Big 12 power rankings: Texas Tech football separates itself from BYU

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Big 12 power rankings: Texas Tech football separates itself from BYU

Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal · Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Mon, Nov 10, 2025 ·

5 min read

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The Texas Tech football team has sat atop the Big 12 power rankings since mid-September , even though Brigham Young had a better record in recent weeks.

Texas Tech took care of that last weekend and substantiated its claim to being top dog in the Big 12 by handing BYU its first loss, a 29-7 verdict in Lubbock. With ESPN's College GameDay parked on the Tech campus for a football game for the first time in 17 years, the Red Raiders rose to the occasion, their rugged defense holding the Cougars to season lows in rushing yards and total offense.

With regular-season games left with Central Florida and West Virginia , Tech's in the driver's seat to the Big 12 championship game in Arlington, Texas.

As for whom the Red Raiders might face there, BYU and Cincinnati each have one conference loss, and Houston , Utah and reigning champion Arizona State each have two.

On to the power rankings.

1. Texas Tech (9-1, 6-1 in the Big 12)

Last week:1

This week:Central Florida

What to know:Red Raiders have won nine games for the first time since 2009, Mike Leach's last season.

More: Texas Tech football's David Bailey, Jacob Rodriguez make cut as awards semifinalists

More: An exhausting day covering Texas Tech football, College GameDay reminds me how lucky I am | Giese

2. Brigham Young (8-1, 5-1)

Last week:2

This week:TCU

What to know:L.J. Martin's injured shoulder is a concern with no open date left and TCU and Cincinnati next on the schedule.

More: Inside BYU's staying power and drive to finish with a coach from Tonga and a QB named Bear

Texas Tech's Coy Eakin runs after a catch against BYU during a Big 12 Conference football game, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium.

3. Utah (7-2, 4-2)

Last week:3

This week:at Baylor

What to know:Utah was more competitive against Texas Tech than BYU was, but the Utes stay third because of their loss to the Cougars.

4. Cincinnati (7-2, 5-1)

Last week:4

This week: Arizona

What to know: Bearcats had a 32-game win streak at Nippert Stadium from 2017-22. They're two wins away from going unbeaten at home again this season.

More: Cincinnati Bearcats football must 'put it up to 11' in final 3 games

5. Arizona State (6-3, 4-2)

Last week:5

This week:West Virginia

What to know:Arizona State needs to hang on to Kenny Dillingham, and the Big 12 needs Arizona State to hang on to Kenny Dillingham.

More: If Kenny Dillingham goes to Auburn, it would be a betrayal | Opinion

Arizona State football head coach Kenny Dillingham reacts during the first quarter against Iowa State in the Big-12 showdown at jack Trice Stadium on Nov. 1, 2025, in Ames, Iowa.

6. Houston (8-2, 5-2)

Last week:7

This week:Open

What to know:Trying to turn around a program means taking advantage of every little opportunity. Behold, the Cougars, who are 4-0 in games decided by eight points or fewer.

7. Iowa State (6-4, 3-4)

Last week:8

This week:Open

What to know:Cyclones have gone a month not making timely plays. Aiden Flora, a walk-on, fourth-string running back, finally delivered one with a game-winning punt-return touchdown at TCU.

More: Iowa State football's Aiden Flora has heroic moment, punt-return touchdown in win vs TCU

8. TCU (6-3, 3-3)

Last week:6

This week:at BYU

What to know: Josh Hoover tripled Iowa State 's Rocco Becht in passing yardage, but the Horned Frogs lost for the second time this year after blowing a double-digit lead.

9. Baylor (5-4, 3-3)

Last week:9

This week:Utah

What to know:The Big 12 has four of the eight semifinalists for the John Mackey Award, including the Bears ' Michael Trigg , who, among FBS tight ends, is third in catches (40), first in receiving yards (607) and tied for first in TDs (6).

10. Arizona (6-3, 3-3)

Last week:10

This week:at Cincinnati

What to know:Wildcats' assignment this week is crossing two time zones and kicking off at 10 a.m. Tucson time.

11. Kansas State (4-5, 3-3)

Last week:11

This week:at Oklahoma State

What to know:The Dylan Edwards drama ends, and Kansas State is likely to finish without a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since 2020.

More: What can we learn from the Dylan Edwards saga with Kansas State football? | Wheeler

12. Kansas (5-5, 3-4)

Last week:12

This week:Open

What to know:Kansas' 24-20 loss at Arizona is exactly the kind of game you don't want going into an open date. Now there's an extra week for griping about what-ifs, game management and losing on a last-minute touchdown.

More: With loss at Arizona, Kansas football's road to bowl eligibility becomes more challenging

13. Central Florida (4-5, 1-5)

Last week:14

This week:at Texas Tech

What to know:Only fitting that Houston — the school from Space City — would be the team to end UCF 's perfect record in the annual Space Game .

More: UCF football's Space Game aura, invincibility comes to abrupt end with loss to Houston

More: Houston ends UCF football undefeated Space Game streak with final-drive interception

14. West Virginia (4-6, 2-5)

Last week:15

This week:at Arizona State

What to know:Closest the Mountaineers will get to a bowl game this year is this week when they fly across the country for a warm-weather game in Tempe.

More: Deion Sanders changed QB, play-caller but Colorado loses again in lost season