Welcome to Week 8, where the Big 12’s championship race is beginning to take shape at the top, but the middle of the conference remains a weekly exercise in sorting out who’s actually ready to contend.
BYU delivered the weekend’s biggest statement, knocking off No. 2 Notre Dame 28–24 in Provo and reinforcing its position as the team to beat. Texas Tech was just as emphatic in its own way, dismantling Arizona State 53–25 to remain undefeated. Utah survived another tense conference battle, escaping Colorado 27–24 to preserve its unbeaten record.
Behind that leading trio, Houston is making its own push after an impressive victory over Oklahoma State, while Arizona, Kansas State, and the Cowboys remain in the mix. The middle tier is crowded, the margin for error is shrinking, and the bottom of the conference is becoming increasingly uncomfortable for Kansas and Colorado.
Three voters. Sixteen teams. Forty-eight points available on the consensus ballot. BYU remains on top, but the race behind the Cougars is getting more interesting by the week.
Here’s where Caleb, Matt, and Zack stand heading into Week 8.
The Consensus Big 12 Power Rankings
Each first-place vote is worth 16 points, with each subsequent position worth one fewer point, down to one point for 16th place. With three voters, the maximum possible score is 48.
| Rank | Team | Points | Caleb | Matt | Zack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BYU | 48 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Texas Tech | 44 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Utah | 42 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 4 | Houston | 40 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 5 | Arizona | 35 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | Oklahoma State | 34 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| 7 | Kansas State | 30 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 8 | Cincinnati | 23 | 8 | 11 | 9 |
| 9 | TCU | 22 | 11 | 8 | 10 |
| 10 | Baylor | 21 | 9 | 9 | 12 |
| 11 | West Virginia | 20 | 10 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | Iowa State | 17 | 14 | 12 | 8 |
| 13 | UCF | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 14 | Arizona State | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
| 15 | Kansas | 5 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
| 16 | Colorado | 4 | 16 | 15 | 16 |
What the consensus tells us
BYU remains the undisputed king of the Big 12, earning a perfect 48 points after receiving first-place votes from all three contributors. Texas Tech is second at 44, followed by Utah at 42 and Houston at 40.
That top four is remarkably tight after BYU, with only four points separating Texas Tech from Houston. All four teams have compelling cases to be in the championship conversation, but BYU has the strongest collective résumé in our rankings after its victory over Notre Dame.
Arizona and Oklahoma State occupy fifth and sixth, respectively, with Kansas State firmly in seventh. Those three teams form a fairly clear bridge between the leading contenders and the crowded middle of the conference.
Cincinnati, TCU, Baylor, and West Virginia are separated by just three points between eighth and 11th. Iowa State sits 12th, although its individual rankings suggest that position could be especially vulnerable to change.
At the bottom, UCF and Arizona State sit 13th and 14th, while Kansas and Colorado occupy the final two spots. The gap between those last two teams and the rest of the conference is significant: Kansas has five points, and Colorado has just four.
Individual Rankings
Caleb
- BYU | BYU has the biggest win of the weekend, taking down Notre Dame 28–24. The Cougars have proven they can compete with the nation’s best.
- Utah | Utah escapes a close one to Colorado to stay undefeated. The Utes keep finding ways to win close games.
- Texas Tech | Texas Tech Remains undefeated after dominating Arizona State 53–25. The Red Raiders have one of the most explosive offenses in the conference.
- Houston
- Oklahoma State
- Arizona
- Kansas State
- Cincinnati
- Baylor
- West Virginia
- TCU
- UCF
- Arizona State
- Iowa State
- Kansas | The Jayhawks loses their rivalry game to Kansas State 35–24 and remains winless in conference play. The Jayhawks need to start turning competitive moments into wins.
- Colorado | Colorado drops a close one to Utah and falls to 0–3 in Big 12 play. The Buffaloes need a conference win to turn their season around.
Matt
- BYU | The Cougars solidify their grip on the top spot by stepping out of conference play and knocking off No. 2 Notre Dame 28–24. Bear Bachmeier continues to prove he is the real deal, throwing a late go-ahead touchdown pass and making enough plays with his legs to fuel a field-storming victory in Provo.
- Texas Tech | Joey McGuire’s squad jumps up a spot, for me, after completely dismantling Arizona State 53–25. The Red Raiders offense is an absolute juggernaut right now, and they are playing with the kind of swagger that makes them look like a premier playoff contender.
- Utah | I’m dropping the Utes, slightly, purely because they had to sweat out a 27–24 victory against Colorado. Morgan Scalley’s group got the win to remain unbeaten, but their vulnerability against a struggling Buffaloes team keeps them just behind the high-flying Red Raiders.
- Houston
- Arizona
- Oklahoma State
- Kansas State
- TCU
- Baylor
- West Virginia
- Cincinnati
- Iowa State
- UCF
- Arizona State
- Colorado | Give credit to the Buffs for showing massive fight in a 27–24 loss to Utah, but a loss is still a loss. The off-field distractions remain a cloud over this program, and their winless 0–3 start in Big 12 play keeps them buried right near the floor of the conference.
- Kansas | Welcome to the basement. I’m dropping the Jayhawks to the bottom after a 35–24 defeat to Kansas State. Lance Leipold’s team continues to struggle significantly in late-game execution, leaving them completely stranded without a single conference win.
Zack
- BYU | The Cougars knocked off Notre Dame, getting a stop on the final play of the game. It wasn’t easy, but they made the plays they needed to get the win. Now they travel to UCF to take on the Knights, who are coming off a bye week and riding a 2-game losing streak.
- Texas Tech | The Red Raiders absolutely dominated Arizona State to stay undefeated. Now they’re headed to Cincinnati, who is coming off a tough loss to West Virginia. This is another great chance for Texas Tech to prove they belong in the Big 12 Championship conversation.
- Houston | The Cougars’ offense looked unstoppable against Oklahoma State on Saturday, and while the Cowboys kept the game close, Houston was able to answer each challenge and hold on for the win. They have a big road test against Utah coming up, and the Utes have plenty to prove after narrowly defeating Colorado. That game will have major implication on the Big 12 Championship.
- Utah
- Arizona
- Oklahoma State
- Kansas State
- Iowa State
- Cincinnati
- TCU
- West Virginia
- Baylor
- Arizona State
- UCF
- Kansas | The Jayhawks once again put up a great effort—trailing Kansas State by a single point headed into the fourth quarter—before once again falling apart to lose by 11. It feels like they’re on the cusp of breaking through, but they’re just not quite there. Now they host Baylor, who is coming off a loss to TCU, so it won’t be easy if the Jayhawks want to get their first conference win.
- Colorado | The Buffaloes played a great game against Utah, but they were unable to get over the hump. Now they have to travel to Stillwater to take on one of the best offenses in the country, and the Cowboys want to get back on track after a close loss to Houston. Colorado has their work cut out for them.
Where We All Agree
For all the movement in the Big 12, there are several teams that we view almost identically. The top of the rankings is particularly stable, and the bottom two are nearly unanimous as well.
1. BYU is the undisputed No. 1
All three of us put BYU first, giving the Cougars a perfect 48 points. The victory over Notre Dame has solidified their position, and there is no debate among our staff about who belongs at the top. Bear Bachmeier’s late-game heroics and the defense’s final stop made this the signature win of the Big 12 season so far.
Caleb
BYU has the biggest win of the weekend, taking down Notre Dame 28–24. The Cougars have proven they can compete with the nation’s best.
Matt
The Cougars solidify their grip on the top spot by stepping out of conference play and knocking off No. 2 Notre Dame 28–24. Bear Bachmeier continues to prove he is the real deal, throwing a late go-ahead touchdown pass and making enough plays with his legs to fuel a field-storming victory in Provo.
Zack
The Cougars knocked off Notre Dame, getting a stop on the final play of the game. It wasn’t easy, but they made the plays they needed to get the win. Now they travel to UCF to take on the Knights, who are coming off a bye week and riding a 2-game losing streak.
2. Texas Tech is a legitimate championship contender
Caleb ranks the Red Raiders third, while Matt and Zack both place them second. All three recognize that the 53–25 dismantling of Arizona State was a statement performance. Texas Tech’s explosive offense has made it one of the most dangerous teams in the conference, and the Red Raiders are firmly in the Big 12 Championship conversation.
Matt
Joey McGuire’s squad jumps up a spot, for me, after completely dismantling Arizona State 53–25. The Red Raiders offense is an absolute juggernaut right now, and they are playing with the kind of swagger that makes them look like a premier playoff contender.
Zack
The Red Raiders absolutely dominated Arizona State to stay undefeated. Now they’re headed to Cincinnati, who is coming off a tough loss to West Virginia. This is another great chance for Texas Tech to prove they belong in the Big 12 Championship conversation.
3. Kansas State is consistently seventh
This is the most exact agreement outside the top two. All three of us put Kansas State seventh, giving the Wildcats 30 points. Their position is firmly established in the upper-middle tier, and their rivalry win over Kansas reinforced their standing.
4. Kansas and Colorado are at the bottom
All three of us have Kansas at either 15th or 16th and Colorado at either 15th or 16th. Caleb and Zack rank Colorado last, while Matt puts Kansas in the basement. Nobody sees either team as having done enough to escape the bottom two.
Caleb
Colorado drops a close one to Utah and falls to 0–3 in Big 12 play. The Buffaloes need a conference win to turn their season around.
Zack
The Buffaloes played a great game against Utah, but they were unable to get over the hump. Now they have to travel to Stillwater to take on one of the best offenses in the country, and the Cowboys want to get back on track after a close loss to Houston. Colorado has their work cut out for them.
Utah and Houston are close behind
Utah’s rankings range from second to fourth, while Houston ranges from third to fourth. Both teams have legitimate top-four support from the entire panel.
The difference is how much credit we give Utah for remaining unbeaten opposed to close calls for Houston despite its offensive performance and victory over Oklahoma State.
Zack is particularly bullish on Houston, placing the Cougars third. Caleb and Matt both put them fourth. Meanwhile, Caleb is highest on Utah at second, Matt has the Utes third, and Zack places them fourth.
These aren’t major disagreements. All three of us agree that Utah and Houston belong in the leading group, even if they differ on the order.
Where We Were Way Off
The biggest differences aren’t at the top. They’re in the middle, where several teams have produced enough good and bad results to make their placement difficult.
1. Iowa State: The biggest disagreement
Iowa State
6-position spread
Caleb – 14th
Matt – 12th
Zack – 8th
Iowa State is the most divisive team on our ballots. Zack places the Cyclones eighth, four spots higher than Matt and six ahead of Caleb. That is a substantial difference in how we view their place in the conference.
Zack sees enough potential to rank Iowa State among the Big 12’s middle tier. Caleb is much more skeptical, putting the Cyclones just two spots above Kansas and Colorado.
The consensus puts Iowa State 12th, but that number hides the disagreement. Depending on which of us you ask, the Cyclones are either a legitimate middle-tier team or a program closer to the bottom of the conference.
2. TCU: Matt sees more upside
- Caleb: 11th
- Matt: 8th
- Zack: 10th
Matt is the highest on TCU, placing the Horned Frogs in eighth. Caleb puts them 11th, while Zack ranks them 10th.
TCU’s victory over Baylor gives Matt a reason to move the Frogs into the upper half of the rankings. Caleb and Zack are more cautious about making that leap.
The result is a ninth-place consensus finish, putting TCU just outside the top half. With only three points separating TCU, Baylor, and West Virginia, that position could change quickly.
3. Cincinnati: A split on the Bearcats
- Caleb: 8th
- Matt: 11th
- Zack: 9th
Caleb sees Cincinnati as an eighth-place team, while Matt drops the Bearcats to 11th. Zack lands between them at ninth.
The difference reflects how much confidence each of us has in Cincinnati’s ability to remain competitive against the conference’s better teams. The Bearcats’ loss to West Virginia complicates their case, especially with Texas Tech coming to town.
Our consensus places Cincinnati eighth, but the three ballots make it clear that the Bearcats need a strong response to keep that ranking from slipping.
4. Baylor: A narrow but meaningful split
- Caleb: 9th
- Matt: 9th
- Zack: 12th
Caleb and Matt agree on Baylor at ninth, but Zack drops the Bears to 12th.
That three-position difference is enough to push Baylor to 10th in the consensus rankings. The Bears are still within striking distance of the middle tier, but Zack is less convinced than the other two voters.
Baylor’s upcoming game against Kansas could be an important opportunity to demonstrate that it belongs higher on the board. A convincing win would give the Bears a chance to close the gap with TCU and Cincinnati.
5. Utah: How much should a close win matter?
- Caleb: 2nd
- Matt: 3rd
- Zack: 4th
Utah’s unbeaten record is impressive, but the Utes needed a late push to escape Colorado with a 27–24 victory.
Caleb gives Utah the most credit for continuing to win. Matt places the Utes third, acknowledging their success while expressing concern about their vulnerability against Colorado. Zack ranks them fourth, putting Houston ahead of them.
This is an important debate for a team that remains unbeaten: Should the rankings prioritize the results, or should a close call against a struggling opponent lower a team’s standing?
We’re not entirely aligned on the answer, but all we all three still rank Utah inside the top four.
The Big 12’s Emerging Tiers
The Week 8 consensus rankings suggest that the conference is beginning to separate into four groups.
Tier 1: The championship favorites
1–4
BYU, Texas Tech, Utah, Houston
These four teams occupy the top four spots, and just eight points separate second-place Texas Tech from fourth-place Houston. BYU has the strongest résumé, but the race behind the Cougars is wide open.
Tier 2: The challengers
5–7
Arizona, Oklahoma State, Kansas State
These three teams have earned consistent respect from us. They aren’t far enough behind the leaders to be dismissed, but they need more statement wins to make a stronger championship case.
Tier 3: The crowded middle
8–14
Cincinnati, TCU, Baylor, West Virginia, Iowa State, UCF, Arizona State
This is where the biggest weekly swings could happen. The teams are tightly grouped in the consensus standings, and individual ballots show plenty of disagreement. A couple of strong performances could change the order dramatically.
Tier 4: Searching for answers
15–16
Kansas, Colorado
Both teams remain winless in conference play. Kansas has been competitive in stretches, while Colorado nearly pulled off the upset against Utah. Neither has converted those moments into the result needed to climb the standings.
Week 8’s Biggest Game: Houston at Utah
One of the most important upcoming matchups is Houston’s road test against Utah. It could have a direct impact on the Big 12 Championship race.
Houston enters the matchup after holding off Oklahoma State, while Utah is coming off its narrow victory over Colorado. The game gives Houston a chance to prove it belongs among the conference’s elite, and Utah an opportunity to demonstrate that its close calls haven’t exposed a larger problem.
Texas Tech also has a major opportunity against Cincinnati. The Red Raiders can strengthen their championship credentials with another convincing win, while the Bearcats need a response after their loss to West Virginia.
BYU, meanwhile, travels to UCF. The Cougars will be expected to handle business after their signature win over Notre Dame, but the challenge is maintaining focus and avoiding a letdown.
Final Verdict: BYU Is No. 1, but the Race Behind It Is Far From Settled
The Week 8 Big 12 Power Rankings give us a clear leader and a fascinating race behind it.
BYU has earned unanimous first-place support after beating Notre Dame, and Texas Tech has made an emphatic case that it belongs among the nation’s best. Utah remains unbeaten, while Houston is pushing its way into the championship conversation.
Arizona, Oklahoma State, and Kansas State form the next group, but the conference’s middle remains difficult to sort out. Iowa State is the clearest example: Zack ranks the Cyclones eighth, while Caleb has them 14th. That six-position difference shows just how differently we view teams outside the leading pack.
At the bottom, Kansas and Colorado need wins, not moral victories. Both have shown flashes of competitiveness, but the standings won’t change until they start finishing games.
The bottom line: BYU holds the throne, Texas Tech is charging hard, and Utah and Houston have the opportunity to shake up the race. The Big 12 Championship picture is taking shape, but Week 8 could change the order all over again.