There wasn’t a lot of shakeup in the Big 12 power rankings after Week 3 — league teams went 10-2 last weekend, and the two losses came against other Big 12 schools.
There should be plenty of shakeup after a weekend full of important games for the conference on the horizon, though.
There are three Big 12 conference games in Week 4, with the highlight featuring a top-20 matchup between No. 16 Utah and No. 17 Texas Tech.
It has the potential to be the Big 12 game of the year.
Arizona State also visits Baylor, and Kansas hosts West Virginia.
What are the power rankings looking like going into what looks like a fun-filled Week 4?
Here’s how the teams stack up following the third week of the 2025 season.
1. Iowa State Cyclones (4-0, 1-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 1 (no change)
- Last week: Beat Arkansas State, 24-16
- Next game: Sept. 27 vs. Arizona, 5 p.m. MDT (ESPN)
Until one of the other Big 12 contenders at the top of the power rankings also has a league win, the Cyclones stay No. 1 — with Utah and Texas Tech facing each other in Salt Lake City this weekend, though, that top spot is up for grabs.
All that being said, the Cyclones had a difficult time putting away Arkansas State on the road. This was a one-point game after the Red Wolves added a field goal minutes into the fourth quarter, but Iowa State responded with a touchdown drive to create some separation.
2. Utah Utes (3-0)
- Previous ranking: No. 2 (no change)
- Last week: Beat Wyoming, 31-6
- Next game: Saturday vs. No. 17 Texas Tech, 10 a.m. MDT (Fox)
In the first half of Utah’s win at Wyoming, the Utes were plagued by penalties and an inability to finish drives, resulting in just a 3-0 lead at the break.
The Utes’ offense turned things around in the second half, as Devon Dampier and company scored four touchdowns after halftime to blow the game open. Each week, Dampier has shown new ways to showcase why he’s a special talent.
Now, the biggest test of the season comes with the Red Raiders heading to Salt Lake City for a “Big Noon Kickoff” showdown. The Utes can ill afford a slow start this week against a Texas Tech team that leads the country in scoring at 58 points per game, though its competition thus far (Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Kent State, Oregon State) haven’t provided much of a challenge.
3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-0)
- Previous ranking: No. 3 (no change)
- Last week: Beat Oregon State, 45-14
- Next game: Saturday at No. 16 Utah, 10 a.m. MDT (Fox)
Another early-season week, another blowout win for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders made easy work of Oregon State on the road, jumping out to a 28-0 halftime lead before cruising as Behren Morton threw for 464 yards and four touchdowns to just one interception.
A lot has been made about how much Texas Tech has poured in financially to its recruiting efforts. The top-20 matchup against Utah will be the Red Raiders’ biggest test so far of how well their second-ranked transfer portal class is able to work together; it also comes in their first road game of the season.
Can Morton and the Red Raiders keep their offense humming against a traditionally stout Utah defense? That could be the difference in Saturday’s game.
4. TCU Horned Frogs (2-0)
- Previous ranking: No. 4 (no change)
- Last week: Beat Abilene Christian, 42-21
- Next game: Saturday vs. SMU, 10 a.m. MDT (ESPN or ESPN2)
Following a bye week, the Horned Frogs eased back into competition with a blowout win over FCS Abilene Christian that wasn’t as close as the score might indicate — the Wildcats scored two touchdowns in the game’s final 11 minutes, though TCU did give up 453 yards of offense.
The Horned Frogs already own one win over an ACC opponent, having beaten North Carolina 48-14 in Week 1, and this week they’ll have a chance to add another with their rivalry game against SMU. The Mustangs lost two weeks ago to Baylor and so far don’t look as tough as last year’s College Football Playoff team, though in a rivalry like this, anything can happen.
5. BYU Cougars (2-0)
- Previous ranking: No. 5 (no change)
- Last week: Bye
- Next game: Saturday at East Carolina, 5:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN2)
Come Saturday, it’ll be clear whether an early bye week ended up helping BYU, or not.
