Week 4 gave the Big 12 another jolt, and the top of the league still looks unsettled. BYU keeps the No. 1 spot after a bye, Texas Tech stays unbeaten, and Utah’s road win at Iowa State helped keep the Utes near the front. A few teams also made loud moves in the other direction, especially after Cincinnati knocked off Kansas State and UCF beat TCU.
BYU remains the team to beat in these rankings. The Cougars are still undefeated, already have a conference win over Arizona, and have scored at least 28 points in all three of their games.
They get one of the weekend’s best matchups in Week 5, traveling to TCU for a Saturday night game in Fort Worth. The Horned Frogs will be coming off their loss at UCF, while BYU arrives rested.
This week: at TCU, Saturday, Oct. 3, 6 p.m. CT on ESPN
Texas Tech also holds firm near the top after rolling past Sam Houston 49-14. The Red Raiders built a cushion early and never let go, continuing to look like one of the league’s most complete teams through four games. They head to Colorado with a chance to move to 2-0 in Big 12 play.
This week: at Colorado, Saturday, Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m. CT on FOX
Utah stays in the upper tier after a 31-17 road win over Iowa State. The Utes have given up only 41 points across four games and continue to profile as one of the conference’s most reliable defenses. They get a bye before returning to Big 12 action in Week 6.
Oklahoma State made one of the biggest climbs after a 41-24 win at West Virginia. The Cowboys have now won three straight since opening with a loss to Tulsa, and Drew Mestemaker has kept the offense moving in the right direction. The result also snapped Oklahoma State’s 18-game Big 12 regular-season losing streak.
Houston also moves up after responding to its tight loss to Texas Tech with a 42-28 win at Georgia Southern. The Cougars have scored at least 33 points in each of their three victories, and even though they are still looking for their first conference win, the close battle with Texas Tech keeps them high in the rankings. They return home to face UCF.
This week: vs. UCF, Saturday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m. CT on ESPN2
Cincinnati earns a jump after handing Kansas State its first defeat, 31-26, in the Bearcats’ Big 12 opener. The win pushed Cincinnati to 4-0 and gave the résumé a much-needed boost. Next comes another tough road test at Arizona.
This week: at Arizona, Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 p.m. CT on FOX
Arizona is also on the rise after beating Washington State 34-24 on the road. The Wildcats are 3-1 and have won two in a row since losing to BYU. Their offense has shown plenty of promise, and now they return home looking for their first Big 12 win against an unbeaten Cincinnati team.
This week: vs. Cincinnati, Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 p.m. CT on FOX
Kansas State slips after its first loss of the season. The Wildcats were ahead 17-10 at halftime against Cincinnati but couldn’t close it out, falling 31-26 in conference play. The bye week now gives them a chance to sort out what went wrong.
Arizona State had the week off after opening Big 12 play with a win over Kansas. The Sun Devils are rested and get Baylor at home, with another conference victory offering a chance to climb.
This week: vs. Baylor, Saturday, Oct. 3, 9:30 p.m. CT on ESPN
Baylor sits at No. 10 after taking down Colorado 23-13 in its Big 12 opener. The Bears have won three straight since a narrow season-opening loss to Auburn, and their defense handled Colorado well enough to control the second half. A trip to Arizona State is next.
This week: at Arizona State, Saturday, Oct. 3, 9:30 p.m. CT on ESPN
West Virginia drops after Oklahoma State left Morgantown with a 41-24 win. The Mountaineers came in unbeaten, but the Cowboys pulled away after halftime. West Virginia now heads to Iowa State trying to get its first conference win.
This week: at Iowa State, Saturday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m. CT on TNT
UCF gets a boost after beating TCU 21-13 in its Big 12 opener. The Knights forced four turnovers and held the Horned Frogs to 13 points, even while being outgained 343-266. That win gave UCF its first conference victory, and now it goes to Houston with another chance to make a statement.
This week: at Houston, Saturday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m. CT on ESPN2
TCU falls two spots after its 21-13 loss at UCF. The Horned Frogs moved the ball for 343 yards but rushed for only 33, turned it over four times, and never made enough of their yardage edge. BYU now comes to Fort Worth, giving TCU a quick shot to reset the narrative.
This week: vs. BYU, Saturday, Oct. 3, 6 p.m. CT on ESPN
Colorado keeps sliding after a second straight loss, this time 23-13 at Baylor. A week earlier, the Buffaloes were beaten 41-7 by Northwestern. After opening 2-0, their offense has gone quiet the past two games, and now undefeated Texas Tech visits Boulder.
This week: vs. Texas Tech, Saturday, Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m. CT on FOX
Iowa State drops again after losing 31-17 at home to Utah. The Cyclones couldn’t keep up late and are now 2-2 overall after also losing to Iowa earlier in the season. They return home for a meeting with West Virginia.
This week: vs. West Virginia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m. CT on TNT
Kansas remains last after a Week 4 bye. The Jayhawks have lost two straight since opening the season with a win over LIU and now turn to Middle Tennessee before conference play resumes.
This week: vs. Middle Tennessee, Saturday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m. CT on ESPNU
In Other News...
TCUs Locker Room Just Sent A Message After This 2-2 Start
TCUs rough stretch has already pushed the Horned Frogs into some self-assessment, and the response came from inside the locker room. After back-to-back losses, the teams captains called a players-only meeting to address the way the Frogs have been playing and to try to tighten the bond in a room that has been searching for a cleaner rhythm through the first four games.
Senior quarterback Jaden Craig was part of that conversation, along with other captains, as the group tried to reset confidence and reinforce unity. Sonny Dykes said he welcomed the initiative and noted that the coaching staff is looking at every part of the program in hopes of turning results around, a sign that the message in Fort Worth has shifted from frustration to accountability with the season still young. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Gets A Season Reset Shot In A Dangerous BYU Test
TCU gets its next chance to steady the season on Saturday night, when No. 10 BYU comes to Amon G. Carter Stadium for a 6 p.m. kickoff. It is the kind of test that can tell a lot about where the Horned Frogs really stand, with a ranked opponent arriving carrying both momentum and plenty of proven pieces on both sides of the ball.
BYU brings back senior running back LJ Martin, the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, and sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who has taken a step forward this season. The Cougars also lean on a defense built around players such as Keanu Tanuvasa, Cade Uluave and Faletau Satuala, which makes this a demanding matchup for TCUs offense and a meaningful reset shot for a team trying to regroup. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Is Already In Position For A DFW Recruiting Fight
Ben Cornist is only a freshman at Lake Dallas High School, but the 6-foot-4, 205-pound receiver is already drawing attention in the kind of way that can shape a future DFW recruiting battle. TCU and SMU have both extended early scholarship offers to the 2030 prospect, a sign that his size and production are turning heads long before most players in his class are even fully on the radar.
For Cornist, though, the process is still very much in its infancy. He remains open to opportunities while working to sharpen the parts of his game he knows matter most, especially route running and yards after catch. With both Metroplex programs involved this early, the Horned Frogs already have a foothold in a recruitment that could become more interesting as his development picks up. [Read more 🡒]