Kansas dropped five spots to ninth place in the the Big 12 power rankings after its loss to Illinois, the largest movement for any single program in the second edition of the rankings voted on by media members who cover the conference.
Colorado also dropped significantly, from ninth to 13th, while Iowa State and Arizona State tied for the biggest jumps in this week’s rankings, with the Cyclones climbing from seventh to fourth and the Sun Devils moving up from 11th to eighth.
Meanwhile, uncertainty about the health of Utah star quarterback Cam Rising wasn’t enough to sway voters at the top of the poll. The Utes tightened their grip on the top spot, receiving 12 of a possible 16 first-place votes. The first-place total was an increase from seven votes Utah received after the opening week of the season.
Oklahoma State received two first-place votes, while Kansas State and Iowa State each received one.
1. Utah
Previous ranking: 1
Points: 250 (12 first-place votes)
Record: 2-0
Last week: beat Baylor, 23-12
This week: at Utah State
Comment: Utah’s worst fear came true on Saturday. Rising suffered an injury to his right hand after being shoved into the water coolers on Baylor’s sideline by a pursuing defender. It’s unclear how bad his injury is or how long he’ll be out, but the Utes’ offense looked sluggish without him.
Did you know? Without Cam Rising, Utah’s offense ranked second-to-last in the Pac-12 in total offense a season ago, just ahead of a 3-9 Arizona State. — Jason Batacao, The Salt Lake Tribune
2. Oklahoma State
Previous ranking: 2
Points: 230 (two first-place votes)
Record: 2-0
Last week: beat Arkansas, 39-31 in double overtime
This week: at Tulsa
Comment: Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy is considering making schematic changes to his defense following what appears to be a season-ending injury to edge Collin Oliver. Division II transfer Obi Ezeigbo should start in his place, unless OSU eliminates the position since that move was made primarily to capitalize on Oliver’s talents.
Did you know? Oklahoma State safety Trey Rucker leads the nation in total tackles (32), and he’s not getting them cheaply since he also leads in solo tackles (20). — Tyler Waldrep, Tulsa World
3. Kansas State
Previous ranking: 3
Points: 226 (one first-place vote)
Record: 2-0
Last week: beat Tulane, 34-27
This week: vs. No. 20 Arizona (Friday)
Comment: The Wildcats lost two starting offensive linemen to injury during their win over Tulane and their status as of Monday is unclear. While the two backups performed well in their stead, the Wildcats already have had trouble finding consistency on offense through two games, and losing two of their most experienced linemen won’t help matters, especially versus a talented and disruptive Arizona defensive line.
Did you know? For the first time since 2014, Bill Snyder Family Stadium will play host to a top-20 matchup as No. 14 K-State and No. 20 Arizona square off on Friday. — Tim Everson, The Manhattan Mercury
4. Iowa State
Previous ranking: 7
Points: 207 (one first-place vote)
Record: 2-0
Last week: beat Iowa, 20-19
This week: Open date
Comment: The Cyclones supplanted their intrastate foe, Iowa, at No. 21 in the AP rankings. Iowa State hadn’t been ranked since the 2021 season — and outscored the then-No. 21 Hawkeyes, 20-6, in the second half last week in a 20-19 win at Kinnick Stadium.
Did you know? Cyclone receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel have each caught two touchdown passes this season — one each in two games. — Rob Gray, The Cedar Rapids Gazette
5. Arizona
Previous ranking: 5
Points: 185
Record: 2-0
Last week: beat Northern Arizona 22-10
This week: vs. No. 14 Kansas State (Friday)
Comment: A week after one of the best offensive performances in school history and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan setting a program-record 304 receiving yards and four touchdowns, the Wildcats only had 371 yards of total offense against FCS Northern Arizona, albeit allowed just 10 points after giving up 39 to New Mexico. The Wildcats haven’t had a complete game yet, and it doesn’t get any easier with a battle against No. 14 Kansas State coming up on Friday in Manhattan, which is a nonconference game because the home-and-home series with KSU, the other Wildcats in the Big 12, was scheduled in 2016.
