Big 12 football power rankings: BYU jumps to top spot, CU Buffs steady at No. 4

There’s a new No. 1.

BYU moved into the top spot in this week’s Big 12 Power Rankings, receiving 11 of a possible 16 first-place votes from a panel of media that regular covers the conference.

Iowa State, which had been No. 1 the previous four weeks, dropped to second (five first-place votes). Kansas State and Colorado were unanimous third and fourth, respectively, while TCU climbed into the top 5 – tied with West Virginia – for the first time this season.

Houston made the biggest jump from 16th to 11th after beating Utah on a field goal as time expired.

Oklahoma State is last for the first time this season.

1. BYU

Previous ranking: 2

Points: 251 (11 first-place votes)

Record: 8-0 (5-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat UCF, 37-24

This week: Open date

Comment: BYU was worried about its run defense coming into UCF. But defensive coordinator Jay Hill fixed the issues as he kept run-happy UCF in check. BYU’s offense chipped in with nearly 500 yards and the Cougars stayed undefeated.

Did you know? BYU will be favored to win each of its last four regular season games as it eyes a spot in the Big 12 title game. — Kevin Reynolds, The Salt Lake Tribune

2. Iowa State

Previous ranking: 1

Points: 251 (five first-place votes)

Record: 7-0 (4-0 Big 12)

Last week: Open date

This week: vs. Texas Tech

Comment: Iowa State sophomore cornerback Jontez Williams has intercepted a pass in four consecutive games, giving him the longest active streak in the nation. Three of those picks came in the fourth quarter, and the other came in the end zone in the third quarter. The No. 11 Cyclones are tied for seventh nationally in interceptions this season with 12.

Did you know? Iowa State seeks its first 8-0 start in program history.  — Rob Gray, The Cedar Rapids Gazette

3. Kansas State

Previous ranking: 3

Points: 224

Record: 7-1 (4-1 Big 12)

Last week: beat Kansas, 29-27

This week: at Houston

Comment: No. 17 K-State won its 16th straight game over rival Kansas on Saturday. It’s tied for the longest active uninterrupted streak in the nation along with Clemson’s 16 straight wins over Wake Forest.

Did you know? KSU head coach Chris Klieman and Houston head coach Willie Fritz have squared off just once as FBS coaches — Fritz’s Tulane team beat the eventual Big 12 Champion Wildcats in Manhattan in 2022 — but ran into each other multiple times during their stints as FCS coaches. Klieman’s North Dakota State and Fritz’s Sam Houston State met in the FCS National Championship game in 2011 and 2012. — Tim Everson, The Manhattan Mercury

4. Colorado

Previous ranking: 4

Points: 208

Record: 6-2 (4-1 Big 12)

Last week: beat Cincinnati, 34-23

This week: Open date

Comment: Travis Hunter was back to full strength and he dominated on both sides of the ball (153 receiving yards, 2 TD on offense; 4 pass breakups on defense), while QB Shedeur Sanders was brilliant again. The Buffs scored on their first four possessions and pulled away with 17 straight points in the middle of the game before holding on late against the Bearcats.

Did you know? Head coach Deion Sanders has led the Buffs to bowl eligibility in just his second season in Boulder. In the previous 16 seasons (2008-23), CU won at least six games only one time, in 2016 when it went 10-4 and won the Pac-12 South. The only other bowl appearance in that stretch came in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. — Brian Howell, Boulder Daily Camera

T5. TCU

Previous ranking: 9

Points: 158

Record: 5-3 (3-2 Big 12)

Last week: beat Texas Tech, 35-34

This week: at Baylor

Comment: How sustainable is TCU’s usage of Savion Williams at running back? TCU seems intent on finding out. The receiver posted TCU’s longest rushing touchdown on the season and the second-longest receiving touchdown in the Frogs’ win over Texas Tech. He doesn’t seem to be slowing down as the Frogs find new ways to put the ball in his hands.

Did you know? TCU has won five of the last six games against the Red Raiders and 12 of the last 16 games against Baylor. — Jamie Plunkett, Horned Frog Blitz

T5. West Virginia

Previous ranking: 8

Points: 158

Record: 4-4 (3-2 Big 12)

Last week: beat Arizona, 31-16

This week: Open date

Comment: Coach Neal Brown fired defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley and replaced him with inside linebackers coach Jeff Koonz. “These decisions are never easy, but I’m confident this change is in the best interest of our program and puts us in the best position to finish strong,” Brown said in a statement. The Mountaineers end the season with games against Cincinnati, Baylor, UCF and Texas Tech, needing two wins to become bowl eligible for the ninth time in the last 11 seasons.

Did you know? West Virginia converted four times on fourth down, increasing its season total to 17, tied with Florida State and North Texas for the most in FBS. — Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle

7. Cincinnati

Previous ranking: 5

Points: 157

Record: 5-3 (3-2 Big 12)

Last week:  lost to Colorado, 34-23

This week: Open date

Comment: The Bearcats were tied with the Buffaloes in the second quarter, then were down 17-14 with the ball in the final minutes of the first half. On 4th-and-1 from the Colorado 46-yard line, Scott Satterfield opted to go for it and the Buffaloes defense stuffed Brendan Sorsby. That gave Shedeur Sanders 31 seconds. He would only need 28 to chuck a 34-yard touchdown pass to Travis Hunter and Colorado went to the locker room up 10 points instead of possibly being tied or behind. Colorado would score 17 unanswered points before Cincinnati rallied back and got within eight. An Alejandro Mata 47-yard field goal made for the 34-23 final.

