It’s go time.
A quarter of the way through the 2026 college football regular season, the majority of Big 12 teams have played all three of their nonconference games and are turning their focus toward conference action.
There are a handful of nonconference contests still spread around the league, but for the most part, the conversation shifts to the Big 12 race — and how every win and loss impacts the conference chase.
Here’s how the Big 12 stacks up after Week 3 of the season — the top five of the league’s power rankings stayed the same, even after a weekend where two of the league’s top teams went down to the wire.
1. BYU Cougars (3-0, 1-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 1 (↔️)
- Last week: Beat Colorado State, 41-23
- Next game: Oct. 3 at TCU, 5 p.m. MDT (ESPN or ESPN2)
BYU rolled over its former conference rival before the Rams scored a couple late touchdowns to make the score more respectable.
The Cougars’ first road trip of the season went swimmingly — BYU was efficient on offense and shut down Colorado State, at least when the first-team defense was in there. And most importantly, the Cougars didn’t have any additional injuries pile up in the easy win.
While it could be argued that BYU might prefer a game this weekend to try and keep its momentum going, the Cougars no doubt will benefit from an early week of rest and time to heal up after they’ve dealt with a handful of injuries. That could be critical as BYU heads into the teeth of its schedule.
2. Utah Utes (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 2 (↔️)
- Last week: Beat Utah State, 33-0
- Next game: Saturday at Iowa State, 1:30 p.m. MDT (Fox)
For the fourth-straight year, Utah made it through nonconference play without a loss as the Utes shut out in-state rival Utah State.
Utah’s defense, in particular, had a strong day. Not only did the Utes prevent the Aggies from scoring, but that included Utah stopping Utah State on two red-zone opportunities. In nonconference play, the Utes outscored their opponents by an average score of 47.3 to 8.
Saturday’s Big 12 opener will be the Utes’ first game away from Rice-Eccles Stadium, against an Iowa State team that looks quite a bit better than anticipated going into the season. Still, Utah is favored to go on the road and win in the conference opener for both schools.
3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-0, 1-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 3 (↔️)
- Last week: Beat then-No. 22 Houston, 28-26
- Next game: Saturday vs. Sam Houston, 10 a.m. MDT (TNT)
The Red Raiders passed their first real test of the season, rallying from an early 10-0 deficit and then stopping a 2-point conversion attempt in the game’s final minute to fend off Houston. Give Joey McGuire’s squad props for responding after a poor start and regaining control of one of the toughest — if not the toughest — regular-season games they’ll have this year.
This isn’t like last season where the Red Raiders were blowing teams away and shutting them down defensively, at least not yet. But Texas Tech has shown resilience in its past two games to make the plays it needed in the fourth quarter, and now the Red Raiders will finish up nonconference play with a home game against sizable underdog Sam Houston.
4. Houston Cougars (2-1, 0-1 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 4 (↔️)
- Last week: Lost to then-No. 13 Texas Tech, 28-26
- Next game: Saturday at Georgia Southern, 2 p.m. MDT (ESPNU)
Early on in last Friday’s matchup between Houston and Texas Tech, it looked like the Cougars were primed for an upset — they were up 10-0 and had the Red Raiders in a third-and-long late in the first quarter. Texas Tech converted, though, and eventually the Red Raiders took control of the game before fending off a late Houston rally, which included stopping a two-point conversion attempt just short of the goal line.
What have we learned about Houston thus far? Willie Fritz has a tough-minded squad, and they’ll factor into the Big 12 race, most likely. For now, the Cougars are focused on finishing off nonconference play strong this week.
5. Oklahoma State Cowboys (2-1, 0-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 5 (↔️)
- Last week: Beat Murray State, 59-0
- Next game: Saturday at West Virginia, 5 p.m. MDT (FS1)
There’s not much you can read into Oklahoma State’s blitzing of an FCS opponent last week. The Cowboys put up some flashy numbers, at least: The Cowboys scored 14 or more points in three of the four quarters, and Drew Mestemaker had more touchdown passes (five) than incompletions (two).
Now, the real season begins. It’s been more than two years since Oklahoma State last won a Big 12 Conference game — a stunningly long stretch for the program — and the Cowboys must open league play on the road against a West Virginia team fresh off upsetting a top-25 team. This is the Big 12’s best game of the week.
