Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Early Returns From League Play
Jan 5, 2026, 8:56 AM | Updated: Jan 6, 2026, 2:54 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – Big 12 basketball looks poised to be the best league in the nation this season.
The conference was excellent in non-conference play, posting a 38-24 record against Power Four opponents. Against the SEC, the Big 12 finished with a 16-6 record and 14-9 versus the ACC.
The only power league the Big 12 had a losing record against in non-conference play was the Big Ten, against which the league finished 8-9.
Safe to say, it’s shaping up to be an outstanding year for Big 12 hoops, as they look to regain their post as the No. 1 league in America.
One of the big storylines in college basketball this season is the star freshmen. The Big 12 is at the center of it all.
BYU’s AJ Dybantsa has lived up to the hype, being the nation’s leading scorer at 23.1 points per game. Dybantsa opened Big 12 play with a 24-point performance in his first taste of Big 12 action in a win over Kansas State.
Arizona forward Koa Peat has been excellent for the Wildcats in their undefeated start.
At Kansas, the Big 12 preseason Freshman of the Year Darryn Peterson has been a walking bucket as everyone expected him to be. The problem is that he’s only appeared in five games, and he isn’t finishing those games he’s appearing in.
Peterson scored 26 points against UCF in 23 minutes, but didn’t appear in the final 10 minutes of the game. The Canton, Ohio, native dealt with a hamstring injury earlier in the year.
Speaking of UCF, the Knights have been one of the great stories this season. They have won 11 consecutive games and have the seventh-longest winning streak in the nation after taking down Kansas for the second time in three seasons.
UCF’s only loss is against an undefeated Vanderbilt squad.
TCU has also been a pleasant surprise. The Horned Frogs lost their starting center in game one of the regular season, but they have adjusted and have one of the best defenses in the Big 12. TCU had a solid win over a Baylor squad that rolled out former NBA Draft pick James Nnaji for the first time this season.
1. Arizona Wildcats (14-0, 1-0 Big 12)
Last Week
- Arizona 99, South Dakota State 71
- Arizona 97, Utah 78 (Road Win)
This Week
- Wednesday, January 7: vs. Kansas State
- Saturday, January 10: at TCU
2. Iowa State Cyclones (14-0, 1-0 Big 12)
Last Week
- Iowa State 89, Houston Christian 61
- Iowa State 80, West Virginia 59
This Week
- Wednesday, January 7: at Baylor
- Saturday, January 10: vs. Oklahoma State
3. BYU Cougars (13-1, 1-0 Big 12)
Last Week
- BYU 83, K-State 73 (Road Win)
This Week
- Wednesday, January 7: vs. Arizona State
- Saturday, January 10: at Utah
4. Houston Cougars (13-1, 1-0 Big 12)
Last Week
- Houston 69, Middle Tennessee 60
- Houston 67, Cincinnati 60 (Road Win)
This Week
- Tuesday, January 6: vs. Texas Tech
- Saturday, January 10: at Baylor
5. Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-3, 1-0 Big 12)
Last Week
- Texas Tech 87, Winthrop 57
- Texas Tech 102, Oklahoma State 80
This Week
- Tuesday, January 6: at Houston
- Saturday, January 10: at Colorado
6. UCF Knights (12-1, 1-0 Big 12)
Last Week
- UCF 81, Kansas 75
This Week
- Tuesday, January 6: at Oklahoma State
- Sunday, January 11: vs. Cincinnati
7. Kansas Jayhawks (10-4, 0-1 Big 12)
Last Week
- UCF 81, Kansas 75
This Week
- Tuesday, January 6: vs. TCU
- Saturday, January 10: at West Virginia
8. TCU Horned Frogs (11-3, 1-0 Big 12)
Last Week
- TCU 115, Jackson State 64
- TCU 69, Baylor 63
This Week
- Tuesday, January 6: at Kansas
- Saturday, January 10: vs. Arizona
9. Baylor Bears (10-3, 0-1 Big 12)
Last Week
- Baylor 124, Arlington Baptist 61
- TCU 69, Baylor 63
This Week
- Wednesday, January 7: vs. Iowa State
- Saturday, January 10: vs. Houston
10. Oklahoma State Cowboys (12-2, 0-1 Big 12)
Last Week
- Oklahoma State 103, Bethune Cookman 77
- Texas Tech 102, Oklahoma State 80
This Week
- Tuesday, January 6: vs. UCF
- Saturday, January 10: at Iowa State
11. Kansas State Wildcats (9-5, 0-1 Big 12)
Last Week
- BYU 83, K-State 73 (Home Loss)
This Week
- Wednesday, January 7: at Arizona
- Saturday, January 10: at Arizona State
12. Colorado Buffaloes (11-3, 1-0 Big 12)
Last Week
- Colorado 95, Arizona State 89 (Road Win)
This Week
- Wednesday, January 7: vs. Utah
- Saturday, January 10: vs. Texas Tech
13. Arizona State Sun Devils (9-5, 0-1 Big 12)
Last Week
- Colorado 95, Arizona State 89 (Home Loss)
This Week
- Wednesday, January 7: at BYU
- Saturday, January 10: vs. K-State
14. Cincinnati Bearcats (8-6, 0-1 Big 12)
Last Week
- Cincinnati 89, Lipscomb 62
- Houston 67, Cincinnati 60 (Home Loss)
This Week
- Tuesday, January 6: at West Virginia
- Sunday, January 11: at UCF
15. West Virginia Mountaineers (9-5, 0-1 Big 12)
Last Week
- Iowa State 80, West Virginia 59
This Week
- Tuesday, January 6: vs. Cincinnati
- Saturday, January 10: vs. Kansas
16. Utah Utes (8-6, 0-1 Big 12)
Last Week
- Washington 74, Utah 65
- Arizona 97, Utah 78 (Home Loss)
This Week
- Wednesday, January 7: at Colorado
- Saturday, January 10: vs. BYU
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
