As November approaches, every game becomes increasingly significant. Some teams are building momentum at the right time, while others are running out of opportunities to recover from costly losses.
BYU and Texas Tech suffered their first defeats, Utah remained unbeaten, and several teams picked up statement victories. Those results changed the Big 12 championship race and shuffled this week’s college football power rankings.
Here’s how all 16 Big 12 teams stack up heading into Week 9.
Movement reflects the change from last week’s Big 12 football power rankings. These are editorial power rankings, separate from the conference standings. All kickoff times are Central.
1. Utah Utes (↑2)
Record: 7-0, 4-0 Big 12
Utah takes over the top spot after remaining undefeated with a 21-13 comeback victory over Houston. The Utes trailed 13-7 late in the third quarter before rallying behind quarterback Devon Dampier, who rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns.
Utah has established itself as the team to beat in the conference, and its ability to overcome a difficult start against Houston strengthens its case for No. 1.
This week: at Cincinnati, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2:45 p.m. on ESPN.
2. BYU Cougars (↓1)
Record: 6-1, 3-1 Big 12
BYU falls from the top spot after losing 39-31 to UCF in double overtime. The Cougars had just earned a major nonconference victory over Notre Dame, but their first loss of the season drops them behind Utah.
BYU still has one of the conference’s strongest résumés, and its upcoming matchup against Arizona State gives the Cougars a chance to respond.
This week: vs. Arizona State, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2:30 p.m. on FOX.
3. Arizona Wildcats (↑2)
Record: 6-1, 3-1 Big 12
Arizona climbs into the top three after dominating Iowa State 39-3. The Wildcats controlled the game and delivered one of the weekend’s most convincing performances.
Arizona’s only loss came in Week 2 to BYU. Since then, the Wildcats have won three straight conference games, outscoring those opponents 125-41. A road trip to Texas Tech now gives Arizona a huge opportunity to strengthen its position among the conference’s top teams.
This week: at Texas Tech, Saturday, Oct. 31, 11 a.m. on ESPN.
4. Texas Tech Red Raiders (↓2)
Record: 6-1, 3-1 Big 12
Texas Tech drops two spots after suffering its first loss of the season, a 37-24 defeat at Cincinnati. The Red Raiders struggled with mistakes and stopping the run, allowing the Bearcats to take control.
Texas Tech remains one of the conference’s top teams because of its overall record and earlier performances, but the loss puts more pressure on the Red Raiders to respond against Arizona.
This week: vs. Arizona, Saturday, Oct. 31, 11 a.m. on ESPN.
5. Houston Cougars (↓1)
Record: 6-2, 3-2 Big 12
Houston falls one spot after letting a second-half lead slip away against Utah. The Cougars were in position to hand the Utes their first loss before Utah rallied for a 21-13 victory.
Despite the disappointing finish, Houston has already shown it can compete with the conference’s best. A bye week gives the Cougars time to regroup before the final stretch of Big 12 play.
This week: Bye.
6. Oklahoma State Cowboys (↔)
Record: 5-2, 3-1 Big 12
Oklahoma State holds its position in the rankings after a dominant 57-24 win over Colorado. The Cowboys overwhelmed the Buffaloes offensively and bounced back from a narrow loss to Houston the previous week.
Oklahoma State remains among the conference’s top teams, and a win over Iowa State would move the Cowboys to 4-1 in Big 12 play.
This week: at Iowa State, Saturday, Oct. 31, 6 p.m. on FS1.
7. UCF Knights (↑4)
Record: 4-3, 2-2 Big 12
UCF makes one of the biggest jumps in this week’s rankings after defeating previously unbeaten BYU 39-31 in double overtime. The Knights showed resilience in a game that went down to the final possession, earning a victory that could prove important in the Big 12 race.
Both of UCF’s conference losses have come against Big 12 contenders, Houston and Oklahoma State. The win over BYU strengthens the Knights’ case as one of the conference’s top-half teams.
This week: vs. Baylor, Friday, Oct. 30, 6:30 p.m. on ESPN.
8. Cincinnati Bearcats (↑1)
Record: 5-2, 2-2 Big 12
Cincinnati moves up after an impressive 37-24 victory over Texas Tech. The Bearcats ran effectively against the Red Raiders while also taking advantage of Texas Tech’s mistakes.
Cincinnati has now earned one of the most impressive wins in the conference. Hosting Utah this weekend brings another major challenge, but another strong performance could push the Bearcats higher.