6. West Virginia Mountaineers (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 11 (⬆️ 5)
- Last week: Beat then-No. 25 Virginia, 38-27
- Next game: Saturday vs. Oklahoma State, 5 p.m. MDT (FS1)
Rich Rodriguez has something cooking in West Virginia. Oklahoma transfer quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. accounted for 313 yards of total offense and five touchdowns in leading the Mountaineers to an upset of then-No. 25 Virginia, while Cam Cook added 123 rushing yards.
Will West Virginia be able to maintain this kind of offensive explosion? If it can, the Mountaineers look like a dark horse in the Big 12 chase, and they’ll start conference play off against another team, Oklahoma State, that is shaping up to be a surprise contender. One of these squads will earn a big boost to their league hopes come Saturday.
7. Kansas State Wildcats (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 6 (⬇️ 1)
- Last week: Beat Tulane, 31-20
- Next game: Saturday at Cincinnati, 5 p.m. MDT (ESPN2)
Kansas State wrapped up nonconference action with another solid, double-digit victory, behind another big day from quarterback Avery Johnson. The dual-threat QB threw for 227 yards, while also rushing for 152 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats took care of Tulane.
Now comes the next test: league play. Kansas State has a more favorable Big 12 schedule than most — avoiding Texas Tech, BYU and Utah during the regular season — and is playing well in Colin Klein’s first year as coach. The first test comes against a Cincinnati team that is also 3-0, but like the Wildcats is a bit of an unknown.
8. Arizona Wildcats (2-1, 0-1 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 7 (⬇️ 1)
- Last week: Beat Northern Illinois, 42-17
- Next game: Saturday at Washington State, 5:30 p.m. MDT (CBS)
When the Wildcats fell behind 10-0 to Northern Illinois in the first six minutes of their game last weekend, it felt like Arizona was still recovering a bit from its Big 12-opening loss at BYU the week prior. Then Noah Fifita and the Wildcats got going, and Arizona won handily, as Fifita, who threw four touchdowns, became the program’s all-time leading passer in the win.
Arizona is one of a handful of teams that still have a nonconference matchup to play, thanks to their Week 2 game at BYU. The Wildcats are favored on the road at Washington State, and after that, they’ll begin in earnest one of the toughest Big 12 schedules this season.
9. Iowa State Cyclones (2-1, 0-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 12 (⬆️ 3)
- Last week: Beat Bowling Green, 55-7
- Next game: Saturday vs. No. 15 Utah, 1:30 p.m. MDT (Fox)
Remember how pretty much everyone, this reporter included, had Iowa State as the Big 12’s worst team heading into the 2026 season after the Cyclones lost so much talent — and their head coach — during the offseason? Well, Jimmy Rogers is making believers pretty quickly in Ames, and last week that included a blowout win against an overmatched opponent.
While Iowa State played Iowa close two weeks ago and lost by just three, this week’s Big 12 opener — against a top-15 Utah squad — will be a good litmus test for just how far this Cyclones team has come along in the first month of the season. The Utes are favored, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Cyclones give Utah a game.
10. Arizona State Sun Devils (2-1, 1-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 10 (↔️)
- Last week: Beat Kansas, 24-17
- Next game: Oct. 3 vs. Baylor, 8:30 p.m. MDT (ESPN)
Does Kenny Dillingham have another team that will contend for the Big 12 crown cooking in Tempe this year? That’s still TBD, though the Sun Devils took care of business in beating Kansas in the league opener for both schools. Arizona State led 24-7 early in the fourth quarter and held off a Jayhawks rally.
Following a bye week, the Sun Devils will host Baylor — another team ASU will likely be favored against — before facing Hawaii in its final nonconference game. Then the real gauntlet of Big 12 play begins for Arizona State.
11. Cincinnati Bearcats (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 8 (⬇️ 3)
- Last week: Beat Miami (Ohio), 35-31
- Next game: Saturday vs. Kansas State, 5 p.m. MDT (ESPN2)
Thank goodness for a big second-half rally — Cincinnati found itself down 21 points against a subpar MAC team at halftime last week, only to outscore Miami (Ohio) 28-3 after halftime to earn the win. It was a far-from-convincing victory for the Bearcats, who nonetheless went undefeated in nonconference action.