Did you know? Last week, Arizona didn’t have a third-down conversion in a game for the first time since 2003. Arizona’s matchup with Kansas State will be the first battle between both schools since 1978. Arizona is 7-1-1 all-time against teams that have “Wildcats” as their mascot. — Justin Spears, Arizona Daily Star
6. UCF
Previous ranking: 6
Points: 171
Record: 2-0
Last week: beat Sam Houston, 45-14
This week: at TCU
Comment: Running back RJ Harvey continued his strong start to the season by rushing for 126 yards and scoring a career-high four touchdowns. The Knights jumped out to an early 17-0 lead before cruising to a 31-point victory. UCF’s defense registered two more takeaways in limiting the Bearkats to 286 yards.
Did you know? UCF has had 11 rushing touchdowns through the first two games, with Harvey having six scores. — Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel
7. TCU
Previous ranking: 8
Points: 143
Record: 2-0
Last week: beat Long Island, 45-0
This week: vs. UCF
Comment: TCU’s win was never in doubt, but the Horned Frogs walked away from their FCS victory with questions about the offensive line. That line will face a big test as they enter Big 12 conference play this week.
Did you know? TCU’s win over LIU was the first shoutout of an opponent since the Horned Frogs beat Kansas 43-0 in 2017. — Jamie Plunkett, Horned Frog Blitz
Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo (4) runs the ball against Mississippi State in the first half during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
8. Arizona State
Previous ranking: 11
Points: 142
Record: 2-0
Last week: beat Mississippi State, 30-23
This week: at Texas State (Thursday)
Comment: The Sun Devils led 30-3 and then had to hang on for the win. Cam Skattebo rushed for 262 yards on 33 carries and caught three passes for 35 yards. That rushing total was the second-highest single-game total in school history behind only the 312 of Eno Benjamin against Oregon State in 2018.
Did you know? This marked the first win for ASU against an SEC school, not that there had been many tries as ASU went into the game 0-5. ASU has defeated some schools currently in the SEC, such as Missouri, but those were not in the conference when the teams played. — Michelle Gardner, Arizona Republic
9. Kansas
Previous ranking: 4
Points: 134
Record: 1-1
Last week: lost to Illinois, 23-17
This week: vs. UNLV (Friday)
Comment: As head coach Lance Leipold pointed out after the Jayhawks fell flat at Illinois, it’s a long season and all of KU’s goals are still well within reach despite the early defeat. Jalon Daniels and the offense, though, will need to look dramatically better to get the Jayhawks into the Big 12 title conversation.
Did you know? This week’s game against UNLV marks the first time the KU program has ever met a bowl opponent for a rematch the very next year. — Henry Greenstein, Lawrence Journal-World
T10. BYU
Previous ranking: 13
Points: 111
Record: 2-0
Last week: beat SMU, 18-15
This week: at Wyoming
Comment: It wasn’t a work of art, but BYU did enough to steal a win in Dallas. As an 11-point underdog, the Cougars held SMU to five field goals in their best defensive performance in a year. The offense looked dreadful most of the night, but a late run by Miles Davis set up the game-winning field goal.
Did you know? BYU hadn’t won a road game since Sept. 16, 2023, against Arkansas. This win snapped a five-game road skid. — Kevin Reynolds, The Salt Lake Tribune
T10. West Virginia
Previous ranking: 10
Points: 111
Record: 1-1
Last week: beat Albany, 49-14
This week: at Pitt
Comment: WVU looked as dominant as it should have against an FCS opponent, although the pass defense was shaky at times. Now all attention turns to the 107th Backyard Brawl. Winning the Brawl would be the perfect momentum-builder for the Mountaineers to head into conference play.
