Your turn, Texas Tech.
On the verge of a top-10 national ranking after an impressive road win against Utah, the Red Raiders moved into the top spot in this week’s Big 12 power rankings.
Texas Tech received 13 of a possible 16 first-place votes and 245 points from a panel of media who regularly cover the Big 12. Iowa State, which held the No. 1 spot the previous two weeks, received two first-place votes and 241 points after being off last week. TCU picked up the other first-place vote.
Baylor had the biggest drop of the week, from fifth to 10th, after a last-second home loss to Arizona State. Kansas moved from eighth into a tie for sixth after blowing out West Virginia.
1. Texas Tech
Previous ranking: 2
Points: 245 (13 first-place votes)
Record: 4-0 (1-0 Big 12)
Last week: beat No. 16 Utah, 34-10
This week: Open date
Comment: There’s finally some digestible return on investment with the Texas Tech defense that was the clear aggressor against Utah. Now the Red Raiders will spend the next few weeks getting glowing reviews before they take the field again.
Did you know? Tech’s 4-0 record marks the best start to a season since 2013, when the Red Raiders started 7-0. — Nathan Giese, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
2. Iowa State
Previous ranking: 1
Points: 241 (two first-place votes)
Record: 4-0 (1-0 Big 12)
Last week: Open date
This week: vs. Arizona
Comment: The Cyclones have 35 interceptions since 2023, which is tied for the fourth most among FBS teams in that span.
Did you know? Iowa State has won nine consecutive games in which quarterback Rocco Becht has rushed for at least one touchdown. The Cyclones are 11-1 all-time when Becht reaches the end zone via his legs. — Rob Gray, Cedar Rapids Gazette
3. Arizona State
Previous ranking: 6
Points: 231
Record: 3-1 (1-0 Big 12)
Last week: beat Baylor, 27-24
This week: vs. No. 24 TCU (Friday)
Comment: The Sun Devils got four field goals from Jesus Gomez, the last being a 43-yarder on the final play of the game in winning their Big 12 opener at Baylor.
Did you know? Gomez became the first ASU kicker to connect for four field goals in a single game since Carter Brown did so against Northern Arizona on Sept. 1, 2022. Kicking was an area ASU needed to upgrade after making only 11 of 22 field goals in 2024. Gomez is now 9-for-10 with the only miss from 57 yards. — Michelle Gardner, Arizona Republic
4. TCU
Previous ranking: 4
Points: 217 (one first-place vote)
Record: 3-0
Last week: beat SMU, 35-24
This week: at Arizona State (Friday)
Comment: TCU took down SMU in the 104th and final Battle for the Iron Skillet on Saturday, as Eric McAlister hauled in eight catches for 254 yards and three touchdowns, just 13 yards shy of TCU’s single-game receiving record.
Did you know? With 379 passing yards in the win, Josh Hoover became the 5th TCU quarterback to eclipse the 7,000-yard mark for his career, joining Trevone Boykin, Andy Dalton, Max Duggan and Max Knake. — Jamie Plunkett, Horned Frog Blitz
5. Utah
Previous ranking: 3
Points: 166
Record: 3-1 (0-1 Big 12)
Last week: lost to No. 17 Texas Tech, 34-10
This week: at West Virginia
Comment: After an explosive start to the season, Utah’s once-dominant offense was shut down by Texas Tech. The Utes finished the contest with four turnovers, and Texas Tech backup quarterback Will Hammond delivered for the Red Raiders, giving Utah its second-largest home loss of the Kyle Whittingham era.
Did you know? Utah has yet to win a Big 12 Conference game at home in Rice-Eccles Stadium. The Utes are now 0-5 in those contests. — Jason Batacao, The Salt Lake Tribune
T6. BYU
Previous ranking: 9
Points: 154
Record: 3-0
Last week: beat East Carolina, 34-13
This week: at Colorado
Comment: BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier threw for over 200 yards for the first time in his career as the Cougars passed their first road test of the season.
Did you know? BYU’s defense has allowed one touchdown through the first three weeks of the year. — Kevin Reynolds, The Salt Lake Tribune
T6. Kansas
Previous ranking: 8
Points: 154
Record: 3-1 (1-0 Big 12)
Last week: beat West Virginia, 41-10
This week: vs. Cincinnati
Comment: KU’s special teams unit is beginning to emerge as a significant strength for a program that has often struggled in that phase. Laith Marjan made 42- and 44-yard field goals, Finn Lappin pinned West Virginia inside its 20-yard line four times, Tate Nagy returned a punt 30 yards and Emmanuel Henderson Jr. took back two kickoffs for 137 yards and a touchdown.
Did you know? During his tenure at Iowa, running back Leshon Williams scored four touchdowns on 346 touches. In his first season at KU, he has three touchdowns on 30 touches. — Henry Greenstein, Lawrence Journal-World
8. Houston
Previous ranking: 7
Points: 148
Record: 3-0 (1-0 Big 12)
Last week: Open date
This week: at Oregon State (Friday)
Comment: A big reason for Houston’s 3-0 start has been ball security. The Cougars are one of five FBS schools without a turnover this season, a first for the program through three games in program history. Their plus-six turnover margin is tied for first nationally.
