While several teams can get into a postseason tournament to compete for a conference title in basketball, baseball, and softball, only two teams will get the chance to play for the Big 12 Football Championship in December.
Heading into Week 9, we will assess what we’ve seen through the first eight 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. BYU (7-0) – Last Week: 1
Week 8: BYU 38, Oklahoma State 35
After Oklahoma State took the lead on a nine-minute drive in the fourth quarter and left Jake Retzlaff and the Cougars offense with just over a minute to work with, I had my doubts. The BYU defense has been the driving force of this team for the first half of the season, and it seemed as if Mike Gundy had found a way to steal one once again. However, the magic that has enchanted LaVell Edwards Stadium all season long showed up just in the nick of time, and BYU found a way to win. This Cougars team is starting to get healthier, and with that, they maintain the top spot here.
2. Iowa State (7-0) – Last Week: 2
In a very similar fashion to what BYU had to do the night before, Iowa State had to overcome a late fourth-quarter deficit in order to remain perfect on the year. Rocco Becht and the Cyclones did just that, preserving what has been a storybook season in Ames through the first eight weeks of the year. The schedule is starting to look rather manageable leading up to the season finale against K-State, and that game might very well end up being a play-in game for the Big 12 Championship. The balance that Iowa State is showing right now makes them a fair argument for the No. 1 spot on this list.
3. Kansas State (6-1) – Last Week: 3
Week 8: Kansas State 45, West Virginia 18
Kansas State went to Morgantown and took care of business, and when they knocked three of the Mountaineers top players out of the game in the first half, they effectively won the game. K-State outscored WVU 28-8 in the second half and looked like the better team from beginning to end in this game. That’s a far cry from what we’ve seen from them on the road to this point, and if it continues, they’re a threat to round into the best team that this league has to offer.
4. Colorado (5-2) – Last Week: 4
Week 8: Colorado 34, Arizona 7
Don’t look now, but it appears Deion Sanders might have one of the best teams in the Big 12. One of the most telling stats from their 27-point blowout of Arizona was that they sacked Noah Fifita seven times and allowed just one sack against a defense that effectively dominated a physical Utah group a few weeks ago. Colorado leads the Big 12 with 21 sacks and is averaging right at 3.0 sacks per game. With that sort of disruption, and an improving offensive line, the Buffs’ skill players just might have the support they need to get this team to the next level.
5. Cincinnati (5-2) – Last Week: Bubble
Week 8: Cincinnati 24, Arizona State 14
Look, I’m just as surprised as you are about this, but Cincinnati is the fifth-best team in the Big 12 right now. Their 24-14 win over Arizona State moved them to 3-1 in Big 12 play and also bumped them into the top five of my list. Scott Satterfield has put together a team that is not only playing well on the offensive side of the ball, but it appears they’re beginning to find themselves on defense, too. They’re allowing just 17.8 points per game in Big 12 play while averaging 29.5 ppg on offense in that same stretch. There are some tough games left on the schedule, but don’t count Cincy out of the race just yet.
On The Bubble
Arizona State (5-2): After a disappointing loss to the Bearcats, Arizona State falls to the bubble in this week’s ranking. Getting Sam Leavitt back will help this team tremendously, but with uncertainly around his timeline, there could be a challenging road ahead.
Texas Tech (5-2): Texas Tech looked like it was beginning to turn into a team that could make a run to Arlington. Then, they let Baylor come into Lubbock and drop 59 points on their heads. The Red Raiders have some serious defensive issues to fix, and until they do, they’re probably stuck right around here.
