Kansas has fallen to last place in this week’s edition of the Big 12 power rankings voted on by a panel of media members who cover the conference.
The Jayhawks have lost five straight games, four by a touchdown or less. Houston, which had previously been in last place, moved up to No. 13 after beating TCU.
Meanwhile, Iowa State remained on top of the rankings for the second week in a row.
Off to its best start in 44 years, ISU received 12 of a possible 16 first-place votes for 251 points from a panel of media that regularly covers the Big 12. After debuting at No. 1 for the first time following a shutout of Houston two weeks ago, the Cyclones picked up three more first-place votes to outpace BYU, which received three first-place votes and 239 points.
Kansas State was third, followed by Texas Tech (one first-place vote) and Colorado to round out the top five.
1. Iowa State
Previous ranking: 1
Points: 251 (12 first-place votes)
Record: 5-0 (2-0 Big 12)
Last week: beat Baylor, 43-21
This week: at West Virginia
Comment: The 11th-ranked Cyclones are tied for sixth nationally in turnover margin at plus-1.4 per game and are tied for eighth nationally in interceptions with 1.6 per game. Iowa State has won four of its past five meetings with the Mountaineers after losing five of six to start the series.
Did you know? The Cyclones seek their first 6-0 start since 1938. — Rob Gray, The Cedar Rapids Gazette
2. BYU
Previous ranking: 2
Points: 239 (three first-place votes)
Record: 5-0 (2-0 Big 12)
Last week: Open date
This week: vs. Arizona
Comment: BYU moved up to No. 14 in the Associated Press poll after a weekend of upsets. This is the fourth time BYU’s been inside the top 15 in the last five seasons.
Did you know? BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff is leading the Cougars in rushing this season. But coach Kalani Sitake should get back both of his top running backs against Arizona for the first time in over a month. — Kevin Reynolds, The Salt Lake Tribune
3. Kansas State
Previous ranking: 3
Points: 213
Record: 4-1 (1-1 Big 12)
Last week: Open date
This week: at Colorado
Comment: Kansas State returns to Boulder this weekend for the first time since Colorado left the Big 12 before the 2010 season. The Wildcats are looking for their first win at Colorado since a 34-21 victory in 2006, a Ron Prince and Dan Hawkins matchup.
Did you know? Dating back to the 2018 season and excluding the 2020 pandemic season, K-State has lost its last five games following an off week. — Tim Everson, The Manhattan Mercury
4. Texas Tech
Previous ranking: 7
Points: 204 (one first-place vote)
Record: 5-1 (3-0 in Big 12)
Last week: beat Arizona, 28-22
This week: Open date
Comment: Finishing the first half of the schedule 5-1, while expected, is a big win for the Red Raiders. Now becoming bowl eligible before Halloween is very much in play. For now, Tech will try to rest up its very depleted secondary to get ready for the home stretch, which escalates in intensity — in November, anyway.
Did you know? The last time Texas Tech had its current marks of 5-1 overall and 3-0 in Big 12 play was 2013. — Nathan Giese, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
5. Colorado
Previous ranking: 6
Points: 181
Record: 4-1 (2-0 Big 12)
Last week: Open date
This week: vs. No. 18 Kansas State
Comment: Riding a three-game winning streak for the first time since its 3-0 start to the 2023 season, Colorado took a week off last week. Although the Buffs have been playing well, it was probably a good time for a bye to give several players a chance to get healthy. CU gets safety Shilo Sanders (broken forearm) back this week.
Did you know? Colorado comes into this week as one of only six teams in the FBS that has not had an opposing player reach 100 yards rushing or receiving this season. The others are Army, Louisiana Tech, Northern Illinois, Ohio State and Oklahoma. Last year, CU gave up 14 100-yard performances, including at least one in 11 of 12 games. — Brian Howell, Boulder Daily Camera
6. Utah
Previous ranking: 5
Points: 177
Record: 4-1 (1-1 Big 12)
Last Week: Open date
This week: at Arizona State (Friday)
Comment: Despite coming off an open week, Utah starting quarterback Cam Rising’s health is still in question.
Did you know? Utah’s offense has scored only 16 touchdowns this season, good for the third-worst mark in the Big 12. — Jason Batacao, The Salt Lake Tribune
7. West Virginia
Previous ranking: 9
Points: 172
Record: 3-2 (2-0 Big 12)
Last week: beat Oklahoma State, 38-14
This week: vs. No. 11 Iowa State
Comment: West Virginia avoided a scare as starting quarterback Garrett Greene briefly left the game with a shoulder injury but returned. Backup Nicco Marchiol led two touchdown drives in Greene’s absence. The Mountaineers didn’t need to do much through the air, gaining 389 of their 558 yards on the ground and controlling the clock for nearly 44 minutes.
Did you know? West Virginia will wear an all-black alternate uniform this week as part of its “Coal Rush” game, a nod to the hardworking coal miners in the state. — Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle
8. Arizona
Previous ranking: 4
Points: 147
Record: 3-2 (1-1 Big 12)
Last week: lost to Texas Tech, 28-22
This week: at No. 14 BYU
Comment: Arizona had 10 offensive drives but only one touchdown in its latest setback against Texas Tech. The Wildcats have an identity issue on offense after scoring 61 points in their season-opening win.
Did you know? UA kicker Tyler Loop, who was recently named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, has made eight of his last 10 field-goal attempts. Loop set a program record with five field goals against Texas Tech. — Justin Spears, Arizona Daily Star
9. Arizona State
Previous ranking: 12
Points: 134
Record: 4-1 (1-1 Big 12)
Last week: beat Kansas, 35-31
This week: vs. No. 16 Utah (Friday)
Comment: Freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jordyn Tyson with 16 seconds left for the decisive score in a game that featured two ties and six lead changes. Cam Skattebo rushed for another 186 yards, 39 of which came on one play during the winning drive.
Did you know? Freshman Sam Leavitt became the first ASU QB to throw four touchdown passes in a game since Joey Yellen who did so in 2019 against USC. Yes, it was Joey Yellen and not Jayden Daniels. Daniels played at ASU for three years and that game against USC was the only one he did not start in his tenure. He was out with a knee injury sustained the previous week in a game against UCLA. — Michelle Gardner, Arizona Republic
T10. Cincinnati
Previous ranking: 13
Points: 106
Record: 3-2 (1-1 Big 12)
Last week: Open date
This week: at UCF
Comment: The Bearcats had an opportune bye week as several players left the previous week’s Texas Tech loss injured. The loss of running back Corey Kiner in the first quarter versus the Red Raiders played a key role in that defeat as the Bearcats struggled to run the ball and were forced to move the ball through the air. Brendan Sorsby did have a final drive that could have won or tied the game, but a 51-yard field goal attempt by Nathan Hawks missed giving Texas Tech the victory. Cincinnati’s losses are by one point to 5-0 Pitt and by three in Lubbock to 5-1 Texas Tech, which is undefeated in the Big 12.
Did you know? Three players transferred from the Bearcats in the offseason to UCF. The only one currently playing is Deshawn Pace at linebacker. Defensive back Bryon Threats has reentered the portal and running back Myles Montgomery has been injured and didn’t play last week. The Bearcats last won at UCF in 2020. — Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer
T10. UCF
Previous ranking: 8
Points: 106
Record: 3-2 (1-1 Big 12)
Last week: lost to Florida, 24-13
This week: vs. Cincinnati
Comment: UCF dropped its second straight game as the Knights’ offense remained stuck in neutral. The ground game, which had led the nation in rushing at one time, managed a paltry 108 yards against one of the worst rushing defenses in the country. It was the third-worst rushing performance since coach Gus Malzahn took over in 2021.
Did you know? Before the game, five players announced they were taking advantage of the NCAA’s redshirt rule, opting out of the season and entering the transfer portal. — Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel
12. Oklahoma State
Previous ranking: 10
Points: 71
Record: 3-3 (0-3 Big 12)
Last week: lost to West Virginia, 38-14
This week: Open date
Comment: Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy stopped short of guaranteeing quarterback Alan Bowman would remain the starter at BYU. It sounds like the Cowboys plan to open a competition during the open week.
Did you know? This is the first time since 2007 that Oklahoma State has lost three of its first six games. Plus, the only other 0-3 start in Big 12 play under Mike Gundy came during his first season in 2005. — Tyler Waldrep, Tulsa World
13. Houston
Previous ranking: 16
Points: 61
Record: 2-4 (1-2 Big 12)
Last week: beat TCU, 30-19
This week: Open date
Comment: The Cougars snapped an eight-quarter scoreless drought in a big way to notch coach Willie Fritz’s first Big 12 win. More importantly, the Cougars found a quarterback in Zeon Chriss, who got the start ahead of incumbent Donovan Smith. Chriss led the Cougars on five scoring drives, including his 71-yard run before halftime. Houston takes some momentum into an open week before playing at Kansas on Oct. 19.
Did you know? Safety A.J. Haulcy, who had seven tackles and two interceptions against TCU, was the first Houston player to ever be named the Big 12’s defensive player of the week. Previously, Matthew Golden (special teams) and running back Parker Jenkins (offensive) won weekly awards in 2023, the Cougars’ first season in the league. — Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle
14. TCU
Previous ranking: 11
Points: 58
Record: 3-3 (1-2 Big 12)
Last week: lost to Houston, 30-19
This week: Open date
Comment: Has Sonny Dykes officially used up all the goodwill he earned from taking TCU to the College Football Playoff in 2022? It certainly seems that way after the boos rained down on him and the Horned Frogs Friday night, after TCU conceded 30 points to the worst scoring offense in the country.
Did you know? TCU is now 8-10 since the start of the 2023 season, and just 4-8 in Big 12 play over that same time span. That’s not good enough for TCU or its fans, who have invested in the sport at the highest level. It will be interesting to see how hot Dykes’ seat gets the rest of the season. — Jamie Plunkett, Horned Frog Blitz
15. Baylor
Previous ranking: 14
Points: 33
Record: 2-4 (0-3 Big 12)
Last week: lost to No. 16 Iowa State, 43-21
This week: Open date
Comment: Dave Aranda and the Baylor players have been talking about getting off to a fast start for weeks. Saturday against Iowa State, that’s exactly what the Bears did. But they couldn’t sustain it and were outscored 40-7 over the final three quarters to lose their eighth straight conference game. With six key players sidelined with injuries, the bye week comes at a good time to get healthy and hit the reset button ahead of the home stretch.
Did you know? Baylor gave up more points in the second half Saturday against Iowa State (24) than the combined total it had allowed in second halves during the first five games of the season (20). — Zach Smith, Waco Tribune-Herald
16. Kansas
Previous ranking: 15
Points: 23
Record: 1-5 (0-3 Big 12)
Last week: lost to Arizona State, 35-31
This week: Open date
Comment: KU’s struggles this season are so widespread and so unpredictable that the Jayhawks can play their most complete offensive game of the season and still lose. That’s what happened on the road at ASU, when KU’s defense conceded touchdowns on each of the Sun Devils’ last three drives.
Did you know? Against FBS opponents this season, KU has been outscored 38-0 in the final two minutes of the first half. — Henry Greenstein, Lawrence Journal-World
AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez
