Going into November, a pecking order for Big 12 conference contenders is starting to emerge.
BYU and Cincinnati are the lone two teams still unbeaten in Big 12 play.
Texas Tech and Houston only have one loss in league action and are best poised to pounce if the top two teams falter, a real possibility given the difficult November schedules for both BYU and Cincinnati.
Then there’s four teams who are all 3-2 in conference play, including Utah, TCU, Arizona State and Kansas State. If the top four teams slip up and these teams win out, there could be chaos and plenty of Big 12 tiebreaker chatter, like the 2024 season delivered.
It sets up an exciting — and hectic — final month of the season for the power conference league.
Here’s a look at how the Big 12 stacks up in the power rankings following Week 9 of the 2025 season.
1. BYU Cougars (8-0, 5-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 1 (no change)
- Last week: Beat Iowa State, 41-27
- Next game: Nov. 8 at No. 13 Texas Tech, 10 a.m. MT (ABC or ESPN)
Even with injuries piling up, the Cougars found a way to rally yet again and picked up their best win of the season against Iowa State.
BYU lost star running back LJ Martin late in the first quarter, then standout linebacker Siale Esera left due to injury. But the Cougars, after a slow start put them behind 24-10, rallied and outscored the Cyclones 31-3 to end the game. It was an impressive day for true freshman Bear Bachmeier, who had to rely more on his passing to help BYU earn the win.
The bye couldn’t have come at a better time for BYU, as it gives the Cougars a chance to hopefully heal up and get some of their key dinged-up players back in time for the Texas Tech game. That matchup in Lubbock is likely to be the Big 12 game of the year and will have massive implications on the conference race.
2. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-1, 5-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 2 (no change)
- Last week: Beat Baylor, 41-20
- Next game: Saturday at No. 24 Utah, 8:15 p.m. MT (ESPN)
The Bearcats continued to roll last week, taking care of a Baylor squad that is solid on offense but struggling on defense. Cincinnati’s seventh-straight win was yet another sign that the Bearcats have the ability to withstand punches from opposing teams — like Baylor rallying to make it a seven-point game early in the fourth — and still making the plays to win.
It sets up the Big 12 game of the week at Utah, and perhaps one of the most important to the league race this season. The Utes are trying to climb back into the conference chase after losses to Texas Tech and BYU, while the Bearcats are looking to stay unbeaten in Big 12 action and maintain control of their own destiny. The spotlight of ESPN’s “College GameDay” will also be there to showcase the matchup.
3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-1, 4-1 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 4 (⬆️ 1)
- Last week: Beat Oklahoma State, 42-0
- Next game: Saturday at Kansas State, 1:30 p.m. MT (Fox)
The Red Raiders had their shot at moribund Oklahoma State last week and came away with a dominant win that sends them into November on a positive note. Unfortunately, Texas Tech lost backup quarterback Will Hammond to a torn ACL, but the team’s starting quarterback Behren Morton is expected to be back for the Kansas State game.
The Wildcats present an interesting challenge one week before BYU comes to Lubbock. Kansas State has gone 3-1 since its 1-3 start, looking much more like the contender the Wildcats were projected to be going into the season. Plus, Texas Tech is hitting the road for this one, and in their last road game, Arizona State knocked off the Red Raiders. Can Texas Tech avoid the upset?
4. Houston Cougars (7-1, 4-1 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 5 (⬆️ 1)
- Last week: Beat No. 24 Arizona State, 24-16
- Next game: Saturday vs. West Virginia, 10 a.m. MT (FS1)
Will Houston finally start getting some of the credit it rightfully deserves? The Cougars made quite the statement by going into Tempe and beating the Sun Devils, all while building a 24-0 lead through three quarters before fending off a comeback. That win puts Houston in excellent position going into the final month of the regular season and finally pushed the Cougars into the national top-25 rankings.
Houston also has a schedule over the next month that is arguably the most favorable among the top Big 12 contenders. Only one of the Cougars’ remaining four opponents, TCU, has a winning record in league play right now, and their next two opponents, West Virginia and UCF, are currently a combined 1-8 in Big 12 action.
