Big 12 Football Power Rankings: Another week, another new team on top

Ross D. Franklin, AP Photo
Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, left, hands the ball off to Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo during the first half of an NCAA college football game against BYU Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Tempe, Ariz.Here are our weekly power rankings of Big 12 teams with a look at their schedules and matchups.
1. No. 14 Arizona State (9-2, 6-2 Big 12)
Last results: Cam Skattabo rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 21 Arizona State past No. 14 BYU 28-23.
Game On: Saturday at Arizona (4-7, 2-6 Big 12), 1:30 p.m. MT (FOX)
What’s Up? Fans rushed the field twice in the game against BYU, causing a 15-minute delay. … Jordan Tyson caught nine passes for 125 yards for the Sun Devils. … Arizona State’s last win the series with state rival Arizona came in 2021, a 38-15 victory in Tempe.
2. No. 17 Iowa State (9-2, 6-2 Big 12)
Last results: Carson Hansen ran for two touchdowns, including a 3-yard run with 1:31 to play, to rally No. 22 Iowa State to a 31-28 victory at Utah.
Game On: Saturday vs. Kansas State (8-3, 5-3 Big 12), 5:30 p.m. MT (FOX)
What’s Up? Jayden Higgins totaled 155 yards and a touchdown on nine catches for Iowa State in the win at Utah. … The Cyclones lead the overall series with Kansas State 53-50-4 and won last year’s meeting 42-35 in Manhattan.
3. No. 19 BYU (9-2, 6-2 Big 12)
Last results: No. 14 BYU battled back from a 21-0 first-half deficit but a late interception throw by Jake Retzlaff ended the Cougars comeback in a 28-23 loss to No. 21 Arizona State.
Game On: Saturday vs. Houston (4-7, 3-5 Big 12), 8:15 p.m. MT (ESPN)
What’s Up? Jake Retzlaff was 22 of 38 for 297 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions against Arizona State. … BYU has won all three meetings with Houston, including a 43-26 victory in 2020 on the road.
4. No. 23 Colorado (8-3, 6-2 Big 12)
Last results: Colorado surrendered 520 yards of offense to Kansas, which shocked the No. 16 Buffaloes 37-21.
Game On: Friday vs. Oklahoma State (3-8, 0-8 Big 12), 10 a.m. MT (ABC)
What’s Up? Shedeur Sanders passed for 266 yards and three touchdowns and Travis Hunter caught eight balls for 125 yards and two scores against Kansas. … Colorado leads the overall series with Oklahoma State 26-20-1.
5. Kansas State (8-3, 5-3 Big 12)
Last results: DJ Giddens rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns as Kansas State routed Cincinnati 41-15.
Game On: Saturday at Iowa State (9-2, 6-2 Big 12), 5:30 p.m. MT (FOX)
What’s Up? Avery Johnson threw two touchdown passes and ran 10 times for 81 yards and another score against Cincinnati, helping to snap a two-game losing streak in the series. … Kansas State won ten straight in the series with Iowa State from 2008 to 2017. … The Wildcats’ last win in the series was in 2022, a 10-9 victory in Ames.
6. Kansas (5-6, 4-4 Big 12)
Last results: Devin Neal ran for 207 yards and three touchdowns while catching four passes for 80 yards and another score as Kansas knocked off No. 16 Colorado 37-21.
Game On: Saturday at Baylor (7-4, 5-3 Big 12), 10 a.m. MT (ESPN2)
What’s Up? Kansas is the first team with a losing record to win three straight games against programs in the Top 25 (Kansas State, BYU and Colorado). … If Kansas wins its sixth win, it will be the first time in program history it has gone to three consecutive bowls. … The Jayhawks’ last win in the series with Baylor was in 2007, a 58-10 victory in Lawrence.
7. Baylor (7-4, 5-3 Big 12)
Last results: Sawyer Robertson threw for 204 yards and two touchdowns and Bryson Washington ran for 113 yards as Baylor defeated Houston 20-10.
Game On: Saturday vs. Kansas (5-6, 4-4 Big 12), 10 a.m. MT (ESPN2)
What’s Up? Baylor, which forced four turnovers against Houston, has won five straight games. … The Bears lead the overall series with Kansas 18-4 and have won 13 in a row against the Jayhawks.
8. TCU (7-4, 5-3 Big 12)
Last results: Josh Hoover threw for 252 yards and a touchdown and JP Richardson had 149 all-purpose yards in TCU’s 49-28 victory against Arizona.