The Cougars were idle last week after playing just two games, and while that may have helped BYU and its true freshman starting quarterback Bear Bachmeier get things more in line offensively, the week off could also curtail some momentum.
East Carolina is a tricky opponent for BYU. The Pirates are 2-1 on the year and have a skilled passing game. Following a seven-point loss at the ACC’s NC State, East Carolina has outscored Campbell and Coastal Carolina 94-3 the past two weeks. Yes, BYU is favored, but it could be a rough one out east.
6. Baylor Bears (2-1)
- Previous ranking: No. 6 (no change)
- Last week: Beat Samford, 42-7
- Next game: Saturday vs. Arizona State, 5:30 p.m. MDT (Fox)
The Bears had a bit of a respite last week, easily defeating Samford after splitting games against the SEC’s Auburn and ACC’s SMU to start the season. Sawyer Robertson wasn’t perfect — he threw three touchdowns but his first two interceptions of the year — though Bryson Washington came through with 135 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
While Texas Tech vs. Utah is going to get the majority of the spotlight, the primetime matchup between Baylor and Arizona State will also weigh heavily into the Big 12 race. Heading into the season, the Bears and Sun Devils were among the teams expected to contend for the league title, and there’s been nothing to suggest otherwise.
7. Arizona State Sun Devils (2-1)
- Previous ranking: No. 7 (no change)
- Last week: Beat Texas State, 34-15
- Next game: Saturday at Baylor, 5:30 p.m. MDT (Fox)
Following a heartbreaking defeat at Mississippi State, one could forgive Arizona State if it came out uninspired against Texas State. That didn’t happen, as the Sun Devils, with Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson leading the way, took care of business in perhaps the best overall game so far for Arizona State.
Saturday’s game this week is a tough one, although there should be plenty of entertainment. It pits two of the Big 12’s best quarterbacks in Leavitt and Robertson, and the winner will earn a pivotal conference victory that could well play into the league race by season’s end.
8. Arizona Wildcats (3-0)
- Previous ranking: No. 8 (no change)
- Last week: Beat Kansas State, 23-17
- Next game: Sept. 27 at No. 12 Iowa State, 5 p.m. MDT (ESPN)
Those bad vibes from a trying 2024 season are starting to fade into the desert for the Wildcats. Arizona kept itself unbeaten by taking care of business against a Kansas State team that was expected to challenge for the Big 12 crown but is off to an awful 1-3 start.
Arizona’s bye, on the surface, looks well-timed. The team has been playing well, and it will be a nice break to prepare for one of the most difficult games of the season, hitting the road to face the Cyclones to start Big 12 play.
9. Houston Cougars (3-0, 1-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 11 (⬆️ 2)
- Last week: Beat Colorado, 36-20
- Next game: Sept. 26 at Oregon State, 8:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN)
Is Houston a legit contender in the Big 12 this season? It’s too early to definitely say yes, but so far, so good for the Cougars. They stayed undefeated by overwhelming Colorado to earn a 1-0 start to Big 12 action, while quarterback Conner Weigman and running back Dean Connors are looking like a complementary combination in the Houston backfield.
Houston, like four other teams in the league this week, will have a bye. Then it’s off to Corvallis, Oregon, to face a struggling Oregon State team in the final nonconference matchup of the year. The way things are going, it looks like the Cougars could go 3-0 in nonconference play and continue to build early-season momentum.
10. Kansas Jayhawks (2-1)
- Previous ranking: No. 9 (⬇️ 1)
- Last week: Bye
- Next game: Saturday vs. West Virginia, 4 p.m. MDT (FS1)
After completing the nonconference slate of its schedule with a loss at Missouri on Sept. 6, Kansas took a well-timed bye last week that allowed it to reset as Big 12 action began.
First up is a West Virginia team that is a bit difficult to get a read on: one week after losing to Ohio, the Mountaineers rallied to beat the ACC’s Pittsburgh. Jalon Daniels has looked much better so far this season for Kansas, and this week will be a good challenge for the Jayhawks to keep their positive momentum going, something that cost them last year when they started 1-5.
