Utah and BYU are the clear headliners in this week’s Big 12 football power rankings, and for good reason. The two programs separated by 45 miles are about to put their top-10 status on the line in a game that carries College Football Playoff implications and could also shape the Big 12 Championship Game picture.
The stage is set for Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium, even if the 10 a.m. (MST) kickoff is a little brutal. Still, this is the kind of matchup the league can point to when it needs a true centerpiece.
Utah remains No. 1 in the composite rankings after improving to 8-0 overall and 5-0 in Big 12 play with a 49-25 road win over Cincinnati. BYU holds steady at No. 2 after beating Arizona State 27-20 and enters the rivalry game at 7-1 and 4-1 in the league.
Behind the two Utah schools, Texas Tech climbed to No. 3 after a 34-26 win over Arizona. Houston moved up to No. 4 following its bye week, while Arizona slipped to No. 5 after the loss to Texas Tech.
The biggest risers in the top half of the rankings were Baylor and Iowa State. Baylor jumped from No. 15 to No. 7 after a 41-9 road win over UCF, and Iowa State moved up two spots to No. 10 after edging Oklahoma State 51-49. TCU also climbed, landing at No. 12 after a 22-16 win over Kansas.
Oklahoma State sits at No. 6 after the narrow loss to Iowa State, while Cincinnati stays at No. 8 and West Virginia remains No. 9 after a bye.
UCF took the biggest tumble among the middle teams, falling from No. 7 to No. 11 after the loss to Baylor. Arizona State dropped from No. 10 to No. 13 after its defeat to BYU, and Kansas State slid to a tie for 15th after falling 27-24 to Colorado.
Colorado’s win pushed it up to No. 14, while Kansas is tied for 15th with Kansas State.
Here’s how the composite rankings shook out:
- Utah
- BYU
- Texas Tech
- Houston
- Arizona
- Oklahoma State
- Baylor
- Cincinnati
- West Virginia
- Iowa State
- UCF
- TCU
- Arizona State
- Colorado
T-15. Kansas
T-15. Kansas State
The individual ballots showed a similar top tier, with all three reporters putting Utah, BYU and Texas Tech in the top three. After that, the order started to vary, especially in the middle of the pack.
Steve Bartle’s ballot had Arizona at No. 4, while Josh Furlong and Mitch Harper both slotted Houston there. Bartle and Furlong differed on the lower half too, with Bartle placing Baylor sixth and Furlong putting it 10th. Harper had Baylor eighth.
The bottom of the rankings also shifted from ballot to ballot, but Kansas and Kansas State consistently occupied the final spots in some order, with Colorado, Arizona State, TCU and UCF all moving around behind them.
In Other News...
Utahs Holy War Test Is Bigger Than Just Beating BYU
The buildup to the Holy War has been impossible to miss around Utah, but inside the program the message has stayed pointed toward something bigger than one rivalry game. As the Utes get ready for BYU, quarterback Devon Dampier and offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven have stressed the same theme all season: every week has to be approached with championship-level focus, with confidence and accountability carrying the standard from practice through game day.
That mindset has also been reinforced by the way Utahs offense has spread the work around, with multiple players stepping up in different spots to keep the unit moving. For a team trying to stack wins and keep its season goals intact, the rivalry is a natural measuring stick, but the larger test is whether the Utes can keep that same edge and consistency when the spotlight gets even brighter. [Read more 🡒]
Keanu Tanuvasa Brings Extra Emotion Into BYU Rivalry Week
Keanu Tanuvasa has a lot on his mind this rivalry week, and not just because he is preparing for a game that always carries extra weight. The defensive tackle has settled into a leadership role at BYU after transferring from Utah, and he has spoken with clear respect about the Utes, their fans and what this matchup means in the bigger picture of the rivalry.
The personal side of the week adds another layer, with Tanuvasa balancing football and family as he waits for the arrival of his son. He also has a history with Utah coach Morgan Scalley and has seen enough of this series to understand how quickly emotion can take over once the teams get to Rice-Eccles Stadium, which is part of what makes this one feel different even before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Utah Red Rocks Face One Huge Test After Program's First Missed Nationals
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For a program that has long measured itself by how it handles pressure, the challenge now is not just getting back to its usual standard but proving the missed nationals run was a detour rather than a sign of something bigger. The calendar is loaded with the kind of checkpoints Utah fans know well, from the conference championships to the annual Best of Utah meet, and each one should tell a little more about whether this team is ready to reassert itself. The early answer will come quickly, and the Red Rocks do not have much time to ease into it. [Read more 🡒]