BYU Has A Huge Chance To Change The Big 12 Race

The Big 12’s pecking order is still getting sorted, but the race at the top is starting to sharpen.

BYU is back at No. 1 in the conference power rankings, with Utah right behind at No. 2.

That mirrors the conference’s current reality: only nine unbeaten teams are left in college football, and three of them belong to the Big 12. Two of those perfect teams are in Utah.

What stands out, though, is how steady the top of the league has been. The best teams have kept winning, week after week, and there hasn’t been quite the same kind of weekly chaos that usually makes these rankings such a headache. The question now is how long that holds.

For BYU, the next test is a huge one. The Cougars get Notre Dame in a nonconference matchup that matters far beyond just one Saturday night. It’s a major opportunity for BYU, and also a spotlight game for the Big 12 as a whole.

Here’s the composite Week 6 ranking 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

The individual ballots show a little more disagreement near the top, even if BYU and Utah remain the clear headliners. Steve Bartle’s ballot puts Utah first and BYU second.

Josh Furlong and Mitch Harper both have BYU at No. 1 and Utah at No. 2.

Bartle’s ballot goes Utah, BYU, Texas Tech, Houston, Oklahoma State, Arizona, Baylor, Cincinnati, Iowa State, UCF, K-State, Arizona State, Kansas, TCU, West Virginia and Colorado.

Furlong’s list has BYU, Utah, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Houston, Arizona, Baylor, Cincinnati, Iowa State, UCF, Arizona State, K-State, Kansas, TCU, West Virginia and Colorado.

Harper’s ballot follows BYU, Utah, Texas Tech, Houston, Oklahoma State, Arizona, Baylor, Cincinnati, UCF, Arizona State, Iowa State, Kansas, K-State, TCU, West Virginia and Colorado.

In Other News...

BYU Red Zone Failure Just Got Even More Frustrating

A late-game red-zone trip against Iowa State turned into another reminder of how thin the margin can be for BYU when communication breaks down at the wrong moment. On a critical fourth down, quarterback Bear Bachmeier misheard offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick and checked into the wrong play, and the Cougars came away empty after a turnover on downs.

Aaron Roderick later acknowledged the miscommunication and said he took responsibility for a failed fourth-down call earlier in the game, which only added to the frustration around a drive that had real stakes. Iowa State head coach Jimmy Rogers also said his team dealt with headset communication issues in the third and fourth quarters, a detail that underscored how messy the game got when both sides were fighting not just the opponent, but the equipment and the noise around it. [Read more 🡒]

BYU Vs Notre Dame Just Became A Massive Home Stage For The Cougars

A rare November spotlight is about to hit Provo, and the secondary market says fans know it. The BYU-Notre Dame game has become the priciest ticket in a crowded weekend slate of top 25 matchups, with a get-in price of $450 and some seats listed for more than $13,000 on SeatGeek. For a program that has spent plenty of time fighting for national respect, this is the kind of stage that makes LaVell Edwards Stadium feel bigger than ever.

The stakes explain the demand. This is BYUs first top 10 matchup at home, and it arrives with real College Football Playoff implications attached. Other marquee games around the country are drawing strong prices too, including Ohio State-Indiana and Alabama-Tennessee, but this one stands out because it puts the Cougars at the center of the weekend conversation. For BYU, it is more than a big ticket market - it is a chance to turn a home crowd into a postseason argument. [Read more 🡒]

BYU Keeps Building Momentum Ahead Of A Massive Home Test

BYU kept its recent push rolling with a straight-sets win over West Virginia, handling the match from the opening serve and never really letting the Mountaineers settle in. The Cougars won 25-14, 25-19 and 25-12 behind a balanced effort that showed why they have continued to climb into the national conversation, with Kelli Jo Burgess anchoring the net with seven blocks, Alex Bower distributing 20 assists and Elli Mortensen finishing with 11 kills.

The result gives BYU another layer of confidence heading into a massive home test, especially with the Cougars showing they can control matches in multiple ways. There was also more recognition around the program this week, as BYUs defensive line was named Big 12 Defensive Line of the Week after its performance against Iowa State, a sign the Cougars are building momentum on both the court and in the conference picture. [Read more 🡒]