Did you know? Cincinnati gets a much-needed week to heal up for West Virginia at home Nov. 9. Tight end Joe Royer had four catches and a touchdown vs. the Buffaloes. He’s now just nine receptions from tying the single-season reception record of 45 held by Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs. — Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer

8. Arizona State

Previous ranking: 6

Points: 151

Last week: Open date

This week: at Oklahoma State

Comment: The big question this week is whether quarterback Sam Leavitt will play after injuring ribs in the loss at Cincinnati. Coach Kenny Dillingham hinted that he is closer to playing than not in his Monday press conference.

Did you know? This will be the third straight year ASU has played Oklahoma State. They had a home-away set the last two years as non-conference foes, with both of those games won by the Cowboys. — Michelle Gardner, Arizona Republic

9. Texas Tech

Previous ranking: 7

Points: 139

Record: 5-2 (3-2 Big 12)

Last week: lost to TCU, 35-34

This week: at No. 11 Iowa State

Comment: The vibes at Texas Tech are anything but immaculate right now. Losing back-to-back devastating games in extremely different fashions has the Red Raiders going from “how far can we take this?” to “where the heck is that sixth win coming from?” Problems on the defense and the backup kicker going rogue present a tough week, which was already difficult with a trip to Iowa State on deck.

Did you know? This is the third straight time Texas Tech has come off a lopsided loss at home to lose at TCU the very next week. It also happened in 2020 and 2022. — Nathan Giese, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

10. Baylor

Previous ranking: 13

Points: 120

Record: 4-4 (2-3 Big 12)

Last week: beat Oklahoma State, 38-28

This week: vs. TCU

Comment: Baylor’s win over Oklahoma State on Saturday was its first conference win at home in more than two years. The Bears showed they could close out a game when sophomore Dawson Pendergrass got a big assist from a confident offensive line on the game-sealing 55-yard score. Pendergrass finished with a career-high 142 yards. Baylor will have a school-sanctioned ‘Blackout’ and wear alternate black jerseys when rival TCU comes to McLane Stadium on Saturday night. The 2013 and 2014 Big 12 Championship teams will also be honored.

Did you know? After throwing for 222 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for a 41-yard touchdown, Sawyer Robertson is the first Baylor quarterback to have three passing TDs and a 40+ yard rushing TD in the same game since Robert Griffin III. — Zach Smith, Waco Tribune-Herald

11. Houston

Previous ranking: 16

Points: 82

Record: 3-5 (2-3 Big 12)

Last week: beat Utah, 17-14

This week: vs. No. 17 Kansas State

Comment: Houston was able to overcome its red-zone problems, getting a late interception from A.J. Haulcy to set-up Jack Martin’s 43-yard field goal as time expired to beat Utah. Against the Utes, UH failed on four plays from the 1-yard line. The Cougars are last in FBS in converting points inside the opponents’ 20-yard line with just eight scores (four touchdowns) in 15 trips, a 53.3% success rate. The team will host its annual “Blackout” game against Kansas State, seeking redemption after a 41-0 loss in Manhattan last season.

Did you know? Of Houston’s four Big 12 wins since joining the league, three have come to end a game – a Hail Mary to beat West Virginia (41-39) and overtime against Baylor (25-24) in 2023 and Saturday’s 43-yard field goal against Utah (17-14). — Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle

12. UCF

Previous ranking: T10

Points: 66

Record: 3-5 (1-4 Big 12)

Last week: lost to No. 11 BYU, 37-24

This week: vs. Arizona

Comment: The Knights again found themselves down by double-digits in the first half, trailing BYU 17-0 midway through the second quarter. Quarterback Jacurri Brown threw two interceptions and was replaced by redshirt freshman Dylan Rizk, who led UCF on two touchdown drives in the losing effort. UCF has lost five straight for the second straight season.

Did you know? RJ Harvey became the first UCF running back to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons since Marquette Smith in 1994-95.  — Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel

13. Arizona

Previous ranking: T10

Points: 63

Record: 3-5 (1-4 Big 12)

Last week: lost to West Virginia, 31-26

This week: at UCF

Comment: Arizona nearly overcame an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter and scored touchdowns on its final three drives but fell short and dropped its fourth straight game. The UA defense surrendered over 200 rushing yards for the first time since the loss to Kansas State in September.

Did you know? When Arizona faces UCF in Orlando, it will be the first game in Florida for the Wildcats since their 8-7 loss to top-ranked Miami in 1992. Arizona and UCF have never played each other prior to this season. — Justin Spears, Arizona Daily Star

14. Kansas

Previous ranking: 14

Points: 57

Record: 2-6 (1-4 Big 12)

Last week: lost to No. 16 Kansas State, 29-27

This week: Open date

Comment: The Jayhawks clearly didn’t leave behind their fourth-quarter issues in the first half of the season, as they failed to score in the final period of a chaotic, mistake-filled rivalry game at Kansas State and fumbled away a potentially program-changing victory. They will enter their second bye week, once again coming off a last-minute loss.

Did you know? KU running back Devin Neal is now seven yards away from becoming the Jayhawks’ all-time leading rusher. He has already either set or matched career records for touchdowns, rushing touchdowns and 100-yard rushing games. — Henry Greenstein, Lawrence Journal-World

15. Utah

Previous Ranking: 12

Points: 53

Record: 4-4 (1-4 Big 12)

Last week: lost to Houston, 17-14

This week: Open date

Comment: True freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson was benched in the third quarter of Utah’s loss to Houston last Saturday. The move did not pay dividends, however, as backup quarterback Brandon Rose threw an interception that allowed the Cougars to seal the contest with a field goal in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter.

Did you know? The Utes were the preseason favorite to win the Big 12. Now? They’re not favored to win in any of their final four contests this season. — Jason Batacao, The Salt Lake Tribune

16. Oklahoma State

Previous ranking: 11

Points: 29

Record: 3-5 (0-5 Big 12)