Big 12 Power Rankings: Four teams remain alive for conference championship game
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Conference title hinges on BYU and Texas Tech wins; Arlington rematch looms.
- Arizona State and Utah retain conditional paths to the title with help from other teams.
- Rankings place Texas Tech and BYU atop league; Oklahoma State, Colorado occupy bottom.
All signs point to a rematch in the Big 12 championship game.
If BYU and Texas Tech both win as heavy favorites this weekend, then they will face off in Arlington, Texas, with an automatic berth into the College Football Playoff up for grabs.
But that matchup is not set in stone.
Arizona State can reach the title game with a win over Arizona combined with the right combination of losses from BYU, Texas Tech and Utah. If any of those scenarios play out, the Sun Devils could play either BYU or Texas Tech.
There is also a path for Utah if the Utes defeat Kansas, and they get help. They would also need BYU, West Virginia and Arizona State to all win. If all that happens, we would get a Holy War rematch in Arlington.
Got all that?
Let’s take some time to analyze everything we have seen in the conference up to this point — heading into Week 14 — and project what will happen in the future with a new edition of Big 12 Power Rankings.
Playing for a Big 12 championship
1. Texas Tech (10-1, 7-1 Big 12): Most of the time, Texas Tech would not be happy about having a late bye week. But this year it could end up helping the Red Raiders as they look to make noise in the College Football Playoff.
2. BYU (10-1, 7-1): The Cougars might not pass the eye test like some other highly ranked teams. But they show up every week. There may not be a more consistent team in all of college football.
3. Utah (9-2, 6-2): I had to move the Utes down a spot after they needed two late touchdowns to survive 51-47 against Kansas State. Their run defense looked hapless in that game.
4. Arizona State (8-3, 6-2): Turns out, the Sun Devils have more than just a few star players. Running back Raleek Brown led Arizona State to a 42-17 victory at Colorado by rushing for 255 yards and a touchdown.
Playing for a better bowl game
5. Iowa State (7-4, 4-4): The Cyclones suffered a strange four-game losing streak in the middle of the season that featured a terrible loss to Colorado. But Matt Campbell’s team has regained its swagger with victories over TCU and Kansas. Iowa State may still finish with nine wins.
6. Arizona (8-3, 5-3): The Wildcats haven’t won a single game against a team that is ranked in the top 40 of Bill Connelly’s SP+ ratings this season, but eight wins are still eight wins. Arizona can validate its success with a win in the Territorial Cup.
7. Houston (8-3, 5-3): It’s been a good season for the Cougars, but imagine where they would be without home losses against TCU and West Virginia.
8. Cincinnati (7-4, 5-3): The Bearcats are the most overrated team in the conference. They have lost three straight since getting off to a 7-1 start and reaching No. 17 in the national polls.
9. TCU (7-4, 4-4): The Horned Frogs can claim a Lone Star State championship of sorts this season, as they have gone undefeated against Abilene Christian, SMU, Baylor and Houston.
Playing for bowl eligibility
10. Kansas State (5-6, 4-4): Why was Chris Klieman so emotional after a 51-47 loss at Utah? A 2-5 record in games decided by one score this season likely played a factor.
11. Baylor (5-6, 3-5): Dave Aranda will return for another season in Waco, but his recent track record doesn’t instill much confidence for the future.
12. Kansas (5-6, 3-5): Anyone looking to check out the renovated football stadium in Lawrence can do so cheap this weekend. Tickets for the Jayhawks’ regular-season finale against Utah are going for as low as $6 on the secondary market.
Playing for pride
13. West Virginia (4-7, 2-6): Nobody in the Big 12 can play spoiler more than West Virginia this weekend as the Mountaineers host the Texas Tech Red Raiders as 21.5-point underdogs on Saturday.
14. UCF (5-6, 2-6): The Knights can also pull off a stunner when they head to BYU as 17.5-point underdogs.
15. Colorado (3-8, 1-7): It’s tempting to move the Buffaloes down after another dismal performance.
16. Oklahoma State (1-10, 0-8): The Cowboys can’t get in the win column, but they haven’t given up on the season. Oklahoma State has covered the spread in three straight losses.