Week Nine Big 12 Power Rankings: Crown The Cougars?
Just when we thought it was safe to start definitively saying the race for the top of the Big 12 was locking up, the most unpredictable conference in the P4 showed up yet again. In the week eight power rankings, Last Word said of the top ranked Red Raiders “It (game against Kansas) was a reminder that this will not just be a cake walk to a Big 12 championship appearance.” One ensuing trip to Tempe confirmed Last Word’s previous thoughts. No one has access to an easy trip to a conference title game. With two ranked teams losing on the road, how much did it throw the week nine Big 12 power rankings into disarray?
Week Nine Big 12 Power Rankings: Crown The Cougars?
16. Oklahoma State (Last Week 16)
The best thing going for this program right now is the interactions happening in the stands. This week, there was a banana conga line that began marching around the stadium. Yes, this means there needs to be plenty of seat/space open to perform this. The Pokes average margin of defeat in Big 12 games this year is 25. A number only likely to go up as the travel to Lubbock on Saturday.
15. West Virginia (Last Week 15)
Coming off the bye week, Last Word thought Rich Rodruigez could have something for a UCF team that doesn’t on-paper talent that would suggest a blowout victory. It turns out Mountaineer fans need to be thankful Oklahoma State exists in this conference. The Bounce House was not kind to West Virginia as they fell 45-13. They were outgained 578-210. But at least they won the Backyard Brawl, which is becoming more unexplainable by the week.
14. UCF (Last Week 14)
As for the team on the right side of a 32-point victory, Scott Frost notched his first Big 12 win of the season. Outside of the Kansas State game, this team has played all of its opponents tough. While they still are in the bottom third of the week nine Big 12 power rankings, there is definitive evidence of this team quickly trending in the right direction (unlike the team they just whooped). They now have two weeks to prepare for a trip to Waco.
13. Colorado (Last Week 12)
Deion Sanders team had the week off. They resume action this week with a challenging trip to Utah.
12. Baylor (Last Week 9)
The seat warmer in the Dave Aranda vehicle has been officially ripped off. Yes, the start of this season is better than last year. Certainly, there is time to turn it around. The issue is the Bears have the second-worst defense in the Big 12 (only Oklahoma State has allowed more points this season). It is still fun to watch Sawyer Robertson sling it around the field. But if this team can’t score at least 35 points, they will lose most of their remaining games. Can they shake off the loss to TCU and put together their best performance of the season at Cincinnati?
11. Arizona (Last Week 11)
If we had been told Arizona was going to score 28 against Houston’s defense before the game, no way would we have thought they would lose that game. Well, once again, Arizona could not get over the hump. Despite a 14-point fourth quarter comeback by the Cats, they couldn’t stop Houston from getting into field goal range and kicking the game-winning field goal. Arizona will have two weeks to clean up before going to Colorado.
10. TCU (Last Week 13)
Sonny Dykes team played a game that had two different stoppages due to lightning and lasted for a combined two hours. But, the stop-and-go nature of this game did little to slow down Josh Hoover and this TCU offense. Aided by four Baylor turnovers, the offense capitalized on plenty of short fields in a 42-36 victory over the rival Baylor Bears. TCU is one of six Big 12 teams that are currently 2-2 in conference play. They have an excellent opportunity to build some momentum for a late-season charge traveling to Morgantown this week.
9. Kansas State (Last Week 10)
The Wildcats were one of four teams on a bye week in week eight. They get back to action against Kansas this week.
8. Iowa State (Last Week 8)
Matt Campbell’s team was another who had the week off in week eight. They welcome undefeated BYU to Ames on Saturday.
7. Kansas (Last Week 7)
Just like their in-state rivals, the Jayhawks also got two weeks to prepare for the Sunflower Showdown in Lawrence on Saturday.
6. Utah (Last Week 2)
We aren’t going to eliminate the Utes from conference title contention yet. But their two conference losses now have them in a position where they need plenty of help. Losses to Texas Tech and now to BYU essentially put them two and three games behind both of those teams because of the tie breaker. They also still have another potential contender in Cincinnati remaining on their schedule as well. But they should be able to move on quickly this week with Colorado coming to The Muss.
5. Houston (Last Week 5)
Seven games into the season, a team is what their record says (mostly). After missing bowl season the previous two seasons, the Coogs secured bowl eligibility before Halloween with a dramatic win over Arizona on Saturday. In four Big 12 games (three victories), they have a combined +17-point differential. Games against Oklahoma State and Texas Tech average out for both the good and bad. Which means their other two Big 12 wins have been nail-bitters. Willie Fritz’s team has a chance to make its biggest statement of the season this week if they can spring the upset on the road at Arizona State.
4. Arizona State (Last Week 6)
Speaking of upsets, Kenny Dillingham’s team proved they still have plenty in the tank for another conference title run. Sam Leavitt played a gritty game against a physical Texas Tech defense. Despite their best efforts to give the game away late, the Sun Devils did enough to secure the victory over the previously undefeated Red Raiders. So why are they still looking up to Texas Tech in the week nine Big 12 power rankings? More on that shortly.
3. Cincinnati (Last Week 3)
The surprise contender thus far in 2025 made quick work of lowly Oklahoma State. We will get a chance to evaluate the Bearcats properly going down the back stretch of the season. Every team they have on the schedule currently has an above .500 record and it also includes hosting undefeated BYU. But first, they have to make sure Baylor doesn’t outscore them this week in what should be a high-scoring affair.
2. Texas Tech (Last Week 1)
Despite getting dominated statistically in almost every team category one could analyze from a football game, the Red Raiders found themselves winning against Arizona State with two minutes remaining in the game. It also included backup Will Hammond, the backup quarterback, making his first start of the season. However, Texas Tech came up short by the score of 26-22 for their first loss of the season. So why the minimal change to their ranking? This team still boasts, at worst, a top three defense in all of college football. It’s clear this team needs quarterback Behren Morton healthy to get to were they want to go. The Red Raiders’ dominance up to this point in the season has earned them a mulligan. But this team has now demonstrated they can be vulnerable just like any other team in this conference on a given Saturday.
1. BYU (Last Week 4)
Being the lone undefeated team in the conference, BYU makes their 2025 debut at the top spot of the week nine Big 12 power rankings. It was an electric atmosphere in LaVell Edwards for the Holy War, and the game did not disappoint. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier is becoming one of those rare quarterbacks that needs to be carried out on his shield after every game. The defense from BYU is still as good as it was in 2024. And yet, they open this week as a 2.5-point underdog against Iowa State this week. Much like Cincinnati, there will be no hypothetical game we have to play with BYU. They still have Texas Tech and Cincinnati on their schedule. Can BYU keep it up and get to 8-0 before heading into a bye week?
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