that I’ve had with the court, but that’s OK. That’s certainly part of the process.”

The governor, who is a lawyer, has so far vocally opposed most attempts by the Legislature to influence the courts’ operations.

But earlier this month, Cox signed a law revoking the Supreme Court justices’ authority to choose their own chief, instead designating the governor to pick the head of the high court every eight years, subject to Senate confirmation.

The governor vetoed a previous version of the bill that would have required him to pick a new chief every four years.

Cox said Tuesday he may now support a dead proposal from earlier this year to expand the number of justices on the Utah Supreme Court. The Utah Constitution says the court must have “at least five” justices.

Because of the length of time it takes to decide a case, Cox said, “I think it’s worth exploring how we get [justices] additional resources that they might need.”

‘Knows the facts up and down’

Nielsen started his career as a prosecutor in the Utah County Attorney’s office, then moved to the Utah attorney general’s office, where he was an assistant solicitor general.

He left that post to become a law partner with former Utah Supreme Court Justice Thomas Lee, who is the brother of U.S. Sen. Mike Lee.

Nielsen and Lee were hired to defend a state law that banned transgender girls from competing in girls’ school sports. The contract took effect hours after Lee’s retirement from the Utah Supreme Court was official, and days after Nielsen left the attorney general’s office, KUTV reported.

The transgender girls and their parents who brought that challenge dropped the lawsuit last week. After President Donald Trump issued an executive order barring transgender women and girls from playing in sports leagues and competitions designated for women and girls, complicating the case, it shifted the case’s timeline so that the Utah girls suing would likely be out of high school by the time it was resolved.

At his district court confirmation hearing last year, Nielsen acknowledged Lee’s influence on his life. “He has been there as a mentor, a colleague and a friend for many years, and I’m very grateful to him,” Nielsen said at the time.

During the year before his appointment to the district court, Nielsen was a partner at Schaerr Jaffe, a Washington-based firm co-founded by Gene Schaerr, who was born in Kanab and went on to be an associate White House counsel. Schaerr was hired to defend the state’s ban on same-sex marriage in Kitchen v. Herbert — the case, filed in 2013, that successfully stopped Utah from enforcing the prohibition.

During Nielsen’s confirmation hearing last year, senators upset with the spate of court rulings against them probed Nielsen on his judicial philosophy.

“There’s been some question about judicial activism, what it is and what it means,” Nielsen said, continuing, ”The way to constrain that and keep it from happening is to say, OK, I’m going to look at the plain language of this statute, its structure, at its grammar, at its history, where it came from, why it’s here, what it’s trying to accomplish, and then I’m going to do my utmost to apply that as it’s handed down.”

Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, said at the hearing that the relationship between lawmakers and the courts “is not healthy.” McCay said the two Supreme Court justices who had come before the confirmation committee during his tenure — Justices Diana Hagen and Jill Pohlman — gave answers to questions about legal processes and separation of powers that, McCay said, “are contrary to opinions they have written.”

“For some reason our judges are better chameleons than they’ve been in the past,” McCay said.

Nielsen said the best way to judge a nominee is based on the individual’s track record and what he or she has done.

Chief Justice Matthew Durrant, who has been critical of legislative efforts to exercise more power over the judiciary, endorsed Nielsen as an addition to the top court.

“I have never seen a better oral and written advocate than John Nielsen,” Durrant said Tuesday, continuing, “He actually answers the questions he puts in — that’s rare. He always knows the facts up and down, as well as the law.”

President Donald Trump awarded Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously on Tuesday during a White House Rose Garden ceremony that coincided with the slain conservative organizer’s 32nd birthday.

Trump returned home Tuesday from a whirlwind trip to the Middle East, where he led world leaders in signing a Gaza peace plan, to pay tribute to Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, who was assassinated at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.

“We’re here to honor and remember a fearless warrior for liberty, a beloved leader who galvanized the next generation like nobody I’ve ever seen before,” Trump said. “Charles James Kirk was a visionary and one of the greatest figures of his generation.”

The highest civilian award in the U.S. was accepted by Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk. Since her husband’s murder, Erika has become the face of Turning Point USA as the organization’s newly named CEO who shocked the nation with her public forgiveness of Kirk’s killer.

