Big 12 power rankings: Texas Tech football separates itself from BYU
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
The Texas Tech football team has sat atop the Big 12 power rankings since mid-September, even though Brigham Young had a better record in recent weeks.
Texas Tech took care of that last weekend and substantiated its claim to being top dog in the Big 12 by handing BYU its first loss, a 29-7 verdict in Lubbock. With ESPN’s College GameDay parked on the Tech campus for a football game for the first time in 17 years, the Red Raiders rose to the occasion, their rugged defense holding the Cougars to season lows in rushing yards and total offense.
With regular-season games left with Central Florida and West Virginia, Tech’s in the driver’s seat to the Big 12 championship game in Arlington, Texas.
As for whom the Red Raiders might face there, BYU and Cincinnati each have one conference loss, and Houston, Utah and reigning champion Arizona State each have two.
On to the power rankings.
1. Texas Tech (9-1, 6-1 in the Big 12)
Last week: 1
This week: Central Florida
What to know: Red Raiders have won nine games for the first time since 2009, Mike Leach’s last season.
2. Brigham Young (8-1, 5-1)
Last week: 2
This week: TCU
What to know: L.J. Martin’s injured shoulder is a concern with no open date left and TCU and Cincinnati next on the schedule.
3. Utah (7-2, 4-2)
Last week: 3
This week: at Baylor
What to know: Utah was more competitive against Texas Tech than BYU was, but the Utes stay third because of their loss to the Cougars.
4. Cincinnati (7-2, 5-1)
Last week: 4
This week:Arizona
What to know: Bearcats had a 32-game win streak at Nippert Stadium from 2017-22. They’re two wins away from going unbeaten at home again this season.
5. Arizona State (6-3, 4-2)
Last week: 5
This week: West Virginia
What to know: Arizona State needs to hang on to Kenny Dillingham, and the Big 12 needs Arizona State to hang on to Kenny Dillingham.
6. Houston (8-2, 5-2)
Last week: 7
This week: Open
What to know: Trying to turn around a program means taking advantage of every little opportunity. Behold, the Cougars, who are 4-0 in games decided by eight points or fewer.
7. Iowa State (6-4, 3-4)
Last week: 8
This week: Open
What to know: Cyclones have gone a month not making timely plays. Aiden Flora, a walk-on, fourth-string running back, finally delivered one with a game-winning punt-return touchdown at TCU.
8. TCU (6-3, 3-3)
Last week: 6
This week: at BYU
What to know: Josh Hoover tripled Iowa State’s Rocco Becht in passing yardage, but the Horned Frogs lost for the second time this year after blowing a double-digit lead.
9. Baylor (5-4, 3-3)
Last week: 9
This week: Utah
What to know: The Big 12 has four of the eight semifinalists for the John Mackey Award, including the Bears’ Michael Trigg, who, among FBS tight ends, is third in catches (40), first in receiving yards (607) and tied for first in TDs (6).
10. Arizona (6-3, 3-3)
Last week: 10
This week: at Cincinnati
What to know: Wildcats’ assignment this week is crossing two time zones and kicking off at 10 a.m. Tucson time.
11. Kansas State (4-5, 3-3)
Last week: 11
This week: at Oklahoma State
What to know: The Dylan Edwards drama ends, and Kansas State is likely to finish without a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since 2020.
12. Kansas (5-5, 3-4)
Last week: 12
This week: Open
What to know: Kansas’ 24-20 loss at Arizona is exactly the kind of game you don’t want going into an open date. Now there’s an extra week for griping about what-ifs, game management and losing on a last-minute touchdown.
13. Central Florida (4-5, 1-5)
Last week: 14
This week: at Texas Tech
What to know: Only fitting that Houston — the school from Space City — would be the team to end UCF’s perfect record in the annual Space Game.
14. West Virginia (4-6, 2-5)
Last week: 15
This week: at Arizona State
What to know: Closest the Mountaineers will get to a bowl game this year is this week when they fly across the country for a warm-weather game in Tempe.
15. Colorado (3-7, 1-6)
Last week: 13
This week: Open
What to know: “This is the worst we’re going to be. You better get me right now.” — Deion Sanders in 2023, but maybe applies again in 2025.
16. Oklahoma State (1-8, 0-6)
Last week: 16
This week: Kansas State
What to know: Remaining games are an afterthought compared to the Cowboys’ coaching search.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Big 12 power rankings: Texas Tech football separates itself from BYU
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos