Big 12 football power rankings: Another shuffle at the top
Oct 12, 2026, 9:16 PM
SALT LAKE CITY — Big 12 football power rankings are becoming a challenge to determine at the top.
Only nine undefeated teams remain in college football, and three of them reside in the Big 12. Two of them are in Utah: Utah and BYU.
What’s noteworthy in this year’s Big 12 is that there hasn’t been as much unpredictability. The top teams are delivering week after week. Can they keep it up?
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BYU climbs back to the No. 1 spot, while Utah is right behind at No. 2
The Cougars have a massive out-of-conference opportunity against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. It’s a big game for BYU, but it’s also an important opportunity for the Big 12 Conference.
Big 12 football power rankings: Week 6, 2026 season
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 |
Here is the composite from KSL Sports reporters Steve Bartle, Josh Furlong, and Mitch Harper.
1. BYU (5-0, 3-0 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 2 (Up 1)
Last game: BYU 24, Iowa State 10
This week: vs. Notre Dame | Saturday | 5:30 p.m. (MDT), ABC & KSL NewsRadio
2. Utah (5-0, 2-0 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 1 (Down 1)
Last game: Utah 41, Kansas 24
This week: at Colorado | Saturday | 8:15 p.m. (MDT), ESPN
3. Texas Tech (5-0, 2-0 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 3
Last week: Bye
This week: vs. Arizona State | Saturday | 1:30 p.m. (MDT), FOX
4. Houston (5-1, 2-1 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 5 (Up 1)
Last game: Houston 35, K-State 16 (Road Win)
This week: vs. Oklahoma State | Saturday | 5:30 p.m. (MDT), FOX
5. Oklahoma State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 4 (Down 1)
Last game: Oklahoma State 42, UCF 28
This week: at Houston | Saturday | 5:30 p.m. (MDT), FOX
6. Arizona (5-1, 2-1 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 6
Last game: Arizona 52, West Virginia 31 (Road Win)
This week: Bye
7. Baylor (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 7
Last week: Bye
This week: vs. TCU | Saturday | 5 p.m. (MDT), FS1
8. Cincinnati (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 9 (Up 1)
Last week: Bye
This week: at West Virginia | Saturday | 10 a.m. (MDT), TNT
9. Iowa State (3-3, 1-2 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 8 (Down 1)
Last game: BYU 24, Iowa State 10
This week: Bye
10. UCF (3-3, 1-2 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 12 (Up 2)
Last game: Oklahoma State 42, UCF 28
This week: Bye
11. Arizona State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 13 (Up 2)
Last game: Arizona State 30, Hawai’i 12
This week: at Texas Tech | Saturday | 1:30 p.m. (MDT), FOX
12. Kansas State (3-2, 0-2 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 11 (Down 1)
Last game: Houston 35, K-State 16 (Home Loss)
This week: vs. Kansas | Saturday | 10 a.m. (MDT), FS1
13. Kansas (2-3, 0-2 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 15 (Up 2)
Last game: Utah 41, Kansas 24
This week: at K-State | Saturday | 10 a.m. (MDT), FS1
14. TCU (2-3, 0-2 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 14
Last week: Bye
This week: at Baylor | Saturday | 5 p.m. (MDT), FS1
15. West Virginia (3-3, 0-3 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 10 (Down 5)
Last game: Arizona 52, West Virginia 31 (Home Loss)
This week: vs. Cincinnati | Saturday | 10 a.m. (MDT), TNT
16. Colorado (2-3, 0-2 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 16
Last week: Bye
This week: vs. Utah | Saturday | 8:15 p.m. (MDT), ESPN
Steve Bartle’s Week 7 Big 12 football power ranking ballot
1. Utah
2. BYU
3. Texas Tech
4. Houston
5. Oklahoma State
6. Arizona
7. Baylor
8. Cincinnati
9. Iowa State
10. UCF
11. K-State
12. Arizona State
13. Kansas
14. TCU
15. West Virginia
16. Colorado
Josh Furlong’s Week 7 ballot
1. BYU
2. Utah
3. Texas Tech
4. Oklahoma State
5. Houston
6. Arizona
7. Baylor
8. Cincinnati
9. Iowa State
10. UCF
11. Arizona State
12. K-State
13. Kansas
14. TCU
15. West Virginia
16. Colorado
Mitch Harper’s Big 12 football Week 7 ballot
1. BYU
2. Utah
3. Texas Tech
4. Houston
5. Oklahoma State
6. Arizona
7. Baylor
8. Cincinnati
9. UCF
10. Arizona State
11. Iowa State
12. Kansas
13. K-State
14. TCU
15. West Virginia
16. Colorado
