×
×
homepage logo

Big 12 Football Power Rankings: Cincinnati surges after upset of Iowa State

By Darnell Dickson - | Oct 7, 2025

Carolyn Kaster, AP Photo

Cincinnati running back Evan Pryor (6) scores a touchdown ahead of Iowa State defensive end Ikenna Ezeogu (88) and defensive back Tre Bell (7) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Cincinnati.

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

1. No. 10 Texas Tech (5-0, 2-0 Big 12)

Last results: Behren Morton threw for 345 yards and a touchdown, J’Koby Williams ran for two scores and No. 11 Texas Tech rolled past previously unbeaten Houston 35-11.

Game On: Saturday vs. Kansas (4-2, 2-1 Big 12), 5:30 p.m. MT (FOX)

What’s Up? It’s the first time Texas Tech has won its first five games since opening the 2013 season 7-0. … The Red Raiders have outscored thir first five opponents 243-56. … Texas Tech leads the overall series with Kansas 23-2 and has won 16 of the past 17 meetings.

2. No. 18 BYU (5-0, 2-0 Big 12)

Last results: Freshman Bear Bachmeier threw for 351 yards and one touchdown while running for another score as No. 23 BYU took care of West Virginia 38-24.

Game On: Saturday at Arizona (4-1, 1-1 Big 12), 5 p.m. MT (ESPN2)

What’s Up? Wide receivers Chase Roberts and Parker Kingston both totaled more than 100 receiving yards against West Virginia, with Roberts at 161 yards and Kingston at 111. … BYU leads the overall series with Arizona 13-12-1 and have won the past four meetings, including a 41-19 decision at Provo last season.

3. No. 23 Arizona State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)

Last results: Defeated then-No. 24 TCU 27-24 on Sept. 27.

Game On: Saturday at Utah (4-1, 1-1 Big 12), 8:15 p.m. MT (ESPN)

What’s Up? Quarterback Sam Leavitt has 1,039 yards passing and eight touchdowns along with 281 rushing yards and five scores. … Arizona State leads the overall series with Utah 23-12 and won last year’s meeting 27-19 at Tempe.

4. Cincinnati (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)

Last results: Cincinnati jumped out to a 17-0 first quarter lead and held on for a 38-30 upset of No. 14 Iowa State.

Game On: Saturday vs. UCF (3-2, 0-2 Big 12), 10 a.m. MT (FS1)

What’s Up? The Bearcats beat a ranked opponent at home for the first time since a 35-20 win vs. No. 16 Houston in 2021. … Cincinnati ran for 260 yards (7.6 yards per carry) vs. Iowa State. … The series with UCF is tied at 5-5 but the Bearcats won last year’s meeting 19-13 in Orlando.

5. Utah (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)

Last results: Defeated West Virginia 48-14 in Morgantown on Sept. 27.

Game On: Saturday vs. No. 23 Arizona State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12), 8:15 p.m. MT (ESPN)

What’s Up? In five games, Devin Dampier has completed 72.5% of his passes for 1,027 yards, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions while rushing for 258 yards and two more scores. … Utah won four straight against Arizona State from 2019 to 2023, the last a 55-3 victory at Salt Lake City.

6. Arizona (4-1, 2-1 Big 12)

Last results: Noah Fifita threw for 376 yards and five touchdowns in three quarters as Arizona blasted Oklahoma State 41-13.

Game On: Saturday vs. No. 18 BYU (5-0, 2-0 Big 12), 5 p.m. MT (ESPN2)

What’s Up? The Oklahoma State win was a big bounce-back effort for the Wildcats after a 39-14 loss to Iowa State on Sept. 27. … Arizona’s last win in the series with BYU was in the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl, 31-21.

7. No. 21 Iowa State (5-1, 2-1 Big 12)

Last results: Rocco Becht passed for 314 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more scores but No. 14 Iowa State lost a 38-30 decision to Cincinnati.

Game On: Saturday at Colorado (2-4, 0-3 Big 12), 1:30 p.m. MT (ESPN)

What’s Up? The Cyclones, which trailed 31-7 in the second quarter vs. Cincinnati, had 16 players out with injuries. … The Cyclones have won just 16 of the 65 meetings with Colorado but the teams have split the pat six games.

8. TCU (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)

Last results: Josh Hoover threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes as TCU held off Colorado 35-21.

