Big 12 Power Rankings Going into Week 2

Week 1 of the college football slate was eventful in (mostly) good ways and bad (OSU) for others for the Big 12.

Before the Week 2 schedule gets rolling, here’s an updated look at my power rankings for the league.

1. Texas Tech

Record: 1-0
Week 1 Result: W, 33-10 vs. Abilene Christian
Week 2 Matchup: at Oregon State (-26.5)

Compared to other more-gaudy results around the league, Tech’s 33-10 win against Abilene Christian was somewhat pedestrian.

Will Hammond threw for 298 yards, a touchdown and an INT in his season debut. Hammond wasn’t sacked, but Abilene Christian finished with as many tackles for loss (six) as Tech did.

So, there are things to clean up, but for now, the Red Raiders maintain my top spot.

2. BYU

Record: 1-0
Week 1 Result: W, 63-7 vs. Utah Tech
Week 2 Matchup: vs. Arizona (-7.5)

BYU was one of many FCS pummelers the Big 12 had in the opening weekend. Without having any idea how good Utah Tech is, it’s hard to know what all to take from that game, but Bear Bachmeier had three passing touchdowns and only four incompletions, so the Cougars will also maintain their spot in the rankings.

We should have a much better idea about BYU after this weekend with the Cougars taking on another top-half Big 12 team.

3. Utah (+1)

Record: 1-0
Week 1 Result: W, 66-14 vs. Idaho
Week 2 Matchup: vs. Arkansas (-12.5)

Another FCS bully, the Utes threw for five touchdowns and ran for four against Idaho.

Utah has an excellent opportunity this week with a lesser-thought-about SEC foe going to Salt Lake City. Even if Arkansas ends up stinking, that’s not a bad pelt for the mantle (ask 2024 OSU).

4. Arizona State (+3)

Record: 1-0
Week 1 Result: W, 70-7 vs Morgan State
Week 2 Matchup: at Texas Tech (+14.5)

Morgan State already had a win on its schedule when it headed out to Tempe this past weekend, but boy, the Bears weren’t close to getting another.

It was an awesome Sun Devil debut for Kentucky transfer QB Cutter Boley, who threw for 387 yards and six touchdowns. Meanwhile the Sun Devil D held Morgan State to 188 total yards.

We’ll find a lot more out about Boley and the Sun Devils this week when they head to Kyle Field for a game against a Top 10 Texas A&M team.

5. Kansas State (+3)

Record: 1-0
Week 1 Result: W, 71-3 vs. Nicholls
Week 2 Matchup: vs. Washington State (-17.5)

Opening week of the Collin Klien Era went as smooth as you could ask, with the Wildcats outgaining Nicholls 559-122. Former Cowboy Rodney Fields Jr. ran for 101 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, while the K-State defense allowed just 30 total passing yards.

Washington State should provide a solid test this week.

6. Houston (-2)

Record: 1-0
Week 1 Result: W, 33-20 vs. Oregon State
Week 2 Matchup: vs. Southern (-49.5)

Was it fair to drop the Cougars after a win against a team that was in a Power Conference a few short years ago? Perhaps not. But it’s hard to look at two teams that scored in the 70s and not bump them up a little.

Houston didn’t cover in its Week 1 win, but the Cougars were up 26-7 with a minute left in the third quarter before the Beavers made it a little more interesting.

The Cougs will have their shot at a big FCS blowout this week with Southern coming to town.

7. Arizona (-2)

Record: 1-0
Week 1 Result: W, 35-7 vs. Northern Arizona
Week 2 Matchup: at BYU (+7.5)

With so few data points, Arizona drops a few spots because the Wildcats didn’t hang 70 on its FCS opponent like some others did.

But worry not, Wildcat fans. Win this week, and you’ll be flying up this ranking.

8. Cincinnati (+4)

Record: 1-0 
Week 1 Result: W, 34-15 vs. Boston College
Week 2 Matchup: vs. Western Carolina (-36.5)

One of the biggest risers in my rankings, Cincy straight up took it to ACC Boston College last weekend. The Bearcats were up 24-0 and 34-8 in this game. It wasn’t close.

Cincy did all that despite throwing for just 85 yards, as the Bearcats ran for 254 yards and made eight tackles for loss and four sacks.

