BYU’s opening-week blowout was enough to move the Cougars to the top of the Big 12 power rankings entering Week 2.
After rolling Utah Tech 63-7, BYU jumped from No. 2 to No. 1 in the composite rankings compiled by KSL Sports reporters Steve Bartle, Josh Furlong, Mitch Harper and Sean Walker. Texas Tech, last week’s No. 1, slipped to No. 2 after beating Abilene Christian 33-10.
The first week of Big 12 football delivered a little bit of everything. The league went 2-2 against Power Four opponents, with Colorado’s comeback win at Georgia Tech giving Coach Prime’s group an early boost. Cincinnati also made noise by beating Boston College 34-15 at home, with Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark in attendance.
At the other end of the spectrum, Oklahoma State’s rough start only got worse. The Pokes fell 24-10 to Tulsa, and it marked the first time since 1951 that Oklahoma State has lost two straight to its in-state rival. For a program that had been talked up as a possible sleeper, the tone changed fast.
A lot of Week 1 was still about tune-up games against FCS teams, and several Big 12 offenses looked sharp doing it. Arizona State, BYU, Kansas State and Utah all put up huge numbers in their openers.
The top tier of the rankings stayed tight behind BYU and Texas Tech. Utah held at No. 3 after a 66-14 win over Idaho, Houston remained No. 4 after beating Oregon State 33-20, and Arizona State climbed one spot to No. 5 after a 70-7 rout of Morgan State. Kansas State also moved up, landing at No. 6 after a 71-3 win over Nicholls.
Arizona dropped from No. 5 to No. 7 despite a 35-7 win over Northern Arizona, while Cincinnati surged from No. 13 to No. 8 after its strong showing against Boston College. UCF rose two spots to No. 9 after a 73-6 win over Bethune-Cookman, and Colorado jumped five places to No. 10 after edging Georgia Tech 14-13.
Baylor sits at No. 11 after a 17-16 loss at Auburn, followed by Kansas at No. 12 after a 51-6 win over Long Island. West Virginia moved up to No. 13 after beating Coastal Carolina 31-24, and Iowa State climbed to No. 14 after a 38-10 win over SEMO.
TCU fell hard in the rankings, dropping from No. 8 to No. 15 after a bye week, while Oklahoma State tumbled to No. 16 after its loss to Tulsa.
The staff ballots showed some variation near the top, but BYU and Texas Tech were the clear lead contenders. Bartle put Texas Tech first and BYU second, while Furlong and Harper both had BYU at No.
- Walker went with Texas Tech on top and BYU second.
In Other News...
Utahs First Real Test Carries More Weight Than Just One Win
The next stop in Utahs nonconference tune-up looks a lot bigger than the usual early-season measuring stick. Arkansas comes to Salt Lake City for a game that gives the Utes a chance to test themselves against a Power Four opponent, and it also puts Rice-Eccles Stadium in a pretty rare spot, with only the second SEC visitor ever coming through. Coming off a win over Idaho, Utah gets a matchup that should say more about where the program stands than the final score alone.
Morgan Scalley has framed it as part of Utahs responsibility now that it represents the Big 12, and that adds another layer to a game already carrying plenty of weight. Arkansas arrives after a mixed showing against North Alabama, so both teams have some questions hanging over them entering the weekend, and Utah is still working through its own personnel issues up front after the opener. [Read more 🡒]