Big 12 Power Rankings updated after Week 6 of college football
Week 6 was a wild one throughout college football as well as within the Big 12. With that, there’s been some movement in the Big 12 power rankings, with the help of the On3 Massey Ratings.
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.
Several teams have already played six games this season while others are going to be playing their sixth game soon. So, by now, there is a good idea of what each Big 12 team is going to be this season. At the same time, there’s still plenty of time for movement.
1. Iowa State Cyclones (5-0, 2-0)
The Iowa State Cyclones sit atop the Big 12 Power Rankings following Week 6 of action. That’s despite getting off to a slow start against Baylor. However, late in the first half and into the second half the Cyclones were able to take control of the game. In no small part was that on the back of Jaylon Jackson rushing for two touchdowns.
In the first half of the season, Iowa State has been over-performing expectations. Now, in the second half of the season, the Cyclones are going to need to battle teams who are circling them on the calendar and are excited for the opportunity to prove themselves. Next week, that will come in the form of a road trip to West Virginia.
2. BYU Cougars (5-0, 2-0)
The BYU Cougars are one of the great surprises in the Big 12 this season, starting the season 5-0. That includes two wins in Big 12 play and two wins against teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll, and with that, the Cougars are rapidly rising in the polls themselves.
A major strength of BYU has been its defensive effort this season. The Cougars are giving up just 15.8 points per game, which is 17th in scoring defense. They’re also giving up just 292.6 yards per game, which is 21st in total defense. It’s a deep unit that should help them succeed all season.
3. Kansas State Wildcats (4-1, 1-1)
The Kansas State Wildcats suffered an early conference loss to BYU. However, since then, the Wildcats have proven why they came into the season as one of the favorites in the Big 12. That came in the form of a massive bounce-back win over Oklahoma State before going into their bye week.
Next week, Kansas State will have an interesting test, as they head to Boulder to take on the Colorado Buffaloes. That’s going to be a tough one against a much improved Colorado team. On top of that, it’s a bit of a homecoming for transfer running back Dylan Edwards who played there last season.
4. Utah Utes (4-1, 1-1)
The hope for Utah is that the Utes get starting quarterback Cam Rising back at some point this season. He’s been out since suffering an injury in early September. That comes after he missed the entire 2023 season and the offense is clearly missing him since he went out. Still, Utah is a well coached and well rounded team even with that major loss at quarterback.
In Week 6, Utah had a bye week to try to get healthy and reset after dropping their first game in Week 5. With that, Utah is toward the middle of the Big 12 standings but still considered one of the best teams in the conference as a whole. From here, the schedule does get tough in conference play, starting with a road trip to Arizona State.
5. Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-1, 3-0)
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are quietly toward the top of the Big 12 standings. Most recently, the Red Raiders managed to beat Arizona by a score of 28-22. In particular, running back Tahj Brooks had a massive game, rushing for 128 yards and three touchdowns.
Texas Tech started the season showing some signs of concern, struggling against an FCS opponent and losing to Washington State. However, since then, the Red Raiders have gotten back on track and won four straight games and their first three conference games. That makes the Red Raiders a real contender in the conference and therefore the College Football Playoff.
6. West Virginia Mountaineers (3-2, 2-0)
After opening the season with a couple of frustrating losses in non-conference play to Penn State and Pitt, the Mountaineers have turned things around a bit. They’ve now won two games in a row, including a convincing win in Week 6 over Oklahoma State. In that game, the Mountaineers beat the Cowboys 38-14 while rushing for 389 yards as a team.
That rushing attack has been vital to West Virginia this season. The Mountaineers are averaging 223 yards per game on the ground, which is 13th in the country in rushing offense. Quarterback Garrett Greene, in particular, makes defenses defend all 11 players on offense. He’s averaging 5.4 yards per carry this season and has three touchdowns.
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7. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-3, 0-3)
At 0-3 in the Big 12, it looks like Oklahoma State is going to have a very difficult time making it to the conference championship game after the slow start in conference play. Most recently, that manifested in a loss to West Virginia where the offense struggled. In that game, quarterback Alan Bowman threw two interceptions while running back Ollie Gordon had just 50 yards on the ground.
The offense has become a major issue for Mike Gundy to address. In Big 12 play, the Cowboys are averaging just 17.6 points per game, which clearly isn’t getting it done, even if all of those losses are to teams ranked in the top six of the current Big 12 Power Rankings. Oklahoma State will need to find offense quickly in their bye week before traveling to play another great defense in Provo against BYU.
8. Arizona State Sun Devils (4-1, 1-1)
Very little was expected of Arizona State coming into the season. However, at 4-1, the Sun Devils have been a very pleasant surprise. They just earned their first Big 12 win, beating Kansas in a close and emotionally charged game that saw the two sides combine to score 35 points in the fourth quarter. In the end, however, a last-minute touchdown pass from Sam Leavitt to Jordyn Tyson secured the win for Arizona State.
The emergence of Sam Leavitt has been a major reason why Arizona State is much improved from last season. He’s completing 59 percent of his passes for 1,012 yards and seven touchdowns. That’s opened up room for the Sun Devils’ running game to be effective and has made the Sun Devils much more difficult to stop on offense.
9. Colorado Buffaloes (4-1, 2-0)
The Colorado Buffaloes have already matched their win total from 2023. Assuming that the Buffaloes find a way to keep winning, it’s a massive step forward for Deion Sanders in Boulder. That’s a step that he’s taken with the help of quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter. For his part, Hunter is a very real Heisman Trophy contender.
At 2-0 in conference play, Colorado can’t be ignored in the Big 12 conference race. The next step in that race is a tough one for Colorado, though, with Kansas State coming to town. A win in that game would go a long way in shaping the conference race and impacting the perception of Colorado.
10. Arizona Wildcats (3-2, 1-1)
There is a lot to like about Arizona, including the excellent connection between quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. At the same time, there might also be a concern that the Arizona offense doesn’t have an option it trusts after that connection. He was targeted 16 times in the loss to Texas Tech and two interceptions became a major reason why the Wildcats lost.
At this point in the season, Arizona is averaging 27 points per game, which is 85th in scoring offense. They’re also averaging 418.4 yards per game, which makes the Wildcats 55th in total offense. For his part, McMillan is averaging 132.8 receiving yards per game. If teams take him away, it’s very difficult for Arizona to find success on offense.
Rest of Big 12 Power Rankings
11. UCF Knights (3-2, 1-1)
12. TCU Horned Frogs (3-3, 1-2)
13. Cincinnati Bearcats (3-2, 1-1)
14. Baylor Bears (2-4, 0-3)
15. Houston Cougars (2-4, 1-2)
16. Kansas Jayhawks (1-5, 0-3)
After a chaotic Week 6, it will be interesting to see what happens in Week 7. In particular, the Big 12 with five conference games and 10 teams in action, there is room for movement. Even without any two ranked teams playing one another in the conference, there’s plenty of reason to be excited about this week.