×
×
homepage logo
SUBSCRIBE

Big 12 Football Power Rankings: Iowa State moves to top spot, BYU No. 2

By Darnell Dickson - | Oct 1, 2024

Michael Wyke, AP Photo

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht, back, looks to pass the ball under pressure from Houston linebacker Michael Batton (44) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Houston.

Here are our weekly power rankings of Big 12 teams with a look at their schedules and matchups.

1. No. 16 Iowa State (4-0, 1-0 Big 12)

Last results: No. 18 Iowa State won its Big 12 opener and is 4-0 for the first time since 2000, shutting out Houston 20-0.

Game On: Saturday vs. Baylor (2-3, 0-2 Big 12), 5:30 p.m. MT (FOX)

What’s Up? ISU coach Matt Campbell is now the school’s win leader with 57 victories. … The Cyclones won last year’s meeting with Baylor 30-17 in Waco.

2. No. 17 BYU (5-0, 2-0 Big 12)

Last results: No. 22 BYU jumped out to a 21-0 first quarter then had to hold on for a 34-28 victory, its first-ever Big 12 road win.

Game On: Bye

What’s Up? Darius Lassiter had his first 100-yard receiving game for BYU against Baylor, with eight catches for 120 yards and a touchdown. … The Cougars are off until Oct. 12, when they will host Arizona.

3. No. 20 Kansas State (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)

Last results: Avery Johnson accounted for five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) as No. 23 Kansas State raced past No. 20 Oklahoma State 42-20.

Game On: Bye

What’s Up? DJ Giddens ran for 187 yards and a score in the win against Oklahoma State. … The Wildcats have a bye week and will travel to Colorado on Oct. 12.

4. Arizona (3-1, 1-0 Big 12)

Last results: Noah Fifita threw for 197 yards and two touchdowns as Arizona topped No. 10 Utah 23-10 in Salt Lake City.

Game On: Saturday vs. Texas Tech (4-1, 2-0 Big 12), 9 p.m. MT (FOX)

What’s Up? Fifita’s 35-yard touchdown pass to Keyan Burnett with 8:13 to play was the clincher against No. 10 Utah. … Arizona won the last meeting with Texas Tech, a 28-14 victory in Tucson (2019).

5. Texas Tech (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)

Last results: Tahj Brooks ran for 172 yards and scored two touchdowns as Texas Tech held on for a wild 44-41 victory against Cincinnati.

Game On: Saturday at Arizona (3-1, 1-0 Big 12), 9 p.m. MT (FOX)

What’s Up? Texas Tech is 9-1 in one-possession games at home under Joey McGuire and their last five Big 12 wins have all been by one score. … The Red Raiders lead the overall series with Arizona 26-5-2 and one point won 22 of 24 meetings (1937-1978).

6. No. 18 Utah (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)

Last results: Dorian Singer caught nine passes for 155 yards for No. 10 Utah, which was stopped four times in fourth down in a 23-10 loss to Arizona.

Game On: Bye

What’s Up? Freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson, subbing for injured starter Cam Rising, threw for a career-high 280 yards but was intercepted twice. … The Utes are off until an Oct. 11 meeting with Arizona State.

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

Last results: Shedeur Sanders passed for 290 yards and three touchdowns and Colorado took advantage of four UCF turnovers in a 48-21 win in Orlando.

Game On: Bye

What’s Up? Travis Hunter caught nine passes for 89 yards and a touchdown and also had an interception. … Colorado’s next game in on Oct. 12 when it will host Kansas State.

8. UCF (3-1, 1-1 Big 12)

Last results: KJ Jefferson passed for two touchdowns and ran for another but UCF couldn’t keep up with Colorado in a 48-21 home loss.

Game On: Saturday at Florida (2-2, 1-1 SEC), 5:45 p.m. MT (SEC Network)

What’s Up? RJ Harvey rushed for 77 yards on 16 carries and caught a 76-yard touchdown pass for UCF. … Florida leads the overall series with UCF 2-1, thought the Golden Knights won the last meeting in 2021, 29-17, in the Gasparilla Bowl.

