UNDATED (AP) — Miami quarterback Darian Mensah was the overwhelming choice for first-team quarterback on The Associated Press midseason All-America team. UCLA led all teams with three players on the top unit. Eight players from the Southeastern Conference and seven each from the Atlantic Coast Conference and Big Ten are on the first team. The team is determined by a panel of media members who vote each week in the AP Top 25. Nine players who were on the AP preseason All-America first team also were voted to the midseason first team. Four other preseason first-team picks are on the second team.
UNDATED (AP) — The Big 12 has a couple of significant Top 25 matchups this weekend. While it won't count in the Big 12 standings, there could be big playoff implications as No. 8 BYU hosts No. 2 Notre Dame. They were the first two teams left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff field last year. Also Saturday, surprising No. 18 Oklahoma State puts its four-game winning streak on the line at No. 20 Houston, which has won three in a row. Undefeated No. 11 Utah plays at Colorado.
PROVO, Utah (AP) — Notre Dame and BYU face off in a top-10 college football matchup, offering both teams a chance to strengthen their case for a College Football Playoff bid. The No. 2 Fighting Irish and No. 8 Cougars meet Saturday in Provo, marking the first time both teams are ranked in their series history. Notre Dame leads the nation in total defense, while BYU tops the Big 12. BYU coach Kalani Sitake sees it as a huge opportunity, emphasizing the importance of playing against a powerhouse like Notre Dame.
HOUSTON (AP) — First-year Oklahoma State coach Eric Morris has already matched the team’s win total from the last two seasons combined with four victories this year. As the 18th-ranked Cowboys prepare to visit No. 20 Houston on Saturday, Morris knows his accomplishments are nothing compared to those of Cougars’ coach Willie Fritz, who is in his 34th season as a collegiate head coach. The 66-year-old Fritz has orchestrated a turnaround at Houston the last two seasons and Morris is off to a strong start doing the same at Oklahoma State this season. The Cougars won just four games in Fritz’s first season before going 10-3 last year and getting off to a 5-1 start this season.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — The only two Big 12 meetings between No. 10 Texas Tech and Arizona State have proven to be an accurate predictor of who would eventually be the conference champion. That came with a strange twist. The home team won in each of the past two seasons, but it was the loser that then went on to win the Big 12 title. Defending Big 12 champion Texas Tech is 5-0 and a two-touchdown favorite at home Saturday against a 3-2 Arizona State. The Red Raiders fell 26-22 last year in Tempe. That was between Tech's 12 wins by an average margin of about five touchdowns.
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona State has hired Dave Hakstol as hockey coach while investigating an outdoor workout incident that left a player on life support. The previous coach, Greg Powers, has stepped down amid the investigation into the collapse of 21-year-old Matthew Mayich. He is unlikely to recover from external heat stroke. Arizona State athletic director Graham Rossini praised Hakstol's experience and success in building championship-caliber programs. The university has asked former Arizona State Supreme Court chief justice Scott Bales to lead an independent review of the incident. The Avalanche have hired Brett McLean to replace Hakstol.
PROVO, Utah (AP) — BYU’s reputation for developing quarterbacks attracted Bear Bachmeier, who transferred from Stanford. This move has paid off for both Bachmeier and the No. 8 Cougars. He recently delivered a standout performance against Iowa State, throwing for 329 yards and three touchdowns, and running for 109 yards. Bachmeier is the first BYU quarterback since 2013 to achieve such stats in a single game. Coach Kalani Sitake praises his work ethic, while offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick highlights Bachmeier’s quick grasp of the playbook. Next up is a game against No. 2 Notre Dame.
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma State has a couple of older newcomers on defense that often get overshadowed by the 18th-ranked Cowboys' prolific offense. Power Four leading tackler Ethan Wesloski is a 23-year-old who played 41 games at North Texas the past four seasons. Fellow linebacker Tate Romney is a 24-year-old transfer from Arizona State and father of two who is fourth in the Big 12. The Cowboys are off to a 4-1 start under new coach Eric Morris and play Saturday at No. 20 Houston. They have a four-game winning streak while scoring at least 39 points in each of those wins.