This week: vs. Utah, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2:45 p.m. on ESPN.
9. West Virginia Mountaineers (↓1)
Record: 5-3, 2-3 Big 12
Because of UCF and Cincinnati’s huge wins, West Virginia falls a spot despite defeating TCU 24-20 in Fort Worth.
The Mountaineers did enough to secure the road win, continuing a season in which they’ve shown they can compete with quality opponents. However, their conference record remains a concern.
A bye week arrives at a useful time as West Virginia prepares for a rough final stretch that includes Texas Tech, Houston and Utah.
This week: Bye.
10. Iowa State Cyclones (↓3)
Record: 3-4, 1-3 Big 12
Iowa State drops three spots following a 39-3 loss to Arizona. The Cyclones struggled to find answers against the Wildcats, suffering one of their toughest losses of the season.
Still, Iowa State’s three Big 12 losses have come against Utah, BYU and Arizona. The Cyclones faced a difficult stretch, although the performance in Tucson leaves plenty to improve before Oklahoma State visits.
This week: vs. Oklahoma State, Saturday, Oct. 31, 6 p.m. on FS1.
11. Arizona State Sun Devils (↑4)
Record: 4-3, 2-2 Big 12
Arizona State climbs four spots after beating Kansas State 28-17. The Sun Devils responded to a rough loss to Texas Tech with a solid conference victory.
They still have to prove they can string together consistent wins, and their upcoming trip to BYU will be a hard test of whether they can carry this momentum.
This week: at BYU, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2:30 p.m. on FOX.
12. Kansas State Wildcats (↓2)
Record: 4-3, 1-3 Big 12
Kansas State falls after losing 28-17 to Arizona State. The Wildcats were without quarterback Avery Johnson and dropped another conference game, continuing their struggle to establish consistency against Big 12 opponents.
They’ll need a better performance against Colorado to avoid sliding further down the rankings.
This week: at Colorado, Saturday, Oct. 31, 1 p.m. on TNT/truTV.
13. TCU Horned Frogs (↓1)
Record: 3-4, 1-3 Big 12
TCU drops one spot after losing 24-20 to West Virginia at home. The Horned Frogs had an opportunity to build on their win over Baylor but couldn’t finish the job against the Mountaineers.
TCU dominated the yardage and time-of-possession battle, but penalties and turnovers once again killed the Frogs. A home matchup against Kansas offers an important chance to get back on track.
This week: vs. Kansas, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2:30 p.m. on FS1.
14. Kansas Jayhawks (↑2)
Record: 3-4, 1-3 Big 12
Kansas climbs two spots after blocking Baylor’s potential go-ahead field goal to win 25-24. The Jayhawks earned a much-needed conference victory, giving them something to build on after a difficult stretch.
They remain near the bottom of the rankings, but beating Baylor gives Kansas a reason to move ahead of the Bears. The matchup against TCU could be an opportunity for the Jayhawks to make another move.
This week: at TCU, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2:30 p.m. on FS1.
15. Baylor Bears (↓2)
Record: 4-3, 2-2 Big 12
Baylor’s disappointing week took another turn Sunday when the program fired head coach Dave Aranda following the Bears’ 25-24 loss to Kansas.
Aranda leaves Waco with a 40-40 record after leading Baylor to a Big 12 championship and Sugar Bowl victory during the 2021 season. Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season as the Bears try to regroup.
This week: at UCF, Friday, Oct. 30, 6:30 p.m. on ESPN.
16. Colorado Buffaloes (↓2)
Record: 2-5, 0-4 Big 12
Colorado drops to the bottom after losing 57-24 to Oklahoma State. The Buffaloes struggled to slow down the Cowboys and have yet to win a conference game this season.
The upcoming matchup against Kansas State gives Colorado another chance to break through. If the Buffs are going to turn competitive stretches into conference wins, now would be a good time to start.
This week: vs. Kansas State, Saturday, Oct. 31, 1 p.m. on TNT/truTV.
What the Big 12 Football Power Rankings Mean for TCU
TCU had a chance to build momentum after its defense-led Revivalry win over Baylor. Instead, the Frogs enter the Kansas game below .500 and searching for another response.
The week also brings a change on the coaching staff after TCU parted ways with offensive line coach A.J. Ricker.
Kansas arrives with confidence after beating Baylor. For the Frogs, Saturday offers a chance to stop the slide before the schedule turns to November.
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