College football: Big-5 glance

Big-5 futures

Up: Utah — Two home games and then at TCU

Down: BYU — Cougars at low point of the season

Down: Utah State — Hard to win in Fresno

Steady: Weber State — Not afraid of Grizzlies

Up: Southern Utah — Confident at home

Player to watch

Cameron Higgins, Weber State, quarterback

Montana gives up 285 passing yards a game — second-worst in the Big Sky. Higgins and the Wildcats lead the conference in passing yards (307 per game) and touchdowns (24). It all adds up for great fantasy numbers this week.

Game of the week

Weber State at Montana

The two top Big Sky teams face off for the third time in 13 months. The Wildcats won 45-28 in Ogden last season, only to lose 24-13 in the FCS playoffs in Missoula, Mont., on Dec. 6.

Talk of the subdivision

Big 12 Conference

The spread isn't dead, but Missouri coach Gary Pinkel says the offense isn't thriving like it was in recent seasons in the Big 12 and the rest of college football.

Defenses appear to be catching up to the dinking and dunking of the quick-pass offense, meaning it might not be long before a new fad crops up.

"It's not based on empirical evidence, but I just sense so many people run versions of the spread offense — even I-formation teams — that people are getting better at defending it because they see it all the time," Pinkel said Monday.

Pinkel's comment came two days after his Tigers' spread was limited to 99 yards passing in a 41-7 home loss to third-ranked Texas. Missouri, which had been averaging 405 total yards, generated 173 against the Longhorns.

Oklahoma and Nebraska also have shown a knack for slowing down the spread, but no one is doing it better than Texas of late.

The Longhorns have allowed an average of 166 total yards and 2.9 yards per play in their last four games, each against spread attacks.

Texas coach Mack Brown has made the recruitment of anti-spread defenders an emphasis.

He said all players in the secondary, safeties included, must be able to be shut down receivers in man coverage.

Quotable

"I think we turned ourselves around (since Boise State) and showed that we aren't a dirty program. It'll be exciting to have people watch us and show them who we are."

Casey Matthews

Oregon Ducks linebacker

State of the state

BYU (6-2)

Bye

Next up: at Wyoming (4-3)

Nov. 7, noon

Utah (6-1)

Opponent: Wyoming

Location: Salt Lake City

Day: Saturday

Time: 6 p.m.

TV: The mtn.

Radio: 700 AM

About the Cowboys (4-3): After three straight victories, they were blanked at Air Force — the second time they've suffered a shutout. The Halloween game will be a "blackout" game where fans will be encouraged to wear black.

Utah State (2-5)

Opponent: Fresno State

Location: Fresno, Calif.

Day: Saturday

Time: 3 p.m.

TV: none