College Football Power Rankings: Big 12 

These are the top 10 college football teams in the Big 12 conference:

1. Utah

After walloping UCLA in Week 1, the Utes actually had an easier opponent in Week 2. It was FCS Cal Poly. The Utes may not have beaten anyone good yet, but they have looked impressive doing so. Kyle Whittingham’s teams are always good defensively and well-coached, and now OC Jason Beck and QB Devon Dampier have brought the offense into the 21st century. They’re the favorites to win the league in my book.

2. Texas Tech

Another Big 12 team that hasn’t beaten anyone impressive but has passed the eye test. Behren Morton and the offense have not really been stopped yet, and I don’t expect that trend to be any different in a meeting with the Oregon State Beavers in Week 3. The Red Raiders play Utah on September 20th to determine who is the front-runner to win the conference.

3. Iowa State

The Cyclones are the antithesis of the two teams above them on this list. They have beaten quality opponents in Iowa and Kansas State, but have not looked impressive doing so. The playmaking of Rocco Becht in crunch time has really saved an offense that has looked thoroughly unimpressive on the offensive line and at wide receiver.

4. Arizona State

The loss to Mississippi State in Week 2 was certainly disappointing, but it was not fatal to the Sun Devils’ Conference Championship aspirations. But Kenny Dillingham certainly has some figuring out to do as the offense only mustered 82 passing yards, and they will certainly need to score some points just to beat Texas State in Week 3.

5. Baylor

The Bears now boast the Big 12’s best non-conference win thanks to a come-from-behind victory over SMU in Week 2. If I hadn’t watched this team play Auburn, I would have them higher. Sawyer Robertson might be a dark-horse Heisman candidate, throwing for over 800 yards through two games.

6. TCU

The Horned Frogs had a BYE in Week 2, but I can’t get how they looked against North Carolina out of my head. A meeting against FCS Abilene Christian in Week 3 will not test them either, so the Week 4 battle for DFW supremacy against SMU will be their first true measuring stick.

7. BYU

BYU is just another team that has hasn’t beaten anyone impressive but has passed the eye test as they head into their Week 3 BYE. Although it does certainly look a little weird to see a #47 starting at quarterback, but that’s exactly what Bear Bachmeier is doing.

8. Kansas

I’m finding it hard for myself to downgrade Kansas too much after losing to Missouri. I thought the Jayhawks represented themselves well, but Missouri was just a little more physically talented and was the better team. Jalon Daniels is still healthy, which means Kansas wlll have a shot to win in every Big 12 game they play.

9. Colorado

The style of play is certainly different from the previous two Colorado squads, but I think this Buffaloes team, led by Kaidon Salter, is going to be all right. We’ll learn a lot about them as they travel to Houston for a Friday night fight in Week 3. Physical, run-heavy teams have been Colorado’s kryptonite in the Deion Sanders era.

10. Kansas State

If this season had been played out 1000 times, I don’t know if there could have been a worse outcome for Kansas State through 3 weeks. They lost a game to Iowa State in which they looked like the better team most of the way, they then needed a 2-minute drive from Avery Johnson just to beat FCS North Dakota before losing 24-21 to Army in a game where they had 6 offensive possessions. They’re not as good as I thought they were, but I don’t think they are as bad as their record currently indicates.