Turning Point doubles since assassination

Kirk’s impact on the country will expand after his death through Turning Point, Erika said. The number of Turning Point chapters at universities and high schools doubled in the month after Kirk’s death, according to Turning Point spokesperson Andrew Kolvet.

During the five weeks since Kirk was shot at a “Prove Me Wrong” campus debate in Orem, Utah, Turning Point USA received 130,000 inquiries for new chapters, increasing their presence on campuses from 900 to 1,700, and at high schools from 1,200 to 3,000.

Last week, Kolvet told News Nation’s Chris Cuomo that Turning Point USA, which hosts conservative speakers, registers young voters and provides civics education resources, now totals over 800,000 members in their student network.

“You are the heartbeat of this future and of this movement. Everything that Charlie built, you guys are the legacy holders of that,” Erika Kirk said. “You are living proof that his mission did not die with him.”

Trump has often credited Kirk as one of the most notable contributors to his 2024 victory. On Tuesday, Trump promised his administration would continue to “win” in Kirk’s honor, including by “dismantling the networks” that fund left-wing violence in the U.S.

Taking a similar tone to his speech at Kirk’s memorial service, Trump accused “far left radicals” of increasing the threat of political violence, and questioned whether Kirk really loved his enemies, to which Erika responded by confirming that her husband “did pray for his enemies.”

The event, held in the newly remodeled Rose Garden, was attended by family members of Kirk, Turning Point staff, much of Trump’s Cabinet, Vice President JD Vance and several Republican members of Congress, including Utah Sen. Mike Lee.

Also in attendance were some of the biggest names in conservative media, including Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham, Tucker Carlson and Jesse Watters, who have spent much of the past month commenting on Kirk’s life and death.

In his remarks, the president eulogized Kirk as a martyr, recalled his involvement in the 2016 and 2024 election campaigns and promised to support Kirk’s wife, who was left to mother two small children on her own.

“We’re entering his name forever into the eternal roster of true American heroes,” Trump said. “He’s a true American hero, an amazing person way, way beyond his years.”

Following the Rose Garden ceremony, Trump brought Erika Kirk to the Oval Office where he signed a proclamation declaring Oct. 14 as the National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.

Turning Point event at Utah Capitol

A few hundred students from Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University who are involved in Turning Point USA filled the Utah Capitol Building rotunda on Tuesday night to echo the values of faith, freedom and family that Kirk espoused.

“Tonight we’re picking up the mic and carrying forward this message louder and bolder than ever before,” said TPUSA Provo chapter president Aubree Farmer. “We were born for such a time as this, and it’s time for people to start listening.”

Turning Point’s Provo chapter, which includes students who attend BYU, is one of the largest in the country, according to regional representative, Paige Adams. A chapter spokesperson said it added over 1,500 students in the two weeks after Sept. 10.

Tuesday’s event focused on student voices, including UVU’s chapter president Caleb Chilcutt, who was with Kirk minutes before he was shot at UVU.

The students’ messages included expressions of faith, with many citing their beliefs as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the foundation for their political views.

Chilcutt referenced the church’s “The Family Proclamation” as a standard of truth young people should promote. The Provo chapter vice president Jaxon Thurman shared how his religion teaches the importance of defending universal truths. Student Reeve Brisco talked about how his church mission to Mexico was a turning point for him.

The church has issued statements declaring itself strictly “neutral in matters of party politics.” The general handbook says, “The Church does not endorse any political party or candidate. Nor does it advise members how to vote.”

Speakers at Tuesday night’s event included U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy, of Utah’s 2nd Congressional District; Rep. Mike Kennedy, of Utah’s 3rd District; U.S. Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas; Utah Attorney General Derek Brown; Utah Senate President Stuart Adams and Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz.

Kennedy called Kirk “a martyr for freedom of speech,” while Gill praised the young people in attendance for not taking their freedom for granted. Maloy recognized them for showing courage amid violence targeting Utah and Latter-day Saints.

CHICAGO (AP) — Andre Burakovsky snapped a third-period tie, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Utah Mammoth 3-1 on Monday night for coach Jeff Blashill’s first win with his new team.

Chicago dropped its first three games despite being tied at 2 after the second period in each contest. It was outshot by Utah 23-14, but a wide-open Burakovsky beat Vitek Vanecek low on the stick side for the deciding power-play goal with 11:05 left.