It’s likely Cincinnati will need to play a full game this weekend to emerge victorious, with Kansas State coming to town in the Big 12 opener for both schools. The winner gets an early boost to their conference hopes, while the loser must try to rebound as the calendar flips to October.
12. TCU Horned Frogs (2-1, 0-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 14 (⬆️ 2)
- Last week: Beat Arkansas State, 31-7
- Next game: Saturday at UCF, 1:30 p.m. MDT (FS1)
Few teams are harder to get a good read on right now around the Big 12 than TCU. The Horned Frogs entered 2026 with the potential to be a contender, only to lose to North Carolina in Week 0. Two subsequent wins against overmatched opponents — including a victory over Arkansas State that included a slow start — haven’t really shown much other than the ability to put up gaudy offensive numbers when the competition isn’t as strong.
So, what now for TCU? The Horned Frogs kick off Big 12 play on the road at UCF, another team that is going through its own identity crisis. TCU is likely the favorite, and a win would keep the momentum the Horned Frogs have built going into a matchup against top-10 BYU in two weeks.
13. Baylor Bears (2-1, 0-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 13 (↔️)
- Last week: Beat Louisiana Tech, 36-19
- Next game: Saturday vs. Colorado, 10 a.m. MDT (ESPN2)
It’s been a few years since Baylor has been relevant in Big 12 football, and going into conference action, there’s no guarantee that this will be the year that changes. The Bears are 2-1 and nearly beat the SEC’s Auburn, though a lot of the early-season focus has been on former five-star quarterback transfer DJ Lagway and the fact he’s missed time due to injury.
The Big 12 schedule seems to favor Baylor, at least in the early going. The majority of the Bears’ matchups against the league’s top contenders come at the tail end of November, giving Baylor — especially if Lagway gets back and stays healthy — the opportunity to build some momentum (and a potential winning streak) early in conference action.
14. UCF Knights (2-1, 0-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 15 (⬆️ 1)
- Last week: Beat Georgia State, 44-30
- Next game: Saturday vs. TCU, 1:30 p.m. MDT (FS1)
Like Baylor, the Knights are dealing with a quarterback situation that mucks up the forecast for their team. Unfortunately for UCF, it appears Alonza Barnett III is still a ways off from returning, though at least the Knights ran for 304 yards in their victory over Georgia State, alleviating some of the pressure off the pass game.
The Knights have a difficult stretch to start Big 12 play, however, and it could cause some stress until Barnett, who led James Madison to the College Football Playoffs last season, is able to return. The Knights host TCU this week, then play at Houston and Oklahoma State before a bye, which is followed by a home tilt against No. 9 BYU. That stretch could doom UCF.
15. Colorado Buffaloes (2-1, 0-0 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 9 (⬇️ 6)
- Last week: Lost to Northwestern, 41-7
- Next game: Saturday at Baylor, 10 a.m. MDT (ESPN2)
Colorado’s surprise season-opening win over Georgia Tech feels like a distant memory, especially after the Buffaloes were embarrassed in a 34-point loss in Big Ten country. Then this week, Deion Sanders dismissed multiple players from the team for conduct detrimental to the program, further adding dissent and drama for Colorado.
How will that factor into how the Buffaloes show up Saturday in their Big 12 opener at Baylor? Both Sanders and Baylor’s Dave Aranda were viewed as coaches on the hot seat going into the 2026 season, and the loser of Saturday’s contest will likely have the heat turned up even further.
16. Kansas Jayhawks (1-2, 0-1 Big 12)
- Previous ranking: No. 16 (↔️)
- Last week: Lost to Arizona State, 24-17
- Next game: Oct. 3 vs. MTSU, 10 a.m. MDT (ESPNU)
Only one team in the Big 12 has a losing record at this point in the season, and that’s Kansas. The Jayhawks are coming off a loss against Arizona State in London where Kansas trailed by 17 a few minutes into the fourth quarter before a rally came up short.
Right now, there’s just not a lot of excitement surrounding the program. Following a bye week, the Jayhawks will have a chance to get back to .500 when they face Conference USA’s MTSU.
