Big 12 Football Power Rankings: Utah, Texas Tech with clear paths to Big 12 title game
- BYU’s Keanu Tanuvasa (57) puts pressure on Utah quarterback Devon Dampier in a Big 12 football game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026.
- Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond, left, turns to the bench and raises his arms to indicate a touchdown by running back Quinten Joyner in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Colorado, Saturday, Oct. 3 2026, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
- BYU’s Sione Moa carries the ball against Utah in a Big 12 football game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026.

BYU's Keanu Tanuvasa (57) puts pressure on Utah quarterback Devon Dampier in a Big 12 football game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026.
Each week of the college football season the Daily Herald’s Darnell Dickson takes a deep dive into the Big 12: What happened and what’s up next with the league’s 16 teams.
1. No. 2 Utah (9-0, 6-0)
Last results: No. 3 Utah ended its three-game losing streak to rival BYU, beating the 7th-ranked Cougars 28-20.
Game On: Saturday at Arizona (7-2, 4-2), 5:30 p.m. MT (XXX)
What’s Up? Devon Dampier had two touchdown passes and two touchdown runs against BYU. … The Utes have outscored their nine opponents 103-9 in the first quarter of games. … Utah leads the overall series with Arizona 26-21-2 with its last victory coming in 2022 (45-20 at Salt Lake City).
2. No. 10 Texas Tech (8-1, 5-1)
Last results: No. 15 Texas Tech outscored West Virginia 12-0 in the fourth quarter, including a safety in the final minute, to close out a wild 53-48 victory.

Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond, left, turns to the bench and raises his arms to indicate a touchdown by running back Quinten Joyner in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Colorado, Saturday, Oct. 3 2026, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Game On: Saturday at Oklahoma State (6-3, 4-2), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
What’s Up? Texas Tech and West Virginia totaled more than 1,200 yards of offense. … Thomas Castellanos finished 18 of 27 for 362 yards and five touchdown passing while rushing for 102 yards. … J’Koby Williams rushed 19 times for 160 yards and a TD. … Texas Tech leads the overall series with Oklahoma State 25-24-3 and has won the past two meetings: 42-0 at Lubbock in 2025 and 56-48 at Stillwater in 2024.
3. No. 12 BYU (7-2, 4-2)
Last results: No. 7 BYU lost its second game in three weeks with a 28-20 defeat at the hands of rival Utah, the third-ranked team in the country.
Game On: Saturday vs. Baylor (6-3, 4-2), 1:30 p.m. MT (FOX)
What’s Up? All of Bear Bachmeier’s four interceptions came in Utah territory. … LJ Martin carried the ball seven times for 19 yards and a touchdown in his first game since Oct. 3. … BYU leads the overall series with Baylor 3-2 and has won the past two meetings: 34-28 at Waco in 2024 and 26-20 in overtime at Provo in 2022.
4. No. 14 Houston (7-2, 4-2)

BYU's Sione Moa carries the ball against Utah in a Big 12 football game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026.
Last results: Re’Shaun Sanford II ran for 126 yards and the tiebreaking score in the fourth quarter as No. 17 Houston beat Cincinnati 31-24.
Game On: Friday at Colorado (3-6, 1-5), 8:15 p.m. MT (ESPN)
What’s Up? Sanford’s 51-yard touchdown with run 5:10 to play was the difference for the Cougars. … The series with Colorado is tied at 1-1, with Houston’s victory coming in 2025 at home, 36-20.
5. No. 22 Arizona (7-2, 4-2)
Last results: Michael Salgado-Medina kicked a 37-yard field goal with 39 seconds left after No. 24 Arizona recovered an onside pooch kick in the Wildcats’ improbable 29-28 victory against TCU.
Game On: Saturday vs. No. 2 Utah (9-0, 6-0), 5:30 p.m. MT (XXX)
What’s Up? Arizona missed a 2-point attempt to take the lead before the successful onside kick, which was recovered by Zuri Watson at the TCU 26. … The Wildcats have won seven straight home games, their longest streak since 1993-94. … Arizona has won the past two meetings with Utah: 23-10 at SLC in 2024 and 42-18 at Tucson in 2023.
6. Baylor (6-3, 4-2)
Last results: DJ Lagway threw for 229 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for a career-high 119 yards and another score to lead Baylor to a 42-31 win against Iowa State.
Game On: Saturday at No. 12 BYU (7-2, 4-2), 1:30 p.m. MT (FOX)
What’s Up? The Bears improved to 2-0 under interim coach Joe Klanderman. Of the eight touchdowns scored in the Baylor-Iowa State game, five were 33 yards or longer. … Baylor last beat BYU 38-24 at Waco in 2021.
7. Oklahoma State (6-3, 4-2)
Last results: OSU quarterback Drew Mestemaker became the first FBS player with four touchdown passes, one rushing TD and one receiving score since Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong against BYU in 2021 as the Cowboys trounced Kansas State 66-28.
Game On: Saturday vs. No. 10 Texas Tech (8-1, 5-1), 7:30 p.m. MT (ESPN)
What’s Up? Mestemaker finished 22 of 28 for 313 yards through the air. … Caleb Hawkins had three first half rushing TD’s and finished with 175 yards on the ground while also scoring a receiving TD. … The Cowboys last win in the series with Texas Tech came in 2022, a 41-31 victory at Stillwater.
8. Arizona State (5-4, 4-3)
Last results: Jake Fette became the first Arizona State quarterback in 30 years to throw and catch a touchdown pass in the same game in the Sun Devils’ 20-10 win against Colorado.
Game On: Saturday at UCF (5-4, 3-3), 1:30 p.m. MT (ESPN2)
What’s Up? Jake “The Snake” Plummer was the last Arizona State quarterback to throw and catch a TD pass in the same game. … The Sun Devils led Colorado 17-0 at halftime. … Arizona State leads overall series with UCF 2-0.
9. West Virginia (5-4, 2-4)
Last results: West Virginia rallied from a 41-27 halftime deficit to take a 48-41 lead but eventual lost to No. 15 Texas Tech 53-48.
Game On: Saturday vs. Kansas (3-6, 1-5), 3:30 p.m. MT (ESPNU)
What’s Up? The 102 combined points is the most in a Big 12 game this season. … Michael Hawkins Jr. was 11 of 16 for 303 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 88 yards and three scores. … Cam Cook rushed 23 times for 149 yards and a score. … West Virginia leads overall series with Kansas 11-3, including a 32-28 victory at Morgantown in 2024.
10. Cincinnati (5-4, 2-4)
Last results: JC French IV finished 19 of 30 for 217 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another score in a 31-24 loss to No. 17 Houston.
Game On: Saturday at Iowa State (4-5, 2-4), 10 a.m. MT (TNT/TruTV)
What’s Up? The Bearcats are one win away from bowl eligibility. … Cincinnati was 9 of 14 on third downs against Houston. … The Bearcats won the last meeting with Iowa State 38-20 at Cincinnati in 2025.
11. UCF (5-4, 3-3)
Last results: Caden Piening caught a 6-yard touchdown pass with three seconds left to lift UCF over Kansas 33-32.
Game On: Saturday vs. Arizona State (5-4, 3-3), 1:30 p.m. MT (ESPN2)
What’s Up? The Golden Knights’ victory ended a 12-game road losing streak. … UCF was not called for a single penalty in the game. … The Golden Knights are 0-2 against Arizona State, with both losses in Tempe: 46-13 in 2002 and 35-31 in 2024.
12. Iowa State (4-5, 2-4)
Last results: Iowa State lost their third game in the past four with a 42-31 defeat by Baylor.
Game On: Saturday vs. Cincinnati (5-4, 2-4), 10 a.m. MT (TNT/TruTV)
What’s Up? Aiden Flora rushed 26 times for 182 yards and a 40-yard touchdown. … Jaylen Raynor finished 22 of 37 for 256 yards and two TD’s. … The Cyclones lead the overall series with Cincinnati 2-1, winning 30-10 on the road in 2023 and 34-17 at Ames in 2024.
13. TCU (4-5, 2-4)
Last results: Quarterback Jaden Craig ran for two touchdowns and passed for another in TCU’s 29-28 loss to No. 22 Arizona.
Game On: Saturday vs. Kansas State (4-5, 1-5), noon MT (ESPNU)
What’s Up? TCU managed just 49 rushing yards on 21 carries (2.3 yards per carry) against Arizona. … Kari Ashley had 14 catches for 95 yards. … TCU’s last win in the series with Kansas State came in 2022, a 38-28 victory at Fort Worth.
14. Colorado (3-6, 1-5)
Last results: Isaac Wilson finished 20 of 31 for 248 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Colorado’s 20-10 loss to Arizona State.
Game On: Friday vs. No. 14 Houston (7-2, 4-2), 8:15 p.m. MT (ESPN)
What’s Up? The Buffaloes hopes for victory ended with a failed fourth-and-15 near midfield with 2:43 left in the game. … Colorado is 1-1 all-time against Houston. … The Buffaloes win came in the 1971 Bluebonnet Bowl at Houston (29-17).
15. Kansas State (4-5, 1-5)
Last results: Kansas State lost its third straight game in a 66-28 loss to Oklahoma State.
Game On: Saturday at TCU (4-5, 2-4), noon MT (ESPNU)
What’s Up? Kansas State allowed touchdowns on Oklahoma State’s first six red-zone possessions and gave up 565 yards of offense. … The Wildcats lead the overall series with TCU 11-8 and have won the past three meetings, including a 31-28 victory in the 2022 Big 12 Championship Game.
16. Kansas (3-6, 1-5)
Last results: Kansas rallied from a 19-point deficit to take the lead but gave up a last-second score in a 33-32 loss to UCF.
Game On: Saturday at West Virginia (5-4, 2-4), 3:30 p.m. MT (ESPNU)
What’s up? The Jayhawks outgained UCF 404 yards to 358. … Quarterback Isaiah Marshall rushed 13 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns while passing for 201 yards. … Kansas has only won three times in the series with West Virginia but has claimed two of the past three, including a 41-10 victory at Lawrence in 2025.




