The BYU Cougars needed a last-minute comeback to hang on to the victory over Utah in the Holy War, and in doing so, stayed atop the Big 12 Football Power Rankings following Week 11’s exciting action.
Week 11 Big 12 Power Rankings
Our exclusive power rankings for the Big 12 come from our 1-134 rankings, looking at the college football world as a whole. Following Week 11, here’s how the Big 12 teams stack up.
MORE: Full 1-134 College Football Power Rankings
16) Oklahoma State Cowboys (-1)
The Cowboys haven’t won a Big 12 title since 2011. Fresh off a 10-4 campaign that ended with a conference championship loss, can Mike Gundy lead his program back to the peak of the mountain? Spoiler: no.
Defeating back-to-back FCS National Championship winner South Dakota State in Week 1, outlasting Arkansas in double overtime in Week 2, and manhandling Tulsa had Oklahoma State sitting pretty in a highly competitive Big 12. But Utah, Kansas State, West Virginia, BYU, Baylor, and Arizona State completely knocked them out of the picture in the last six games.
Gundy’s squad saw their streak of 18 consecutive winning seasons, the second most in the Power Five, snap at the hands of TCU in Week 11. For the first time since 2005, Oklahoma State will not compete in a bowl game.
15) Arizona Wildcats (-1)
Jedd Fisch jumped ship for the Washington job, taking several coaches and players with him. Yet, QB Noah Fifita, OT Jonah Savaiinaea, WR Tetairoa McMillan, LB Jacob Manu, and CB Tacario Davis all decided to stay for new head coach Brent Brennan.
The Wildcats began the year 2-0, but both of their victories (vs. New Mexico and Northern Arizona) provided more questions than answers. Those questions came to roost against Kansas State, as the other Wildcats scored 31 unanswered after Arizona scored a TD on the opening drive of the game.
The bye week proved fruitful, as the ‘Cats upset Utah in Salt Lake City. It wasn’t pretty, but it was exactly the gritty win Arizona needed. However, the momentum ended there, as Arizona fell to Texas Tech, BYU, Colorado, West Virginia, and UCF over the last five games, exposing lingering issues on both sides of the ball.
14) Kansas Jayhawks (+2)
In just three years, Lance Leipold took the Jayhawks from 2-10 to 9-4 with a bowl victory — only for them to regress in 2024.
The Jayhawks sprinted to a 48-3 victory over Lindenwood in Week 1 but stumbled on the road against Illinois in Week 2, at home against a red-hot UNLV team in Week 3, in Morgantown vs. West Virginia in Week 4, in front of the Jayhawks faithful against TCU in Week 5, and in a 35-31 thriller at Arizona State.
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Just when it seemed time to ignore the football team and eye the basketball team, Kansas crushed Houston 42-14. Is Jalon Daniels (16 of 21 for 247 yards and three TDs) fixed? Probably not, but CFB is more fun when he’s at his best.
The Jayhawks gave Kansas State a run for its money in the Sunflower Showdown, but they couldn’t notch their first win in the rivalry since *checks notes* 2007. Kansas is 2-6 and en route to its worst campaign since Leipold first landed in Lawrence. At least they spoiled Iowa State’s CFP bid with an impressive 45-36 victory in Week 11.
13) UCF Knights (-1)
The Knights’ first year in the Big 12 was also their first losing season since 2016 (6-7). To avoid a repeat performance, Gus Malzahn paired 1,000-yard rusher RJ Harvey with Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson and Toledo RB Peny Boone.
New Hampshire and Sam Houston were little more than cannon fodder early in the season, but TCU forced the Knights to pull out all the stops. Although Jefferson hasn’t exactly impressed, he did toss three touchdowns with no turnovers against the Horned Frogs and led UCF on a game-winning TD drive.
Yet, in the wake of several redshirt/transfer announcements, the Knights were thoroughly shellacked by Florida, raising serious concerns about their rest-of-season outlook. Malzahn’s squad hosted Cincinnati in Week 7 as nearly three-point favorites, and to provide a spark, Jefferson was benched in favor of 17-year-old true freshman QB EJ Colson … for two drives.
Jacurri Brown replaced him the rest of the way, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Bearcats. The Knights have now lost 12 games as a favorite under Malzahn, including the last three. Brown and Harvey combined for 354 yards and four TDs on the ground, but the QB couldn’t do what his position requires him to — pass the ball — against Iowa State. Thus, the Knights dropped the ball in Week 8.
Week 9 brought much of the same, with undefeated BYU coming to town and stealing two more INTs from Brown. Malzahn saw enough, thrusting redshirt freshman Dylan Rizk onto the field. What did he do in his first start in Week 10? Lead the Knights to a dominant win over Arizona, generating over 300 yards of offense on his own.
Rizk played well once again vs. Arizona State, but the Sun Devils proved too much for the defense to handle, winning 35-31 despite the absence of leading rusher Cameron Skattebo.
12) Houston Cougars (+1)
The Cougars hired Willie Fritz to turn the program around after he led Tulane to back-to-back 10+ win seasons. A quick glance at the depth chart shows he got to work quickly, using the transfer portal to his advantage.
With so much change, it will take the Cougars some time to get the engine running. Turnovers and the lack of a running game led to a 0-2 start, but Houston beat up on Rice in Week 3.
Looking back, that was likely due more to Rice’s incompetence than Houston’s dominance, as Cincinnati and Iowa State had their way with the Cougars in the next two games.
However, with Fritz taking the keys of the offense and handing them to Zeon Chriss, the unit finally found some semblance of consistency and routed TCU 30-16 as 16.5-point underdogs. Then Smith returned and threw picks in a 42-14 rout against Kansas. Chriss cracked the starting lineup again in Week 9, and, oh, look, the Cougars won!
The young QB wasn’t particularly impressive against Utah, but he clearly is the best option under center for Houston this season. If you didn’t believe that sentence last week, you better believe it after he went 11 of 11 for 100+ yards through the air and on the ground to upset Kansas State 24-19 in Week 10.
11) Utah Utes (–)
Following back-to-back 10-4 campaigns, the Utes fell to 8-5 last year without the services of their starting QB and TE, but Cameron Rising and Brant Kuithe picked up where they left off, combining for four catches, 69 yards, and three TDs against Southern Utah.
The joy was short-lived, as Rising suffered an apparent throwing hand injury against Baylor in Week 2. The Utes still won and pulled off two more victories over Utah State and Oklahoma State with Isaac Wilson at the helm, but without Rising in the lineup, their ceiling is only so high — as seen in the Week 5 Pac-12 … I mean, Big 12 … loss to Arizona.
It appears the Grand Canyon State is Utah’s kryptonite, as Arizona State handed the Utes another L in Week 7. Rising was beyond rusty in his return, completing under 50% of his passes with zero TDs and two INTs before suffering a season-ending leg injury.
Following losses to Houston in Week 9 and BYU in Week 11 (which came down to the wire), the Utes’ haven’t won a game since September, and their Big 12 hopes are dead.
10) Baylor Bears (–)
The 2024 season could be Dave Aranda’s last in Waco if he doesn’t tilt the scales back in the Bears’ favor. Since going 12-2 and winning the Sugar Bowl in 2021, Baylor has gone 9-16.
Toledo transfer Dequan Finn tossed a pair of TDs and INTs against Tarleton State, but if there was a game to be reckless with the ball, it was that one, as the Bears left their home stadium with a 45-3 dub.
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Ball security issues were once again an issue in Week 2 vs. Utah, as Finn fumbled twice. Finn suffered an injury in the contest, prompting Sawyer Robertson to take the reigns in a 31-3 Week 3 win over Air Force. Robertson accounted for another three TDs with no turnovers against Colorado, but the Buffs took care of business in overtime, resulting in Baylor’s 38-31 loss.
Then, BYU made the Bears look like cubs in Week 5, building a 31-14 lead by halftime. Following a blowout loss to Iowa State, the Bears are already 0-4 in the Big 12 — if they don’t turn it around, fans will begin calling for Aranda’s job.
Aranda must have read that sentence because Baylor defeated Texas Tech 59-35 in Week 8, Oklahoma State 38-28 in Week 9, and TCU 37-34 in Week 10, silencing hot-seat talks.
9) TCU Horned Frogs (–)
TCU was in the national championship just two years ago, but that fact is already a distant memory. Considering the 65-7 final score against Georgia, it’s probably best for the Horned Frogs. Regardless, QB Josh Hoover flashed in his redshirt freshman season and has been even better so far in 2024.
The Stanford game wasn’t pretty, with the Horned Frogs losing two fumbles and committing seven penalties for 100 yards, including three straight 15-yard personal fouls in the first quarter.
But TCU’s lack of a dominant ground game was apparent in a heartbreaking loss to UCF in Week 3 and again in a 66-42 shootout loss to rival SMU. Still, even with three giveaways and zero takeaways, the Horned Frogs were able to defeat Kansas on their own turf. The arrow seemed to be pointing up … until Week 6. Another four turnovers dug a grave the program couldn’t crawl out of.
After beating a directionless Utah team and Texas Tech, the Horned Frogs fell to Baylor, 37-34. They got back into the win column against Oklahoma State in Week 10, and while the conference title is out of reach, at least they’ll go bowling in 2024.
8) Cincinnati Bearcats (-2)
Indiana transfer Brendan Sorsby was a revelation in the first two weeks, erupting vs. Towson and Pittsburgh through the air. But due to poor defense and play-calling in the second half, the Bearcats lost their first game against the Panthers.
Sorsby came back down to Earth some against a stout Miami (OH) defense, but Cincinnati got back into the win column. Yet, the entire team found its rhythm in Week 4, checking every box in a dominant win over Big 12 opponent Houston.
Sorsby threw another 400+ yards and four TDs against Texas Tech, but the Bearcats fell just short, missing a 51-yard field goal that would’ve made the score 44-44 and sent the game to overtime.
Cincy didn’t dwell on the loss, serving UCF a bright green bowl of Skyline Chili in Orlando and leaving with a 19-13 victory. The Bearcats then scored 24 points in the first two quarters against Arizona State, and although they didn’t score the rest of the way, they didn’t need to, winning 24-14.
But after a 34-24 loss to Colorado, Cincy is one of four Big 12 teams with a 3-2 conference record. With West Virginia (31-24 L), Iowa State, Kansas State, and TCU still on the schedule, how many wins can the Bearcats actually pull off?
7) Texas Tech Red Raiders (-1)
Behren Morton thrived in Week 1, going 30 of 42 for 378 yards and five TDs. However, the defense allowed Abilene Christian to force overtime and end the night with 51 points.
That game should’ve been a warning sign for the Red Raiders, as they fell 37-16 to Washington State in the Mike Leach Legacy Bowl. Turning the ball over four times and going 1 for 5 on fourth downs didn’t help their cause, as the Red Raiders struggled to find any rhythm on offense.
However, they were able to beat up on North Texas in Week 3 — dropping 44 points on the Mean Green by the second quarter — knocked off an undefeated Arizona State squad in Week 4, survived Cincinnati in Week 5, and humbled Arizona on the road in Week 6.
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The offense can clearly score with the best, but the defense took a step in the right direction against the Wildcats, intercepting two passes and forcing three field goals. However, both units underperformed against a Baylor squad that entered Week 8 at 0-3 in conference play. It wasn’t a tight loss, either, as the Bears scored 59 points on the Red Raiders.
Morton had his team in position to win against TCU in Week 9, but he suffered a shoulder injury, forcing true freshman Will Hammond into the lineup. Hammond played well in relief, but a late fumble sealed the deal.
Morton returned in Week 10, and although he threw two picks, the rest of the team picked up the slack, upsetting undefeated Iowa State as 14.5-point underdogs (23-22). The Big 12 is wide open. However, Colorado knocked the Red Raiders down a peg, taking the No. 2 spot in the conference from them with a 34-20 Week 11 win.
6) West Virginia Mountaineers (+2)
Head coach Neal Brown only had one winning season (6-4 in 2020) entering 2023, and his seat was heating up. A 9-4 campaign and a Mayo Bowl victory later, he received a contract extension. Were the Mountaineers a one-year wonder?
Penn State throttled West Virginia 34-12 in Week 1, with the closest score being 0-0 through the first quarter. The Mountaineers got in the win column in Week 2 against a stout UAlbany team but reverted right back with a crushing 38-34 loss to Pitt.
A 15-point fourth quarter in Week 4 gave them the nail-biting win over Kansas before they blitzed Oklahoma State in Week 6. Still, with Iowa State and Kansas State sieging Morgantown in Weeks 7 and 8, it appeared the road to another victory would be nothing short of a gauntlet. But West Virginia bounced back against Arizona in Week 9 and Cincinnati in Week 11, riding backup QB Nicco Marchiol to back-to-back victories.
5) Arizona State Sun Devils (–)
The Sun Devils have had their way offensively in 2024, with Michigan State transfer Sam Leavitt looking solid under center and Cam Skattebo pounding the rock, especially against Mississippi State in Week 2 (33-262-0).
Year 2 of the Kenny Dillingham era has gotten off to a fast start, but the Sun Devils were unable to keep the momentum rolling against Big 12 competition, losing 30-22 to Texas Tech in Week 4. Leavitt struggled through the air, with Skattebo the only real offensive threat, scoring two TDs on the ground and hauling in six receptions for 117 yards.
A home matchup against a floundering Kansas program gave Arizona State its first Big 12 win in Week 6, although the live win-probability chart fluctuated widely throughout the 35-31 contest. But the Sun Devils’ biggest win came in Week 7 against Utah, effectively extinguishing the Utes’ playoff hopes.
They picked Cam Rising off twice in his return and up over 350 yards on one of the stingier defenses in the country. But Leavitt missed Week 8, and the offense struggled because of it, as Jeff Sims converted just 4 of 14 third/fourth downs.
