Voters in the Big 12 football preseason media poll blew it putting Utah, Oklahoma State, Kansas and Arizona in the top five. Championship contenders? Each has already lost two of three conference games.
No one foresaw breakout seasons coming from Brigham Young and Arizona State, which went 5-7 and 3-9, respectively, in 2023. Now the Cougars are 6-0 with lopsided home wins against Kansas State and Arizona, and Arizona State’s 5-1 and beat Utah last week in a 16-vs.-1 matchup based on the preseason Big 12 poll.
BYU’s the new No. 1 in the Big 12 power rankings, the fourth team to hold the top spot this season.
1. Brigham Young (6-0, 3-0 in the Big 12)
Last week: 4
This week: Friday vs. Oklahoma State
What to know: With BYU at 3-0, we said a reality check was coming. Reality: The Cougars are better than anyone expected.
2. Kansas State (5-1, 2-1)
Last week: 1
This week: at West Virginia
What to know: Most underpublicized player in the Big 12? D.J. Giddens, with 2,012 rushing yards since start of last season.
More: Grading Kansas State football’s performance in Big 12 road win against Colorado
3. Iowa State (6-0, 3-0)
Last week: 2
This week: Central Florida
What to know: What’s more impressive, the Cyclones‘ 6-0 start or their seven-game road win streak?
Related: Hines: Iowa State football remains perfect with statement victory at West Virginia
4. Texas Tech (5-1, 3-0)
Last week: 5
This week: Baylor
What to know: During the open week, Texas Tech unveiled uniforms with the Patrick Mahomes Gladiator logo and the man himself modeling them.
Related: Texas Tech football midseason report: MVPs, positive trends, challenges ahead
More: Ranking Texas Tech football’s top portal additions, transfers making impact elsewhere
5. Arizona State (5-1, 2-1)
Last week: 12
This week: at Cincinnati
What to know: Check in on the next big Sun Devils home game. See if Kenny Dillingham can top last week’s post-game interview.
More: Caleb McCullough plays hero ball with two interceptions in ASU’s upset over Utah
6. Colorado (4-2, 2-1)
Last week: 7
This week: at Arizona
What to know: Pac-12 after dark has morphed into Big 12 after dark. No one’s maintaining the implied craziness better than the Buffs with heart-stopping finishes against Baylor and Kansas State.
More: Colorado can’t pull off another miracle after losing Travis Hunter, other stars to injury
7. Arizona (3-3, 1-2)
Last week: 6
This week: Colorado
What to know: Noah Fifita has eight touchdown passes and nine interceptions, and the Wildcats are going nowhere if that keeps up.
8. West Virginia (3-3, 2-1)
Last week: 8
This week: Kansas State
What to know: WVU’s lost eight straight against ranked opponents, and here comes No. 17 K-State.
9. Utah (4-2, 1-2)
Last week: 3
This week: TCU
What to know: Was Isaac Wilson at full strength not a better option than Cam Rising hobbling on one leg?
10. Cincinnati (4-2, 2-1)
Last week: 11
This week: Arizona State
What to know: Time-zone factor: Noon Eastern for a Cincinnati home game is a 9 a.m. body clock for the Sun Devils.
More: Takeaways from Cincinnati Bearcats Big 12 football win vs. UCF Saturday
More: 5 reactions/overreactions from Cincinnati Bearcats Big 12 football win at UCF
11. Kansas (1-5, 0-3)
Last week: 13
This week: Houston
What to know: Jayhawks woke up Sunday dreaming they’d lost a close game late.
12. Baylor (2-4, 0-3)
Last week: 14
This week: at Texas Tech
What to know: In the 2021 recruiting class, Lubbock Coronado QB Sawyer Robertson got passed over by Texas Tech in favor of Behren Morton.
13. Oklahoma State (3-3, 0-3)
Last week: 10
This week: Friday at Brigham Young
What to know: We expected Cowboys to be No. 13 in the country, not No. 13 in the Big 12.
More: As Oklahoma State football tries to regroup, let’s check the mid-term report card
14. Central Florida (3-3, 1-2)
Last week: 9
This week: at Iowa State
What to know: Out with erratic sixth-year senior K.J. Jefferson, in with 17-year-old freshman E.J. Colson.
15. Houston (2-4, 1-2)
Last week: 15
This week: at Kansas
What to know: Facing the Cougars two years ago, Kansas QB Jalon Daniels had 281 yards total offense and five touchdowns.
Related: Here are 5 takeaways from Kansas football’s 48-30 win on road against Houston
16. TCU (3-3, 1-2)
Last week: 16
This week: at Utah
What to know: In TCU’s last trip to Utah, the Red Rifle Andy Dalton and friends shattered Utes‘ 21-game home win streak and 8-0 start in 2010.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Big 12 power rankings: BYU the latest No. 1, and ASU is on the rise