Game On: Saturday at Cincinnati (5-6, 3-5 Big 12), 4 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
What’s Up? TCU has won four of its past five games, the only blemish a 37-34 last-second loss at Baylor. … The Horned Frogs’ last win in the series with Cincinnati was in 2003, a 43-10 victory in Forth Worth.
9. Texas Tech (7-4, 5-3 Big 12)
Last results: Behren Morton and Tahj Brooks each accounted for four touchdowns as Texas Tech held off Oklahoma State 56-48.
Game On: Saturday vs. West Virginia (6-5, 5-3 Big 12), 10 a.m. MT (FS1)
What’s Up? Morton was 35 of 50 for 366 yards, four touchdowns and one interception and Brooks ran 28 times for 133 yards and three scores. … Texas Tech’s last win the series with West Virginia was in 2022, a 48-10 victory in Lubbock.
10. West Virginia (6-5, 5-3 Big 12)
Last results: CJ Donaldson had two short touchdown runs and West Virginia became bowl eligible with a 31-21 victory against UCF.
Game On: Saturday at Texas Tech (7-4, 5-3 Big 12), 10 a.m. MT (FS1)
What’s Up? West Virginia avoided losing at home for the fifth time, which hasn’t happened since 1990. … The Mountaineers lead the overall series with Texas Tech 7-6, including a 20-13 victory last year in Morgantown.
11. Cincinnati (5-6, 3-5 Big 12)
Last results: Cincinnati lost its fourth straight game, falling to Kansas State 41-15.
Game On: Saturday vs. TCU (7-4, 5-3 Big 12), 4 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
What’s Up? The Bearcats were 3 of 12 on third down and 0 of 5 on fourth down against Kansas State. … Cincinnati needs a home win against TCU to achieve bowl eligibility. … The Bearcats won the last meeting in the series with TCU 21-10 at home in 2004.
12. Arizona (4-7, 2-6 Big 12)
Last results: Noah Fifita was 29 of 44 for 284 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in Arizona’s 49-28 loss to TCU.
Game On: Saturday vs. No. 14 Arizona State (9-2, 6-2 Big 12), 1:30 p.m. MT (FOX)
What’s Up? Tetairoa McMillan caught nine passes for 115 yards against TCU and became the all-time leading receiver in school history with 3,355 yards. … Arizona leads the overall series with Arizona State 51-45-1 and has won the past two meetings, including 59-23 in Tempe last year.
13. Houston (4-7, 3-5 Big 12)
Last results: Houston scored 10 points or fewer for the fifth time this season, losing to Baylor 20-10.
Game On: Saturday at No.19 BYU (9-2, 6-2 Big 12), 8:15 p.m. MT (ESPN)
What’s Up? Zeon Chriss threw three interceptions in the loss to Baylor. … Houston hasn’t scored an offensive touchdown since Nov. 2 against Kansas State…. The Red Cougars led the 2020 game with BYU 26-14 late in the third quarter but lost 43-26.
14. UCF (4-7, 2-6 Big 12)
Last results: RJ Harvey rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries in UCF’s 31-21 loss to West Virginia.
Game On: Friday vs. Utah (4-7, 1-7 Big 12), 6 p.m. MT (FOX)
What’s Up? Dylan Rizk was 11 of 21 for 172 yards and one touchdown in the loss to West Virginia. … The Golden Knights have lost seven of eight games after a 3-0 start. … This is the first meeting between UCF and Utah.
15. Utah (4-7, 1-7 Big 12)
Last results: Utah’s Cole Becker missed a 54-yard field goal with 17 seconds left as No. 22 Iowa State preserved a 31-28 victory in Salt Lake City.
Game On: Friday at UCF (4-7, 2-6 Big 12) 6 p.m. MT (FOX)
What’s Up? Utah managed only 99 yards of total offense through the first three quarters in the loss to Iowa State. … Aside from the pandemic year (2020), Utah last failed to reach a bowl game in 2013. … The Utes have lost seven games in a row.
16. Oklahoma State (3-8, 0-8 Big 12)
Last results: Ollie Gordon II rushed 15 times for 156 yards and three touchdowns but Oklahoma State lost its eight straight game, a 56-48 defeat at the hands of Texas Tech.
Game On: Friday at No. 23 Colorado, 10 a.m. MT (ABC)
What’s Up? Maealiuaki Smith was 26 of 36 for 326 yards, two touchdowns and one interception against Texas Tech. … Oklahoma State, which has lost eight straight games, has won the past three meetings with Colorado, including a 38-8 victory in the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl.