Joel Klatt ranks Top Five teams in Big 12 after Week 7

With the college football season at its halfway point, we’re beginning to the see the conference races start to develop. For the Big 12, it looks almost nothing like the preseason poll predicted.

Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma State and Utah — all of which were picked in the top five — have a combined conference record of 2-10 thus far. Meanwhile, BYU, which was picked 13th, sits in a three-way tie with Iowa State and Texas Tech atop the league standings.

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FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt broke down his thoughts on the league and what we’ve seen early on, offering his own top five in the Big 12. It was Iowa State that claimed the top spot, with the Cyclones coming off of a 28-16 road win against West Virginia in Week 7 to improve to 6-0.

You can read more an ISU and see the rest of Klatt’s top five teams in the Big 12 below.

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1. Iowa State Cyclones (6-0)

Matt Campbell has the Cyclones off to a 6-0 start for the first time since 1938 in his ninth year at the helm in Ames. He’s had plenty of successful seasons with a 59-48 record in that span, but has never won a Big 12 Championship.

That should change this season behind a veteran group led by quarterback Rocco Becht, who has 1,438 yards and 10 touchdowns to only three interceptions. Iowa State also ranks No. 1 in the Big 12 in both scoring defense and total defense as it looks like the most well-rounded team in the conference.

2. BYU Cougars (6-0)

BYU comes in at No. 2 in Klatt’s list as he gives a slight edge to the Iowa State offense. However, he still had high praise for what the Cougars are doing defensively, as rank No. 1 in the Big 12 with 2.3 turnovers forced per game.

Headlined by Marque Collins (five PBUs) and Jakob Robinson (two INTs), they have made things difficult for opposing receivers and quarterbacks. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff also has the offense averaging 34.3 points per game to rank third in the conference.

3. Kansas State Wildcats (5-1)

The Wildcats have reeled off back-to-back victories after a loss to BYU in the conference opener to keep themselves in the hunt for a Big 12 title. Klatt noted the play of running back DJ Giddens, who has a combined 360 yards over the past two weeks, including 182 yards on 25 carries in a win against Colorado on Saturday.

Gidden’s performance over the past couple of weeks has propelled him to first in the conference with 786 rushing yards. Quarterback Avery Johnson is also coming into his own and has scored a combined eight touchdowns in the past two games.

4. Colorado Buffaloes (4-2)

Colorado suffered its first conference loss (and second overall) Saturday by a score of 31-28 to Kansas State. Buffaloes star receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter left that game late in the first half with injury, but his team stayed in it until the end and actually had a lead late in the fourth quarter.

Colorado has a lot of star power with Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and has already matched its win total from a year ago. It will look to avoid another slide like we saw last year and make it to a bowl game for the first time since 2020.

5. Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-1)

The Red Raiders are off to a 3-0 start in the Big 12 but come in as the last team in Klatt’s power rankings. Running back Tahj Brooks leads the way for the offense to rank third in the country with 136 rushing yards per game.

Texas Tech also has an elite weapon at receiver in Josh Kelly, who has 44 catches for 514 yards and three touchdowns. The Red Raiiders were looked at as a dark horse to enter the conference the past few years, and this may be when they finally deliver.