Copyright Salt Lake Tribune
BYU was the overwhelming pick in this week’s Big 12 power rankings ahead of Saturday’s showdown with Texas Tech in Lubbock. The Cougars received 14 of 16 first-place votes from a panel of media who regularly cover the league. Texas Tech received the other two first-place votes. Utah was third, followed by Cincinnati and Arizona State. 1. BYU Previous ranking: 1 Points: 254 (14 first-place votes) Record: 8-0 (5-0 Big 12) Last week: Open date This week: at No. 9 Texas Tech Comment: Running back LJ Martin’s status is up in the air for the game this weekend. Did you know? “College GameDay” is coming to Lubbock for a Top 10 matchup. — Kevin Reynolds, The Salt Lake Tribune 2. Texas Tech Previous ranking: 3 Points: 240 (two first-place votes) Record: 8-1 (5-1 Big 12) Last week: beat Kansas State, 43-20 This week: vs. No. 8 BYU Comment: After taking a little time to shake off the cobwebs, Behren Morton was solid in his return while the defense forced five turnovers to get a needed road win against the Wildcats. Did you know? “Since 2008” is a theme for Texas Tech this year and continues this week. “College GameDay” is coming to town for the Red Raiders’ Top 10 showdown with the Cougars, each occurrence last happening in 2008. — Nathan Giese, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal 3. Utah Previous ranking: 5 Points: 223 Record: 7-2 (4-2 Big 12) Last week: beat No. 17 Cincinnati, 45-14 This week: Open date Comment: In his return from a one-game absence, Devon Dampier led Utah to its first marquee victory over a top 25 opponent. While slim, the Utes chances of making the Big 12 title game are still alive with three games remaining on their schedule. Did you know? Ute freshman punt returner Mana Carvalho became the first Utah player since Britian Covey in 2021 to return a punt for a touchdown. — Jason Batacao, The Salt Lake Tribune 4. Cincinnati Previous ranking: 2 Points: 197 Record: 7-2 (5-1 Big 12) Last week: lost to No. 24 Utah, 45-14 This week: Open date Comment: The Bearcats ran into a hungry Utes team that doubled UC in possession time and continued to be dominant at night. Brendan Sorsby’s rushing TD tied the game early, but the Bearcats were unable to answer once Utah took command. Stephen Rusnak missed his first field goal of the season and a Sorsby fumble stopped another scoring opportunity. The Bearcats couldn’t keep pace and Sorsby finished just 11-for-33 for 211 yards and one TD through the air. Did you know? In both losses, the Bearcats have trailed at halftime. The 14 points was a season low. — Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer 5. Arizona State Previous ranking: 7 Points: Record: 6-3 (4-2 Big 12) Last week: beat Iowa State, 24-19 This week: Open date Comment: Subbing for the injured Sam Leavitt, Jeff Sims rushed for 228 yards and threw for 177, accounting for 405 of his team’s 467 total yards. The rushing total was a single-game best for a quarterback in school history, shattering the 139 of Mark Malone in 1978. Did you know? The Sun Devils have not lost back-to-back games in the last two seasons. They are now 5-0 after a loss. They are also 10-3 in games decided by eight points or less in the last two years. —Michelle Gardner, Arizona Republic 6. Houston Previous ranking: 4 Points: 176 Record: 7-2 (4-2 Big 12) Last week: lost to West Virginia, 45-35 This week: at UCF (Friday) Comment: Houston wasted an opportunity to keep pace in the Big 12 race with an error-prone loss to West Virginia, which entered the game on a five-game losing streak. One bright spot was the performance of Amare Thomas, who had three touchdown catches to increase his season total to seven. Did you know? The Cougars have committed seven turnovers in two losses this season. They have only one in their seven wins. - Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle 7. TCU Previous ranking: 6 Points: 170 Record: 6-2 (3-2 Big 12) Last week: Open date This week: vs. Iowa State Comment: TCU’s second off week came at the right time, as the Frogs used the week off to get healthy along the offensive line and at running back. The Frogs need a healthy roster for this November stretch, which includes games against three of the top four teams in the Big 12 standings. Did you know? TCU can reach the Big 12 Championship if it wins out. TCU can reach the Big 12 Championship if it wins out. TCU can reach the Big 12 Championship if it wins out. - Jamie Plunkett, Horned Frog Blitz 8. Baylor Previous ranking: 10 Points: 130 Record: 5-4 (3-3 Big 12) Last week: beat UCF, 30-3 This week: Open date Comment: For the first time this season, Baylor played a complete game. Sawyer Robertson threw for three touchdowns and tight end Michael Trigg continued to climb the charts as one of the best tight ends in school history. The Bears held the Knights, who average more than 200 rushing yards per game, to 74 yards on the ground. Baylor will look to carry some momentum through the second open week before hosting Utah to begin the final stretch of the regular season. Did you know? The Bears held a conference opponent without a touchdown for the first time since Sept. 30, 2006, when they gave up just three points against Kansas State. — Zach Smith, Waco Tribune-Herald 9. Kansas State Previous ranking: 