The Big 12 has a new team inside the Top 3 of the AP Poll, just in time for the biggest conference game of the season.
Utah moved up three spots to No. 3 in the latest AP Top 25 following its dominant 49-25 road win over Cincinnati on Saturday. The Utes improved to 8-0 and remain one of only three undefeated teams in college football, joining No. 1 Miami and No. 5 UCLA.
Utah is the first Big 12 team to crack the Top 3 of the AP Poll since TCU during its run to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in 2022.
Utah received one first-place vote and now trails only Miami and Georgia in the rankings.
And the timing couldn’t be much better for the Big 12.
BYU moved up one spot to No. 7 after surviving Arizona State 27-20, setting up a Top 10 Holy War next Saturday between No. 3 Utah and No. 7 BYU.
The winner will take control of the Big 12 Championship race entering the final stretch of the regular season.
Texas Tech remained at No. 13 after bouncing back from its first loss of the season with a 34-26 win over No. 22 Arizona. The Red Raiders improved to 7-1 and remain firmly in the Big 12 title race.
Houston dropped one spot to No. 17, while Arizona fell two spots to No. 24 following its loss in Lubbock.
That gives the Big 12 five teams in the latest AP Top 25:
- No. 3 Utah
- No. 7 BYU
- No. 13 Texas Tech
- No. 17 Houston
- No. 24 Arizona
Oklahoma State dropped out of the rankings following its 51-49 loss to Iowa State, although the Cowboys still received three votes.
The biggest story, however, is at the top.
Utah entered Week 9 ranked No. 6 and responded by putting up 49 points on the road against Cincinnati. Now the Utes will get a chance to strengthen their College Football Playoff résumé against another Top 10 team.
With the first College Football Playoff rankings set to arrive this week, the Big 12 couldn’t have asked for a much better showcase than No. 3 Utah against No. 7 BYU.
AP Top 25 After Week 9
Here is the complete AP Top 25 heading into Week 10:
- Miami
- Georgia
- Utah
- Notre Dame
- UCLA
- Indiana
- BYU
- Kentucky
- Alabama
- Texas
- Ohio State
- Ole Miss
- Texas Tech
- Wake Forest
- LSU
- Tennessee
- Houston
- USC
- Missouri
- Boise State
- Iowa
- New Mexico
- South Carolina
- Arizona
- Florida
The biggest story for the Big 12, however, is at the top.
Utah entered Week 9 ranked No. 6 and responded by putting up 49 points on the road against Cincinnati. Now the Utes will get a chance to strengthen their College Football Playoff résumé against another Top 10 team.
With the first College Football Playoff rankings set to arrive this week, the Big 12 couldn’t have asked for a much better showcase than No. 3 Utah against No. 7 BYU.