Game On: Saturday at Kansas State (2-4, 1-2 Big 12), 1:30 p.m. MT (FOX)

What’s Up? Hoover finished 23 of 33 passing for 275 yards and four touchdowns. … TCU’s last win in the series with Kansas State was 38-28 in 2022, though the Wildcats got revenge with a 31-28 victory in the Big 12 Championship Game that same season.

9. Houston (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)

Last results: Backup quarterback Zeon Chriss-Gremillion threw a 64-yard touchdown pass on his second play after coming into the game but Houston lost to No. 11 Texas Tech 35-11.

Game On: Saturday at Oklahoma State (1-4, 0-2 Big 12), 10 a.m. MT (TNT)

What’s Up? Houston quarterback Connor Weigman threw for 71 yards with an interception before going to the locker room late in the second quarter with an apparent injury. … The series with Oklahoma State is tied 10-10 with one tie.

10. Baylor (4-2, 2-1 Big 12)

Last results: Baylor’s Cooper Lanz blocked a 56-yard Kansas State field goal attempt with two seconds to play to preserve a 35-34 victory.

Game On: Bye (Next game is Oct. 18 at TCU)

What’s Up? Baylor’s Jacob Redding had a 66-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. … Conner Hawkins tied a career-best with a 53-yard field goal with 1:10 to play to give the Bears a one-point lead.

11. Kansas (4-2, 2-1 Big 12)

Last results: LeShon Williams scored on a 2-yard run with three minutes to play as Kansas held off UCF 27-20.

Game On: Saturday at No. 10 Texas Tech (5-0, 2-0 Big 12), 5:30 p.m. MT (FOX)

What’s Up? Kansas had three goal-line stops against UCF. … The Jayhawks’ last win in the series with Texas Tech was in 2019, a 37-34 victory at Lawrence. Their only other win was in 2001 (34-31 in Lubbock).

12. Kansas State (2-4, 1-2 Big 12)

Last results: A 56-yard field goal with two seconds to play was blocked and Kansas State lost to Baylor 35-34.

Game On: Saturday vs. TCU (4-1, 1-1 Big 12), 1:30 p.m. MT (FOX)

What’s Up? Luis Rodriguez kicked a 22-yard field goal with 1:48 remaining to put KSU up 34-32 after the Wildcats had first and goal at the Baylor 2-yard line. … Kansas State leads the series with TCU 10-8 and have won the past two meetings, including a 41-3 victory at Manhattan in 2023.

13. Colorado (2-4, 0-3 Big 12)

Last results: Kaidon Salter threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns but was also intercepted three times in a 35-21 loss to TCU.

Game On: Saturday vs. No. 21 Iowa State (5-1, 2-1 Big 12), 1:30 p.m. MT (ESPN)

What’s Up? Colorado tied the game with TCU at 21 with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Salter to Omarion Miller with 11:42 to play. … The Buffaloes lead the overall series with Iowa State 48-16-1, winning the last meeting 34-14 in 2010 at Boulder.

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

Last results: UCF’s final drive reached the Kansas 22-yard line but four straight incomplete passes ended a 27-20 loss.

Game On: Saturday at Cincinnati (4-1, 2-0 Big 12), 10 a.m. MT (FS1)

What’s Up? Myles Montgomery ran for 110 yards on 22 carries and scored two touchdowns. … UCF’s last win in the series with Cincinnati came in 2023, a 28-26 road victory.

15. West Virginia (2-4, 0-3 Big 12)

Last results: West Virginia finished plus-one in turnovers (three takeaways, two lost) but fell at No. 23 BYU 38-24.

Game On: Bye (Next game is Oct. 18 at UCF)

What’s Up? Starting quarterback Khalil Wilkins finished 7 of 15 for 81 yards and two interceptions against BYU. … The Mountaineers have surrendered 127 points in its three Big 12 losses.

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

Last results: Oklahoma State allowed 478 yards of offense in a 41-13 loss to Arizona.

Game On: Saturday vs. Houston (4-1, 1-1 Big 12), 10 a.m. MT (TNT)

What’s Up? OSU managed just 158 total yards and seven first downs against Arizona. … It was the Cowboys’ 11th straight Big 12 loss. … Oklahoma State won the last meeting with Houston 43-30 at Houston in 2023.

Starting at $4.32/week.

Subscribe Today