If nothing else, the Big 12 is unpredictable this season.
And that has made it all the more entertaining through the first month of the 2024 season.
As a result, this is the fourth straight week there is a new team atop the Deseret News’ Big 12 football power rankings.
Welcome, BYU, to the top spot.
Bring on October and even more conference chaos.
Here’s our look at how the Big 12 stacks up through the fifth week of the 2024 season:
1. BYU Cougars (5-0, 2-0 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Climbed two spots
- Last week: Beat Baylor, 34-28
- Next game: Oct. 12 vs. Arizona, 2 p.m. MDT (Fox)
BYU is the only Big 12 team that is 5-0 on the season — and just one of three league teams that is 2-0 in conference play. The Cougars vault into the No. 1 spot after holding off Baylor, combined with the fact their wins over Kansas State and SMU now look even more impressive.
The Cougars got out to a 21-0 lead just minutes into their matchup against Baylor, then had to hold on for their first-ever Big 12 road victory. It’s a big milestone for the program, one that shows positive upward momentum after BYU struggled to a 2-7 Big 12 record last year.
This is a perfect time for a bye week for the Cougars — they were banged up a bit in the win over the Bears, and an extra week to heal and refocus should help as they head into October. Once BYU gets back in action, there are a couple difficult games at home against Arizona and Oklahoma State.
2. Iowa State Cyclones (4-0, 1-0 Big 12)
- Poll movement: No change
- Last week: Beat Houston, 20-0
- Next game: Saturday vs. Baylor, 5:30 p.m. MDT (Fox)
Iowa State allowed last-place Houston to hang around for a long time — leading 3-0 at halftime and 10-0 through three quarters — but the Cyclones earned their first shutout of the season and pulled away late to keep their record unblemished.
Iowa State has a favorable schedule in the upcoming weeks, with three of its next four games at home. Perhaps the toughest of those will be a month from now, when the Cyclones host Texas Tech.
3. Kansas State Wildcats (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Climbed three spots
- Last week: Beat then-No. 20 Oklahoma State, 42-20
- Next game: Oct. 12 at Colorado, 8:15 p.m. MDT (ESPN)
One week after getting blown out in a stunning loss at BYU, the Wildcats won a matchup against Oklahoma State that was critical to the Big 12 hopes for both schools. Avery Johnson accounted for five touchdowns as Kansas State rolled to the win and stayed in the top half of the league standings.
The Wildcats, like four other Big 12 teams, have a bye this week and that helps, as Kansas State will play three of its next four away from home. Its next game, at Colorado, could provide one of the stiffest challenges the rest of the way — the Buffaloes are one of three teams off to a 2-0 Big 12 start, and Colorado is riding high right now with three straight wins.
4. Arizona Wildcats (3-1, 1-0 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Climbed five spots
- Last week: Beat then-No. 10 Utah, 23-10
- Next game: Saturday vs. Texas Tech, 9 p.m. MDT (Fox)
What a way for the Wildcats to come off a bye. Not many teams waltz into Salt Lake City and beat Utah, but Arizona did just that, and did so convincingly. The Wildcats capitalized on the Utes’ early red-zone woes, built a lead, then put Utah away in the fourth quarter to bounce back after a tough loss to Kansas State.
Arizona’s matchup with Texas Tech should be a good one. The winner will stay unbeaten in league play, while the loser joins the growing number of teams with at least one conference loss. This is the start of a critical stretch for Arizona. Their next three opponents — Texas Tech, BYU and Colorado — are all 2-0 in league play right now.
5. Colorado Buffaloes (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Climbed five spots
- Last week: Beat UCF, 48-21
- Next game: Oct. 12 vs. No. 20 Kansas State, 8:15 p.m. MDT (ESPN)
It’s fair to say that the Buffaloes were viewed by many as the underdogs when they played at then-unbeaten UCF, but Colorado quickly put that thought on hold, turning in a 13-point halftime lead before pulling away in the second half. How far can Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter carry this team? We’ll see.
Following a bye, the Buffaloes will take on a Kansas State team that’s looked like a Big 12 contender for most of the season. Beat the Wildcats, and the Buffaloes would move closer to contender status as well.
6. Utah Utes (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Dropped five spots
- Last week: Lost to Arizona, 23-10
- Next game: Oct. 11 at Arizona State, 8:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN)
That was a difficult loss to swallow for Utes fans — Utah came in riding high after a victory over then-top 15 Oklahoma State, and the Utes had jumped into the top 10 in the national college football rankings.
For the third straight game, true freshman Isaac Wilson was thrust into starting at quarterback for Utah, with Cam Rising still on the mend. Troublesome red-zone troubles crept up again, as Utah had just 3 points after getting into the red zone on all three of its first possessions. The defense, too, allowed Arizona to make enough clutch plays to fend off the Utes.
Like several others of their Big 12 counterparts, Utah will be on a bye this week — which is a good thing, considering the amount of injuries piling up for the Utes. When will Rising, as well as defensive standouts Connor O’Toole and Karene Reid, be back for the preseason Big 12 favorites?
7. Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)
- Poll movement: No change
- Last week: Beat Cincinnati, 44-41
- Next game: Saturday at Arizona, 9 p.m. MDT (Fox)
The Red Raiders found themselves in a shootout against Cincinnati, but Texas Tech prevailed for its third straight win by balancing the run and the pass on offense. Texas Tech stayed in the “unbeaten in Big 12 play” crowd and has a chance to make another statement on the road at Arizona.
Saturday’s game starts a four-game stretch where the Red Raiders will play three of their next four on the road. In addition to the difficult matchup with Arizona, Texas Tech also plays at No. 16 Iowa State on the first weekend in November.
