Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Heart Of League Play
Jan 19, 2026, 4:52 PM
SALT LAKE CITY – We’re entering the heart of Big 12 basketball play for the 2025-26 season.
Over the past week, several notable outcomes occurred.
Kansas had a strong bounceback taking down Iowa State and Baylor at Allen Fieldhouse. The question still remains how they will perform on the road, but to dominate two quality opponents the way that they did, with Darryn Peterson playing at a high level, the Jayhawks appear to be back on track.
Arizona took care of business against a rival in Arizona State, then picked up a tough road win at UCF. The Wildcats continue to lead the league in offense, averaging 91.4 points per game in Big 12 play.
Houston is quietly hammering teams the way that we are used to with Kelvin Sampson’s teams. The Coogs crushed West Virginia and Arizona State before the first media timeout. Freshman Kingston Flemmings might be the best point guard in the country.
Texas Tech picked up a big home win over BYU after trailing by nine with eight minutes to go, the Red Raiders closed the game on a 32-10 run.
Iowa State took a big tumble this week, falling to number six after losing at Kansas and Cincinnati. In both games, Iowa State was the favorite, and they suffered setbacks. The manner in which they lost those games raises some questions compared to the other top teams in the league.
Big 12 basketball power rankings for Men’s Basketball: Week of January 19, 2026
The latest power rankings for Big 12 basketball entering week four of league play.
1. Arizona Wildcats (18-0, 5-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Last Week
- Arizona 89, Arizona State 82
- Arizona 84, UCF 77 (Road Win)
This Week
- Wednesday, January 21: vs. Cincinnati
- Saturday, January 24: vs. West Virginia
2. Houston Cougars (17-1, 5-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 3 (Up 1)
Last Week
- Houston 77, West Virginia 48
- Houston 103, Arizona State 73
This Week
- Saturday, January 24: at Texas Tech (College Gameday)
3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (14-4, 4-1 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 5 (Up 2)
Last Week
- Texas Tech 88, Utah 74
- Texas Tech 84, BYU 71
This Week
- Tuesday, January 20: at Baylor
- Saturday, January 24: vs. Houston (College Gameday)
4. BYU Cougars (16-2, 4-1 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 4
Last Week
- BYU 76, TCU 70
- Texas Tech 84, BYU 71
This Week
- Saturday, January 24: vs. Utah
5. Kansas Jayhawks (13-5, 3-2 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 8 (Up 3)
Last Week
- Kansas 84, Iowa State 63
- Kansas 80, Baylor 62
This Week
- Tuesday, January 20: at Colorado
- Saturday, January 24: at Kansas State
6. Iowa State Cyclones (16-2, 3-2 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 2 (Down 4)
Last Week
- Kansas 84, Iowa State 63
- Cincinnati 79, Iowa State 70
This Week
- Tuesday, January 20: vs. UCF
- Saturday, January 24: at Oklahoma State
7. UCF Knights (14-3, 3-2 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 6 (Down 1)
Last Week
- UCF 82, K-State 73 (Road Win)
- Arizona 84, UCF 77 (Home Loss)
This Week
- Tuesday, January 20: at Iowa State
- Saturday, January 24: at Colorado
8. Baylor Bears (11-6, 1-4 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 12 (Up 4)
Last Week
- Baylor 94, Oklahoma State 79 (Road Win)
- Kansas 80, Baylor 62
This Week
- Tuesday, January 20: vs. Texas Tech
- Saturday, January 24: vs. TCU
9. Oklahoma State Cowboys (14-4, 2-3 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 7 (Down 2)
Last Week
- Baylor 94, Oklahoma State 79 (Home Loss)
- Oklahoma State 84, K-State 83
This Week
- Tuesday, January 20: at TCU
- Saturday, January 24: vs. Iowa State
10. Cincinnati Bearcats (10-8, 2-3 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 15 (Up 5)
Last Week
- Cincinnati 77, Colorado 68
- Cincinnati 79, Iowa State 70
This Week
- Wednesday, January 21: at Arizona
- Saturday, January 24: at Arizona State
11. West Virginia Mountaineers (12-6, 3-2 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 11
Last Week
- Houston 77, West Virginia 48
- West Virginia 72, Colorado 61
This Week
- Wednesday, January 21: at Arizona State
- Saturday, January 24: at Arizona
12. Colorado Buffaloes (12-6, 2-3 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 10 (Down 2)
Last Week
- Cincinnati 77, Colorado 68
- West Virginia 72, Colorado 61
This Week
- Tuesday, January 20: vs. Kansas
- Saturday, January 24: vs. UCF
13. Arizona State Sun Devils (10-8, 1-4 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 13
Last Week
- Arizona 89, Arizona State 82
- Houston 103, Arizona State 73
This Week
- Wednesday, January 21: vs. West Virginia
- Saturday, January 24: vs. Cincinnati
14. Utah Utes (9-9, 1-4 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 16 (Up 2)
Last Week
- Texas Tech 88, Utah 74
- Utah 82, TCU 79
This Week
- Tuesday, January 20: at K-State
- Saturday, January 24: at BYU
15. TCU Horned Frogs (11-7, 1-4 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 9 (Down 6)
Last Week
- BYU 76, TCU 70
- Utah 82, TCU 79
This Week
- Tuesday, January 20: vs. Oklahoma State
- Saturday, January 24: at Baylor
16. Kansas State Wildcats (9-9, 0-5 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 14 (Down 2)
Last Week
- UCF 82, K-State 73 (Home Loss)
- Oklahoma State 84, K-State 83
This Week
- Tuesday, January 20: vs. Utah
- Saturday, January 24: vs. Kansas
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.
