Big 12 football power rankings: As BYU, Colorado fall, Arizona State takes advantage

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Big 12 football power rankings: As BYU, Colorado fall, Arizona State takes advantage

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

Sun, Nov 24, 2024 ·

4 min read

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Colorado and Brigham Young didn't take care of business last week, Kansas upsetting the Buffaloes and Arizona State bushwhacking BYU. Because of that, the Big 12 football race goes into the final week with teams bunched almost as tightly as in early September. Arizona State, BYU, Colorado and Iowa State all have 6-2 conference records. Baylor, Kansas State, TCU, Texas Tech and West Virginia are one game behind the leaders with 5-3 marks.

Now that's parity.

Let's try to split hairs in the weekly Big 12 football power rankings.

1. Arizona State (9-2, 6-2 in the Big 12)

Last week:4

This week:at Arizona

What to know:Arizona State kids are used to running Mill Avenue, not football fields. So pardon the premature rush when their conquering heroes knocked off Brigham Young.

More: Activate the Valley? Arizona State football in the hunt for the College Football Playoff

2. Brigham Young (9-2, 6-2)

Last week:2

This week: Houston

What to know: Lousy couple of weeks for BYU — from perfect-season dreams to probably out of the College Football Playoff.

Arizona State linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu (30) Arizona State linebacker Krew Jackson (43) and Arizona State defensive back Kamari Wilson (20) celebrate an onside kick recovery against BYU during the first half at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Nov. 23, 2024.

3. Iowa State (9-2, 6-2)

Last week:3

This week:Kansas State

What to know:Just like that, we've gone from BYU and Colorado having inside tracks to the Big 12 championship game to Arizona State and Iowa State having the best odds.

More: Iowa State football: How did the Cyclones come through in the clutch in the fourth quarter against Utah?

4. Colorado (8-3, 6-2)

Last week:1

This week:Friday vs. Oklahoma State

What to know:Just when we thought the CU defense was overlooked and underrated, the Buffaloes give up a season high in 37-21 loss at Kansas.

More: Colorado vs. Kansas highlights: Buffaloes' playoff hopes damaged in loss to Jayhawks

5. Kansas State (8-3, 5-3)

Last week:5

This week:at Iowa State

What to know:In a college football world that respects rivalries less and less, we still have Farmageddon — and a Saturday forecast 26 degrees in Ames.

6. Baylor (7-4, 5-3)

Last week:6

This week:Kansas

What to know:The team that botched "Victory Cigar" defense is mastering victory formation offense.

7. TCU (7-4, 5-3)

Last week:7

This week:at Cincinnati

What to know:If Horned Frogs win out for 9-4, might be time for another Sonny Dykes contract bump-up.

TCU wide receiver Savion Williams (3) scores a touchdown against Arizona.

8. Texas Tech (7-4, 5-3)

Last week:8

This week:West Virginia

What to know:The Red Raiders , wearers of the Patrick Mahomes ' Gladiator logo, now use a thumbs-down gesture from the movie "Gladiator II" when they show opponents no mercy.

More: How Texas Tech football won a wild one at Oklahoma State

9. West Virginia (6-5, 5-3)

Last week:9

This week:at Texas Tech

What to know:Neal Brown might have been better off saying nothing at all than saying, "We're 5-and-5, not oh-and-10."

10. Kansas (5-6, 4-4)

Last week:11

This week:at Baylor

What to know:Kansas is the first FBS team with a losing record to beat three consecutive AP Top 25 opponents (Iowa State, BYU and Colorado).

11. Cincinnati (5-6, 3-5)

Last week:10

This week:TCU

What to know: Bearcats went to bed on Oct. 19 needing one more win for bowl eligibility, and now's their last chance.

12. Central Florida (4-7, 2-6)

Last week:12

This week:Utah

What to know:Would UCF cough up nearly $14 million to fire Gus Malzahn? Because he says he's not retiring.

13. Arizona (4-7, 2-6)

Last week:13

This week:Arizona State

What to know:ASU's talking Big 12 title. At underachieving UA, conversation centers around whether star players will skip the Territorial Cup.

14. Houston (4-7, 3-5)

Last week:14

This week:at Brigham Young

What to know:Willie Fritz will be camped out at the transfer portal window, shopping for help for the FBS's worst scoring offense (13.6 ppg).

15. Utah (4-7, 1-7)

Last week:15

This week:Friday at Central Florida

What to know:Remember Sept. 21, when a Utah-Oklahoma State conference opener felt like a potential Big 12 championship game preview? And neither has won since.

16. Oklahoma State (3-8, 0-8)

Last week:16

This week:at Colorado

What to know:Will the Cowboys even play spoiler once?

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Big 12 power rankings: As BYU, CU fall, Arizona State takes advantage

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