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Ilya Mikheyev had two goals for the Blackhawks, including an empty-netter in the final seconds. Spencer Knight made 22 saves.

Blashill, 51, was hired by Chicago in May. It’s his second stint as a head coach in the NHL after he went 204-261-72 in seven seasons with Detroit.

JJ Peterka scored for Utah, which dropped two of three on its season-opening road trip. Vanecek finished with 11 stops.

The Mammoth played without defenseman Sean Durzi, who is expected to miss four weeks with an upper-body injury. Durzi had an assist during Saturday night’s 3-2 overtime win at Nashville.

Looking for the tying goal, Utah got a power-play opportunity when Connor Bedard was sent off for holding with 8:19 to go. But Chicago killed it off.

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Utah controlled the action in the second, outshooting Chicago 13-3 in the period. But the Blackhawks went in front when Mikheyev drove to the net and stuffed it in at 9:21 for his first goal of the season.

Peterka responded 1:02 into the third, tying it at 1 when he beat Knight from the side of the net. It was Peterka’s first goal since he was acquired in a June trade with Buffalo.

Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson returned to the lineup after missing Saturday night’s 3-2 loss to Montreal with an upper-body injury. He skated with the team Monday morning and said he had bounced back quicker than he had expected.

Up next

Both teams play again Wednesday night. Utah has its home opener against Calgary, and Chicago visits St. Louis.

___

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

Well, that’s more like it.

The Big 12 is what we all thought it would be, to a point. It’s about even from almost top to bottom, Texas Tech leading the pack, Oklahoma State in the basement, and everyone in between beating each other up.

Here are the Big 12 schedules and our picks for every remaining game.

Big 12 Season Outlook and Game-by-Game Predictions Before Week 8

Big 12 Season Calls and Predictions Going into Week 8
– @PeteFiutak 

– Kansas and Kansas State both need the win against each other at the end of the month. The winner will likely get to six wins with a bowl game, the loser will struggle to get eligible.

– BYU vs Utah now sets the tone for the rest of the Big 12 season. BYU is battling every week, but it’s still undefeated. A loss, though, and things could crash with road games at Iowa State and Texas Tech next. 

– If Utah really is back on track, it should go on a run with four of the next five games in Salt Lake City coming after the BYU showdown.

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Arizona Wildcats

2025 Record: 4-2
CFN Predicted Record: 6-6

Aug 30 Hawaii W 40-6
Sept 6 Weber State W 48-3
Sept 13 Kansas State W 23-17
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 at Iowa State L 39-14
Oct 4 Oklahoma State W 41-13
Oct 11 BYU L 33-27
Oct 18 at Houston L
Oct 25 OPEN DATE
Nov 1 at Colorado L
Nov 8 Kansas W
Nov 15 at Cincinnati L
Nov 22 Baylor W
Nov 29 at Arizona State L

Missing: Kansas State, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF, Utah, West Virginia

Arizona State Sun Devils

2025 Record: 4-2
CFN Predicted Record: 9-3

Aug 30 Northern Arizona W 38-19
Sept 6 at Mississippi State L 24-20
Sept 13 Texas State W 34-15
Sept 20 at Baylor W 27-24
Sept 27 TCU W 27-24
Oct 4 OPEN DATE
Oct 11 at Utah L 42-10
Oct 18 Texas Tech L
Oct 25 Houston W
Nov 1 at Iowa State W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 West Virginia W
Nov 22 at Colorado W
Nov 29 Arizona W

Missing: BYU, Cincinnati, Kansas, Oklahoma State, TCU, UCF

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Baylor Bears

2025 Record: 4-2
CFN Predicted Record: 7-5

Aug 30 Auburn L 38-24
Sept 6 at SMU W 48-45
Sept 13 Samford W 42-7
Sept 20 Arizona State L 27-24
Sept 27 at Oklahoma State W 45-27
Oct 4 Kansas State W 35-34
Oct 11 OPEN DATE
Oct 18 at TCU L
Oct 25 at Cincinnati W
Nov 1 UCF W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 Utah L
Nov 22 at Arizona L
Nov 29 Houston W

Missing: BYU, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, West Virginia

