Big 12 Football Power Rankings: BYU to the top, Oklahoma State makes big jump
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- BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier is upended by Arizona’s Gavin Hunter in a college football game at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026.
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- Oklahoma State safety Mose Phillips III (18) tackles Oregon running back Dierre Hill Jr. (6) in the second half of the NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 12, 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. 11 BYU (2-0, 1-0)
Last results: Bear Bachmeier threw three touchdown passes, two to Kyler Kasper, and ran for another as No. 15 BYU shut down Arizona in the second half of a 28-17 victory.
Game On: Saturday at Colorado State (2-0), 5:30 p.m. MT (CBS)
What’s Up? BYU held Arizona scoreless and allowed just 87 yards of offense in the second half. … The Cougars lead the overall series with Colorado State 39-27-3 and have won the past seven meetings.
2. No. 17 Utah (2-0, 0-0)
Last results: Devon Dampier threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more, with Wayshawn Parker adding three scores as No. 20 Utah blasted Arkansas 43-10.
Game On: Saturday vs. Utah State (0-2), 1:30 p.m. (FOX)
What’s Up? Utah had 13 pass breakups against Arkansas, the most for the Utes in a game since 1998. … Utah leads the overall series with Utah State 80-29-4 and has won 15 of the past 16 meetings.
3. No. 13 Texas Tech (2-0, 0-0)
Last results: No. 13 Texas Tech scored twice in the fourth quarter to recover for a 35-24 victory at Oregon State.
Game On: Friday vs. No. 22 Houston (2-0, 0-0), 6 p.m. MT (FOX)
What’s Up? Oregon State’s Jesse Legree caught eight passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns in the the loss. … Houston leads the overall series with Texas Tech 18-17-1 but the Red Raiders have won the past six meetings, including 35-11 at Houston last season.
4. No. 22 Houston (2-0, 0-0)
Last results: Houston totaled 591 yards, including 388 rushing, in a 77-6 destruction of Southern.
Game On: Friday at No. 13 Texas Tech (2-0), 6 p.m. MT (FOX)
What’s Up? Seven Houston rushers ran for 41 or more yards in a game the Cougars led 49-0 at halftime. … The last Houston win in the series with Texas Tech came at home in 2009 (29-28).
5. Oklahoma State (1-1, 0-0)
Last results: Oklahoma State ended a 21-game losing streak against FBS opponents with a shocking 39-31 victory against No. 6 Oregon.
Game On: Saturday vs. Murray State (1-2), 5 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
What’s Up? Quarterback Drew Mestemaker passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 109 yards and one more score. … Last season, Oregon hammered the Cowboys 66-3. … This is the first meeting between Oklahoma State and Murray State.
6. Kansas State (2-0, 0-0)
Last results: Avery Johnson threw for 192 yards and three touchdowns and Rodney Pierce Jr. added a 75-yard rushing touchdown as Kansas State throttled Washington State 34-7.
Game On: Saturday vs. Tulane (1-1), 10 a.m. MT (ESPN2)
What’s Up? Kansas State gave up just 166 yards of total offense to Washington State. … Tulane leads the overall series with Kansas State 2-1, though the Wildcats won 34-27 in New Orleans in 2024. … The Green Wave won the last meeting at Manhattan 17-10 in 2022.
7. Arizona (1-1, 0-1)
Last results: Arizona was held scoreless in the second half of a 28-17 loss to No. 15 BYU.
Game On: Saturday vs. Northern Iowa (1-1), 8:30 p.m. MT (TNT)
What’s Up? Noah Fifita was 23 of 31 for 230 yards, one touchdown and one interception against BYU. … The Wildcats failed to convert a 4th-and-four from the Cougar 21 with eight minutes left trailing 21-17. … This is the first meeting between Arizona and Northern Iowa.
8. Colorado (2-0, 0-0)
Last results: Julian Lewis threw four touchdown passes in the first half and ran for another score as Colorado blew past Weber State 52-21.
Game On: Saturday at Northwestern (1-0), 5:30 p.m. MT (TBA)
What’s Up? Two Colorado receivers had more than 100 yards in Joseph Moore (four catches, 123 yards, two TDs) and DeAndre Moore Jr. (4-107-1). … The series between Colorado and Northwestern is tied at 1-1, with the Buffaloes winning the last meeting 55-7 at Boulder in 1978.