9. Arizona State (3-1, 0-1 Big 12)

Last results: Bye

Game On: Saturday vs. Kansas (1-4, 0-2 Big 12), 6 p.m. MT (ESPN2)

What’s Up? Cam Skattebo has totaled 623 yards from scrimmage this season (433 rushing, 190 receiving) for Arizona State, which last played on Oct. 5 in a 30-22 loss at Texas Tech. … Saturday is the first meeting between Arizona State and Kansas.

10. TCU (3-1, 1-1 Big 12)

Last results: Josh Hoover threw for 356 yards and three touchdowns as TCU rebounded from an embarrassing loss to SMU with a 38-27 road win at Kansas.

Game On: Friday vs. Houston (1-4, 0-2 Big 12), 5:30 p.m. MT (ESPN)

What’s Up? Jack Bech, who caught 10 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns against Kansas, has 25 catches for 516 yards (20.6 average) and four scores in four games. … The series between TCU and Houston is tied at 13-13. The Horned Frogs have won the past nine meetings, including a 36-13 win last year in Houston.

11. Oklahoma State (3-2, 0-2 Big 12)

Last results: Alan Bowman passed for 364 yards and a touchdown but also threw two interceptions in a 42-20 loss to No. 23 Kansas State.

Game On: Saturday vs. West Virginia (2-2, 1-0 Big 12), 2 p.m. MT (ESPN2)

What’s Up? Last year, Ollie Gordon II averaged 6.1 yards per carry. Through five games this season, he’s averaging 3.5. … Oklahoma State leads the overall series with West Virginia 10-5. … The Cowboys won 48-34 in Morgantown last year.

12. West Virginia (2-2, 1-0 Big 12)

Last results: Bye

Game On: Saturday at Oklahoma State (3-2, 0-2 Big 12), 2 p.m. MT (ESPN2)

What’s Up? West Virginia had a bye after its 32-28 win against Kansas on Sept. 21. … The Mountaineers last victory against Oklahoma State was in 2022, a 24-19 win in Stillwater.

13. Cincinnati (3-2, 1-1 Big 12)

Last results: Brendan Soresby threw for 426 yards and four touchdowns but Cincinnati missed a game-tying 51 yard field goal as time expired in a 44-41 loss to Texas Tech.

Game On: Bye

What’s Up? The Bearcats finished with 555 total yards against Texas Tech. … Cincinnati had trailed for only 17 seconds through their first four games. … The Bearcats are off until Oct. 12 when they will travel to Orlando to play UCF.

14. Baylor (2-3, 0-2 Big 12)

Last results: Sawyer Robertson passed for 324 yards and three touchdowns but two interceptions were costly in a 34-28 loss to No. 22 BYU.

Game On: Saturday at No. 16 Iowa State (4-0, 1-0 Big 12), 5:30 p.m. MT (FOX)

What’s Up? Josh Cameron caught seven passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns against BYU. … The Bears were 4 of 7 on fourth down against the Cougars. … Baylor leads the overall series with Iowa State 12-10.

15. Kansas (1-4, 0-2 Big 12)

Last results: Kansas led TCU 28-27 early in the fourth quarter but couldn’t hold on in a 38-27 home loss.

Game On: Saturday at Arizona State (3-1, 1-0 Big 12), 6 p.m. MT (ESPN2)

What’s Up? Jalon Daniels was 15 of 34 for 179 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the loss to TCU. … Devin Neal ran 14 times for 70 yards and a score. … Kansas allowed 507 yards to the Horned Frogs while totaling 346.

16. Houston (1-4, 0-2 Big 12)

Last results: Houston was shut out for the second straight game, dropping a 20-0 decision to No. 18 Iowa State.

Game On: Friday at TCU (3-2, 1-1 Big 12), 5:30 p.m. MT (ESPN)

What’s Up? Houston has only scored 26 points in its first five games. … The Cougars last win in the series with TCU was in 1992, 49-46 in Houston. TCU has won the past nine meetings.