Following a wild, parity-filled regular season, the two teams who emerged as participants in the Big 12 championship game are Arizona State and Iowa State.
It came down to the final weekend before either team clinched their spot in the title game, and thanks to the league’s tiebreaker scenarios, the Sun Devils and Cyclones got in over two other teams, BYU and Colorado, that were all tied for the conference lead with 7-2 league records.
Now, it’s on to conference championship weekend and the bowl season.
The winner of Saturday’s Big 12 championship is in solid position to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff as the fifth automatic conference champion, though it’s also likely that either the Sun Devils or Cyclones will play on the road during the CFP first round.
Here’s our look at how the Big 12 stacks up following the conclusion of the 2024 regular season.
1. Arizona State Sun Devils (10-2, 7-2 Big 12)
- Poll movement: No change
- Last week: Beat Arizona, 49-7
- Next game: Saturday vs. No. 16 Iowa State (Big 12 championship), 10 a.m. MST (ABC)
Arizona State left no doubt who was king in Arizona, throttling their rival, the Wildcats, in a regular-season finale that ensured the Sun Devils will have a chance to win the Big 12 in the same year they were predicted to finish last.
Arizona State has won five straight and is the favorite to represent the Big 12 in the College Football Playoff. Can the Sun Devils beat Iowa State and fulfill their destiny?
2. Iowa State Cyclones (10-2, 7-2 Big 12)
- Poll movement: No change
- Last week: Beat then-No. 24 Kansas State, 29-21
- Next game: Saturday vs. No. 15 Arizona State (Big 12 championship), 10 a.m. MST (ABC)
Iowa State had the toughest challenge in Week 14 of the four teams tied for the Big 12 lead, but the Cyclones were up to the task and beat Kansas State, helping them reach the Big 12 championship game.
The Cyclones have already reached the 10-win plateau for the first time in school history — what else can Iowa State do in what’s been an unforgettable season?
3. Colorado Buffaloes (9-3, 7-2 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Climbed two spots
- Last week: Beat Oklahoma State, 52-0
- Next game: Bowl game, TBD
Colorado bounced back nicely from a 16-point loss by embarrassing a lifeless Oklahoma State team in the regular-season finale.
No matter what bowl game the Buffaloes find themselves in, their impressive TV viewership numbers under coach Deion Sanders suggest they’ll make for primetime entertainment.
4. BYU Cougars (10-2, 7-2 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Dropped one spot
- Last week: Beat Houston, 30-18
- Next game: Bowl game, TBD
It wasn’t always pretty, but BYU broke its two-game losing streak by beating Houston on Senior Night.
The downside was that the Cougars lost out on a chance to play in the Big 12 championship — their back-to-back losses to Kansas and Arizona State cost them, and BYU came out on the short end in the championship game tiebreakers from a four-team tie for first place in the Big 12.
If BYU can right some of its struggles and play well in a bowl, there’s still a chance to win 11 games and likely finish the year as a top 15 program, which is a big step up from last year’s 5-7 record.
5. Baylor Bears (8-4, 6-3 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Climbed two spots
- Last week: Beat Kansas, 45-17
- Next game: Bowl game, TBD
Baylor is the hottest team in the Big 12, winning its sixth straight to end the season and quieting those early season whisperings that Dave Aranda’s seat may have been warm.
What’s impressive is how easily the Bears won against an equally hot Kansas team. Can Baylor cap the year with a seventh straight win during the bowl season?
6. Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-4, 6-3 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Climbed two spots
- Last week: Beat West Virginia, 52-15
- Next game: Bowl game, TBD
Texas Tech, which has had its troubles playing consistently good from week to week, ended the regular season with another dominant effort. Can the Red Raiders finish the year strong with a solid bowl showing?
This offseason, they’ll have to replace offensive coordinator Zach Kittley, who is taking off to be the head coach at Florida Atlantic.
7. Kansas State Wildcats (8-4, 5-4 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Dropped three spots
- Last week: Lost to then-No. 18 Iowa State, 29-21
- Next game: Bowl game, TBD
While the Wildcats lost by only eight points against Iowa State, Kansas State never led and were undone by their own mistakes.
A 5-4 conference record is a far cry from the lofty preseason expectations that were out there for the Wildcats.
8. TCU Horned Frogs (8-4, 6-3 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Climbed one spot
- Last week: Beat Cincinnati, 20-13
- Next game: Bowl game, TBD
The Horned Frogs quietly went about their business again and won for the fifth time in six games.
TCU is clearly playing its best ball of the year right now, a good sign for things to come in 2025 if they keep the momentum going.
9. Kansas Jayhawks (5-7, 4-5 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Dropped three spots
- Last week: Lost to Baylor, 45-17
- Next game: Season over
The Jayhawks had spent the past several weeks spoiling the hopes of conference contenders, but Baylor wasn’t about to suffer the same fate.
While Kansas looked much improved in the back half of the season, the loss to the Bears ensured the Jayhawks wouldn’t be headed to the postseason.
10. West Virginia Mountaineers (6-6, 5-4 Big 12)
- Poll movement: No change
- Last week: Lost to Texas Tech, 52-15
- Next game: Bowl game, TBD
The Mountaineers were blown out in the season finale, fittingly capping an up-and-down regular season.
The future of the program is in question now, with head coach Neal Brown being fired. Will West Virginia muster up much effort in its bowl game?
11. Cincinnati Bearcats (5-7, 3-6 Big 12)
- Poll movement: No change
- Last week: Lost to TCU, 20-13
- Next game: Season over
The Bearcats crashed out at the end of the season, with the loss to TCU their fifth straight defeat — and one that ensured they wouldn’t be bowl bound.
Cincinnati made some strides this season and will need to build and learn from those to finish in the top half of the conference next year.
12. Houston Cougars (4-8, 3-6 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Climbed one spot
- Last week: Lost to then-No. 19 BYU, 30-18
- Next game: Season over
As Houston has been prone to do this season, it gave a ranked BYU squad a game and had a chance to take a lead in the fourth quarter before things fell apart.
Willie Fritz’s program had some positive moments in 2024, but they were too infrequent to gain any sort of consistency and momentum.
13. Utah Utes (5-7, 2-7 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Climbed two spots
- Last week: Beat UCF, 28-14
- Next game: Season over
At least Utah was able to end a frustrating season on a positive note.
The Utes were the more physical and motivated team in beating UCF in the regular-season finale between two programs on long slumps.
There are plenty of question marks surrounding Utah this offseason, leaving the future of the Utes in doubt. A priority is getting a new offensive coordinator, plus there’s the matter of whether Kyle Whittingham will be returning or not.
14. UCF Knights (4-8, 2-7 Big 12)
- Poll movement: No change
- Last week: Lost to Utah, 28-14
- Next game: Season over
UCF’s forgettable 2024 season came to a humbling end on Senior Night, when the Knights could barely muster much of an effort.
Now, the school will have to find a replacement for head coach Guz Malzahn, who has been named Florida State’s new offensive coordinator.
15. Arizona Wildcats (4-8, 2-7 Big 12)
- Poll movement: Dropped three spots
- Last week: Lost to then-No. 16 Arizona State, 49-7
- Next game: Season over
That was an ugly way to end the first season under Brent Brennan, getting blown out by your rival.
The dropoff from last season’s success to this year’s failures has been stark and surely changes are on the horizon.
16. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-9, 0-9 Big 12)
- Poll movement: No change
- Last week: Lost to then-No. 25 Colorado, 52-0
- Next game: Season over
The Cowboys looked like they had checked out on the season long ago when they were humiliated by Colorado.
What changes are coming for Mike Gundy’s program?