The 2023 college football season has finally arrived, and with it, so have our weekly Big 12 Power Rankings. We’ll still have to wait wait a bit to see Big 12 teams in action but the official Week 1 of the season runs from August 26 – September 4. That means this set of rankings will have plenty of time to marinate, before the first conference slate plays out, giving you ample opportunity to agree or disagree with where we have your favorite, or least favorite team ranked.
2023 Heartland Sports Big 12 Power Rankings
| Ranking | Points |
| 1. Texas | 41 |
| 2. Oklahoma | 38 |
| 3. Kansas State | 37 |
| 4. Texas Tech | 31 |
| 5. TCU | 30 |
| 6. Kansas | 29 |
| 7. Baylor | 25 |
| 8. UCF | 19 |
| 9. Oklahoma State | 18 |
| 10. BYU | 14 |
| 11. Iowa State | 12 |
| 12. Cincinnati | 10 |
| 13. Houston | 7 |
| 14. West Virginia | 4 |
Individual Thoughts
Craig
1. Texas | On paper the Longhorns look like the best team in the Big 12. Talent has never been an issue for Texas. But, can Steve Sarkisian finally get Texas to live up to the hype? With Quinn Ewers returning at QB, and the most dangerous set of receivers in the conference I believe this could actually be the year that “Texas is back”. The Longhorns will also be returning six defensive starters which should be the perfect complement for their high power offense.
2. Oklahoma | If all things workout perfectly we will see a Big 12 Championship between Oklahoma and Texas as they head to the SEC. I’m sure the Big 12 will do what they can to prevent that, but how much fun would that be? The Sooners are looking to bounce back from their 6-7 season in which they lost 5 games by a touchdown or less. With a deeper and stronger defense I expect that Oklahoma will win more of those close games in 2023.
3. Kansas State | Seems a bit weird to have the defending conference champs at number three. That being said, the Wildcats will greatly miss Deuce Vaughn in the backfield and I think that could cause them some hold ups this season. Will Howard will still be under center, but how far can he take them without one of the best running backs in the the country in his backfield?
4. Texas Tech
5. Kansas
6. Baylor
7. TCU
8. Iowa State
9. Oklahoma State
10. UCF
11. BYU
12. Cincinnati
13. Houston | The Cougars had a solid record of 8-5 last season. However, this Houston roster is not currently built to succeed in the Big 12. Lots of questions remain on both sides of the ball for Dana Holgorsen’s squad. It could be a long inaugural season in the Big 12 for the Cougars.
14. West Virginia | West Virginia went 3-6 in conference play a year ago and made no major roster changes to show that they can improve in 2023. West Virginia does have one of the best offensive lines in the conference, but do they have a QB that can step up and make plays?
Zack
1. Kansas State | The Wildcats are the reigning Big 12 Champs after defeating TCU in the Big 12 Championship game last season, and they have plenty of experience returning. At face value, they’re not necessarily the most talented team, but Kansas State consistently does more with less, so I’ve got them at the top, at least to start the season.
2. Texas | The Longhorns seem like they should be the best team in the conference. They have a ton of talent paired with some solid experience, and that sounds like a recipe for success. However, this is Texas we’re talking about, and until they actually prove some success, I’m reluctant to even put them this high.
3. Oklahoma | Last season the Sooners found themselves with a losing record in Big 12 play for the first time since 1998. They still have plenty to prove before they can say they’ve returned to former glory, but I anticipate a bounceback season for Brett Venables in his second year as head coach.
4. Texas Tech
5. TCU
6. Kansas
7. Baylor
8. UCF
9. Oklahoma State
10. BYU
11. Iowa State
12. Cincinnati
13. Houston | The Cougars shouldn’t have high expectations for their inaugural season in the Big 12. Dana Holgoersen has plenty of history with the conference, but that likely isn’t going to make it any easier.
14. West Virginia | The Mountaineers have struggled to win games in recent years, and considering how many new faces are in Morgantown, it could be a long season for West Virginia.
Matt
1. Texas | Everything seems to be in place for the Longhorns this season. They’re ranked at, or among, the top in almost every position ranking and Year Three of Steve Sarkisian is a critical one because many pundits are using the words, “College Football Playoffs” in conjunction with Texas in their season previews this month. It’s going to be interesting to see how he, and the team, handles that pressure.
2. Oklahoma | Speaking of pressure, Brent Venables may have more pressure on his shoulders than any second year coach in the history of the program. It’s not that the Sooners failed to reach the Big 12 championship game in Year One of the Venables, it’s that the Sooners failed to have a winning season for the first time since 1998. The transfer portal has helped flip the roster but now is the time to produce results.
3. TCU | The Horned Frogs are reloading at several key positions but one thing we’ve learned is that Sonny Dykes knows how to coach. TCU got hammered in the national championship game but they’re the first Big 12 team to make it there since the inception of the College Football Playoff and they aren’t going away easily in 2023.
4. Kansas State
5. Kansas
6. Texas Tech
7. Baylor
8. UCF
9. Oklahoma State
10. BYU
11. Cincinnati
12. Houston
13. West Virginia | The Mountaineers return all five starters along the offensive line, they’ll go as far in 2023 as that line and new running back CJ Donaldson will take them.
14. Iowa State | 2023 was always going to be a bit of a struggle for the Cyclones. In the wake of a gambling scandal that left multiple players ineligible there’s no way ISU shouldn’t be last here.
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