9. Cincinnati (2-0, 0-0)
Last results: JC French IV passed for 245 yards and two touchdowns and four different running backs scored touchdowns as Cincinnati dominated Western Carolina 62-10.
Game On: Saturday vs. Miami, Ohio (1-1), 1:30 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
What’s Up? Cincinnati put up 690 total yards against Western Carolina, including 418 on the ground. … The Bearcats lead the overall series with Miami (Ohio) 61-60-7, winning the last meeting at Oxford 27-16 in 2024.
10. West Virginia (2-0, 0-0)
Last results: Michael Hawkins threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more scores as West Virginia trounced Tennessee-Martin 52-7.
Game On: Saturday vs. No. 25 Virginia (2-0) at Charlotte, 5:30 p.m. MT (ACC Network)
What’s Up? DJ Epps carried the ball twice for 112 yards, which included a 59-yard touchdown. … Virginia leads the overall series with the Mountaineers 12-10-1 and has won the past three meetings. … West Virginia’s last win in the series came at Charlottesville in 1981.
11. Arizona State (1-1, 0-0)
Last results: Marcel Reed had three touchdown passes and No. 10 Texas A&M scored two defensive touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a 48-20 victory against Arizona State.
Game On: Saturday vs. Kansas (1-1, 0-0) at London, 10 a.m. (FS1)
What’s Up? Cutter Boley was 21 of 34 for 254 yards with two TD’s and two intereceptions for ASU, with Reed Harris catching nine balls for 189 yards and two scores. … Arizona State won the only previous meeting with Kansas 35-31 at Tempe in 2024.
12. TCU (1-1, 0-0)
Last results: Jaden Craig was 24 of 31 for 391 yards and four touchdowns as TCU thrashed Grambling 63-7.
Game On: Saturday vs. Arkansas State (1-1), 6 p.m. MT (ESPNU)
What’s Up? Kari Ashley caught seven passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns for the Horned Frogs. … TCU leads the overall series with Arkansas State 2-0, winning 24-21 at Jonesboro in 1999 and 52-3 at Fort Worth in 2000.
13. Kansas (1-1, 0-0)
Last results: Isaiah Marshall passed for two touchdowns with two interceptions as Kansas lost the Border War to No. 23 Missouri 38-21.
Game On: Saturday vs. Arizona State (1-1) at London, 10 a.m. MT (FS1)
What’s Up? Missouri’s Austin Simmons was 19 of 29 for 292 yards and three touchdowns with Jamal Roberts rushing 28 times for 125 yards and a score. … Donovan Olugbode caught six passes for 121 yards and a TD for Kansas.
14. Iowa State (1-1)
Last results: Caden Burr kicked a 42-yard field goal with 17 seconds remaining to push No. 21 Iowa past Iowa State 16-13.
Game On: Saturday vs. Bowling Green (0-2), 10 a.m. MT (ESPNU)
What’s Up? Iowa State’s Jaylen Raynor was 10 of 19 for 117 yards and a touchdown. … The Cyclones lead the overall series with Bowling Green 2-0, winning 35-21 on the road in 1977 and 38-10 at Ames in 1979.
15. Baylor (1-1, 0-0)
Last results: Nate Bennett passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns leading Baylor to a 44-3 victory against Prairie View A&M.
Game On: Saturday vs. Louisiana Tech (1-1), 2 p.m. MT (ESPNU)
What’s Up? Baylor held Prairie View A&M to just 110 total yards, including 36 on the ground. … The Bears lead the overall series with Louisiana Tech 5-1 and won the past two meetings: 24-16 at Shreveport in 1996 and 44-3 at Waco in 1992.
16. UCF (1-1, 0-0)
Last results: Pitt held UCF to just 206 total yards (20 rushing) to win a 12-7 defensive struggle.
Game On: Saturday vs. Georgia State, 5 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
What’s Up? USC didn’t score until the final 2:51 against Pitt on a 19-yard pass from Alonzo Barnett to Waden Charles. … Barnett finished 20 of 31 for 186 yards and one touchdown for the Golden Knights. … UCF and Georgia State are meeting for the first time.
