ESPN reveals updated Big 12 Football rankings for 2025 season

ESPN has revealed their updated Big 12 football rankings ahead of the 2025 season. With single-digit days remaining until Week 0 gets underway, the conference has a unique light shining upon it at the moment.

The top matchup of the weekend to come is Kansas State facing off against Iowa State in Ireland this coming Saturday. It’ll mark the true beginning of the college football season, and give us an idea of who the head honcho may be in the Big 12 in 2025.

All told, there’s no shortage of excitement is surrounding the conference heading into the season. Utilizing the Football Power Index, ESPN ranked where each Big 12 team stands at the moment. Check it out below.

1. Kansas State (No. 18 Nationally)

Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman will have his core back from last year’s team that went 9-4. Namely, QB Avery Johnson is returning for his second season as the Wildcats starter. He’ll be paired with RB Dylan Edwards in the backfield — potentially one of the more high-powered offenses in the conference this season.

The Wildcats avoid Arizona State in the regular season. However, they will still have their fair share of key games to prove themselves as a contender in not only the Big 12, but in the race for the College Football Playoff. Some key matchups include the season opener in Dublin, Ireland against Iowa State, as well as a road trip to Baylor and a home stand against Texas Tech.

2. BYU (No. 22)

BYU was one of the Big 12’s pleasant surprises from 2025. The Cougars finished their season 11-2, including a 9-0 start to the season before losing consecutive games in November.

It was the second time that head coach Kalani Sitake led his team to an 11-win season, and third time logging 10 or more wins in a single season. However, they’ll have to do so with a new quarterback after Jake Retzlaff‘s departure.

3. Arizona State (No. 24)

Arizona State earned a seat at the table last season, finishing the year 11-3 as Big 12 champions and earning one of the four first-round byes in the College Football Playoff. ESPN is expecting similar success for the Sun Devils in 2025.

They will be tasked with replacing the production from running back Cam Skattebo. However, Sam Leavitt is back in his second season as a starter and Jordyn Tyson is expected to be one of the top wideouts in the conference.

4. Kansas (No. 26)

Kansas disappointed last season, finishing under .500 and missing a bowl game with a record of 5-7 in year four under Lance Leipold. It snapped a two-year bowl streak for the Jayhawks, their first since the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

Jalon Daniels is back under center for his final year of eligibility. It will be his sixth season with the program.

5. Baylor (No. 28)

Head coach Dave Aranda led Baylor to an 8-5 record last year, winning out in the back half of the regular season to finish with the second-best record of his tenure. That success is expected to continue, as ESPN ranked them fifth in the conference to begin the regular season.

QB Sawyer Robertson, as well as running backs Bryson Washington and Dawson Pendergrass are back for the upcoming season. However, Baylor has a few hurdles in their way to begin the season playing the likes of Auburn, SMU and Arizona State in three of their first four games.

6. Iowa State (No. 33)

Despite coming off their best season in school history, Iowa State is sixth in ESPN’s preseason rankings. In 2024, the Cyclones played for the Big 12 Championship, including a chance to go to the College Football Playoff, while finishing with an 11-3 record in year nine under Matt Campbell.

The Cyclones will miss their receiving production from one year ago, but quarterback Rocco Becht returns after a stellar 2024 season. He totaled 25 touchdowns to nine interceptions while throwing for 3,505 yards.

7. Texas Tech (No. 35)

Nobody did the transfer portal better than Texas Tech this offseason. Logging the No. 1 overall transfer class in the On3 transfer portal rankings, he added multiple players who boast former four-star status or above.

The Red Raiders have been knocking on the door in the Big 12 since head coach Joey McGuire has taken over, and 2025 may be the season that they shatter that season. They’ll have to put their money where their mouth is, however, and prove it on the gridiron.

8. TCU (No. 36)

2022’s appearance in the national championship game seems like a lifetime ago for TCU. They followed up with a five-win season in 2023 but regained their status as a player in the Big 12 after winning nine games last season.

Quarterback Josh Hoover, who was a part of that College Football Playoff team, is back for his third season as the starter. He made a massive jump from 2023 to 2024, and may very well do it again as a redshirt junior.

9. UCF (No. 41)

Much like some others in the Big 12, UCF is also turning to a successful former head coach. For the Knights, that’s Scott Frost.

Frost led UCF to its infamous 13-0 season in 2017 which ended with them defeating Auburn in the Peach Bowl. However, he only spent two seasons with the program before moving on with his career. After a subpar start to their Big 12 Conference affiliation, Frost will be tasked with leading the Knights back to glory — this time on a power conference level.

10. Utah (No. 45)

Despite being ranked as high as No. 10 in the AP Top 25 poll early in the season, 2024 was only the third time since Kyle Whittingham has taken over (minus 2020’s COVID-shortened season) that Utah missed a bowl game. They’ll look to change that this fall.

Now that Cam Rising is medically retired from football, the Utes will be moving on to other options under center. The offseason, they landed on incoming New Mexico transfer, Devon Dampier.

ESPN’s updated Big 12 Football rankings — Nos. 11-16:

11. Colorado (No. 48)
12. Cincinnati (No. 53)
13. West Virginia (No. 56)
14. Oklahoma State (No. 61)
15. Arizona (No. 66)
16. Houston (No. 70)

— On3’s Barkley Truax contributed to this article.