9. UCF (+1)

Record: 1-0
Week 1 Result: W, 73-6 vs. Bethune-Cookman
Week 2 Matchup: at Pitt (+7.5)

The Knights joined the “beat the crud out of an FCS team” party, holding Bethune-Cookman to just 181 yards of total offensive while hanging 73 on the Wildcats. UCF had nine tackles for loss and Duke Watson ran for 110 yards and a touchdown on only seven carries.

I’m really intrigued to see how Scott Frost’s bunch handles this road test up to Pittsburgh.

10. Colorado (+4)

Record: 1-0
Week 1 Result: W, 14-13 at Georgia Tech
Week 2 Matchup: vs. Weber State (-34.5)

It wasn’t pretty at all, but the Buffaloes beat an ACC team and join Cincinnati as my biggest risers of Week 1. Julian Lewis’ 20-yard TD pass to Charlie Williams with 37 seconds to play got Colorado the W.

It was an impressive performance from the CU defensive front, getting eight tackles for loss and three sacks.

11. Baylor (-2)

Record: 0-1
Week 1 Result: L, 17-16 vs. Auburn (in Atlanta)
Week 2 Matchup: vs. Prairie View A&M (-38.5)

Even in a loss, the Bears showed some fight, which means they won’t drop too far.

It came down to an unsuccessful 2-point try that saw the Bears come just a few inches short of beating Auburn to start the year. DJ Lagway threw for 333 yards, two touchdowns and a pick. Former Cowboy Gavin Freeman might’ve been the best player on the field, catching a dozen balls for 154 yards and a touchdown. But alas, it wasn’t enough.

If it comes to be that Auburn also stinks, Baylor will stop getting credit for this close loss, but for the time being, not too shabby, Bears, not too shabby.

12. Kansas (+3)

Record: 1-0
Week 1 Result: W, 51-6 vs. Long Island
Week 2 Matchup: vs. Missouri (+4.5)

The Jayhawks sort of took a bit to get rolling, but once they did, they steamrolled Long Island for a Week 1 W.

First-year starting QB Isaiah Marshall went 14-for-19 for 246 yards and two TDs, while KU outgained the Sharks 613-111. While playing a ridiculous amount of guys, the KU defense made 11 tackles for loss and sacked the QB three times.

What an opportunity for the Jayhawks this week with a ranked SEC foe coming to town for a little Border War.

13. West Virginia (-2)

Record: 1-0
Week 1 Result: W, 31-24 vs. Coastal Carolina
Week 2 Matchup: vs. UT-Martin (-40.5)

The Mountaineers didn’t come close to covering the three touchdowns against Coastal, but they won, which (ask OSU) is the most important deal.

Cam Cook ran for 142 yards and two TDs on 30 carries in his WVU debut, while OU transfer quarterback Michael Hawkins threw for 132 yards and ran for another 103. The WVU defense got five sacks.

14. TCU (-1)

Record: 0-1
Week 1 Result: BYE
Week 2 Matchup: vs. Grambling (-43.5)

I dropped the Horned Frogs a spot while they sat idle after their Week 0 loss to North Carolina in Ireland.

The good news for the Horned Frogs is they have a shot to look really good this week considering they’re favored by more than six touchdowns against Grambling.

15. Iowa State (+1)

Record: 1-0
Week 1 Result: W, 38-10 vs. SEMO
Week 2 Matchup: at Iowa (+13.5)

The Cyclones didn’t outright steamroll FCS SEMO, but for a team that isn’t expected to do a ton in 2026, winning by four touchdowns is a solid start to the Jimmy Rogers Era.

The concern you have is that Iowa State managed 303 yards of total offense, and Jaylen Raynor competed just 50% of his attempts for 184 yards and two scores. But Rogers’ defense made a dozen tackles for loss and six sacks.

Iowa State has won the past two Cy-Hawk games, but it would take a fairly decent upset to make that three wins in a row.

16. Oklahoma State (-10)

Record: 0-1
Week 1 Result: L, 24-10 at Tulsa
Week 2 Matchup: vs. Oregon (+22.5)

No matter how much I try to slather lipstick on this pig, there’s no way I can justifiably put a team that lost to a Group of 6 school in Week 1 anywhere but the bottom of this list.

Do I think OSU is the worst team in this league? No. But can I prove anything otherwise at this point? Also no.