Big 12 football power rankings: Major shakeups follow crazy weekend

SALT LAKE CITY — Big 12 football is having a strong year at the top of the league.

Out of the six remaining undefeated teams in all of college football, three reside in the Big 12 Conference.

Among the undefeated teams, BYU stands out after taking down Notre Dame at home, 28-24, in an upset.

The win was significant for BYU, but it was also a key moment for the 16-team Big 12, which is in the thick of its third season. Suddenly, with BYU’s win over the Irish, three teams undefeated, and others looking like strong opponents, the Big 12 could be in a position to be a two-bid league this year for the 12-team Playoff.

Staying in the state, Utah fell from No. 2 to No. 4 after a lackluster performance in a 27-24 win at Colorado.

Big 12 football power rankings: Week 8, 2026 season

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 |

Here is the composite from KSL Sports reporters Steve Bartle, Josh Furlong, and Mitch Harper.

1. BYU (6-0, 3-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 1

Last game: BYU 28, Notre Dame 24

This week: at UCF | Saturday | 1:30 p.m. (MDT), FOX & KSL NewsRadio

2. Texas Tech (6-0, 3-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 3 (Up 1)

Last game: Texas Tech 53, Arizona State 25

This week: at Cincinnati | Saturday | 10 a.m. (MDT), FS1

3. Houston (6-1, 3-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 4 (Up 1)

Last game: Houston 35, Oklahoma State 32

This week: at Utah | Saturday | 8:15 p.m. (MDT), ESPN

4. Utah (6-0, 3-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 2 (Down 2)

Last game: Utah 27, Colorado 24 (Road Win)

This week: vs. Houston | Saturday | 8:15 p.m. (MDT), ESPN

5. Arizona (5-1, 2-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 6 (Up 1)

Last week: Bye

This week: vs. Iowa State | Saturday | 5:30 p.m. (MDT), ESPN2

6. Oklahoma State (4-2, 2-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 5 (Down 1)

Last game: Houston 35, Oklahoma State 32

This week: vs. Colorado | Saturday | 5 p.m. (MDT), FS1

7. Kansas State (4-2, 1-2 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 12 (Up 5)

Last game: K-State 35, Kansas 24

This week: at Arizona State | Saturday | 1:45 p.m. (MDT), ESPN2

8. TCU (3-3, 1-2 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 14 (Up 6)

Last game: TCU 17, Baylor 6 (Road Win)

This week: vs. West Virginia | Saturday | 10 a.m. (MDT), ESPN2

9. Iowa State (3-3, 1-2 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 9

Last week: Bye

This week: at Arizona | Saturday | 5:30 p.m. (MDT), ESPN2

10. West Virginia (4-3, 1-3 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 15 (Up 5)

Last game: West Virginia 45, Cincinnati 42

This week: at TCU | Saturday | 10 a.m. (MDT), ESPN2

11. Cincinnati (4-2, 1-2 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 8 (Down 3)

Last game: West Virginia 45, Cincinnati 42

This week: vs. Texas Tech | Saturday | 10:30 a.m. (MDT), FS1

12. UCF (3-3, 1-2 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 10 (Down 2)

Last week: Bye

This week: vs. BYU | Saturday | 1:30 p.m. (MDT), FOX & KSL NewsRadio

13. Baylor (4-2, 2-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 7 (Down 6)

Last game: TCU 17, Baylor 6 (Home Loss)

This week: at Kansas | Saturday | 11 a.m. (MDT), TNT

14. Colorado (2-4, 0-3 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 16 (Up 2)

Last game: Utah 27, Colorado 24 (Home Loss)

This week: at Oklahoma State | Saturday | 5 p.m. (MDT), FS1

15. Kansas (2-4, 0-3 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 13 (Down 2)

Last game: K-State 35, Kansas 24

This week: vs. Baylor | Saturday | 11 a.m. (MDT), TNT

16. Arizona State (3-3, 1-2 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 11 (Down 5)

Last game: Texas Tech 53, Arizona State 25

This week: vs. K-State | Saturday | 1:45 p.m. (MDT), ESPN2

Steve Bartle’s Week 8 Big 12 football power ranking ballot

1. BYU

2. Texas Tech

3. Houston

4. Utah

5. Oklahoma State

6. Arizona

7. Kansas State

8. TCU

9. Baylor

10. Iowa State

11. West Virginia

12. Cincinnati

13. UCF

14. Colorado

15. Kansas

16. Arizona State

Josh Furlong’s Week 8 ballot

1. BYU

2. Texas Tech

3. Utah

4. Houston

5. Arizona

6. Oklahoma State

7. Kansas State

8. Cincinnati

9. Iowa State

10. UCF

11. West Virginia

12. TCU

13. Baylor

14. Kansas

15. Colorado

16. Arizona State

Mitch Harper’s Big 12 football Week 8 ballot

1. BYU

2. Texas Tech

3. Houston

4. Utah

5. Arizona

6. Oklahoma State

7. TCU

8. West Virginia

9. Kansas State

10. Iowa State

11. UCF

12. Cincinnati

13. Baylor

14. Colorado

15. Arizona State

16. Kansas