11. West Virginia Mountaineers (2-1)
- Previous ranking: No. 15 (⬆️ 4)
- Last week: Beat Pittsburgh, 31-24
- Next game: Saturday at Kansas, 4 p.m. MDT (FS1)
Oh, the enigma that is West Virginia. One week, the Mountaineers looked like one of the Big 12’s worst teams in a loss at Ohio. Then last week, West Virginia rallied to beat rival Pittsburgh, even without star running back Jahiem White, who is lost for the season.
If nothing else, it teaches us it’s best not to underestimate a Rich Rodriguez Mountaineers team. West Virginia saw plenty of roster turnover this offseason, but it has the talent to play spoiler in the Big 12 — and maybe do even more. The league portion of their schedule starts this week.
12. Cincinnati Bearcats (2-1)
- Previous ranking: No. 12 (no change)
- Last week: Beat Northwestern State, 70-0
- Next game: Sept. 27 at Kansas, 10 a.m. MDT (TNT)
There’s not much to glean from Cincinnati’s 70-point win over their FCS opponent last weekend. Instead, let’s just applaud a 35-point first quarter. That’s an impressive number of points to start off a game, and they all came from five touchdown passes by Brendan Sorsby in the opening 15 minutes.
The Bearcats, like West Virginia and Kansas just above them in the power rankings, have the feel of a team that could stun other Big 12 teams along the way this season. Cincinnati isn’t likely to be a serious contender, unless things really start falling into place, but they look like a team that will give Big 12 opponents headaches.
13. UCF Knights (2-0)
- Previous ranking: No. 13 (no change)
- Last week: Bye
- Next game: Saturday vs. North Carolina, 1:30 p.m. MDT (Fox)
It’s a bit weird to have a 2-0 UCF team this far down in the power rankings, but so far, outside of a blowout win over an FCS opponent (which many other Big 12 teams have), there isn’t a whole lot known about the Knights at this point. Having a bye last week didn’t help — rather, it keeps things a mystery.
That will change Saturday, when UCF and new/old coach Scott Frost host North Carolina and Bill Belichick. This was the premier nonconference game for UCF coming into the season, and it will give the Knights the chance to show just what they can do against another power conference team, before league play opens.
14. Colorado Buffaloes (1-2, 0-1 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 10 (⬇️ 4)
- Last week: Lost to Houston, 36-20
- Next game: Saturday vs. Wyoming, 8:15 p.m. MDT (ESPN)
What a difference a year makes. With Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter leading the way in 2024, Colorado was a team that ultimately factored heavily into the Big 12 race. This season, there’s uncertainty at the quarterback position, and the Buffaloes struggled in a loss to Houston in their Big 12 opener.
A home nonconference game this week against Wyoming gives Colorado one more nice tune-up game to refine itself before jumping full force into the Big 12 schedule the week after that. Can the Buffaloes answer some questions this week?
15. Kansas State Wildcats (1-3, 0-1 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 14 (⬇️ 1)
- Last week: Lost to Arizona, 23-17
- Next game: Sept. 27 vs. UCF, 10 a.m. MDT (FS1)
Panic. Full stop. Help. Full stop.
Right now, it feels like Kansas State needs to send out an SOS to keep its season from completely sinking. The latest setback came in a loss at Arizona that at least didn’t count in the conference standings, but it continued the losing slide.
This team needs a break, and the bye couldn’t come at a better time. Kansas State’s three losses have come by a combined 10 points — while that brings with it some optimism, there’s also the underlying thought that there’s something wrong with the Wildcats, particularly on offense.
16. Oklahoma State Cowboys (1-1)
- Previous ranking: No. 16 (no change)
- Last week: Bye
- Next game: Friday vs. Tulsa, 5:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN)
What’s left to say about Oklahoma State right now? The humbling 66-point loss at Oregon two weeks ago left little room for optimism for the once-proud program.
Can the Cowboys take care of business this week against Tulsa? Oklahoma State is a sizable favorite to win the Friday night matchup.