Did you know? This week’s game at Oregon State (approximately 3,648 air miles) will tie for the fourth-longest regular-season trip in school history. The three longest for Houston: Tokyo (1990), Seattle (1984) and Portland, Oregon (1960). — Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle
9. Arizona
Previous ranking: 10
Points: 136
Record: 3-0
Last week: Open date
This week: at No. 14 Iowa State
Comment: Arizona is outscoring its opponents 111-26 and has a defense that ranks seventh nationally in total defense — third in yards per play. The Wildcats currently rank first in the Big 12 in defensive efficiency after allowing just two touchdowns through three games.
Did you know? Arizona’s upcoming road game at Iowa State is its first visit to Ames, Iowa, since 1968. Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell’s first-ever game as a head coach at Toledo was an overtime loss to Arizona in Tucson to kick off the 2012 season. — Justin Spears, Arizona Daily Star
10. Baylor
Previous ranking: 5
Points: 132
Record: 2-2 (0-1 Big 12)
Last week: lost to Arizona State, 27-24
This week: at Oklahoma State
Comment: Baylor opened conference play with a disjoined loss to Arizona State on Saturday. When the defense was playing well, the offense was off-kilter. And when the offense found a groove, the defense gave up big plays. The Bears lost to the Sun Devils on a walk-off field goal. They’ll look to get back on track when they head to Stillwater to take on Oklahoma State.
Did you know? Baylor has lost its first conference game three years in a row. — Zach Smith, Waco Tribune-Herald
11. UCF
Previous ranking: 13
Points: 101
Record: 3-0
Last week: beat North Carolina, 34-9
This week: at Kansas State
Comment: Quarterback Tayven Jackson had two total touchdowns in his second consecutive start and the defense forced two takeaways as UCF cruised to a 34-9 win over North Carolina to improve to 3-0 on the season. The Knights enter this week’s game with heavy hearts after the passing of offensive line coach Shawn Clark, who died Sunday night.
Did you know? UCF has held opponents to a total of 26 points through the first three games, averaging 8.67 points per game. That’s the lowest total through the first three games since the Knights allowed a total of 20 points in three games to start the 2011 season. — Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel
12. Cincinnati
Previous ranking: 12
Points: 94
Record: 2-1
Last week: Open date
This week: at Kansas
Comment: The University of Cincinnati offensive line has not allowed a sack in its first three games.
Did you know? Cincinnati hasn’t played in Lawrence since losing in 1995, 23-18. Darrin Simmons, special teams coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, was the Jayhawks’ punter that game. His son, Weston, is a backup long snapper for the 2025 Bearcats. — Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer
13. Kansas State
Previous ranking: 14
Points: 53
Record: 1-3 (0-1 Big 12)
Last week: Open date
This week: vs. UCF
Comment: After a week to reset and refresh, K-State is desperate for a win after a dismal 1-3 start.
Did you know? K-State head coach Chris Klieman and UCF head coach Scott Frost coached together at Northern Iowa in 2007 and 2008. During the 2008 season, the pair were co-defensive coordinators and helped guide UNI to a share of a Missouri Valley regular-season title. — Tim Everson, The Manhattan Mercury
14. Colorado
Previous ranking: 15
Points: 50
Record: 2-2 (0-1 Big 12)
Last week: beat Wyoming, 37-20
This week: vs. No. 25 BYU
Comment: After two weeks of shuffling through quarterbacks, CU went back to senior Kaidon Salter and he was exceptional against Wyoming. Salter had 390 yards in total offense (304 passing, 86 rushing), threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score. The defense, which has been shaky this season, started strong, but let Wyoming back into the game in the second half.
Did you know? CU has played a bunch of unfamiliar foes so far this season. The Buffs opened with first-ever matchups against Georgia Tech and Delaware. That was followed by a trip to Houston, which CU hadn’t played since 1971. Last week’s matchup with Wyoming was the first between the teams since 2009. The Buffs met BYU in the Alamo Bowl in December, but BYU will make its first trip to Boulder since 1981 this week. — Brian Howell, Boulder Daily Camera
15. West Virginia
Previous ranking: 11
Points: 46
Record: 2-2 (0-1 Big 12)
Last week: lost to Kansas, 41-10
This week: vs. Utah
Comment: West Virginia was beaten in all three phases as the Mountaineers kicked off Big 12 play with a lopsided loss at Kansas. The WVU offense never found its footing after going three-and-out on four of its first five drives. Now the Mountaineers have to host a Utah squad just as hungry for a conference win as they are.
Did you know? This will be the first-ever regular-season meeting between West Virginia and Utah. Their previous two matchups, in 1964 and 2017, were both bowl games won by the Utes. — Cody Nespor, Gold and Blue Nation
16. Oklahoma State
Previous ranking: 16
Points: 16
Record: 1-2
Last week: lost to Tulsa, 19-12
This week: vs Baylor
Comment: Mike Gundy, the second-longest-tenured FBS coach, was fired on Tuesday. In his 21st season at Oklahoma State, Gundy trailed only Kirk Ferentz, who has been at Iowa since 1999. The coaching change came four days after the Cowboys’ loss to Tulsa and amid another tough season after going 3-9 in 2024. Offensive coordinator Doug Meacham will serve as interim coach.
Did you know? The Cowboys have lost 11 consecutive games against FBS opponents, the longest active streak among Power Four programs nationally. — Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle
