Football season is officially here! Even though Arizona State has yet to kick off, the Big 12 has begun play. We will have a weekly power rankings showcasing where every Big 12 team is in the standings.
Three teams played in week zero, so this will be similar to what my preseason rankings were. Iowa State defeated Kansas State 24-21 in Ireland. Kansas beat Fresno State 31-7 in their first game in the renovated stadium.
16. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State had a near-total rebuild in the offseason under the long-tenured Mike Gundy. The Cowboys will likely struggle this season. Their first task is defeating FCS UT Martin. That should be an easy task, as the last time a current Big 12 member lost to an FCS school was in 2021, when Northern Arizona defeated Arizona 21-19. UT Martin missed the poll, but received the fourth most voted in those that missed out.
15. Arizona Wildcats
Arizona had a disappointing year as they were one of the preseason favorites last year. The Wildcats will have an underwhelming season this year with junior quarterback Noah Fifita at the helm of their offense, who is likely a top-half quarterback in the Big 12. They face a strong Hawaii team to start, as the Rainbow Warriors knocked off Stanford, a Power Four school, in week zero.
14. Colorado Buffaloes
In the offseason, Colorado lost its two most impactful players Travis Hunter and Shaduer Sanders, to the NFL. The Buffaloes brought in quarterback Kaidon Salter from Liberty to have an immediate replacement for Sanders, but Hunter, the former Heisman winner, is an irreplaceable player. They have an intriguing matchup against Georgia Tech to start week one, in which Colorado is an underdog.
13. Utah Utes
Utah brings in quarterback Devon Dampier and offensive coordinator Jason Beck from New Mexico. The Utes are an intriguing team this year, and there is a lot of upside potential. I do not think the duo will be successful, as the jump from Mountain West to the Big 12 is a big one, and people are downplaying that. Utah visits old pac12 rival UCLA in week one, in a game the Utes could easily win, but are one-score favorites.
12. West Virginia Mountaineers
Rich Rodriguez returns to his alma mater at West Virginia from Jacksonville State. He has a lot of work to do for the team to return to where he left it in 2007, when he left for Michigan. The Mountaineers play FCS Robert Morris, which should be a victory.
11. Cincinnati Bearcats
Cincinnati is a team that retains its head caoch and quarterback. However, they were a duo that did not impress much last season. The Bearcats can be a bowl team if they hit their ceiling, though. They play in Kansas City against Nebraska this week, where the Cornhuskers are 6.5-point favorites.
10. Houston Cougars
Houston has a lot of similarities to what Arizona State was last year. They both have a second-year coach and a new transfer quarterback from a Power Four school. Those make for a team worth watching this year. They take on FCS No. 23 Stephen F. Austin in a game they should win.
9. UCF Knights
Scott Frost’s return to UCF is an interesting one. He had two successful years there before a disappointing campaign at Nebraska. Nebraska has yet to have a coach have a winning record since the dismissal of Bo Pelini in 2014, so Frost’s tenure there is not as bad as it looks. Frost and UCF are favorites against a revamped Jacksonville State in week one.
8. Kansas State Wildcats 0-1 (0-1)
Kansas State was on the losing side in its Farmedeggon Rivalry game that had eight total turnovers. Of the Wildcats’ five, three were on downs, one was a special teams fumble, and another fumble. Iowa State only scored 14 points off of those turnovers, but losing by three, every point given up was costly. The Wildcats retain their head coach and quarterback, so they should be solid this year. They face North Dakota this week, which received votes in the FCS poll.
7. BYU Cougars
Brigham Young named Bear Bachmeier as their starting quarterback; Jake Retzlaff departed from the program. The Cougars still should be a solid team with the experienced head coach of Kalani Sitake. They face FCS Portland State in week one, in a game they ought to win.
6. Kansas Jayhawks 1-0
Kansas smoothly took care of Fresno State as expected, winning 31-7 in week zero. Kansas will likely be a middle-of-the-pack team as they retain their quarterback and coach. The Jayhawks should collect another home victory this week against Wagner.
5. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech might be the most intriguing storyline in the country: Is bringing in a huge haul in the transfer portal a viable strategy? Like many other schools in the conference, the Red Radiers retain their quarterback and head coach, setting them up for success. They face off against FCS Arkansas-Pine Bluff this week, in a game that could be a cakewalk.
4. Baylor Bears
Baylor plays the most interesting match in week one. The Bears host Auburn and are 2.5-point underdogs. At quarterback, the Tigers bring in Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold, while the Bears retain Sawyer Robinson, who is a top quarterback in the Big 12. I think Robinson is the better quarterback, and the Bears will upset Auburn in a close game in what will be a good season for them.
3. Iowa State Cyclones 1-0 (1-0)
Iowa State won a sloppy game against Kansas State. The Cyclones had two turnovers and a missed field goal in a game where they squeaked past their rival in Ireland. ISU retains its coach and quarterback, so the Cyclones should be a player in the Big 12 this year. They play FCS No. 4 South Dakota in what could be a trap game this week.
2. TCU Horned Frogs
This Monday all eyes will be on TCU when they visit North Carolina. The Horned Frogs are only 3-point favorites in a game that they will win by more than that. TCU retains its head coach and quarterback, whereas North Carolina does not have those. If TCU wins this game, it will help establish the Big 12 as a good conference early.
1. Arizona State Sun Devils
Arizona State is trying to get back-to-back Big 12 championships, which, if the Sun Devils could do so, they would be the only team that is currently in the conference (Oklahoma has done this numerous times) to do such a feat. They retain quarterback Sam Leavitt and head coach Kenny Dillingham, so until proven otherwise they should be the favorite to win the Big 12. They host FCS No. 19 Northern Arizona in week one.
Next week I do not expect to see much movement in the power rankings, especially since most of the schools are playing FCS teams. Tune in to see what changes are made.