Utah is still the class of the Big 12, and after Week 9, the top of the league looks pretty clear.
The Utes sit at No. 1 in the latest power rankings after rolling past Cincinnati, a result that stood out even more because it came on the road in the middle of a brutal stretch. Utah had Houston and BYU on either side of that trip, and it still handled business like it was no big deal.
BYU stays right behind the Utes at No. 2, though the Cougars are carrying a different kind of energy right now. Their overtime-style buzz from the Notre Dame win two weeks ago seems to have faded, and they were fortunate to escape Arizona State in their last outing. With the Holy War against Utah coming up, BYU has a chance to reset fast.
Texas Tech rounds out the top three after getting a lift from Thomas Castellanos. The Red Raiders made a quarterback change, and Castellanos delivered in a 34-26 win over Arizona, throwing for 144 yards and running for 117. He’s clearly more of a threat on the ground than Will Hammond, and Texas Tech is hoping that gives it a stronger finish.
Houston and Arizona follow as the teams most likely to benefit if chaos starts shaking up the conference race. The Cougars have dropped close games to Texas Tech and Utah, both on the road, which is nothing to be ashamed of.
But those losses make the path to the Big 12 championship game much tougher. Arizona, meanwhile, had Noah Fifita dealing again.
He threw for 417 yards against Texas Tech, and the Wildcats led 17-10 at halftime before the Red Raiders flipped the game in the second half.
The middle of the league is a mix of offense, frustration and unfinished business. Oklahoma State is sitting at No. 6 after a wild 51-49 loss to Iowa State in which the Cowboys still piled up 49 points and 533 yards.
The problem was simple: Iowa State had 581 yards and more points. West Virginia checks in next, with the off week giving the Mountaineers time to clean up a defense that still needs work if they want to stay in the title conversation.
Baylor made one of the biggest jumps in feel, if not in the standings. In its first game after Dave Aranda was fired, the Bears looked like a different team under interim coach Joe Klanderman and crushed UCF 41-9 on Friday. Cincinnati sits just behind Baylor after a flat home loss to Utah, though the Bearcats still have that win over Texas Tech to lean on.
UCF, Iowa State, Arizona State, TCU, Colorado, Kansas State and Kansas fill out the bottom half of the rankings, and there’s plenty going on in that group. UCF’s best memory so far may still be its win over BYU.
Iowa State got the kind of emotional finish that led to a field storming after a walk-off field goal against Oklahoma State. Arizona State keeps coming up in coaching chatter, with Kenny Dillingham now linked to Florida State.
TCU at least bought Sonny Dykes some breathing room with a comeback win over Kansas. Colorado’s overtime win over Kansas State sparked another field storming, even though the Buffaloes were favored by 3.5 points and the Wildcats are near the bottom of the league. And Kansas State may have found something with Blake Barnett at quarterback, but the ceiling without Avery Johnson looks limited.
Kansas is last, and the Jayhawks are only hanging around because of that late blocked field goal against Baylor. Without it, they’d be staring at the possibility of a winless Big 12 season.
In Other News...
Collin Klein Is Pushing Kansas State Into New Recruiting Territory
Kansas State is already looking well beyond the usual recruiting horizon, and that says plenty about how Collin Klein is approaching the job. The Wildcats have extended scholarship offers to several high school players in the 2028 class and beyond, including defensive end Khalil Shivers out of South Gwinnett High School in Georgia, as the program keeps widening its footprint across different regions and positions.
For a staff trying to keep pace in a national recruiting race, those early offers are part of the groundwork. Kansas State is showing up on lists that stretch far from Manhattan and into multiple states, signaling a willingness to get in early with younger prospects and compete for talent before the market gets crowded. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Faces A Quarterback Crisis At The Worst Time
Kansas State has spent the last month piecing together its offense on the fly, cycling through four different quarterbacks over its last four games as injuries have kept Avery Johnson and his replacements in and out of the lineup. The latest turn comes with junior Blake Barnett set to start against Oklahoma State after stepping in late in the previous game and throwing three touchdowns, giving the Wildcats at least one more option as they try to steady the position.
For first-year coach Collin Klein, the challenge has been about more than just finding the next healthy arm. He has pointed to the need for each quarterback to be genuine in his approach, a reminder that the Wildcats are not just searching for production but for some stability in a situation that has tested the depth chart at the worst possible time. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Already Looks Headed For A Brutal First Year Under Casey Alexander
Kansas States first night under Casey Alexander offered a quick reminder of how steep the climb could be in Manhattan. The Wildcats dropped their season opener 68-66 to South Dakota State, a result that fits the reality of a roster in transition, with Alexander taking over a rebuilding group that brings back only one player from last season.
The schedule does not offer much room to settle in, either. Kansas State is staring at a demanding Big 12 slate while also lining up nonconference tests against Cal State-Northridge, Creighton, Montana, Campbell and Gonzaga, the kind of stretch that can expose flaws early for a team still trying to establish its identity. [Read more 🡒]