Big 12 Power Rankings Going into Week 7

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The results of the Big 12 seem to be stabilizing a bit, as for the second week in a row, there isn’t a ton of movement in my power rankings.

It could be a calm before the storm, as there are some big matchups taking place this weekend, but here are my power rankings entering Week 7.

1. Utah

Record: 5-0
Week 6 Result: W, 41-24 vs. Kansas
Week 7 Matchup: at Colorado

The Utes held a 4-point lead at the half against the Jayhawks last week before outscoring Kansas 20-7 in the second half.

Utah is still waiting on some sort of test, but thus far they’ve won all of their games by at least two touchdowns. So, the Utes remain in the top spot.

2. BYU

Record: 5-0
Week 6 Result: W, 24-10 vs. Iowa State
Week 7 Matchup: vs. No. 2 Notre Dame

It wasn’t an offensive explosion, but the Cougars controlled their win against Iowa State even with star running back LJ Martin out with injury.

Should the Cougars win this week, they’ll almost certainly make the move to the top of these rankings.

3. Texas Tech

Record: 5-0
Week 6 Result: Bye
Week 7 Matchup: vs. Arizona State

The Red Raiders remain in place through their bye week.

I’m intrigued with how Texas Tech will handle a wounded Arizona State squad coming out of that bye. If the offense hasn’t figured some things out, the Red Raiders could be on upset alert.

4. Houston (+1)

Record: 5-1
Week 6 Result: W, 35-16 at Kansas State
Week 7 Matchup: vs. No. 18 Oklahoma State

The Cougars move up a spot after what was probably the performance of the weekend.

Houston’s matchup with Kansas State in Manhattan seemed like it would be the Big 12’s best game, but instead, Houston was up 28-3 at one point in the third quarter and cruised to a win.

Another win this week could see the Cougars jump Texas Tech, despite the Red Raiders beating Houston by 2 in Lubbock earlier this season.

5. Oklahoma State (-1)

Record: 4-1
Week 6 Result: W, 42-28 vs. UCF
Week 7 Matchup: at No. 20 Houston

I battled with what I think is going to happen and what has happened.

Spoiler alert for The Reload podcast, I predicted Oklahoma State to beat Houston on Saturday, but in terms of tangible results, I was more impressed with Houston’s road win against Kansas State than I was OSU’s home win against UCF.

If what I think is going to happen Saturday happens, I’m taking the training wheels off OSU and no longer tying the Cowboys to that Week 1 Tulsa loss. But first, that must happen on the field rather than in my mind.

6. Arizona

Record: 5-1
Week 6 Result: W, 52-31 at West Virginia
Week 7 Matchup: Bye

It was Arizona’s turn to score a ton of points on West Virginia’s defense, and Noah Fifita and Co. did just that.

7. Baylor

Record: 4-1
Week 6 Result: Bye
Week 7 Matchup: vs. TCU

It’s mid-October and Baylor hasn’t dropped a Big 12 game yet. Not many have the Bears in the Big 12 title discussion, but they’re at least earning darkhorse status.

8. Cincinnati

Record: 4-1
Week 6 Result: Bye
Week 7 Matchup: at West Virginia

Cincy is another team that has had a surprisingly solid start to the year.

We’ll see if the Bearcats’ offense can take advantage of what’s been an ugly West Virginia defense this weekend.

9. Iowa State (+1)

Record: 3-3
Week 6 Result: L, 24-10 at BYU
Week 7 Matchup: Bye

Iowa State moved up in a loss, which feels odd, but it is the back half of the power rankings.

The Cyclones are just tough. They’ve already played both Utah schools but didn’t let either blow them out. Iowa State will need to pick up some wins on the back half of its schedule to maintain a spot this high up, but I’ve been impressed with ISU to this point.

10. Kansas State (-1)

Record: 3-2
Week 6 Result: L, 35-16 vs. Houston
Week 7 Matchup: vs. Kansas

It was just a disappointing showing from the Wildcats.

Coming into the year, it felt like Kansas State was on a similar tier to Oklahoma State, but the Wildcats are off to an 0-2 start in the league with a loss to Cincy before getting thumped this past weekend.

11. Arizona State

Record: 3-2
Week 6 Result: W, 30-12 vs. Hawai’i
Week 7 Matchup: at No. 10 Texas Tech

After being blown out at home by Baylor two weeks ago, the Sun Devils closed their noncon schedule with a win against Hawai’i this week.

I think ASU is better than the 11th team in the Big 12, but thus far this season, the Sun Devils wins have come against Morgan State, Kansas (by a touchdown) and now Hawai’i.

12. UCF

Record: 3-3
Week 6 Result: L, 42-28 at Oklahoma State
Week 7 Matchup: Bye

The Knights hung around with the Cowboys until that disastrous backward pass broke the game open. Similar to Iowa State, UCF has hung tough with teams, but the Knights have struggled to get over the hump.

The bye week is needed.

13. West Virginia

Record: 3-3
Week 6 Result: L, 52-31 vs. Arizona
Week 7 Matchup: vs. Cincinnati

West Virginia games remain perhaps the most fun in the conference, but of late it’s been at the Mountaineers’ expense.

They can’t stop anybody. They’ve given up at least 41 points in all of their Big 12 games, and two of those have been at home.

WVU’s offense is scoring regularly, but the defense has to do something to get this season turned around.

14. Kansas

Record: 2-3
Week 6 Result: L, 41-24 at Utah
Week 7 Matchup: at Kansas State

Kansas and TCU are nearly interchangeable for me in that neither have a good win yet. But Kansas gets the slight nod because two of the Jayhawks’ losses are to ranked teams in Missouri and Utah.

15. TCU

Record: 2-3
Week 6 Result: Bye
Week 7 Matchup: at Baylor

TCU’s two wins this season are against Grambling and Arkansas State.

With games against Baylor, West Virginia and Kansas coming up, the Horned Frogs have an opportunity to make ground in these rankings, but they have to prove it.

16. Colorado

Record: 2-3
Week 6 Result: Bye
Week 7 Matchup: vs. No. 11 Utah

Colorado is on a three-game losing streak and coming out of this bye, the Buffs have games against No. 11 Utah and at No. 18 Oklahoma State. It could get worse before it gets better.