5. Utah Utes (6-2, 3-2 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 6 (⬆️ 1)
- Last week: Beat Colorado, 53-7
- Next game: Saturday vs. No. 17 Cincinnati, 8:15 p.m. MT (ESPN)
That was a masterful bounce-back effort for Utah, following a devastating loss to rival BYU the week before.
With true freshman quarterback Byrd Ficklin making his first career start, the Utes rolled from the get-go against Colorado en route to taking a 43-0 lead into halftime. Utah’s defense blitzed the Buffaloes all night and forced Colorado into countless mistakes.
It sets up another pivotal Big 12 matchup for the battle-tested Utes, as Cincinnati comes to Salt Lake City this week. ESPN’s “College GameDay” will be in town for the game, and the Bearcats bring a seven-game win streak — along with a 5-0 Big 12 record — into the matchup. Beating Cincinnati could be the lynchpin for Utah fighting its way back into the Big 12 championship race.
6. TCU Horned Frogs (6-2, 3-2 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 7 (⬆️ 1)
- Last week: Beat West Virginia, 23-17
- Next game: Nov. 8 vs. Iowa State, 1:30 p.m. MT (Fox)
It wasn’t an absolutely dominant effort, but TCU earned a win over the Mountaineers to become bowl eligible and stick around in the league race. With the final third of its season coming up after a bye week, the Horned Frogs are one of four teams with a 3-2 conference record.
TCU’s final month of the season, though, is arguably the most difficult in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs host Iowa State and Cincinnati, sandwiched around road games at BYU and Houston. If TCU goes unbeaten in that stretch, it could well be playing in the Big 12 title game. It’s a daunting schedule, though.
7. Arizona State Sun Devils (5-3, 3-2 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 3 (⬇️ 4)
- Last week: Lost to Houston, 24-16
- Next game: Saturday at Iowa State, 11 a.m. MT (TNT)
Will the real Arizona State please stand up? Then again, maybe they already have. The Sun Devils continued their rollercoaster season with a loss to Houston. That in itself wasn’t a total surprise, considering how well the Cougars are playing, but ASU was down 24-0 before trying to rally in the fourth quarter.
If the Sun Devils want to have any chance at defending their Big 12 championship, Arizona State’s game at Iowa State this week is a must-win. ESPN’s Football Power Index has the Sun Devils as favorites in their final three games after this week, and if ASU wins in Ames, it could get back in the league race with some help. But a win this week is necessary.
8. Kansas State Wildcats (4-4, 3-2 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 10 (⬆️ 2)
- Last week: Beat Kansas, 42-17
- Next game: Saturday vs. No. 13 Texas Tech, 1:30 p.m. MT (Fox)
Those early-season struggles are fading away for Kansas State, which has won three of its past four games. Just imagine if the Wildcats hadn’t blown a two-touchdown lead against Baylor, too, in a one-point loss.
There’s still some hope that with help, Kansas State could factor into the Big 12 race, like the expectations were for the Wildcats going into the season. This week’s matchup against Texas Tech will determine a lot, though, for whether Kansas State will continue its resurgence, or if the Wildcats’ early losses are too much to overcome.
9. Iowa State Cyclones (5-3, 2-3 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 8 (⬇️ 1)
- Last week: Lost to No. 11 BYU, 41-27
- Next game: Saturday vs. Arizona State, 11 a.m. MT (TNT)
For nearly a half, it looked like Iowa State was on its way to a bounce-back win over BYU that would have handed the Cougars their first loss and pushed the Cyclones back into the Big 12 conversation. But BYU outscored Iowa State 24-3 in the second half, including 14-0 in the fourth quarter after the Cyclones had tied the game at 27-all going into the final period.
Iowa State’s chances are slim to make a second-straight appearance in the Big 12 championship game. The Cyclones, who’ve been beset by injuries, have lost three straight, but if they can manage to beat Arizona State at home this week, then win at TCU the week after, there’s a good chance Iowa State finishes in the upper half of the conference — and could factor into the conference race if chaos breaks out.
