Week 3 brought plenty of good news across the Big 12, but Colorado’s trip to Northwestern was the kind of loss that can reshape a power ranking in a hurry.
The Buffaloes were hammered 41-7 by the Wildcats, a result that sent them sliding hard after opening the week at No. 8.
Colorado turned it over four times - twice on fumbles and twice through the air - and also came up empty on three fourth-down tries. That’s a rough stat line any week, but in a game that was supposed to steady things at the end of non-conference play, it was disastrous.
The result left Colorado looking much more like the 2025 team that finished second-to-last in the Big 12, and now it has to get back on the road in Week 4 for Baylor.
At the top of the league, Utah stayed put at No. 1 after blasting Utah State 33-0. The Utes have now outscored opponents 124-24 through three games, and while the schedule hasn’t been brutal, the resume already includes a win over Arkansas and another over an in-state rival. That’s a strong opening stretch by any measure.
BYU continues to surge behind quarterback Bear Bachmeier, moving to No. 2 after a 41-23 win at Colorado State. The Cougars’ offense still looks like it can score whenever it wants, though giving up 23 points did raise a little noise around the defense.
Texas Tech climbed after surviving a tight one against No. 22 Houston, winning 28-26. The Red Raiders had issues slowing down quarterback Conner Weigman and running back Makhi Hughes, but Will Hammond kept the offense efficient enough to escape with the victory.
Kansas State held steady in the upper tier after a 31-20 win over Tulane. The Wildcats’ defense was tested, which created some concern about how it might hold up against the conference’s better offenses, but Avery Johnson kept carrying the load and pushed K-State through.
West Virginia’s stock rose after a 38-27 neutral-site win over No. 25 Virginia. The Mountaineers have been one of the country’s most impressive teams through three weeks, and they picked up 93 votes in the AP Top 25 while handling a Virginia team that had been running the ball effectively before that matchup.
Houston’s loss to Texas Tech was respectable enough to keep the Cougars in the AP Top 25. The defeat stung, especially with a late drive in play, but it was still a solid enough showing to keep them from dropping too far in this list.
Cincinnati stayed unbeaten, but it had to sweat to get there. The Bearcats beat Miami University 35-31, and the Redhawks, led by receiver Malik Huggins, gave Cincinnati’s secondary plenty to worry about before the Bearcats finally held on.
Oklahoma State got a massive jolt from its upset of Oregon and followed it with a 59-0 shutout of Murray State. Drew Mestemaker looked outstanding, going 20-for-22 for 324 yards and five touchdowns.
Iowa State bounced back from an ugly loss to Iowa by beating Bowling Green 55-7. The opponent was a tune-up, but the Cyclones looked sharp and head into Big 12 play rolling.
Baylor’s offense did enough in a 36-19 win over Louisiana Tech, even with DJ Lagway still out injured. The defense, though, is a concern after Bulldogs quarterback Trey Kukuk piled up 298 all-purpose yards and a touchdown.
Arizona State handled Kansas 24-17 in London, England, in sloppy weather conditions. The Sun Devils’ offense found enough answers to outlast the Jayhawks, and the defense looked noticeably better than it did in Week 2 against Texas A&M.
TCU has rebounded well since the Week 0 Aer Lingus College Football Classic loss, and Jaden Craig looked far more comfortable in a 31-7 win over Arkansas State. He threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns.
Arizona also put together a convincing performance, beating Northern Illinois 42-17. Noah Fifita was nearly flawless, with just three incompletions, 325 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions.
UCF leaned on the run to beat Georgia State 44-30, even though the defense had its worst showing of the season. The Panthers scored 30 points, but the Knights piled up 304 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns to get it done.
Kansas, meanwhile, is the only two-loss team in the Big 12 so far, and there isn’t much to celebrate in Lawrence right now. Isaiah Marshall is still going through the growing pains of being a starter, and his quarterback rating sits at 43.1.
In Other News...
BYU Fans Just Got A Break For A Rare TCU Game Day
BYUs matchup with TCU on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, comes with an unusually fan-friendly twist for Cougar followers who also keep tabs on the church calendar. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. MDT, with the game slated for ESPN or ESPN2 and radio coverage on KSL NewsRadio, giving fans plenty of ways to follow along.
The timing lands on the Saturday of the Semiannual General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and this year the schedule lines up in a way that avoids the usual conflict. With no Saturday evening session anymore, BYU supporters wont have to choose between conference and the game, a small but welcome break for a program whose fan base often has to juggle both. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Suddenly Has Company In A Big 12 Rankings Fight
BYUs rise to No. 9 after beating Colorado State was part of a strong early-season showing for the Big 12, which now has four teams in the latest AP Top 25. Texas Tech, Utah and Houston stayed in the rankings as well, giving the league three teams in the Top 15 and another at No. 25 heading out of Week 3. For a conference trying to build depth at the top, that kind of spread matters as much as any one headline result.
West Virginia is the team adding a little more pressure to the mix after upsetting No. 25 Virginia and drawing significant votes of its own. The Mountaineers are still just short of the rankings, but they are close enough to make the conference picture even tighter. For BYU, its a reminder that the margin for staying among the Big 12s elite may be about to get a lot thinner. [Read more 🡒]
AJ Dybantsa Is Still Showing BYU Fans What Matters Most
AJ Dybantsa is already settling into life as a Washington Wizards rookie, but he is also making it clear that his time at BYU still matters. The former Cougars standout has started taking online classes to work toward finishing his degree in a timeline of about three to three-and-a-half years, all while juggling the demands of a pro basketball schedule and keeping up a strong academic record.
For BYU fans, it is another reminder that Dybantsas story is about more than where he was drafted or where he will make his NBA debut on Oct. 21. Being taken No. 1 overall by Washington put him on one of basketballs biggest stages, but he is still doing the quieter work that reflects what he values most, and that part of his journey may end up meaning just as much back in Provo. [Read more 🡒]