BYU Cougars

2025 Record: 6-0
CFN Predicted Record: 8-4

Aug 30 Portland State W 69-0
Sept 6 Stanford W 27-3
Sept 13 OPEN DATE
Sept 20 at East Carolina W 34-13
Sept 27 at Colorado W 24-21
Oct 3 West Virginia W 38-24
Oct 11 at Arizona W 33-27
Oct 18 Utah L
Oct 25 at Iowa State L
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 at Texas Tech L
Nov 15 TCU W
Nov 22 at Cincinnati L
Nov 29 UCF W

Missing: Arizona State, Baylor, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State

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Cincinnati Bearcats

2025 Record: 5-1
CFN Predicted Record: 8-4

Aug 28 vs Nebraska (in Kansas City) L 20-17
Sept 6 Bowling Green W 34-20
Sept 13 Northwestern State W 70-0
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 at Kansas W 37-34
Oct 4 Iowa State W 38-30
Oct 11 UCF W 20-11
Oct 18 at Oklahoma State W
Oct 25 Baylor L
Nov 1 at Utah L
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 Arizona W
Nov 22 BYU W
Nov 29 at TCU L

Missing: Arizona State, Colorado, Houston, Kansas State, Texas Tech, West Virginia

Colorado Buffaloes

2025 Record: 3-4
CFN Predicted Record: 4-8

Aug 30 Georgia Tech L 27-20
Sept 6 Delaware W 31-7
Sept 13 at Houston L 36-20
Sept 20 Wyoming W 37-20
Sept 27 BYU L 24-21
Oct 4 at TCU L 35-21
Oct 11 Iowa State W 24-17
Oct 18 OPEN DATE
Oct 25 at Utah L
Nov 1 Arizona W
Nov 8 at West Virginia L
Nov 15 OPEN DATE
Nov 22 Arizona State L
Nov 29 at Kansas State L

Missing: Baylor, Cincinnati, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, UCF

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Houston Cougars

2025 Record: 5-1
CFN Predicted Record: 7-5

Aug 30 Stephen F Austin W 27-0
Sept 6 at Rice W 35-9
Sept 13 Colorado W 36-20
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 at Oregon State W 27-24
Oct 4 Texas Tech L 35-11
Oct 11 at Oklahoma State W 39-17
Oct 18 Arizona L
Oct 25 at Arizona State L
Nov 1 West Virginia W
Nov 8 at UCF L
Nov 15 OPEN DATE
Nov 22 TCU W
Nov 29 at Baylor L

Missing: BYU, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Utah

Iowa State Cyclones

2025 Record: 5-2
CFN Predicted Record: 8-4

Aug 23 vs Kansas State (in Dublin) W 24-21
Aug 30 South Dakota W 55-7
Sept 6 Iowa W 16-13
Sept 13 at Arkansas State W 24-16
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 Arizona W 39-14
Oct 4 at Cincinnati L 38-30
Oct 11 at Colorado L 24-17
Oct 18 OPEN DATE
Oct 25 BYU W
Nov 1 Arizona State L
Nov 8 at TCU L
Nov 15 OPEN DATE
Nov 22 Kansas W
Nov 29 at Oklahoma State W

Missing: Baylor, Houston, Texas Tech, UCF, Utah, West Virginia

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Kansas Jayhawks

2025 Record: 4-3
CFN Predicted Record: 6-6

Aug 23 Fresno State W 31-7
Aug 30 Wagner W 46-7
Sept 6 at Missouri L 42-31
Sept 13 OPEN DATE
Sept 20 West Virginia W 41-10
Sept 27 Cincinnati L 37-34
Oct 4 at UCF W 27-20
Oct 11 at Texas Tech L 42-17
Oct 18 OPEN DATE
Oct 25 Kansas State W
Nov 1 Oklahoma State W
Nov 8 at Arizona L
Nov 15 OPEN DATE
Nov 22 at Iowa State L
Nov 29 Utah L

Missing: Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, Colorado, Houston, TCU

Kansas State Wildcats

2025 Record: 3-4
CFN Predicted Record: 7-5

Aug 23 vs Iowa State (in Dublin) L 24-21
Aug 30 North Dakota W 38-35
Sept 6 Army L 24-21
Sept 13 at Arizona L 23-17
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 UCF W 34-20
Oct 4 at Baylor L 35-34
Oct 11 TCU W 41-28
Oct 18 OPEN DATE
Oct 25 at Kansas L
Nov 1 Texas Tech W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 at Oklahoma State W
Nov 22 at Utah L
Nov 29 Colorado W