8 Points: 119 Record: 4-5 (3-3 Big 12) Last week: lost to No. 13 Texas Tech, 43-20 This week: Open date Comment: Down nine, midway through the fourth quarter, Texas Tech showed why it has one of the best defenses in the country. The Red Raiders forced three turnovers-on-downs and a scoop-and-score fumble recovery for a touchdown to put the game well out of reach for the Wildcats. Did you know? K-State needs wins in two of its final three games of the season to avoid missing a bowl for the first time since the 2020 COVID season. — Tim Everson, The Manhattan Mercury 10. Arizona Previous ranking: 11 Points: 115 Record: 5-3 (2-3 Big 12) Last week: beat Colorado, 52-17 This week: vs. Kansas Comment: Arizona snapped its five-game losing streak on the road after thrashing CU by five touchdowns. The Wildcats’ win over Colorado marked the largest margin of victory on the road since their win over Washington State in 2023. Arizona forced five takeaways for the second time this season, and the Wildcats are tied with BYU for the most interceptions in the Big 12 this season. Arizona is now 2-6 on the road under head coach Brent Brennan. Did you know? Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, who was recently named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, is three touchdowns shy of becoming UA’s all-time career passing touchdowns leader. — Justin Spears, Arizona Daily Star 11. Iowa State Previous ranking: 9 Points: 100 Record: 5-4 (2-4 Big 12) Last week: lost to Arizona State, 24-19 This week: at TCU Comment: Iowa State converted just two of its 14 third downs in the loss to the Sun Devils, which is tied for the second-lowest conversion rate in a game since head coach Matt Campbell took over the program in 2016. Did you know? The Cyclones are one loss away from tying the longest skid (five games) in the Campbell era. And much like the five-game losing streaks in 2016 and 2022, one-score losses have been a problem. Three of Iowa State’s four consecutive losses this season have come by eight points or fewer. — Rob Gray, Cedar Rapids Gazette 12. Kansas Previous ranking: 12 Points: 98 Record: 5-4 (3-3 Big 12) Last week: beat Oklahoma State, 38-21 This week: at Arizona Comment: Questions remain about the Kansas defense, but the Jayhawks took care of business on offense against OSU, scoring on their first six drives with the help of a resurgent run game. Beginning this week at Arizona, KU now has three chances to earn bowl eligibility and make its third postseason trip under Lance Leipold. Did you know? KU kicker Laith Marjan is having a historic season that reached another milestone on Saturday as he made his 12th consecutive field goal, setting a school record. He has yet to miss a kick this year. — Henry Greenstein, Lawrence Journal-World 13. West Virginia Previous ranking: 15 Points: 54 Record: 3-6 (1-5 Big 12) Last week: beat No. 22 Houston, 45-35 This week: vs. Colorado Comment: West Virginia snapped its five-game losing streak with a complete performance on the road at Houston. The offense rushed for more than 250 yards, the defense forced three turnovers and special teams kicked a 50-yard field goal and recovered a muffed punt. Did You Know? Saturday was WVU’s first road win over a ranked foe since Will Grier’s two-point conversion to beat Texas in 2018. — Cody Nespor, Gold and Blue Nation 14. UCF Previous ranking: 14 Points: 52 Record: 4-4 (1-4 Big 12) Last week: lost to Baylor, 30-3 This week: vs. Houston (Friday) Comment: UCF fell behind by 20 points in the first half as Baylor cruised to a 30-3 win in Waco. It was the seventh consecutive road loss for the Knights, who haven’t won away from Acrisure Bounce House Stadium since 2023. UCF failed to score a touchdown, snapping a 121-game streak, going back to a 44-3 loss to USF on Nov. 26, 2015. Did you know? UCF aims to improve to 9-0 in its annual Space Game, scheduled for Friday. The Knights have outscored their opponents 405-159. — Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel 15. Colorado Previous ranking: 13 Points: 41 Record: 3-6 (1-5 Big 12) Last week: lost to Arizona, 52-17 This week: at West Virginia Comment: Colorado upset then-No. 22 Iowa State on Oct. 11 and has been destroyed in two games since then, outscored a combined 105-24 in losses to Utah and Arizona. The defense, which had found a bit of a groove in the middle of the season, has been dreadful, while the offense has been inept. Of CU’s 24 points the last two games, 17 were scored with the game already out of reach in the second half. Did you know? CU could hand the reins of the offense to true freshman quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis this week. If so, he’d be the third true freshman to start at quarterback for the Buffs in the last four seasons (Owen McCown in 2022, Ryan Staub in 2023). Prior to 2022, CU had just one true freshman start at quarterback in 14 years from 2008-21 (Sefo Liufau in 2013). — Brian Howell, Boulder Daily Camera 16. Oklahoma State Previous ranking: 16 Points: 17 Record: 1-8 (0-6 Big 12) Last week: lost to Kansas, 38-21 This week: Open date Comment: Quarterback Zane Flores returned after missing three games due to injury and threw a career-high 235 yards while also throwing the first two passing touchdowns of his career.
