Big 12 Power Rankings: BYU, Utah Hold Steady After Bye Weeks

SALT LAKE CITY – As we enter week seven of the college football season, it’s time for another installment of Big 12 power rankings.

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

It airs Sundays at 10 a.m. (MT) until Noon on KSL NewsRadio and the KSL Sports Zone.

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

Big 12 Power Rankings 2024 Season: Week 7

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

1. BYU (5-0, 2-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 1

Bye

This week: vs. Arizona | 2 p.m. | FOX & KSL NewsRadio

BYU holds the top spot coming out of the bye week. The resume looks strong for BYU as SMU is now a Top 25 team; BYU handed the Mustangs their only loss of the season.

2. Iowa State (5-0, 2-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 2

Iowa State 43, Baylor 21

This week: at West Virginia | 6 p.m. | FOX

Eastern Michigan transfer running back Jaylon Jackson could be emerging as the top ball carrier for the Cyclones. They started slow against Baylor and trailed in the third quarter, but the balance on offense shined in their white-out win in Ames.

3. Kansas State (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 3

Bye

This week: at Colorado | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN

Will K-State be better prepared for a late-night kick this time around? It’s a renewal of an old Big 8 rival this Saturday in Boulder.

4. Texas Tech (5-1, 3-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 7 (Up 3)

Texas Tech 28, Arizona 22

This week: Bye

The Red Raiders secured an impressive win on the road at Arizona to become the first team to reach 3-0 in the Big 12 standings. The defensive effort was most remarkable, which held Arizona to 3-of-14 on third down, forcing them to settle for a handful of field goals.

5. Utah (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 5

Bye

This week: at Arizona State (Friday) | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN

The Utes are back in action this week. Kyle Whittingham’s Utah teams have been strong coming out of bye weeks, posting a perfect record since 2019. Of course, all eyes this week will be on the quarterback spot and the ongoing question of whether Cam Rising will play.

6. Colorado (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 6

Bye

This week: vs. Kansas State | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN

If the Buffs win against K-State, the nation has to begin believing in the potential of the Buffs.

7. West Virginia (3-2, 2-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 10 (Up 3)

West Virginia 38, Oklahoma State 14

This week: vs. Iowa State | 6 p.m. | FOX

The Mountaineers had a dominant performance against Oklahoma State, scoring on their first five drives. This included a few possessions with Nicco Marchiol at quarterback after Garrett Greene left the field with an injury. Greene returned, and the Mountaineers rolled.

West Virginia’s two losses were against a pair of rivals who are a combined 10-0 this season.

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

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

Texas Tech 28, Arizona 22

This week: at BYU | 2 p.m. | FOX

Arizona kicker Tyler Loop has a massive leg. We learned that in the loss to Texas Tech. But that was one of the only positives as the Wildcats dropped a home game as a favorite against Texas Tech.

9. Arizona State (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 9

Arizona State 35, Kansas 31

This week: vs. Utah (Friday) | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN

Sam Leavitt passed for four touchdowns in a “gotta have it” win to keep the momentum rolling for an ASU team that was perfect in nonconference play. The Sun Devil faithful appeared to be excited for the start of Big 12 play, with a sell-out crowd of more than 54,000 fans last week.

10. Cincinnati (3-2, 1-1 Big 12)

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

Bye

This week: at UCF | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Cincinnati has quietly put together the nation’s 15th-best passing offense through five weeks.

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

Last week’s power ranking: No. 16 (Up 5)

Houston 30, TCU 19

This week: Bye

Houston found a quarterback in the shocking win at TCU. QB Zeon Chriss got the start over Donovan Smith, and he led the Coogs to one of the biggest upset victories in college football this season.

12. Baylor (2-4, 0-3 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 14 (Up 2)

Iowa State 43, Baylor 21

This week: Bye

Baylor showed life against Iowa State, but they are a snake-bit team right now. The Bears are better than their record shows, as quarterback Sawyer Robertson continues to play well despite the struggles.

13. Oklahoma State (3-3, 0-3 Big 12)

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

West Virginia 38, Oklahoma State 14

This week: Bye

Does Mike Gundy make a change at quarterback? The Oklahoma State faithful want redshirt freshman QB Zane Flores to take over for Alan Bowman. Gundy has a week to decide on his moves before heading west to take on BYU.

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

Last week’s power ranking: No. 8 (Down 6)

Florida 24, UCF 13

This week: vs. Cincinnati | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN2

The Knights season has changed drastically. They’ve dropped two in a row and over the past week, six players have entered the Transfer Portal. Seeing the high-powered ground attack not take off against Florida was concerning.

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

Last week’s power ranking: No. 13

Houston 30, TCU 19

This week: Bye

TCU has too much talent to be struggling the way it is, and it lost two Big 12 home games to programs that joined the league last year. The Hypnotoad craze that took college football by storm two years ago is a distant memory right now in Cowtown.

16. Kansas (1-5, 0-3 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 15 (Down 1)

Arizona State 35, Kansas 31

This week: Bye

The positive: Jalon Daniels passed the football with the power that earned him preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year a season ago. The negative? Another fourth quarter collapse with the game on the line.

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

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