The 2024 college football season is underway and the Big 12 starts a new era with 16 teams in the conference. Week 11 had six games on the schedule in the Big 12, starting in Cincinnati at noon ET, and ending well after midnight ET in Salt Lake City.
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. Colorado Buffaloes (Last Week: 2)
Colorado went on the road and after falling into a 13-0 hole, came roaring back for a comfortable victory at Texas Tech. The Buffaloes are doing it with some offensive flash, but it’s the defensive line that is powering this team (seven sacks vs. Tech). Colorado is not just playing some of the best football in the Big 12, but they’re playing some of the best football in the country. They’ve won their five Big 12 games by an average of 17.2 points, while losing one game by three.
Related: Three Biggest Takeaways From Colorado’s 41-27 Win Over Texas Tech
2. BYU Cougars (Last Week: 1)
BYU keeps winning, but dodged another bullet on Saturday night in Salt Lake City. We all know about the off-field drama, but on the field, the Cougars trailed most of the game, but got it done when it mattered most. There’s a 2022 TCU feel to this team for me, where they’re finding ways to win, even when they’re not having their best day. But two recent games vs. Oklahoma State and Utah, two of the worst teams in the Big 12, have been too close for comfort, which is why I’m moving them down to No. 2.
3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (Last Week: 3)
The Red Raiders had an early lead against Colorado and let it all slip away on Saturday. Texas Tech’s defense struggled to start the second half, when CU scored touchdowns on three-straight drives. But the offense didn’t hold up its end of the bargain either. Tech can still put together a very good season, but it looks like they won’t be competing in the Big 12 Championship (despite what the math might say).
4. Baylor Bears (Last Week: 5)
Baylor comes off the bye week, but moves up one slot because of Iowa State’s loss, but their wins over Texas Tech and TCU, in particular, stand out and keep looking like the very good wins that they are. Baylor is on the road against West Virginia this weekend.
Related: Big 12 Football Week 11: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
5. Kansas State Wildcats (Last Week: 7)
Kansas State is also coming off a bye week, but their win over Colorado continues to look better with each passing week, as the only team to beat the Buffaloes in Big 12 play. K-State also got a great lift from KU this past weekend with their win over Iowa State. The Wildcats need help, but if they win out, with a Colorado loss, they’re in position to still get to Arlington.
6. Kansas Jayhawks (Last Week: 7)
Kansas is playing its best football of the season and is starting to look like the team we thought they could be all season. They are a Jalon Daniels fumble away from winning their last three games over Houston, K-State and Iowa State. KU takes on BYU and Colorado the next two weeks, which will play a role in who ends up in the Big 12 Championship Game.
Related: Three Biggest Takeaways From Kansas’ 45-36 Win Over Iowa State
7. Iowa State Cyclones (Last Week: 4)
Iowa State has lost the last two games against Texas Tech and Kansas. The injuries on defense are starting to show as the run defense remains weak, and especially weak for a team that has had one of the best run defenses in the Big 12 under Jon Heacock’s tenure. If games turn into a shootout, that doesn’t bode well for Iowa State down the stretch.
8. Houston Cougars (Last Week: 6)
Houston had a bye week last week, but move down two slots because of what happened with the teams in front of them. Houston looks to make it three wins in four games on the road vs. Arizona this weekend, as they continue to be one of the sneaky teams to watch down the stretch of this Big 12 season.
9. TCU Horned Frogs (Last Week: 9)
TCU beat Oklahoma State on Saturday. But it’s Oklahoma State. They’re awful. I can’t justify moving them up right now. Now, the Horned Frogs get a bye week before closing out the season vs. Arizona and Cincinnati.
10. Arizona State Sun Devils (Last Week: 10)
Arizona State is another team that won, but remains in its spot from last week. It felt like Arizona State should not have won this game, but they found a way to get it done, led by Sam Leavitt, who had himself an impressive game-winning drive in the fourth quarter. If ASU can keep the Dillingham-Leavitt combo around, the future is bright in Tempe.
11. West Virginia Mountaineers (Last Week: 11)
West Virginia pulled off a road win at Cincinnati thanks to three key turnovers the Mountaineers forced in the game. I am not sure they have the offense to win their next three games vs. Baylor, UCF and Texas Tech, but I’d say Neal Browns odds of returning are better than 50/50, at this point.
Related: Five Biggest Takeaways From Week 11 of the Big 12 Football Season
12. Cincinnati Bearcats (Last Week: 8)
Cincinnati drops after their home loss to West Virginia, who they were favored over by 5 points. Cincinnati has had a very favorable schedule thus far, but it gets tougher the next two weeks against Iowa State and Kansas State. We will find out what this team is really made of starting on Saturday.
13. UCF Knights (Last Week: 13)
UCF stays where it was last week after a loss to Arizona State. I actually thought UCF was the better team in this game, but costly mistakes and bad play-calling (end of the first half) helped Arizona State pull off the home win. No one has done less with more talent in this league than UCF (OK fine, maybe Oklahoma State).
14. Utah Utes (Last Week: 14)
Utah almost ended the perfect season for BYU, but costly penalties and an inability to score a single point in the second half cost this team the game, despite what their ridiculous athletic director Mark Harlan said after the game. The miserable season marches on in SLC.
Related: Brett Yormark and Big 12 Lay Hammer on Utah AD Mark Harlan
15. Arizona Wildcats (Last Week: 15)
Arizona didn’t lose, because they didn’t play. The Wildcats had a bye week after getting blasted by UCF, which was, per PFF College, the worst performance by the team in two years. I suppose it can only get better from here.
16. Oklahoma State Cowboys (Last Week: 16)
The Cowboys absolutely stink. They’re headed for the worst season ever under Mike Gundy, despite being one of the preseason favorites to win the Big 12. It’s one of the most shocking developments in recent Big 12 history. Mike Gundy needs to hit the reset button when this season wraps up.