Missing: Arizona State, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, UCF, West Virginia

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Oklahoma State Cowboys

2025 Record: 1-5
CFN Predicted Record: 1-11

Aug 30 UT Martin W 27-7
Sept 6 at Oregon L 69-3
Sept 13 OPEN DATE
Sept 20 Tulsa L 19-12
Sept 27 Baylor L 45-27
Oct 4 at Arizona L 41-13
Oct 11 Houston L 39-17
Oct 18 Cincinnati L
Oct 25 at Texas Tech L
Nov 1 at Kansas L
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 Kansas State L
Nov 22 at UCF L
Nov 29 Iowa State L

Missing: Arizona State, BYU, Colorado, TCU, Utah, West Virginia

TCU Horned Frogs

2025 Record: 4-2
CFN Predicted Record: 8-4

Sept 1 at North Carolina W 48-14
Sept 6 Abilene Christian W 42-21
Sept 13 OPEN DATE
Sept 20 SMU W 35-24
Sept 27 at Arizona State L 27-24
Oct 4 Colorado W 35-21
Oct 11 at Kansas State L 41-28
Oct 18 Baylor W
Oct 25 at West Virginia W
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 Iowa State W
Nov 15 at BYU L
Nov 22 at Houston L
Nov 29 Cincinnati W

Missing: Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, UCF, Utah

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Texas Tech Red Raiders

2025 Record: 6-0
CFN Predicted Record: 11-1

Aug 30 Arkansas-Pine Bluff W 67-7
Sept 6 Kent State W 62-14
Sept 13 Oregon State W 45-14
Sept 20 at Utah W 34-10
Sept 27 OPEN DATE
Oct 4 at Houston W 35-11
Oct 11 Kansas W 42-17
Oct 18 at Arizona State W
Oct 25 Oklahoma State W
Nov 1 at Kansas State L
Nov 8 BYU W
Nov 15 UCF W
Nov 22 OPEN DATE
Nov 29 at West Virginia W

Missing: Arizona, Baylor, Cincinnati, Colorado, Iowa State, TCU

UCF Knights

2025 Record: 3-3
CFN Predicted Record: 6-6

Aug 28 Jacksonville State W 17-10
Sept 6 North Carolina A&T W 68-7
Sept 13 OPEN DATE
Sept 20 North Carolina W 34-9
Sept 27 at Kansas State L 34-20
Oct 4 Kansas L 27-20
Oct 11 at Cincinnati L 28-22
Oct 18 West Virginia W
Oct 25 OPEN DATE
Nov 1 at Baylor L
Nov 8 Houston W
Nov 15 at Texas Tech L
Nov 22 Oklahoma State W
Nov 29 at BYU L

Missing: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Iowa State, TCU, Utah

Utah Utes

2025 Record: 5-1
CFN Predicted Record: 11-1

Aug 30 at UCLA W 43-10
Sept 6 Cal Poly W 63-9
Sept 13 at Wyoming W 31-6
Sept 20 Texas Tech L 34-10
Sept 27 at West Virginia W 48-14
Oct 4 OPEN DATE
Oct 11 Arizona State W 42-10
Oct 18 at BYU W
Oct 25 Colorado W
Nov 1 Cincinnati W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 at Baylor W
Nov 22 Kansas State W
Nov 29 at Kansas W

Missing: Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, TCU, UCF

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West Virginia Mountaineers

2025 Record: 2-4
CFN Predicted Record: 3-9

Aug 30 Robert Morris W 45-3
Sept 6 at Ohio L 17-10
Sept 13 Pitt W 31-24
Sept 20 at Kansas L 41-10
Sept 27 Utah L 48-14
Oct 3 at BYU L 38-24
Oct 11 OPEN DATE
Oct 18 at UCF L
Oct 25 TCU L
Nov 1 at Houston L
Nov 8 Colorado W
Nov 15 at Arizona State L
Nov 22 OPEN DATE
Nov 29 Texas Tech L

Missing: Arizona, Baylor, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State

Related: Group of Five Predictions Week 8: Every Remaining Game Picked

This story was originally reported by College Football News on Oct 13, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.