With Leavitt back to full health in Week 10, the Sun Devils racked up double Oklahoma State’s final score (42-21), with Skattebo rumbling for 100+ as both a rusher and receiver. Even without Skattebo in Week 11, Leavitt threw three TD passes to thwart UCF 35-31, keeping the Sun Devils’ longshot title hopes alive.
4) Iowa State Cyclones (–)
Entering his ninth season, Matt Campbell is one of the longest-tenured coaches in the conference. The Cyclones surprised many by posting a winning record last year, and now they return nearly every starter on both sides of the ball.
The Cyclones welcomed 30.5-point underdog North Dakota to Ames, Iowa, and only won 21-3. QB Rocco Becht and the aerial assault were fine, but the running game couldn’t generate 100 yards against their FCS opponent, which could be a concern.
The unit then averaged just 3.2 yards per carry against Iowa, but with the Hawkeyes owning one of the best defenses in the country, it’s forgivable. Becht, along with Cade McNamara’s poor play on the other side, led Iowa State to the 20-19 upset over their ranked in-state rival in Week 2 and has them in prime position in the Big 12.
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Quick victories over Arkansas State, Houston, Baylor, West Virginia, and a nail-biting 38-35 win against UCF should generate conviction leading into the final stretch of the conference schedule. But it was time to ask just how far this Cyclones team could go in the CFP, as they were 7-0 for the first time since 1938.
Texas Tech and Kansas answered for us, yanking Iowa State down by the collar for its first two losses of the season over the last two weeks. The Cyclones are still in the conference race, but they are likely out of CFP talks.
3) Colorado Buffaloes (-)
All press is good press … unless you aren’t performing on the field. Deion Sanders and Colorado took the country by storm early last season but fell off their own hype train, stumbling to a 4-8 record.
The Buffaloes were able to avoid a repeat performance against FCS powerhouse North Dakota State in Week 1, hanging on to win 31-26 behind the right arm of Shedeur Sanders and the God-given two-way abilities of Travis Hunter. Still, the offensive line and running game looked shaky and reared their ugly heads against Nebraska in Week 2.
Sanders was sacked four times in the first half and hit several more times, which is not what Coach Prime wants to see as his son is one season away from hearing his name called in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Give credit where credit is due, as the Buffs ignored the outside noise and won three straight. Despite being 12.5-point road dogs to UCF, Colorado shocked the Black Knights, owning a 34-14 lead midway through the third quarter.
Straddling a late-game INT by Sanders, Kansas State pulled a reverse Santa on Colorado, breaking into their house and taking instead of giving. Even with two more picks from Sanders, the Buffs rocked Arizona’s world, leaving Tucson with a 34-7 victory.
Cincinnati and Texas Tech weren’t particularly competitive either in the last two weeks, with Sanders and Hunter adding to their Heisman résumés.
2) Kansas State Wildcats (–)
The Wildcats have one of the most explosive backfields in the country and rode it to three straight victories.
However, Avery Johnson runs hot and cold accuracy-wise. His 64.2% completion rate, 7.3 yards per attempt, and 6:1 TD-to-INT ratio looked impressive on paper entering Week 4, but he had missed a few wide-open receivers and gotten lucky with a few turnover-worthy throws.
It all came to a head against BYU last Saturday night. Johnson and the ‘Cats were down 31-6 midway through the third, largely thanks to his sub-50% completion rate and two INTs, one of which was right between the numbers of a linebacker.
RB DJ Giddens ran wild against Oklahoma State and Colorado, culminating in back-to-back Big 12 wins. But their third (West Virginia) and fourth (Kansas) came via Johnson’s arm. If he can consistently move the chains with his arm, K-State will be a serious threat to teams higher up the rankings.
Unfortunately, Johnson’s shortcoming came to roost in Week 10 vs. Houston, as he completed just 59% of his passes for 6.1 yards per attempt, one TD, and two INTs.
1) BYU Cougars (-)
BYU hasn’t had back-to-back losing seasons since 2003-2004. Entering the 2024 campaign, it appeared the Cougars were in danger of that streak ending. Yet, they are coming off five straight victories and are real contenders in the Big 12.
Watching QB Jake Retzlaff is not for the faint of heart, but he has some dual-threat ability, and the defense has the talent to buoy the team.
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The unit proved as much by holding Kansas State to just six points midway through the third quarter in Week 4, jumping out to a 31-14 halftime lead over Baylor in Week 5, leading 27-10 entering the fourth quarter against Arizona, outlasting Oklahoma State 38-35 in Week 8 on a 35-yard go-ahead TD with 11 seconds remaining, and drowning UCF 37-24 in Week 9.
Then, the Holy War rivalry gave us one of the best late-night games of the season, with BYU driving the length of the field to kick the game-winning field goal with just four seconds left on the clock. Utah proved the Cougars have warts, but they also showed the grit needed to win tight contests.
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