The first weekend of October gave us another dose of Big 12 chaos — and a few familiar truths. Texas Tech remains the league’s clear frontrunner after another dominant win, this time on the road at Houston, while Oklahoma State once again occupies the basement after a dismal showing in Tucson. That makes two unanimous spots for the second straight week, with the four of us — Caleb, Craig, Matt, and Zack — all in lockstep at the top and bottom of our ballots. Everything in between, however, was far from unanimous.
For those new to our weekly rankings, here’s how it works: each contributor submits their individual 1–16 rankings based on performance, resume, and eye test. Teams are then assigned points (16 for a first-place vote, one for a last-place vote), and the totals determine the composite order. In other words, it’s a blend of consensus and conviction — and as usual, some of those convictions are strong.
After a one-week break from ties, we’re back to another split decision. Baylor and Arizona share the No. 8 spot this week, reflecting how tightly packed the middle of the league has become. Both teams showed flashes but still have question marks that kept voters divided.
There were a few areas where we came surprisingly close to agreement — BYU, Arizona State, and Cincinnati all landed within a narrow range on every ballot. The Cougars’ steady play has earned near-universal top-three respect, while Cincinnati’s surge after beating Iowa State turned heads across the board. On the flip side, we were all over the place with Iowa State, Houston, and Arizona, three teams that seem capable of looking like contenders one week and pretenders the next.
This week’s rankings reflect both stability and uncertainty — a few teams solidifying their identity while others still search for one. You can check out each of our individual ballots — from Caleb’s high praise for Arizona State to Zack’s cautious optimism for BYU — at the bottom of the page to see exactly how the composite came together.
2025 Heartland Sports Big 12 Power Rankings – Week 7
| Ranking | Points |
| 1. Texas Tech | 64 |
| 2. BYU | 58 |
| 3. TCU | 57 |
| 4. Arizona State | 55 |
| 5. Utah | 52 |
| 6. Cincinnati | 43 |
| 7. Iowa State | 41 |
| 8. Arizona | 31 |
| 8. Baylor | 31 |
| 10. Houston | 28 |
| 11. Kansas | 27 |
| 12. Kansas State | 22 |
| 13. Colorado | 16 |
| 14. UCF | 15 |
| 15. West Virginia | 10 |
| 16. Oklahoma State | 4 |
Comparing Week 6 to Week 7
There was some significant reshuffling in the middle of the Heartland Sports Big 12 Power Rankings from Week 6 to Week 7. While Texas Tech remained firmly atop the standings with a perfect 64 points, several teams made notable moves behind them. BYU climbed from No. 3 to No. 2 after a strong performance, overtaking Iowa State, which dropped five spots to No. 7. TCU made one of the biggest jumps of the week, leaping from sixth to third, while Arizona State and Utah each slid slightly but stayed within the top five.
The biggest shakeups came in the middle tier, where Cincinnati rose from No. 7 to No. 6, continuing its steady improvement, while Arizona surged into a tie with Baylor at No. 8 after being ranked tenth a week ago. Meanwhile, Kansas and Kansas State remained in their places near the bottom of the list, showing minimal movement, and Oklahoma State remained anchored at No. 16 with just four points. Overall, Week 7’s rankings reflect a conference where the top remains steady, but the battle for the middle—and bowl eligibility—is tightening with every game.
Caleb
1. Texas Tech | Tech continues to dominate in the Big 12. Sitting at 5-0 Tech is the clear top dog in the conference.
2. Arizona State | The Sun Devils had the week off as they prep for tough road game vs Utah.
3. BYU | Bear Bachmeir continues to impress me. With over 300 yards passing, Bachmeir has this BYU team rolling to start off 2025.
4. TCU
5. Utah
6. Arizona
7. Cincinnati
8. Houston
9. Iowa State
10. Kansas
11. Baylor
12. Colorado
13. Kansas State
14. UCF
15. West Virginia | The Mountaineers fall to 0-3 in Big 12 play. While they put up more of a fight vs BYU than they have against any other conference team they still played pretty bad on defense, giving up over 500 total yards.
16.Oklahoma State | The Cowboys didn’t crack over 100 yard in either rushing or passing. With just over 150 total yards, and on the other side of the ball they gave up over 400 total yards.
Craig
1. Texas Tech | The Red Raiders are the clear front runner for the Big 12. They’ve got a ton of talent and a coaching staff that is steering them in the right direction.
2. BYU | The Cougars were a sneaky team a year ago and they might just be better this season. They’ve got a fairly easy schedule coming up. Expect this team to be 8-0 when they face Texas Tech in November.
3. Arizona State | No game this weekend for Arizona State. They do have a tough one coming up against Utah to see if they really belong in the top 3.
4. TCU
5. Iowa State
6. Utah
7. Arizona
8. Cincinnati
9. Houston
10. Baylor
11. Kansas State
12. Kansas
13. UCF
14. West Virginia
15. Colorado | Gotta wonder at this point how this team can possibly find four more wins to become bowl eligible.
16. Oklahoma State | We should all be in agreement here. The Pokes stink.
Matt
1. Texas Tech | The Red Raiders handled business in Houston, winning comfortably 35–11. They remain the most complete and consistent team in the conference right now, boasting balance on both sides of the ball.
2. Utah | The Utes followed up last week’s dominant road win with a bye, but the resume still holds strong. Their physicality continues to separate them from the middle tier of the league.
3. BYU | A 38–24 home win over West Virginia was exactly what the Cougars needed to maintain their upper-tier status. Bear Bachmeier and the passing attack look confident again, and BYU remains one of the Big 12’s steadiest programs.
4. Arizona State
5. Cincinnati
6. Iowa State
7. TCU
8. Baylor
9. Kansas
10. Houston
11. Kansas State
12. UCF
13. Colorado
14. West Virginia
15. Arizona | The Wildcats got a dominant win (41–13 over Oklahoma State), but given OSU’s struggles, it’s more about avoiding the basement than proving resurgence. Still, they finally showed some spark.
16. Oklahoma State | A 41–13 loss to Arizona cements OSU’s position at the bottom. The Cowboys are now dealing with coaching upheaval, portal departures, and defensive breakdowns. It’s going to take more than effort to climb out of last place.
Zack
1. Texas Tech | Another easy win for the Red Raiders as they defeated Houston handily on the road. Tech has another favorable matchup with Kansas this weekend.
2. BYU | The Cougars stayed perfect with a Friday night win against West Virginia, but now they travel to Tucson to take on one of the Big 12’s best defenses in Arizona. This is a great opportunity for BYU to prove they deserve to be in conference championship talks.
3. Utah | The Utes had the week off, but now they host Arizona State. The winner of this one will be in the thick of the Big 12 Championship conversation.
4. Arizona State
5. Cincinnati
6. TCU
7. Iowa State
8. Baylor
9. Arizona
10. Kansas
11. Kansas State
12. Colorado
13. Houston
14. UCF
15. West Virginia | The Mountaineers are struggling, but they’ve got a bye week to prepare for a matchup on the road against UCF.
16. Oklahoma State | Well. What’s left to say? The Cowboys own this spot until they win the game, which means they’re probably not moving.
Follow us on Instagram & Facebook