Did you know? The 1921 Backyard Brawl was the first college football game broadcast on the radio, called by Harold W. Arlin on KDKA. — Cody Nespor, The Dominion Post
12. Baylor
Previous ranking: 12
Points: 74
Record: 1-1
Last week: lost at No. 11 Utah, 23-12
This week: vs. Air Force
Comment: Baylor’s offense struggled in the nonconference game at Utah, finishing with 223 yards, fewer than any game last season when the Bears won just three games. One positive? Punter Palmer Williams had the best game in school history with six punts for an average of 62.7 yards, including a career long 79-yard kick. Williams leads the country with an average of 57.9 yards per punt.
Did you know? The only other time Baylor and Air Force met was in the 2022 Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, when the temperature at kickoff was a balmy 13 degrees. — Zach Smith, Waco Tribune-Herald
13. Colorado
Previous ranking: 9
Points: 73
Record: 1-1
Last week: lost at Nebraska, 28-10
This week: at Colorado State
Comment: CU folded under the bright lights and electric atmosphere in Lincoln last week, particularly on offense. The Buffs’ defense has shown significant improvement over last year, however, and shut out the Cornhuskers in the second half. If the Buffs can continue to play that way on defense and get the offense going again, they can get back on track this week.
Did you know? Dating back to the 2023 finale, Travis Hunter has had three consecutive 100-yard receiving games. He’s the first CU receiver to do that since Charles Johnson in 1993. — Brian Howell, Boulder Daily Camera
14. Texas Tech
Previous ranking: 14
Points: 50
Last week: lost at Washington State, 37-16
This week: vs. North Texas
Comment: Little the Red Raiders have shown in the first two weeks sparks confidence. If it’s not an awful defensive performance against an FCS team, it’s an offense that can’t generate plays farther than two yards beyond the line of scrimmage until garbage time. Time for Joey McGuire to rethink plenty, especially what the team does to prepare for a season.
Did you know? Texas Tech last won its first true road game of the season in 2018, a streak that continues now with the loss to Washington State. – Nathan Giese, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
15. Cincinnati
Previous ranking: 15
Points: 44
Record: 1-1
Last week: lost to Pitt, 28-27
This week: at Miami (Ohio)
Comment: Much like in their first week, the Bearcats held a commanding lead then squandered it. They led 21-3 vs. Towson and eventually won 38-20, pulling off the gas. Against Pitt, Cincinnati’s lead was 27-6 with 4:50 remaining in the third quarter. Suddenly its offense under Brendan Sorsby sputtered and Alabama transfer Eli Holstein got hot for Pitt, leading the Panthers on four consecutive scoring drives. Sorsby threw for three touchdowns, tying a career-high, and Corey Kiner ran for 149 yards, but the Bearcats couldn’t finish and Ben Sauls was able to kick a third field goal to silence the stunned crowd at Nippert Stadium.
Did you know? Cincinnati’s trip to Oxford Saturday to face the Miami RedHawks could be its last. Miami snapped a 16-game skid in the Victory Bell series last season in overtime at Nippert winning 31-24. It then opted out of returning to Nippert in 2025 and the next scheduled meeting will be at Paycor Stadium in 2026, the home of the Cincinnati Bengals. — Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer
16. Houston
Previous ranking: 16
Points: 25
Record: 0-2
Last week: lost at No. 15 Oklahoma, 16-12
This week: vs. Rice
Comment: Coach Willie Fritz said the Cougars took a “big step forward” after a near-road upset against No. 15 Oklahoma. Quarterback Donovan Smith completed 86% of his passes (24-of-28) and Houston’s defense held the Sooners scoreless in the second half. That Houston — not the one that struggled in a 27-7 loss to UNLV in the season opener — could make some noise in the Big 12. For now, the Cougars seek to avoid just the program’s third 0-3 start since the turn of the century.
Did you know? This weekend’s Bayou Bucket rivalry game against Rice features schools separated by 4.6 miles, the shortest distance between FBS programs in the country. The rivalry could become a casualty of conference realignment with no scheduled meetings after 2025. — Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle
AP Photo/Rick Scuteri