Chaos arrived early in the Big 12.
While much of college football spent Week 1 easing into the season against overmatched opponents, the new season still managed to throw plenty of preseason assumptions directly into the blender. Some of the conference favorites took care of business with dominant performances. A few teams delivered the kind of blowouts that reinforced everything we thought we knew in August. Others exposed problems that can’t simply be dismissed as first-game rust.
And then there were the surprises.
Colorado went on the road and beat Georgia Tech. Houston opened with a solid win over Oregon State. BYU, Utah, Arizona State and Kansas State treated their openers like glorified scrimmages. Meanwhile, TCU stumbled badly against North Carolina, in Week 0, Oklahoma State lost to Tulsa, and several teams that looked comfortable in the preseason suddenly have much more to prove.
That’s the beauty—and the danger—of trying to rank the Big 12.
One week can make a team look dramatically better than it actually is. One bad Saturday can make a perfectly capable football team appear broken. So the challenge entering Week 2 is separating legitimate structural problems from standard Week 1 rust.
Did Texas Tech’s offense simply take a little time to get going, or should there be legitimate concern about the Red Raiders?
Did Colorado prove everyone wrong with its road win, or was it simply one encouraging Saturday for a team that still has major questions?
Should Iowa State get credit for a convincing victory, or do the Cyclones still have too many unanswered questions?
And how far should TCU and Oklahoma State fall after disappointing losses?
That’s what these rankings are about this week.
We’re rewarding dominant performances. We’re punishing execution errors. We’re acknowledging unexpected grit. And in some cases, we’re already dismantling preseason opinions we held just seven days ago.
Because in the Big 12, seven days can change everything.
Conference play is looming, and the margin for error is already getting thinner. Week 2 brings major road tests, early conference matchups and old-school rivalry games that could send this entire board into another round of chaos.
Texas Tech is still trying to prove it deserves the preseason crown. BYU is trying to show its offensive explosion wasn’t simply the product of inferior competition. Utah is preparing for a much tougher test against Arkansas. And Houston continues to look like one of the conference’s most dangerous dark horses.
Meanwhile, the teams near the bottom are running out of time to call their problems growing pains.
Three voters.
Sixteen teams.
One week of actual football.
Let’s see where we landed.
Our 2026 Big 12 Week 2 Consensus Power Rankings
Each first-place vote is worth 16 points, second place is worth 15 points, third place is worth 14 points, and so on down to one point for 16th place.
| Rank | Team | Caleb | Matt | Zack | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Tech | 1 | 2 | 1 | 47 |
| 2 | BYU | 2 | 1 | 2 | 46 |
| 3 | Utah | 4 | 3 | 3 | 41 |
| 4 | Houston | 3 | 4 | 4 | 40 |
| 5 | Kansas State | 7 | 6 | 5 | 33 |
| 6 | Arizona State | 8 | 5 | 6 | 32 |
| 7 | Arizona | 5 | 8 | 7 | 31 |
| 8 | Colorado | 9 | 7 | 12 | 23 |
| 9 | Cincinnati | 10 | 11 | 8 | 22 |
| 10 | UCF | 13 | 9 | 9 | 20 |
| 11 | West Virginia | 6 | 13 | 15 | 17 |
| 12 | Baylor | 11 | 14 | 10 | 16 |
| 13 | TCU | 12 | 15 | 11 | 13 |
| 14 | Kansas | 14 | 12 | 13 | 12 |
| 15 | Iowa State | 16 | 10 | 14 | 11 |
| 16 | Oklahoma State | 15 | 16 | 16 | 4 |
1. Texas Tech — 47 Points
Texas Tech remains No. 1 in the consensus.
But unlike last week, it wasn’t unanimous.
Caleb and Zack kept the Red Raiders in the top spot, while Matt dropped Texas Tech to No. 2 after BYU’s explosive opening performance.
Still, Texas Tech finished with 47 points—just one point ahead of the Cougars.
Caleb’s Explanation
Texas Tech showed they still have the best defense in the Big 12. While the offense looked a little sluggish I don’t expect that to slow down this team at all this season.
Zack’s Explanation
The Red Raiders didn’t impress quite as expected, but they were solid in their win against Abilene Christian. They have Oregon State up next, who lost to Houston 33-20, so we’ll learn a little more about Tech on Saturday.
That’s the debate surrounding Texas Tech after one week.
The Red Raiders didn’t look bad.
They simply didn’t look quite as dominant as some expected.
A 33-10 win over Abilene Christian isn’t a reason to panic, particularly when the defense continues to look like one of the best units in the conference. But when BYU is scoring at will and other Big 12 contenders are hanging 60 and 70 points on opponents, perceptions can change quickly.
For now, though, Texas Tech remains the team to beat.
The defense gives the Red Raiders a foundation that few teams in this conference can match.
And if the offense begins to find its rhythm?
The preseason favorite could become even more dangerous.
2. BYU — 46 Points
BYU is one point away from the top spot.
Matt has the Cougars No. 1, while Caleb and Zack both have them No. 2.
That’s about as close as a consensus race can get.
Caleb’s Explanation
The Cougars came out and dominated, as they should have. Putting up over 500 yards offense and 8 offensive touchdowns they looked unstoppable.
Matt’s Explanation
You had the Cougars at No. 2, but they earn the crown this week. While Texas Tech hit a bit of a season-opening slog, the Cougars put on an absolute clinic against Utah Tech. BYU looks completely polished and explosive out of the gate.
Zack’s Explanation
The Cougars destroyed a pretty terrible Utah Tech squad, but it’s hard to know how good a team actually is against bottom-tier competition. Like with Texas Tech, we’ll know more about BYU on Saturday when they host Arizona for an early-season conference opener.
BYU may have delivered the most impressive offensive performance of Week 1.
The Cougars piled up more than 500 yards and scored eight offensive touchdowns in a dominant victory.
The question, of course, is competition.
Utah Tech isn’t Arizona.
And that’s why Week 2 becomes so important.
BYU will get an early conference test against the Wildcats, providing a much clearer picture of whether the Cougars are truly as explosive as they looked in the opener.
For now, though, BYU has earned the right to sit right on Texas Tech’s heels.
The margin between No. 1 and No. 2 is exactly one point.
3. Utah — 41 Points
Utah is one of the most consistent teams on the entire board.
Matt has the Utes third.
Zack has them third.
Caleb has them fourth.
That’s a one-position range among all three voters.
Matt’s Explanation
I feel like I nailed this slot last week. The Utes absolutely demolished Idaho 66-14. Devon Dampier threw three touchdowns, and freshman Wayshawn Parker looked incredibly dangerous out of the backfield with three scores of his own. They are a well-oiled machine right now.
Zack’s Explanation
The Utes were supposed to dominate Idaho in their opener, but they absolutely dominated the Vandals. Utah’s starters got some rest in the process, and now they are a double-digit favorite at home against Arkansas on Saturday.
Utah did exactly what a good team is supposed to do against an inferior opponent.
The Utes dominated.
There was no drama.
There was no need for the starters to play deep into the game.
And now comes the next test.
Arkansas is coming to Salt Lake City.
That’s the kind of game that can tell us much more about where Utah belongs in the national conversation—and whether the Utes are truly capable of challenging Texas Tech and BYU for the Big 12 championship.
For now, there is very little disagreement.
Utah is a top-four team.
And the consensus says No. 3.
4. Houston — 40 Points
Houston falls one spot behind Utah, but the Cougars remain firmly in the top tier of the conference.
Caleb has Houston third.
Matt and Zack both have the Cougars fourth.
Caleb’s Explanation
Houston offense put up some big time numbers on Saturday with over 500 yards total offense. They looked shaky at points on saturday but nothing that makes me think they are still a top 3 team in the Big12
Houston’s offense showed plenty of firepower against Oregon State.
More than 500 yards of total offense is going to get people’s attention, particularly after the Cougars entered the season as one of the Big 12’s most intriguing dark horses.
But Caleb’s explanation also points to the most important part of Houston’s Week 1 performance.
It wasn’t perfect.
There were shaky moments.
That’s why Houston hasn’t made a major jump in the rankings.
But there was nothing in the victory that suggested the Cougars should be dropping, either.
Houston remains exactly what it was entering the season:
A legitimate Big 12 contender.
5. Kansas State — 33 Points
Kansas State makes the biggest move among the teams immediately behind the top four.
The Wildcats are fifth in the consensus after receiving rankings of fifth, sixth and seventh.
Zack is the highest on Kansas State at No. 5.
Matt has them sixth.
Caleb has them seventh.
6. Arizona State — 32 Points
Arizona State comes in one point behind Kansas State.
The Sun Devils received rankings of fifth, sixth and eighth.
Matt is the highest at No. 5.
Zack has Arizona State sixth.
Caleb has the Sun Devils eighth.
7. Arizona — 31 Points
Arizona is seventh after being ranked fifth by Caleb, seventh by Zack and eighth by Matt.
The Wildcats are still clearly viewed as an upper-half Big 12 team, but their place in the conference hierarchy is becoming more difficult to define.
8. Colorado — 23 Points
Colorado is the biggest mover from Week 1.
The Buffaloes entered the season with all three voters placing them near the bottom of the conference.
Then they went on the road and beat Georgia Tech.
That matters.
Matt made the biggest adjustment, moving Colorado from No. 15 last week to No. 7.
Caleb has the Buffaloes ninth.
Zack remains more cautious at No. 12.
9. Cincinnati — 22 Points
Cincinnati quietly put together one of the better consensus performances of the middle tier.
Zack has the Bearcats eighth.
Caleb has them 10th.
Matt has them 11th.
10. UCF — 20 Points
UCF lands at No. 10 in the consensus.
Matt and Zack are identical in their evaluations, placing the Knights ninth.
Caleb is much lower at No. 13.
That four-position difference makes UCF one of the more interesting teams on the board.
11. West Virginia — 17 Points
West Virginia is where the consensus rankings become extremely interesting.
Caleb has the Mountaineers sixth.
Matt has them 13th.
Zack has them 15th.
That’s a nine-position difference between the highest and lowest ranking.
Zack’s Explanation
The Mountaineers dominated Coastal Carolina in the first half of their game—as was expected—but the Chanticleers made it interesting in the fourth quarter. Still, they won, so they aren’t at the complete bottom, but I’m still not sold that they’re any good. They should have another easy win this weekend against UT Martin.
This is a fascinating split.
Caleb sees West Virginia as a top-six team.
Matt sees the Mountaineers near the bottom four.
Zack has them second-to-last.
The reason for the disagreement is simple:
Nobody is entirely sure what to make of West Virginia yet.
12. Baylor — 16 Points
Baylor checks in at No. 12 after a difficult Week 1.
Caleb has the Bears 11th.
Zack has them 10th.
Matt drops Baylor all the way to 14th.
The Bears lost a close game to Auburn, 17-16.
That’s not the same as being blown out.
But losses still matter.
13. TCU — 13 Points
TCU may have suffered the most damaging Game 1 result of any team near the middle of the conference.
The Horned Frogs lost to North Carolina, 15-10.
And the bigger concern wasn’t simply the loss.
It was the offense.
Matt’s Explanation
Oh, how the turntables. You had the Frogs riding high at No. 8, but an incredibly ugly 15-10 loss to North Carolina drops them to the basement. They failed to score a single point in the second half of that game. If they can’t establish an offensive identity quickly, it’s going to be a very long autumn in Fort Worth.
Caleb has TCU 12th.
Zack has them 11th.
Matt is much lower at 15th.
That’s a four-position difference.
The consensus, however, is clear.
TCU has fallen.
14. Kansas — 12 Points
Kansas comes in at No. 14.
Caleb has the Jayhawks 14th.
Matt has them 12th.
Zack has them 13th.
This is one of the tighter areas of agreement on the board.
15. Iowa State — 11 Points
Iowa State is another team producing a major disagreement.
Matt has the Cyclones 10th after their 38-10 victory.
Zack has them 14th.
Caleb has them 16th.
That’s a six-position difference.
Caleb’s Explanation
The Cyclones struggled to run the ball on Saturday, With only 108 yards on the ground. If this team wants to be able to compete in the big 12 they need to be able to run the football.
The disagreement comes down to how much credit Iowa State deserves for winning comfortably.
Matt believes the victory was enough to move the Cyclones significantly.
Caleb sees the rushing issues as a major concern.
Zack lands somewhere in the middle.
And Caleb’s point is difficult to ignore.
The Big 12 is not a conference where teams can expect to survive simply by finding ways to win against inferior opponents.
At some point, Iowa State will need a more complete offensive performance.
For now, the Cyclones remain near the bottom of the consensus.
16. Oklahoma State — 4 Points
There is no disagreement here.
Oklahoma State is nearly unanimously last.
Caleb has the Cowboys 15th.
Matt has them 16th.
Zack has them 16th.
The Week 1 loss to Tulsa was devastating for the Cowboys’ position in these rankings.
Caleb’s Explanation
OSU struggled with turnovers Saturday. Turnover and not being able to run the ball too well was not a good combo for this team. As they come into this season they need to clean up a lot on the offensive side if they want to avoid a season like the 2 seasons prior.
Matt’s Explanation
Total disaster. The Cowboys drop all the way to the bottom of the conference after an embarrassing 24-10 loss on the road at Tulsa. Losing a game is one thing, but being the only team in the Big 12 to lose an opener to a non-Power Four opponent makes this an easy choice.
Zack’s Explanation
I don’t actually believe the Cowboys are the worst team in the conference, but until they win a game, this is where they will stay. Losing to Tulsa AGAIN is unacceptable by typical standards in Stillwater, and now with Oregon coming to town, it’s going to get uglier before it gets better.
The three explanations approach Oklahoma State from different directions.
But they arrive at the same place.
The Cowboys have serious problems.
Turnovers were a problem.
The running game was a problem.
And losing to Tulsa—again—is simply unacceptable by Oklahoma State standards.
Zack makes perhaps the most interesting point.
He doesn’t necessarily believe Oklahoma State is the worst team in the Big 12.
But power rankings aren’t just about theoretical talent.
They’re about what teams have actually shown.
And after Week 1, Oklahoma State hasn’t shown enough to be anywhere but the bottom.
Now Oregon is coming to Stillwater.
Things could get worse before they get better.
Where Caleb, Matt and Zack Are Closest to Agreeing
One of the most interesting things about the Week 2 rankings is that there is still considerable agreement at the top.
Texas Tech and BYU Are Still in Their Own Race
The top two teams are nearly identical on all three ballots.
Texas Tech
Caleb: 1
Matt: 2
Zack: 1
BYU
Caleb: 2
Matt: 1
Zack: 2
The difference between them?
One point.
Texas Tech has 47.
BYU has 46.
The debate is no longer about whether these are two of the best teams in the conference.
That’s clear.
The debate is simply about which team deserves to be No. 1.
Utah and Houston Are Also Firmly Established
The same consistency exists immediately behind the top two.
Utah
Caleb: 4 | Matt: 3 | Zack: 3
Houston
Caleb: 3 | Matt: 4 | Zack: 4
Utah and Houston are separated by just one consensus point.
Utah has 41.
Houston has 40.
The top four teams are remarkably clear after one week.
Texas Tech. BYU. Utah. Houston.
The exact order may change.
But all three voters believe those four teams belong in the conference’s top tier.
Kansas State Is Another Area of Agreement
Kansas State received rankings of:
Caleb: 7
Matt: 6
Zack: 5
That’s only a two-position difference.
The Wildcats may not be generating the same championship buzz as the top four, but all three voters agree they’re a legitimate upper-tier Big 12 team.
Kansas Is Almost Identical
Kansas received rankings of:
Caleb: 14
Matt: 12
Zack: 13
The Jayhawks are another example of relatively strong agreement.
Nobody has them near the top.
Nobody has them at the very bottom.
They are simply a team that needs to prove more.
Where We Were Way Off
This is where the rankings become much more entertaining.
West Virginia: A Nine-Position Difference
No team generated more disagreement.
Caleb: 6
Matt: 13
Zack: 15
That’s a staggering nine-position difference.
Caleb sees West Virginia as a top-six team.
Zack has the Mountaineers second-to-last.
Matt lands much closer to Zack.
That’s not a minor difference in opinion.
That’s a completely different evaluation of the football team.
West Virginia may be the single most important team to watch over the next few weeks because eventually, one side of this argument is going to look very wrong.
Iowa State: Six-Position Difference
The Cyclones are another major point of disagreement.
Caleb: 16
Matt: 10
Zack: 14
Matt was impressed enough by Iowa State’s Week 1 victory to move the Cyclones all the way to No. 10.
Caleb still has them last.
Zack has them near the bottom.
That’s a six-position difference.
The disagreement comes down to a simple question:
How much should one convincing victory change your opinion?
Matt says significantly.
Caleb and Zack aren’t ready to abandon their preseason concerns.
Colorado: Five-Position Difference
Colorado’s win over Georgia Tech caused one of the largest movements on the board.
Caleb: 9
Matt: 7
Zack: 12
Matt made the biggest jump, moving the Buffaloes from No. 15 to No. 7.
Zack remains much more cautious.
The consensus lands Colorado at No. 8.
That’s a massive improvement from the preseason.
But it also shows that one victory hasn’t completely eliminated the skepticism.
UCF: Four-Position Difference
UCF received rankings of:
Caleb: 13
Matt: 9
Zack: 9
Matt and Zack are in complete agreement.
Caleb wants to see more.
The Knights scored 73 points in their opener, but the competition wasn’t exactly representative of what they’ll face in the Big 12.
This is another team that needs a stronger opponent before we can really determine how much the Week 1 performance means.
The Biggest Week 1 Movers
Week 1 didn’t completely destroy the preseason rankings.
But several teams made significant statements.
Colorado Made the Biggest Statement
The Buffaloes were nearly unanimous near the bottom of the preseason rankings.
Then they went on the road and beat Georgia Tech.
That’s not enough to suddenly make Colorado a conference championship favorite.
But it is enough to force everyone to reconsider what this team might be capable of.
TCU Fell Hard
The Horned Frogs entered the season with much higher expectations.
Then came the 15-10 loss to North Carolina.
The bigger issue was the lack of offensive production.
TCU has to find an identity quickly.
Oklahoma State Hit Bottom
The Cowboys lost to Tulsa.
There really isn’t much more that needs to be said.
The result forced all three voters to place Oklahoma State at or near the bottom.
Until the Cowboys prove they can win—and clean up the offensive issues that continue to plague them—they’ll stay there.
Iowa State Is Still a Mystery
The Cyclones won.
Convincingly.
But one voter has them 10th, another has them 14th, and another has them 16th.
That’s about as clear an indication as possible that nobody knows exactly what Iowa State is yet.
The Big 12’s New Top Tier
After one week, a four-team group has emerged.
1. Texas Tech
Still the consensus favorite.
The offense wasn’t spectacular, but the defense remains elite.
2. BYU
Perhaps the most impressive offensive performance of Week 1.
The Arizona game will tell us much more.
3. Utah
Dominant.
Physical.
Efficient.
And now Arkansas is coming to town.
4. Houston
The Cougars continue to look like a legitimate dark horse.
The offense has the potential to cause major problems throughout the conference.
After that?
Things get complicated.
And that’s where the Big 12 becomes the Big 12.
Individual Week 2 Big 12 Power Rankings
Caleb
1. Texas Tech — Texas Tech showed they still have the best defense in the big 12. While the offense looked a little sluggish I don’t expect that to slow down this team at all this season.
2. BYU — The Cougars came out and dominated, as they should have. Putting up over 500 yards offense and 8 offensive touchdowns they looked unstoppable.
3. Houston — Houston offense put up some big time numbers on Saturday with over 500 yards total offense. They looked shaky at points on saturday but nothing that makes me think they are still a top 3 team in the Big12
4. Utah
5. Arizona
6. West Virginia
7. Kansas State
8. Arizona State
9. Colorado
10. Cincinnati
11. Baylor
12. TCU
13. UCF
14. Kansas
15. Oklahoma State — OSU struggled with turnovers Saturday. Turnover and not being able to run the ball too well was not a good combo for this team. As they come into this season they need to clean up a lot on the offensive side if they want to avoid a season like the 2 seasons prior.
16. Iowa State — The Cyclones struggled to run the ball on Saturday, With only 108 yards on the ground. If this team wants to be able to compete in the big 12 they need to be able to run the football.
Matt
1. BYU — I had them at No. 2 last week, but they earn the crown this week. While Texas Tech hit a bit of a season-opening slog, the Cougars put on an absolute clinic against Utah Tech. BYU looks completely polished and explosive out of the gate.
2. Texas Tech — Don’t panic, they didn’t fall far, but they lose the top spot after a relatively quiet 33-10 victory over Abilene Christian. Will Hammond put up solid numbers with 298 yards through the air, but the offense just didn’t flash the same raw, unstoppable ceiling we expected from the conference favorites in game one. They are still elite, but BYU looked sharper.
3. Utah — I feel like I nailed this slot last week, and the Utes hold onto it firmly this week. Utah absolutely demolished Idaho 66-14. They are a well-oiled machine right now.
4. Houston
5. Arizona State
6. Kansas State
7. Colorado
8. Arizona
9. UCF
10. Iowa State
11. Cincinnati
12. Kansas
13. West Virginia
14. Baylor
15. TCU — Oh, how the turntables. I had them riding high at No. 8, but an incredibly ugly 15-10 loss to North Carolina drops them to the basement. They failed to score a single point in the second half of that game. If they can’t establish an offensive identity quickly, it’s going to be a very long autumn in Fort Worth.
16. Oklahoma State — Total disaster. The Cowboys drop all the way to the bottom of the conference after an embarrassing 24-10 loss on the road at Tulsa. Losing a game is one thing, but being the only team in the Big 12 to lose an opener to a non-Power Four opponent makes this an easy choice.
Zack
1. Texas Tech — The Red Raiders didn’t impress quite as expected, but they were solid in their win against Abilene Christian. They have Oregon State up next, who lost to Houston 33-20, so we’ll learn a little more about Tech on Saturday.
2. BYU — The Cougars destroyed a pretty terrible Utah Tech squad, but it’s hard to know how good a team actually is against bottom-tier competition. Like with Texas Tech, we’ll know more about BYU on Saturday when they host Arizona for an early-season conference opener.
3. Utah — The Utes were supposed to dominate Idaho in their opener, but they absolutely dominated the Vandals. Utah’s starters got some rest in the process, and now they are a double-digit favorite at home against Arkansas on Saturday.
4. Houston
5. Kansas State
6. Arizona State
7. Arizona
8. Cincinnati
9. UCF
10. Baylor
11. TCU
12. Colorado
13. Kansas
14. Iowa State
15. West Virginia — The Mountaineers dominated Coastal Carolina in the first half of their game—as was expected—but the Chanticleers made it interesting in the fourth quarter. Still, they won, so they aren’t at the complete bottom, but I’m still not sold that they’re any good. They should have another easy win this weekend against UT Martin.
16. Oklahoma State — I don’t actually believe the Cowboys are the worst team in the conference, but until they win a game, this is where they will stay. Losing to Tulsa AGAIN is unacceptable by typical standards in Stillwater, and now with Oregon coming to town, it’s going to get uglier before it gets better.
Final Thoughts
One week of football doesn’t completely erase months of preseason evaluation.
But it should change some things.
Texas Tech remains the consensus No. 1.
BYU is one point behind.
Utah and Houston have established themselves as the next two teams in the race.
That gives the Big 12 a relatively clear top four heading into Week 2.
After that?
Chaos.
Kansas State, Arizona State and Arizona are separated by only two points.
Colorado has suddenly entered the top half of the conference after its upset victory.
Cincinnati and UCF are climbing.
West Virginia is somehow the No. 11 consensus team despite one voter ranking the Mountaineers sixth and another ranking them 15th.
Iowa State remains a complete mystery.
And Oklahoma State has fallen to the bottom after one of the most disappointing Week 1 performances in the conference.
That’s why these rankings are going to change.
They’re supposed to.
The preseason is about potential.
Week 1 is about first impressions.
Week 2 is where we begin finding out which impressions were real.
Texas Tech is still the favorite. BYU is coming fast. Utah and Houston are right there. And behind them sits the same unpredictable chaos that makes the Big 12 impossible to ignore.
One week down.
And we’re already rethinking everything.