The Big 12’s spotlight this weekend belongs to Provo.
No. 2 Notre Dame’s trip to No.
8 BYU at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium is the kind of game that can change the conversation around a team in a hurry.
ESPN’s “College GameDay” will be there, the BYU crowd is expected to be loud from start to finish, and the Cougars suddenly find themselves in the middle of the sport’s biggest stage.
That matters because BYU has done plenty to earn attention already. The Cougars are 5-0, yet they still feel like they’re being overlooked nationally.
They finished 11 games in 2024 and 12 games in 2025, and in both seasons they still missed the playoff. A win over the 6-0 Fighting Irish would give them a different kind of cushion this time around.
It would also make a statement for the conference itself.
With that backdrop, here’s a look at the latest Big 12 power rankings after Week 6:
1. BYU (5-0, 3-0 Big 12)
The Cougars may have to deal with Notre Dame without top running back LJ Martin, but they’ve already shown they can survive that kind of absence. They handled Iowa State without him, with Bear Bachmeier throwing for 329 yards and the defense turning in a strong performance.
2. Texas Tech (5-0, 2-0 Big 12)
The Red Raiders took heat early in the season for not pulling away from Oregon State, and Houston dealt with some of the same criticism. That 33-20 road win has looked better and better for Texas Tech as Oregon State has gone on to win four straight in convincing fashion.
3. Utah (5-0, 2-0 Big 12)
The Utes may own the most dangerous offense in the league right now. They put 258 passing yards and three passing touchdowns on Kansas, then piled up 287 rushing yards and three more scores on the ground.
4. Houston (5-1, 2-1 Big 12)
Patrick Overmyer made a strong case as the conference’s top tight end with eight catches for 83 yards and four touchdowns in the rout of K-State. A big follow-up could be waiting against Oklahoma State’s shaky defense.
5. Arizona (5-1, 2-1 Big 12)
Arizona still has Texas Tech and Utah left on the schedule, which means the Wildcats are going to have a real voice in the Big 12 title race.
6. Oklahoma State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)
The Cowboys have the kind of offense that can keep them in the hunt. Drew Mestemaker has already thrown for 1,575 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The bigger question is whether the defense can hold up over time.
7. Baylor (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)
The Bears have a chance to move closer to bowl eligibility and leave TCU sitting at the bottom of the standings if they can win the rivalry game on Saturday.
8. Cincinnati (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)
Cincinnati’s last road trip didn’t go well, and the Bearcats will be hoping for a cleaner showing when they head to West Virginia.
9. Arizona State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12)
The schedule gets rough from here. Arizona State still has Texas Tech, BYU, Oklahoma State and Arizona ahead.
10. Kansas State (3-2, 0-2 Big 12)
Collin Klein has plenty of offensive experience, but he’s still learning on the defensive side, and that has shown in the Wildcats’ two conference losses. Cincinnati and Houston both moved the ball freely against K-State.
11. Iowa State (3-3, 1-2 Big 12)
Close losses only go so far, but Iowa State has at least been competitive against Iowa, Utah and BYU. With the schedule easing up, better results could be coming.
12. West Virginia (3-3, 0-3 Big 12)
The Mountaineers have turned every game with their defense into a shootout. Big 12 opponents are averaging 46 points per game against West Virginia.
13. UCF (3-3, 1-2 Big 12)
The Knights have been fast starters, jumping out to leads against Houston and Oklahoma State. The problem has been the second half, where both games slipped away and ended in double-digit losses for Scott Frost’s team.
14. Kansas (2-3, 0-2 Big 12)
Lance Leipold has done good work with Kansas, but a rivalry breakthrough has eluded him so far. He’s 0-2 against Missouri and 0-5 against K-State, and now the Jayhawks enter the Sunflower Showdown as 4.5-point underdogs.
15. TCU (2-3, 0-2 Big 12)
16. Colorado (2-3, 0-2 Big 12)
Colorado had the off week to make changes, and it may have needed every bit of it. The Buffaloes have not scored more than 14 points against an FBS opponent this season.
In Other News...
Kansas State's Offense Faces Real Pressure Entering Sunflower Showdown
Kansas States offense has hit a rough patch at the wrong time, with the Wildcats trying to shake off a two-game losing streak and find a way back to the kind of rhythm that made them dangerous earlier this season. Big plays have been hard to come by, and first-year coach Collin Klein has made it clear the unit needs more explosiveness if it is going to get back on track.
The timing only adds to the pressure with the Sunflower Showdown coming next against Kansas. The Wildcats are looking not just to end the skid, but to keep their recent edge in the rivalry intact, and that means the offense has to show it can create more than steady drives when the stage gets bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Has A Run Game Problem At The Worst Time
Kansas State looked like it had a manageable path into Big 12 play after handling the run game well enough in non-conference action, but the first two conference weekends told a different story. Against Cincinnati and Houston, the Wildcats have not been able to generate the kind of ground production that lets Avery Johnson and the offense settle in, and that has put more stress on a unit already trying to find its footing against better league competition.
The trouble has not stopped on offense, either. Kansas State has also had a hard time slowing opposing rushing attacks, leaving the Wildcats chasing game flow on both sides of the ball. Johnsons own rushing numbers have dipped in conference play as defenses adjust, so the next step is clear for a team still trying to stabilize its Big 12 start: run more efficiently, create more explosive plays, and find answers before the margin gets thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Is Chasing A Massive Early O-Line Recruiting Prize
Kansas States recruiting board keeps growing as Collin Klein continues to cast a wide net across multiple classes, and one of the more notable names on it is Mead High School offensive lineman James Bennett from Colorado. The Wildcats have been active with scholarship offers beyond just one position group, but adding a young lineman to the mix stands out as the kind of early move that can shape the front of the roster down the line.
Bennett is part of a broader run of offers that also includes linebacker Drew Langford, linebacker Cortez Jones and wide receiver Noah Gigger, along with several others from different states and recruiting cycles. For Kansas State, the early message is clear: Klein and his staff are trying to get in front of future needs now, building relationships well before those decisions get made, and Bennett is one of the names worth watching as that effort unfolds. [Read more 🡒]