The 2024 college football season is underway and the Big 12 starts a new era with 16 teams in the conference. Week 10 saw 10 teams in action playing Big 12 games, with six teams enjoy their bye weeks this weekend.
Here’s a reminder on how I’ve done this for year or for those of you who are new at Heartland College Sports: It’s about how your team looked and how it played, not always about if your team won or lost. And last week’s rankings have little impact on this week’s. That’s what makes this fun. These are also not predictions for the way the season will end, just a Power Rankings based on performances by a team to date.
1. BYU Cougars (Last Week: 1)
BYU stays in the No. 1 slot this week after a bye week. There’s no reason to move the Cougars give that there was chaos atop the Big 12 this past Saturday and BYU is the only undefeated team left in the Big 12.
2. Colorado Buffaloes (Last Week: 4)
Colorado shoots up during its bye week thanks to the losses by Iowa State and Kansas State. CU is heading into a stretch of games that now puts them right in the thick of the Big 12 title race. And for a team that seems to get better and more comfortable week after week, that will be a problem for the rest of the league.
Related: Updated Big 12 College Football Playoff Odds for November 2nd, 2024
3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (Last Week: 9)
The Red Raiders went on the road and knocked off the undefeated Iowa State Cyclones in impressive fashion with the defense leading the way in Ames. If you had told me Tech would score 23 points, I would’ve thought they’d lose by double-digits. But the defense locked down and the offense did enough to pull off the upset, get back in the win column and remain in the Big 12 race.
4. Iowa State Cyclones (Last Week: 2)
Given the extra emphasis on the most recent game, Iowa State drops below Tech to No. 4 in the Power Rankings this week. Iowa State was due. The linebacker corps was a soft spot for this team and the rushing defense had been suspect. Texas Tech took advantage and now Iowa State likely needs to win out to get to Arlington.
Related: Big 12 Football Week 10: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
5. Baylor Bears (Last Week: 5)
Make it three wins in a row for the Baylor Bears, who continue to look more like the team we expected, but who started off 0-3 in Big 12 play. This has been a great stretch to get back to 3-3 in Big 12 play and 5-4 overall. Dave Aranda may have just saved his job for 2025 with the big win over TCU and getting this team one win away from bowl eligibility with three to play.
6. Houston Cougars (Last Week: 13)
Houston, we do not have a problem. The Cougars have quietly won three of their last four games since their quarterback change, and while the offense isn’t going to be confused with the Kansas City Chiefs, it’s doing enough, combined with a defense that has been really impressive and aggressive in recent weeks. No one should overlook the Cougars down the stretch.
7. Kansas State Wildcats (Last Week: 3)
Kansas State was playing with fire in several games this season. Tulane, Colorado and Kansas all came down to the wire and could have gone either way. And finally, K-State got picked off in a spot they were double-digits favorites in. The Wildcats now have two losses in the Big 12, and will need help to end up in Arlington.
8. Cincinnati Bearcats (Last Week: 6)
Cincinnati was on a bye week, but moves down because of what happened around the league this past Saturday. Cinci is home to West Virginia this week and can get itself to 4-2 in league play, which would be a huge improvement over 2024. The Bearcats don’t have that staple win yet this season, but they haven’t had a bad loss either.
9. TCU Horned Frogs (Last Week: 7)
TCU had its two-game winning streak snapped on Saturday night as rival Baylor kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired. Good news is that TCU didn’t have a single turnover, something that has plagued this team. Bad news is the defense couldn’t stop a nose bleed, especially in the second half.
10. Arizona State Sun Devils (Last Week: 10)
Arizona State went to Stillwater and won, but how impressive is that based on what the Cowboys look like this season? I can’t justify moving the Sun Devils up, given how awful Oklahoma State has been. But anytime you get a road win in this conference, there should not be any complaining.
11. West Virginia Mountaineers (Last Week: 8)
West Virginia slides, despite the bye week, mostly because WVU’s wins look less impressive with each passing week. This team has beaten Kansas, Oklahoma State and Arizona, three of the worst teams in the league. Go win at Cincinnati this weekend and that will be some real respect and the best win of the year, by far, for the Mountaineers.
Related: Five Biggest Takeaways From Week 10 of the Big 12 Football Season
12. Kansas Jayhawks (Last Week: 11)
Kansas had a bye week, but slides down to No. 12, simply based on what happened in front of them. No doubt KU can play with almost anyone in this league, but they’re not getting the bounces in the fourth quarter and now it feels like a lost season in Lawrence. Keep an eye on Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday. It very well may look like Jack Trice South.
13. UCF Knights (Last Week: 12)
UCF won… but moves down. They had lost five in a row heading into this game and beat one of the worst teams in not just the Big 12, but the Power 4, right now. UCF went over 600 yards and may have found their quarterback, but Arizona is a disaster right now. I just can’t give too much credit for it. Win at Arizona State this weekend and we’re talking.
14. Utah Utes (Last Week: 15)
Utah is off a bye week, but I moved them up because the teams below them are just an embarrassment right now. Even though Utah lost to the team below it, that was a few weeks back now, and the team below them had a horrific performance on Saturday.
15. Arizona Wildcats (Last Week: 14)
Yes, they moved down, and it’s only thanks to Oklahoma State they aren’t dead last. Arizona gave up over 600 yards to UCF, missed 17 tackles, and the PFF College grades were the worst for Arizona in two years. They had season-low grades for rushing, coverage and overall defense. Abysmal and embarrassing.
16. Oklahoma State Cowboys (Last Week: 16)
The Oklahoma State Cowboys were home to take on Arizona State and laid another egg. The coaching on both sides of the ball is skeptical, the play is mediocre (25 rushing yards for Ollie Gordon) and the head coach says he’s not sure he likes the schemes he’s seeing. “Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?” Things are a mess in Stillwater.