8. Arizona State Sun Devils (3-1, 0-1 Big 12)
- Poll movement: No change
- Last week: Bye
- Next game: Saturday vs. Kansas, 6 p.m. MDT (ESPN2)
Following a bye week, Arizona State gets its second chance to win its first conference game as a Big 12 member when the Sun Devils host reeling Kansas. A victory would not only provide Arizona State its first conference win, it would also give the Sun Devils more victories than they had all last season.
When you look at Arizona State’s upcoming schedule, it amplifies why the Sun Devils need to beat Kansas — after the Jayhawks, the Sun Devils host preseason league favorite Utah, then play their next two games on the road at Cincinnati and Oklahoma State.
9. UCF Knights (3-1, 1-1 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Dropped five spots
- Last week: Lost to Colorado, 48-21
- Next game: Saturday at Florida, 5:45 p.m. MDT (SEC Network)
The early season buzz that UCF had generated was undercut some by getting blitzed at home by visiting Colorado. The Knights are not that far away from being 0-2 in league play, after having to rally from 21 down to edge TCU by a point in their Big 12 opener.
Next, though, UCF is headed out of league play for the final time. The Knights hit the road to face 2-2 Florida — a win over an SEC team would be a nice line on their resume, even if the Gators have their own struggles this year.
10. TCU Horned Frogs (3-2, 1-1 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Climbed three spots
- Last week: Beat Kansas, 38-27
- Next game: Friday vs. Houston, 5:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN)
In a matchup of two desperate teams, the Horned Frogs managed to pull away and beat Kansas on the road in a game that was close through three quarters. An 89-yard punt return from JP Richardson turned the tide late in the third quarter for TCU.
The Horned Frogs’ Friday night matchup against last-place Houston feels like a must-win, especially considering who’s on the schedule after that. Following the game against the Cougars, TCU must play at Utah before hosting Texas Tech to wrap up October.
11. West Virginia Mountaineers (2-2, 1-0 Big 12)
- Poll movement: No change
- Last week: Bye
- Next game: Saturday at Oklahoma State, 2 p.m. MDT (ESPN2)
West Virginia comes into its matchup with reeling Oklahoma State with the advantage of having a bye last week. Can the Mountaineers take advantage and continue to send the Cowboys into a midseason spiral?
October is arguably the toughest month of the season for West Virginia. Following the game at Oklahoma State, the Mountaineers host No. 16 Iowa State and No. 20 Kansas State in back-to-back weeks before ending the month with a road game at Arizona.
12. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-2, 0-2 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Dropped seven spots
- Last week: Lost to Kansas State, 42-20
- Next game: Saturday vs. West Virginia, 2 p.m. MDT (ESPN2)
Just a couple weeks ago, the Cowboys were a top 15 team, undefeated and facing the opportunity to hand league newcomer Utah a welcoming “gift” loss in their Big 12 opener. Now on a two-game losing streak after getting blown out by Kansas State, though, Oklahoma State needs answers — and fast — to get its season back on track.
What hurts the most at this point is that the Cowboys are off to an 0-2 start to league play. Now they host West Virginia before hitting the road for three of their next four games. We’ve hit Critical Mode in Stillwater.
13. Cincinnati Bearcats (3-2, 1-1 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Dropped one spot
- Last week: Lost to Texas Tech, 44-41
- Next game: Oct. 12 at UCF, 1:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN2)
You’ve got to give Cincinnati credit — the Bearcats have looked a lot more competitive in Year 2 in the Big 12 thus far, after winning just one conference game and three games overall in 2023. That’s hardly solace, though, after the Bearcats missed a potential game-tying field goal on the final play in the loss to Texas Tech.
Cincinnati will have a week to heal up and lick its wounds a bit from the loss with a bye this week. Following that, the Bearcats get a matchup at fellow second-year league member UCF.
14. Baylor Bears (2-3, 0-2 Big 12)
- Poll movement: No change
- Last week: Lost to then-No. 22 BYU, 34-28
- Next game: Saturday at No. 16 Iowa State, 5:30 p.m. MDT (Fox)
The schedule makers aren’t doing any favors for Baylor right now — following close losses to Colorado and BYU, the Bears now must face unbeaten Iowa State on the road. Baylor, after falling behind 21-0 in the first quarter, had a chance to beat BYU late but couldn’t convert on two final drives that would have given them the lead.
The road ahead provides challenges and opportunities for the Bears — depending on how you look at it. The Bears, who’ve lost two Big 12 games by a total of 13 points, will take on Texas Tech (on the road) and Oklahoma State (at home) following the matchup with Iowa State. It’s a precarious position, with an opportunity to prove themselves.
15. Kansas Jayhawks (1-4, 0-2 Big 12)
- Poll movement: No change
- Last week: Lost to TCU, 38-27
- Next game: Saturday at Arizona State, 6 p.m. MDT (ESPN2)
The collapse continued for Kansas last week, as the Jayhawks couldn’t hold off TCU at home. Once a preseason darling, the Jayhawks still haven’t beaten an FBS program this year heading into Week 6 of the 2024 season.
Now ESPN’s Football Power Index, once a strong believer in Kansas, even has the Jayhawks as underdogs going into their matchup with Arizona State. The Jayhawks’ dreams are fading fast.
16. Houston Cougars (1-4, 0-2 Big 12)
- Poll movement: No change
- Last week: Lost to then-No. 18 Iowa State, 20-0
- Next game: Friday at TCU, 5:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN)
This looks like Houston’s locked-in place in the power rankings until further notice. The Cougars have yet to score a point in conference play, even if they kept it close with one of the league’s top teams, Iowa State, through three quarters.
The next few weeks don’t appear to have much of a respite coming, either. After road games at TCU and Kansas, Houston hosts two ranked programs — No. 18 Utah and No. 20 Kansas State. Maybe the Cougars can trip up the Jayhawks away from home?