Big 12 power rankings: Where BYU and Utah stand in a conference where uncertainty reigns

Going into the 2024 season, there were five teams who received at least one first-place vote in the Big 12′s preseason media poll for the 2024 season.

None of those five teams have stayed unbeaten in conference play through the first weekend in October.

Utah, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Kansas and Arizona all have lost in league play — and in the case of the Cowboys and Jayhawks, they are 0-3 in Big 12 action.

That’s just one example of the zany nature of the 2024 Big 12 season thus far — and how it’s truly anybody’s conference to win at this point in the season.

How does that shape the current outlook of the conference?

Here’s our look at how the Big 12 stacks up through the sixth week of the 2024 season:

1. BYU Cougars (5-0, 2-0 Big 12)

• Poll movement: No change
• Last week: Bye
• Next game: Saturday vs. Arizona, 2 p.m. MDT (Fox)

One could argue that of the five Big 12 teams on a bye last week, no one benefitted more than the Cougars. BYU has managed to stay unbeaten through five games, but injuries were starting to mount, particularly on offense, and the time to heal should help the Cougars immensely.

The margin between BYU at No. 1 and Iowa State at No. 2 in these power rankings is razor thin, though the Cougars retain the edge. During the bye week, SMU — who lost to the Cougars in Week 2 — helped strengthen BYU’s resume by beating Louisville, and the Cougars have also handily beaten another Big 12 contender, Kansas State.

Can BYU pass its next challenge? Going into the season, Arizona was seen as one of the main challengers for the Big 12 title. While the Wildcats haven’t lived up to those expectations through six weeks, their win at Utah showed just how dangerous they can be, and Saturday’s matchup feels like a toss-up.

2. Iowa State Cyclones (5-0, 2-0 Big 12)

• Poll movement: No change
• Last week: Beat Baylor, 43-21
• Next game: Saturday at West Virginia, 6 p.m. MDT (Fox)

Iowa State has bullied its way to being the highest ranked team in the Big 12 right now in the national rankings by steadily outperforming its opponents, and there’s a valid argument they should be atop the power rankings as well. In their latest outing, the Cyclones overcame an early 14-3 deficit against Baylor before blowing the game wide open.

If Iowa State manages to beat West Virginia on the road this weekend — not an easy task, considering the momentum the Mountaineers are building — the Cyclones play three of their next four at home. That could set up Iowa State with the chance to be unbeaten going into the season’s final two weeks, when they play at Utah and host Kansas State.

3. Kansas State Wildcats (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)

• Poll movement: No change
• Last week: Bye
• Next game: Saturday at Colorado, 8:15 p.m. MDT (ESPN)

As the season reaches its midpoint for the Wildcats this weekend, Kansas State is right where it was expected to be at this point: right in the mix of the Big 12 championship chase. The only blemish was the blowout loss at BYU, but the Wildcats responded well in blitzing Oklahoma State.

Matching up with a surging Colorado team will make for must-see TV. Both the Wildcats and Buffaloes are playing well and coming off a bye, though this one has a bit more weight for Kansas State, with its one league loss to BYU already on in the standings.

4. Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-1, 3-0 Big 12)

• Poll movement: Climbed three spots
• Last week: Beat Arizona, 28-22
• Next game: Oct. 19 vs. Baylor, 2 p.m. MDT (ESPN2)

The Red Raiders are at the head of the Big 12 class through the first weekend in October, with a perfect 3-0 record. Texas Tech impressively went into Tucson and found a way to win against Arizona, even after blowing a 15-point halftime lead.

After its bye week, Texas Tech plays a pair of winnable games against two teams who have yet to win in Big 12 play — Baylor and TCU — before a matchup with No. 11 Iowa State on Nov. 2. That game could have huge implications on the conference race.