10. Baylor Bears (4-4, 2-3 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 9 (⬇️ 1)
- Last week: Lost to No. 21 Cincinnati, 41-20
- Next game: Saturday vs. UCF, 10 a.m. MT (ESPNU)
Baylor has shown it has a good offense, but the Bears’ undoing has been its defense. In the loss to the Bearcats, Cincinnati built a commanding 24-6 lead going into halftime and while Baylor managed to get back within seven points early in the fourth quarter, the Bears’ defense allowed the Bearcats to score two fourth-quarter touchdowns to put the game away.
This year’s struggles have warmed up the hot seat discussions surrounding Dave Aranda. Is he coaching for his job in November? This week, the Bears can move within a game of bowl eligibility if they win at home against UCF, but that might not be enough for a Baylor team that looked like it could be a Big 12 darkhorse going into 2025 with Sawyer Robertson at quarterback.
11. Arizona Wildcats (4-3, 1-3 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 11 (no change)
- Last week: Bye
- Next game: Saturday at Colorado, 5 p.m. MT (FS1)
Time will tell if that was a good time for a bye for Arizona. The Wildcats lost three of their past four games before the break, though Arizona’s losses to ranked foes BYU and Houston came by a combined nine points.
The Wildcats’ next two opponents are Colorado and Kansas, and if Arizona can win those two, it will get bowl eligible before a difficult stretch run that includes games at Cincinnati and Arizona State and a home finale against Baylor.
12. Kansas Jayhawks (4-4, 2-3 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 13 (⬆️ 1)
- Last week: Lost to Kansas State, 42-17
- Next game: Saturday vs. Oklahoma State, 2 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
The Jayhawks are falling apart the further the season goes along. The latest setback came against rival Kansas State in a game where Kansas was favored to snap a 16-game losing streak to the Wildcats. Instead, Kansas was no match for Kansas State.
At least this week, the Jayhawks will face the Big 12’s worst team, Oklahoma State. Kansas gets the game at home, and it provides hope for the Jayhawks to snap a two-game losing streak while staying in play for bowl eligibility.
13. UCF Knights (4-3, 1-3 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 14 (⬆️ 1)
- Last week: Bye
- Next game: Saturday at Baylor, 10 a.m. MT (ESPNU)
UCF gets back on the field this week after a bye. The Knights preceded that with an impressive 45-13 win over West Virginia for their lone conference win thus far.
Baylor will be a tough test for UCF, particularly on the road. The Knights need two more wins to become bowl eligible, and with ranked teams BYU, Texas Tech and Houston all still on the schedule, this is pretty much a must-win for UCF.
14. Colorado Buffaloes (3-5, 1-4 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 12 (⬇️ 2)
- Last week: Lost to Utah, 53-7
- Next game: Saturday vs. Arizona, 5 p.m. MT (FS1)
That was a disaster for Colorado. The Buffaloes, who’ve been competitive in most games in a trying season, were blown away by Utah, getting outscored 43-0 in the first half. It was a rough return to the field after a bye for Colorado.
There’s a strong possibility that one year after ending up in a four-way tie atop the Big 12 that Colorado won’t make the postseason. The Buffaloes need to win three of their final four games to become bowl eligible, and Colorado still has to play Arizona and Arizona State at home and West Virginia and Kansas State on the road.
15. West Virginia Mountaineers (2-6, 0-5 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 15 (no change)
- Last week: Lost to TCU, 23-17
- Next game: Saturday at No. 22 Houston, 10 a.m. MT (FS1)
West Virginia was more competitive this past weekend, losing by six to the Horned Frogs. The Mountaineers trailed by 13 at halftime before giving themselves a chance after scoring a touchdown with just over three minutes to play, but never got the ball back.
Now, the Mountaineers face one of the hottest teams in the Big 12 in Houston. The Cougars have won three straight and have themselves well positioned in the league race going into November.
16. Oklahoma State Cowboys (1-7, 0-5 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 16 (no change)
- Last week: Lost to No. 14 Texas Tech, 42-0
- Next game: Saturday at Kansas, 2 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Another matchup with a ranked opponent led to another blowout loss for the Cowboys. Oklahoma State just went through what is probably the team’s toughest stretch, getting outscored by an average score of 43.3 to 11.3 in losses to Houston, Cincinnati and Texas Tech.
Kansas is also struggling coming into its matchup with the Cowboys. The Jayhawks have lost three of their last four.
