Big 12 Power Rankings updated after Week 1 of college football
The 2024 season is underway with Week 1 of action in the books. With that, the Big 12 Conference was able to go on and display its new look for the college football world to see. Now, with the help of the On3 Massey Ratings, there is a new power ranking for the conference.
The On3 Massey Ratings – which were officially used during the BCS era and have generated high school sports team rankings since 1995 – rank sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule, and margin of victory.
With all of that in mind, here is a look at the Big 12 Conference Power Rankings following Week 1 of the college football season:
1. Kansas State Wildcats (1-0)
Kansas State came into the 2024 season as another popular pick to make a deep run in the Big 12. Similarly to Utah, a lot of that is based on the quarterback play. Uniquely, that excitement is around the promise of Avery Johnson at quarterback. At only 19 years old, he’s taking over the reins, and after playing in eight games last season he’s now the full-time starter.
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Playing an FCS opponent in UT-Martin, Avery Johnson led the Wildcats to a 41-6 win. He threw for 153 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 37 yards on the ground. It was a solid start for him. Meanwhile, DJ Giddens ran for 124 yards in a massive performance for himself. All of that should help Kansas State build early-season momentum.
2. Utah Utes (1-0)
The Utah Utes came into their first season in the Big 12 as one of the favorites to win the conference. Through one week, the Utes haven’t done anything but dominate the competition that they’ve faced. Of course, Southern Utah is a game that Utah always should have dominated but a 49-0 win is impressive against anyone.
One of the keys for Utah in 2024 is quarterback Cam Rising. He has plenty of experience and Utah has won the Pac-12 twice while leading the Utes. However, an injury forced him to miss the 2023 season before returning for this year. Against Southern Utah, he completed 10 of 15 passes for 254 yards and five touchdowns. That’s an incredible start to his return and has to be a massive confidence boost for him coming off the injury.
3. Oklahoma State Cowboys (1-0)
The Oklahoma State Cowboys opened the season with an FCS opponent in South Dakota State. The problem with that is that South Dakota State is one of the best programs at that level of the sport and has won two straight national titles. Despite that winning pedigree, the Cowboys were able to take care of business, winning 44-20.
Oklahoma State’s strength this season is running back Ollie Gordon. He’s coming off a season where he ran for 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns and could be the best running back in the country, and he’s already two more touchdowns this year. His success will go a long way in determining how far the Cowboys can go in the Big 12 this year.
4. Arizona Wildcats (1-0)
Late Saturday night the Arizona Wildcats had one of the largest offensive explosions in the country against New Mexico. The Wildcats scored 61 points in their opening game against New Mexico. In particular, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan was phenomenal, with 10 receptions for 304 yards and two touchdowns.
There are some questions about Arizona this season, though. It’s a new coaching staff with Brent Brennan replacing Jedd Fisch. On top of that, the defense struggled in its opening game, giving up 39 points to a New Mexico team that lost to an FCS opponent in Week 0. Still, the offense looks good enough to compete all season long.
5. Kansas Jayhawks (1-0)
The Kansas Jayhawks opened the season with a 48-3 win over Lindenwood. It was a dominant effort, particularly propelled by a 27-point second quarter for the Jayhawks. It was a good warmup game before the schedule gets more difficult with a road trip to Illinois.
Quarterback Jalon Daniels returned for Kansas in that Week 1 win. He was only able to play in three games last season thanks to injuries. However, his explosiveness has been key in the Jayhawks’ recent rebuild. The passing game was a bit of a mixed bag in his first game back as he completed nine of 15 passes for 148 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. However, the running game was explosive, led by Devin Neal.
6. Iowa State Cyclones (1-0)
The Iowa State Cyclones opened the season playing FCS North Dakota. That’s another one of those very difficult FCS opponents that can make for an interesting game. For a while, it was a challenge for the Cyclones offense to get into gear. However, the defense remained excellent and Iowa State won 21-3.
Next week, Iowa State is set to play rival Iowa. It’s a game that continually proves to be one of the best rivalries in the sport. It’s also a game that often comes down to elite defensive play. After the Hawkeyes won in 2023, the Cyclones are looking to get back on track in the series.
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7. UCF Knights (1-0)
UCF was one of four new Big 12 teams in 2023. Out of those four newcomers, they were the only ones to make a bowl. However, a loss in that game gave head coach Gus Malzahn his first losing season as a head coach. It’s an outcome he wants to avoid repeating this year.
The Knights opened on Thursday night with a 57-3 blowout win over FCS New Hampshire. The running game, led by RJ Harvey and a deep running back room, was explosive, rushing for 454 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. At the same time, transfer quarterback KJ Jefferson struggled at times, leading to concerns about that position moving forward.
8. TCU Horned Frogs (1-0)
TCU is one of the more interesting teams in the Big 12. Two years ago, the Horned Frogs played for the national championship. They followed that up with a disappointing 5-7 season, missing out on a bowl game. Now, they’re looking to bounce back and prove that 2022 wasn’t a fluke and that they can succeed under head coach Sonny Dykes.
The Horned Frogs opened the season on the road with a 34-27 win over the Stanford Cardinal. That game went back and forth, but it turned out to be the strong second half that made the difference. TCU jumped out on a 24-7 run in the second half that gave them enough cushion to withstand a late push by Stanford. With that, Dykes got his first win over the year.
9. West Virginia Mountaineers (0-1)
The West Virginia Mountaineers were one of two Big 12 teams to open the season with a loss. In the case of the Mountaineers, it’s a relatively reasonable loss as they hosted the Penn State Nittany Lions. After keeping it close for a quarter, Penn State was able to quickly build up a lead that they weren’t giving back and West Virginia fell 34-12.
It’s never fun to lose a home opener, but Penn State does look to be one of the best teams in the country this season and could compete for the College Football Playoff. West Virginia, meanwhile, still has a lot of things to be excited about, particularly quarterback Garrett Greene. So, it’s not a loss that should hurt as they compete for the Big 12 race.
10. Texas Tech Red Raiders (1-0)
The Texas Tech Red Raiders come into the season with expectations that they can compete at the top of the conference. Certainly, the offense looked good in Week 1 too, led by running back Tahj Brooks who had 153 rushing yards and a touchdown. Behren Morton, meanwhile, threw for 378 yards and five touchdowns.
At the same time, going to overtime with Abilene Christian while giving up 51 points has to leave you with some concern about the Red Raiders moving forward. They’ll look to bounce back in Week 2 against Washington State with a stronger defensive performance than that.
Rest of Big 12 Power Rankings
11. Arizona State Sun Devils (1-0)
12. BYU Cougars (1-0)
13. Baylor Bears (1-0)
14. Colorado Buffaloes (1-0)
15. Cincinnati Bearcats (1-0)
16. Houston Cougars (0-1)
Only two Big 12 teams lost in the opening week of the season. Now, with the conference turning its attention to Week 2, there are going to be more challenging matchups for teams throughout the conference and more potential for a shake-up in the power rankings moving forward.