5. Colorado Buffaloes (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)

• Poll movement: No change
• Last week: Bye
• Next game: Saturday vs. No. 20 Kansas State, 8:15 p.m. MDT (ESPN)

Deion Sanders has his Buffaloes playing well in recent weeks and Colorado — with stars like Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter leading the way — finds itself in the thick of the Big 12 race heading into the season’s second month.

This week provides an opportunity for Colorado to prove itself even further — the Buffaloes host one of the top teams in the league, Kansas State, with the chance to not only stay unbeaten in Big 12 play but also hand the Wildcats a damaging second conference loss.

6. Utah Utes (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)

• Poll movement: No change
• Last week: Bye
• Next game: Friday at Arizona State, 8:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN)

It had to feel like a long week for Utah after the humbling loss to Arizona at home, though the bye week came at a good time for the Utes.

It appears like Cam Rising again won’t be available for Utah — reading between the tea leaves of Kyle Whittingham’s latest on the situation — so it will be the third road start for true freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson. So far, he’s 2-0 on the road and has looked more than capable of leading the Utah offense.

Arizona State is much improved from the previous few years. The question is, how much, and can the Sun Devils actually challenge Utah enough to make the Friday night game a thriller?

7. West Virginia Mountaineers (3-2, 2-0 Big 12)

• Poll movement: Climbed four spots
• Last week: Beat Oklahoma State, 38-14
• Next game: Saturday vs. No. 11 Iowa State, 6 p.m. MDT (Fox)

Talk about a statement: the Mountaineers went into Stillwater and handed Oklahoma State, one of the programs expected to contend for the Big 12 title heading into 2024, an embarrassing beatdown. West Virginia has bounced back well from a tough nonconference slate.

Up next is another chance for West Virginia to make a major impact on the conference race, with the Big 12′s top-ranked team, Iowa State, coming to town. It looks like the Mountaineers, like they were for much of last year, will once again be a factor in the Big 12 race this season.

8. Arizona State Sun Devils (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)

• Poll movement: No change
• Last week: Beat Kansas, 35-31
• Next game: Friday vs. No. 16 Utah, 8:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN)

At the start of the year, a 4-1 record at this point in the season for Kenny Dillingham’s program seemed like a long shot — they were predicted to finish last in the league. Yet here are the Sun Devils, sitting right in the middle of the Big 12 mix after Arizona State rallied to beat Kansas in a back-and-forth game.

Now, the Sun Devils get to prove just how far their team has progessed with league preseason favorite Utah coming to town for a Friday night contest. If Arizona State can compete — or even pull off a win — the Sun Devils’ profile takes a major jump.

9. Arizona Wildcats (3-2, 1-1 Big 12)

• Poll movement: Dropped five spots
• Last week: Lost to Texas Tech, 28-22
• Next game: Saturday at No. 14 BYU, 2 p.m. MDT (Fox)

That was a heartbreaking result for Arizona after the Wildcats went into Salt Lake City last week and knocked off the Utes. Arizona fell flat in the first half against Texas Tech, willed itself to a lead in the second half, then fell apart down the stretch. And with it, the Wildcats are in a tough spot.

Can Arizona rally and knock BYU from the unbeaten ranks this week? If so, the Wildcats stay firmly in the Big 12 race. If not, their best chances in the league chase is to hope for chaos and some help in the back half of the season while also correcting their struggles.

10. UCF Knights (3-2, 1-1 Big 12)

• Poll movement: Dropped one spot
• Last week: Lost to Florida, 24-13
• Next game: Saturday vs. Cincinnati, 1:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN2)

While there was some hope that UCF could beat Florida in the Swamp and secure a victory over an SEC team, the Gators put that talk to bed early as they raced out to a 24-3 lead. Can the Knights learn from the struggles against Florida and apply some lessons as they head back into Big 12 play?

That first challenge will come from Cincinnati, another second-year Big 12 member that has a similar record. It’s an important, almost must-win situation, with the Knights playing at No. 11 Iowa State and hosting No. 14 BYU in its two games after playing the Bearcats.

