Big 12 Power Rankings: Will anyone challenge Texas Tech this football season?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Texas Tech leads Big 12 at 6-0, wins by 35.3 average, roster boosted via transfers.
- BYU, Cincinnati and Utah surge but face validation games versus top conference foes.
- Injuries and turnovers derail several clubs, narrowing bowl paths and contention.
One of the most pressing questions hanging over the Big 12 in recent years has been about which teams may emerge as conference heavyweights in the absence of Oklahoma and Texas.
Arizona State tried its hardest to do exactly that last season by winning the league and pushing the Longhorns to overtime in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
But a new team has taken over as Big 12 kingpin this year — Texas Tech.
And it is starting to look like the Red Raiders are capable of winning more than just the Big 12. Head coach Joey McGuire spent money wisely during the offseason and seriously upgraded his roster via the transfer portal. Not only is Texas Tech off to a perfect 6-0 start, but it has won all six of its games by at least 24 points. Its average victory margin is 35.3.
The past three victories have been particularly impressive. First, Texas Tech went on the road and manhandled Utah and Houston (a pair of 5-1 teams). Then it hosted Kansas and made the Jayhawks look like an FCS squad by rushing for 372 yards and piling up nine sacks.
Oklahoma and Texas had a few dominant seasons in the Big 12, but even they rarely beat up on the rest of the conference the way Texas Tech is right now.
The Red Raiders are head and shoulders above the rest of the league, even with BYU, Cincinnati and Utah surging after notable wins.
That gives us a lot to cover this week.
Let’s take some time to analyze everything we have seen up to this point — heading into Week 8 — and project what will happen in the future with a new edition of Big 12 Power Rankings.
Spoiler alert: The Red Raiders are still on top
1. Texas Tech (6-0, 3-0 Big 12): It is somewhat concerning that starting quarterback Behren Morton has struggled to stay healthy. But Will Hammond is a capable backup. QB play also doesn’t mean all that much when running back Cameron Dickey is gaining 263 yards on the ground.
2. Cincinnati (5-1, 3-0): Brendan Sorsby has thrown for 1,448 yards and 14 touchdowns with just one interception for the Bearcats this season. The guy very rarely makes a mistake.
3. BYU (6-0, 3-0): Some will continue to say that the Cougars are simply feasting on an easy schedule. But they showed a lot of grit while beating Arizona in overtime. BYU can also validate its undefeated start with upcoming games against Utah, Texas Tech and Cincinnati.
Something to prove heading into rivalry games
4. Utah (5-1, 2-1): The Utes fell flat in their biggest game of the season against Texas Tech. But they have looked good otherwise. Utah can prove it is one of the top contenders in the conference by winning at BYU on Saturday.
5. Baylor (4-2, 2-1): Dave Aranda’s team isn’t that far away from an undefeated record. It lost a back-and-forth against Auburn and dropped another close game by a field goal against Arizona State. There has been little to complain about from the Bears otherwise. They can continue heading in the right direction with a win at TCU.
It was fun while it lasted
6. Iowa State (5-2, 2-2): Injuries have finally caught up to the Cyclones. Matt Campbell’s team simply doesn’t look the same now that Iowa State has lost multiple defensive starters to season-ending injuries. Losing back-to-back games against Cincinnati and Colorado has all but knocked them out of the conference championship race after a dream start.
7. Arizona State (4-2, 2-1): Sam Leavitt might be the most valuable quarterback in the conference. Every time he is unable to play, the Sun Devils get destroyed.
8. Kansas (4-3, 2-2): The Jayhawks are 0-3 against teams currently ranked in the top 25. But they are 4-0 against everyone else. Good news for KU: There is only one ranked opponent left on the schedule.
What is going on?
9. Houston (5-1, 2-1): The Cougars don’t profile as contenders, despite a shiny record. But they are one win away from bowl eligibility. Willie Fritz has this team ahead of schedule in Year 2.
10. Kansas State (3-4, 2-2): Things are starting to look up again in Manhattan. The Wildcats have looked like an improved football team over the past three weeks, and they are coming off a 41-28 victory over TCU. If Desmond Purnell and Wesley Fair keep scoring defensive touchdowns, the Wildcats may keep their bowl streak alive.
11. TCU (4-2, 1-2): Josh Hoover has some of the best numbers (1,893 yards and 18 touchdowns) of any quarterback in the country. But can’t seem to avoid turnovers in close games. Those have hurt the Horned Frogs in losses to Arizona State and K-State.
12. Arizona (4-2, 1-2): Blowing a 24-14 lead in the fourth quarter against BYU is the kind of thing that could prevent the Wildcats from reaching a bowl.
13. Colorado (3-4, 1-3): The Buffaloes finally got a quality win against Iowa State on Saturday. Good for Colorado. Fans rushing the field to celebrate felt like a little much, though. The Cyclones were only favored by 2.5 points.
Down and out
14. UCF (3-3, 0-3): The Knights have looked overmatched since Big 12 play began. But that could change with West Virginia up next.
15. West Virginia (2-4, 0-3): The Mountaineers have looked overmatched since Big 12 play began. But that could change with UCF up next.
16. Oklahoma State (1-5, 0-3): Little has gone right for the Cowboys this season. At least their fans are having fun at home games!
This story was originally published October 15, 2025 at 6:30 AM with the headline "Big 12 Power Rankings: Will anyone challenge Texas Tech this football season?."