Unlike the other major sports of basketball, baseball, and softball, only two teams will get the chance to play for the Big 12 Football Championship in December.
Heading into Week 6, we will assess what we’ve seen through the first five weeks of the 2024 season and start to separate the contenders from the pretenders in the Big 12 race and, ultimately, the College Football Playoff.
Unlike Power Rankings, which are more prone to changing on a weekly basis, my intent with this weekly feature is to determine who the best five teams in the league are, regardless of their most recent result. Here are the top five teams in the Big 12 and a few squads on the bubble looking in.
1. Kansas State (4-1) – Last Week: 3
Week 5: Kansas State 42, Oklahoma State 20
After both Kansas State and Oklahoma State dropped their first game in Week 4, their Week 5 matchup became a must-win for both teams. Avery Johnson and the Wildcats were the ones left laughing at the end of the night and, in doing so, vaulted themselves into the top spot of my rankings. When Johnson plays clean football, the Wildcats are the best team in the Big 12, as we saw on Saturday. His five-touchdown performance should send chills down the spines of defensive coordinators around the league.
2. Iowa State (4-0) – Last Week: 4
Week 5: Iowa State 20, Houston 0
Iowa State has been one of the steadiest teams in the Big 12 through the first few weeks, and here they find themselves in the No. 2 spot after shutting out Houston. The Cyclones appear to be a defensive stalwart yet again this season, and when Rocco Becht is on the same page with Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins, the offense is equally scary. If the two units can find a way to show up every week at the same time, they could very well be the top team in this league.
3. Utah (4-1) – Last Week: 1
The absence of Cam Rising finally caught up with Utah after three weeks without his services. A feisty Arizona team came into Rice Eccles Stadium and dominated the Utes. Surprisingly, it was the Wildcats’ dominance in the running game that concerned me most. The Utes managed just 84 yards on 29 carries (2.9 ypc), while Arizona churned out 169 yards on 26 carries (6.5 ypc). Was this a blip on the radar? Will Cam Rising be back soon? There are a lot of questions around a team that many considered the undisputed favorite to win the Big 12 this time last week.
4. BYU (5-0) – Last Week: 5
It wasn’t pretty, but BYU went into Waco as an underdog and found a way to get out of there with a “W.” The Cougars have struggled in day games under Kalani Sitake, and almost found a way to lose this week despite having a 31-14 lead at halftime. Still, the BYU defense stepped up and slammed the door when it needed to, and that’s been the story of the Cougars’ season to this point. BYU is 5-0 through the first five weeks and much better than anyone anticipated in the preseason. They’ll get to rest up on the bye week before taking on Arizona in Week 7.
5. Colorado (4-1) – Last Week: —
Hello, Buffaloes. There wasn’t an outcome in all of college football that surprised me more than Colorado’s 48-21 beatdown of UCF in Orlando. The Buffs’ skill talent was too much for UCF as Shedeur Sanders threw for 290 yards and three touchdowns, and the defense forced four turnovers on the day. I’ve been skeptical of how good the Buffaloes can be with where they’re at on the offensive line, but this week they proved that having two of the best players in the country can offset even that.
On The Bubble
Arizona (3-1): After a disappointing showing against K-State a few weeks ago, Arizona went out and got the best win of any team in the Big 12 thus far. Noah Fifita and the offense were efficient, and the Wildcats’ defense created all sorts of havoc on the road. This team could be one to watch if they keep building.
UCF (3-1): You can’t have a four-turnover game in this league and expect to win. UCF’s offense is going to be an issue for every team left on their schedule if they can take care of the football, but the defense showed that it’s still got some kinks to work out in the secondary.
Texas Tech (4-1): The Red Raiders are undefeated when Tahj Brooks is on the field — and when he’s on the field, he’s been impossible to slow down. With 100-yard performances in all four games this season — including 177 yards and two touchdowns against Cincinnati — Brooks has the TTU offense humming. Now, the defense? That’s another story.