11. Cincinnati Bearcats (3-2, 1-1 Big 12)

• Poll movement: Climbed two spots
• Last week: Bye
• Next game: Saturday at UCF, 1:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN2)

The Bearcats were one of the fortunate few who had a bye this past week and weren’t involved in all the chaos from Week 6 of the college season. Instead, Cincinnati healed up, reset and had its spot in the power rankings climb while unexpected results happened around them.

The game at UCF should be telling — can the Bearcats become a factor in the Big 12 race? So far, Cincinnati has lost twice by a total of four points and had its chances against first-place Texas Tech.

12. Houston Cougars (2-4, 1-2 Big 12)

• Poll movement: Climbed four sports
• Last week: Beat TCU, 30-19
• Next game: Oct. 19 at Kansas, 1:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN+)

This was a shocking, albeit welcome result — the Cougars picked up their first Big 12 win to halt a two-game losing streak. They did it with a new quarterback, Zeon Chriss, who impressed with both his arm and his legs (he had 238 total yards) in the win over TCU.

Can Houston beat Kansas on the road following a bye? If so, it would give them some momentum going into a two-game stretch where they’ll host two ranked teams, Utah and Kansas State.

13. TCU Horned Frogs (3-3, 1-2 Big 12)

• Poll movement: Dropped three spots
• Last week: Lost to Houston, 30-19
• Next game: Oct. 19 at No. 16 Utah, 8:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN)

Things are looking shaky in Fort Worth after the Horned Frogs lost for the third time in four games, and needed a fourth-quarter rally in the other to pull out a win over Kansas. TCU allowed Houston, which hadn’t scored any points in two straight losses heading into the game, to score 30 and put up 364 total yards, while the Horned Frogs turned the ball over four times.

The first-year success under Sonny Dykes back in 2022 feels like a world away at this point, and even though the Horned Frogs have a bye next, they’ll face the preseason favorite in two weeks when they play at Utah.

14. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-3, 0-3 Big 12)

• Poll movement: Dropped two spots
• Last week: Lost to West Virginia, 38-14
• Next game: Oct. 18 at No. 14 BYU, 8:15 p.m. MDT (ESPN)

What’s happening in Stillwater? I’m sure Mike Gundy would love to have that answer. The Cowboys’ third straight loss came at home against West Virginia, as the Mountaineers built a 31-7 halftime and cruised to the victory while putting up 558 yards of total offense.

Oklahoma State may only be .500 on the season overall, but its Big 12 championship hopes are all but dashed at this point, unless the Cowboys can come out of their bye and start to play the way outsiders expected coming into the year.

15. Baylor Bears (2-4, 0-3 Big 12)

• Poll movement: Dropped one spot
• Last week: Lost to then-No. 16 Iowa State, 43-21
• Next game: Oct. 19 at Texas Tech, 2 p.m. MDT (ESPN2)

Baylor got off to a good start against the ranked Cyclones, taking a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter. Then things fell apart, as Iowa State outscored the Bears 40-7 the rest of the way, including a blocked punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter.

Can Baylor take advantage of a bye week and come out stronger in the second half of the season? Dave Aranda’s job could be on the line if the Bears don’t improve, and fast.

16. Kansas Jayhawks (1-5, 0-3 Big 12)

• Poll movement: Dropped one spot
• Last week: Lost to Arizona State, 35-31
• Next game: Oct. 19 vs. Houston, 1:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN+)

The crushing losses continue to pile up, as the Jayhawks’ losing streak hit five games. This time, Kansas went back and forth with Arizona State — the lead changed hands five times in the fourth quarter before the Sun Devils scored the game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds left on a short pass.

The narrative surrounding the Jayhawks has changed vastly since the start of the year, when Kansas was seen as a Big 12 contender. The bye week comes at a good time for a team that needs to reset after its fourth one-score loss of the season.