Big 12 Power Rankings: BYU Falls While Kansas Looks To Join Contenders

Sep 25, 2023, 9:51 AM | Updated: 2:27 pm

KSL Sports

PROVO, Utah – As we enter week five of the college football season, it’s time for another installment of Big 12 power rankings.

Every week me and KSL Sports Zone host Alex Kirry drop our Big 12 power rankings on our radio show, “First & 12.”

It airs Sundays at 10 a.m. until Noon, then re-airs from 3-5 p.m. on KSL NewsRadio and the KSL Sports Zone.

You can also listen to the show on the KSL Sports app and all major podcasting platforms.

We are in the thick of Big 12 Conference play in the league. Some initial takeaways from last week include Texas stomping out any idea that Baylor was going to spoil their perfect season. The Longhorns rolled to an easy victory over Baylor.

Kansas looked like a team that is ready to contend for a Big 12 title against BYU. Their championship test comes this week on the Forty Acres against Texas.

West Virginia coach Neal Brown was adamant that his team was not going to finish in last place coming into the year. He’s proving that right as they got a big win over Texas Tech on Saturday with Nico Marchiol in his first career start at quarterback.

Big 12 Power Rankings 2023 Season: Week Five

Here’s how we have the power rankings stacked up in the Big 12 entering the week five slate.

1. Texas (4-0, 1-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 1

Texas 38, Baylor 6

This week: vs. Kansas | 1:30 p.m. | ABC

2. Oklahoma (4-0, 1-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 2

Oklahoma 20, Cincinnati 6

This week: vs. Iowa State | 5 p.m. | FS1

3. Kansas State (3-1, 1-0 Big 12)

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

Kansas State 44, UCF 31

This week: Bye

4. TCU (3-1, 1-0 Big 12)

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

TCU 34, SMU 17

This week: vs. West Virginia | 6 p.m. | ESPN2

5. Kansas (4-0, 1-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 7 (Up 2)

Kansas 38, BYU 27

This week: at Texas | 1:30 p.m. | ABC

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

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

Kansas State 44, UCF 31

This week: vs. Baylor | 1:30 p.m. | FS1

7. West Virginia (3-1, 1-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 8 (Up 1)

West Virginia 20, Texas Tech 13

This week: at TCU | 6 p.m. | ESPN2

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

Last week’s power ranking: No. 6 (Down 2)

Kansas 38, BYU 27

This week: vs. Cincinnati (Friday) | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN and KSL NewsRadio 102.7 FM, 1160 AM

9. Cincinnati (2-2, 0-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 9

Oklahoma 20, Cincinnati 6

This week: at BYU (Friday) | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN and KSL NewsRadio 102.7 FM, 1160 AM

10. Iowa State (2-2, 1-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 14 (Up 4)

Iowa State 34, Oklahoma State 27

This week: at Oklahoma | 5 p.m. | FS1

11. Texas Tech (1-3, 0-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 10 (Down 1)

West Virginia 20, Texas Tech 13

This week: vs. Houston | 1:30 p.m. | FS2

12. Houston (2-2, 0-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 11 (Down 1)

Houston 38, Sam Houston 7

This week: at Texas Tech | 1:30 p.m. | FS2

13. Baylor (1-3, 0-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 12 (Down 1)

Texas 38, Baylor 6

This week: at UCF | 1:30 p.m. | FS1

14. Oklahoma State (2-2, 0-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 13 (Down 1)

Iowa State 34, Oklahoma State 27

This week: Bye

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X and Threads: @Mitch_Harper.