Future Big 12 power rankings: It’s Utah, and then everyone else
Editor’s note: Each week during the 2023 college football season, the Deseret News will release power rankings that take a look at the 16 teams that will make up the Big 12 Conference beginning with the 2024 season.
These rankings will not include Texas and Oklahoma — as those schools are leaving for the Southeastern Conference next year — but will include Utah, Arizona, Arizona State and Colorado, the four Pac-12 teams joining the league next season.
Two months into the 2023 college football season, a clearer picture is finally being formed of how the teams in the future Big 12 stack up this year.
That also gives a glimpse of what the conference race could look like next season, when the 14 teams are together in the same league.
There’s one clear leader, though: the University of Utah.
1. Utah (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12)
Poll movement: No change.
Last week: Beat then-No. 18 USC 34-32.
This week: Saturday vs. Oregon, 1:30 p.m. MDT (Fox).
The Utes are showing off their ability — and depth — to adapt to whatever a wild season throws at them and just keep winning. The latest showcase of that came in a thrilling victory over USC, as Bryson Barnes and Sione Vaki starred on offense while the Utes defense continued to make disruptive plays.
Oregon awaits in what will be the biggest challenge to Utah’s 18-game home winning streak. The Utes, though, mirror the tenacity of their head coach and should be ready for their next big Pac-12 game and another matchup against a Heisman Trophy contender, this time Bo Nix.
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2. Oklahoma State (5-2, 3-1 Big 12)
Poll movement: No change.
Last week: Beat West Virginia 48-34.
This week: Saturday vs. Cincinnati, 6 p.m. (ESPN2).
The Cowboys are peaking at the right time — the victory over the Mountaineers was their third straight, all in conference play. Running back Ollie Gordon II broke out in the latest victory, with a career-best 282 rushing yards and four touchdowns — three in the final quarter as Oklahoma State rallied to win.
3. Kansas State (5-2, 3-1 Big 12)
Poll movement: Climbed two spots.
Last week: Beat TCU 41-3.
This week: Saturday vs. Houston, 10 a.m. (ESPN2).
This felt like a breakthrough win for the defending Big 12 champion Wildcats after a bit of a slide earlier in the season. Kansas State is well-positioned to stay in the conference race and faces Big 12 newcomer Houston next before a monumental game at Texas.
4. Arizona (4-3, 2-2 Pac-12)
Poll movement: Dropped one spot.
Last week: Bye week.
This week: Saturday vs. No. 11 Oregon State, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN).
What poor timing for the Wildcats to have a bye — they had just beat then-ranked Washington State, after two close losses to Washington and USC. Arizona showed during that stretch it’s a tough out in the Pac-12 and it could play spoiler again against Oregon State.
5. Kansas (5-2, 2-2 Big 12)
Poll movement: Climbed two spots.
Last week: Bye week.
This week: Saturday vs. No. 6 Oklahoma, 10 a.m. (Fox).
The Jayhawks found themselves ranked in the top 25 at times earlier this year, but losing two of their last three games has Kansas reeling a bit. A matchup with the Sooners isn’t the ideal contest to try and bounce back in, though Kansas does have a more favorable schedule after that.
6. Iowa State (4-3, 3-1 Big 12)
Poll movement: Climbed two spots.
Last week: Bye week.
This week: Saturday at Baylor, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN+).
The Cyclones head out of a bye as one of four Big 12 teams tied with just one conference loss and trailing unbeaten Oklahoma. Iowa State can stay in a favorable position near the top of the league standings if the Cyclones pick up a road win this weekend.
7. West Virginia (4-3, 2-2 Big 12)
Poll movement: Dropped one spot.
Last week: Lost to Oklahoma State 48-34.
This week: Saturday at UCF, 10 a.m. (FS1).
The Mountaineers’ momentum from a four-game winning streak has hit a road bump, with back-to-back losses in Big 12 play, though they led early in the fourth quarter last Saturday. West Virginia looks a bit more like a middle-of-the-pack team in the league, but has a chance to right that ship this week in Florida.
8. BYU (5-2, 2-2 Big 12)
Poll movement: Climbed two spots.
Last week: Beat Texas Tech 27-14.
This week: Saturday at No. 7 Texas, 1:30 p.m. (ABC).
A win is a win for the Cougars, and they are now just one victory away from bowl eligibility with five games to play. Better yet, the defensive-led effort against Texas Tech got BYU its first win over a legacy Big 12 member in league play.
There’s a daunting matchup looming for the Cougars, as they hit the road to face the Longhorns. Will BYU play more like it did against Texas Tech, or fall flat like it did against TCU? It likely won’t matter — Texas is a double-digit favorite in this one.
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9. TCU (4-4, 2-3 Big 12)
Poll movement: Dropped five spots.
Last week: Lost to Kansas State 41-3.
This week: Bye week.
Talk about a polar opposite result from the week before — the Horned Frogs fell flat on their face against the Wildcats one week after routing BYU. At least TCU now has a bye week to lick its wounds and make a push for bowl eligibility in November.
10. Colorado (4-3, 1-3 Pac-12)
Poll movement: Climbed one spot.
Last week: Bye week.
This week: Saturday at No. 23 UCLA, 5:30 p.m. (ABC).
It felt like such an empty week of college football without having the chance to watch Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes last weekend. Thankfully, they’re back to work, but Colorado faces back-to-back games against ranked opponents the next two weeks.
11. Baylor (3-4, 2-2 Big 12)
Poll movement: Climbed two spots.
Last week: Beat Cincinnati 32-29.
This week: Saturday vs. Iowa State, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN+).
A difficult season in Waco is looking up a bit after the Bears picked up their second win in the past three games, again against a Big 12 newcomer. If Baylor can find a way to beat visiting Iowa State, the Bears will be back to .500 on the year, not a small feat considering their struggles this season.
12. Texas Tech (3-5, 2-3 Big 12)
Poll movement: Dropped three spots.
Last week: Lost to BYU 27-14.
This week: Bye week.
The turnover-prone Red Raiders stumble into a bye week with plenty of things to fix as the season heads into its final month. Texas Tech couldn’t overcome five turnovers in a loss to BYU and need three wins in their final four games to become bowl eligible.
13. Houston (3-4, 1-3 Big 12)
Poll movement: Dropped one spot.
Last week: Lost to then-No. 8 Texas 31-24.
This week: Saturday at Kansas State, 10 a.m. (ESPN2).
Earlier in the conference season, Houston looked overmatched in a couple blowout losses, but the Cougars have been much more competitive the past two weeks, including a win over West Virginia and a close loss against Texas. Can Houston continue to improve in its next game, at Kansas State?
14. UCF (3-4, 0-4 Big 12)
Poll movement: No change.
Last week: Lost to then-No. 6 Oklahoma 31-29.
This week: Saturday vs. West Virginia, 10 a.m. (FS1).
Yes, the Knights stayed winless in conference play but they put themselves into position to spring the upset of the Sooners before Oklahoma rallied in the fourth quarter. There could be a chance for UCF to get things right next week, with the Mountaineers heading to Florida on a two-game losing streak.
15. Arizona State (1-6, 0-4 Pac-12)
Poll movement: No change.
Last week: Lost to then-No. 5 Washington 15-7.
This week: Saturday vs. Washington State, 6 p.m. (Pac-12 Network).
The Sun Devils are showing they are competitive but just not nearly consistent enough — ASU had its chances to pull off arguably the upset of the college football season against the Huskies but couldn’t capitalize. A daunting final five games doesn’t really give Arizona State much time to breathe, either.
16. Cincinnati (2-5, 0-4 Big 12)
Poll movement: No change.
Last week: Lost to Baylor 32-29.
This week: Saturday at Oklahoma State, 6 p.m. (ESPN2).
It’s turning into a long season for the Bearcats in their first year in the Big 12, as the team’s losing streak hit five games after the loss to the Bears. It doesn’t get easier for Cincinnati, with a surging Cowboys program next on the road.
