What other conference do you see consistently having high-scoring affairs each week? Where your expectations before the season mean virtually nothing in the conference?

Last season, none of the teams in the pre-season Top 25 were ranked by season’s end, and many teams that had little expectations before the season started would be in the positions those teams ranked before the season started thought they’d be.

Will it continue this season? Only time will tell, but it’s such a beautiful mess when looking at the state of the conference.

1. Texas Tech (2-0) - Last Week: 3

The Red Raiders' offense is firing on all cylinders through the first two weeks of the season.

In another tune-up game against Kent State and a sold-out whiteout crowd in Lubbock, Texas, the Red Raiders built a 48-0 lead at halftime, en route to a 62-14 victory.

Senior quarterback Behren Morton played only in the first half, but he threw for 258 yards and three touchdown passes before being pulled in the second half.

Redshirt freshman running back Adam Hill had his breakout game in just his second career appearance, running for 127 yards on only 16 carries.

Although Texas Tech has had a relatively easy schedule to begin the season, scoring 67 and 62 points in its first two games is a good start.

Coach Joey McGuire’s aggressiveness in the transfer portal has paid off so far, but only time will tell if it can continue once conference play begins.

The Red Raiders jumped to No. 21 in the most recent AP Poll and will host unranked Oregon State next week, which will be their most formidable opponent to date as they close out non-conference play.

2. Iowa State (3-0) - Last Week: 2

If the Big 12 needed to find a new elite kicker for 2025, they may have found one in sophomore kicker Kyle Konrardy.

Konrardy nailed a 63-yard field goal in the Cyclones' win against South Dakota last week, and this week, when coach Matt Campbell needed him most, Konrardy nailed a game-winning 54-yard field goal with just under two minutes left to secure a win and the Cy-Hawk Trophy.

In typical Cy-Hawk Trophy fashion, it was a very low-scoring game, where defense was the dominant force for both teams, and the run game was the main source of offense for both teams.

But ISU had the last laugh, as it got the ball back with 8:14 left in the game, as redshirt junior quarterback Rocco Becht led a game-winning drive that ultimately ended with Konrardy drilling a 54-yard field goal to win the game. 

Iowa got the ball back, but the Cyclones, who had no sacks the whole game, posted back-to-back sacks on second and third down, and senior quarterback Mark Gronowski’s pass on fourth down was incomplete, sealing the win for ISU.

It’s the second consecutive win for the Cyclones in the Cy-Hawk Trophy, and their first of the rivalry at home for the Cyclones since 2011.

Coach Campbell’s squad hits the road down to the Sun Belt conference, as ISU faces off against Arkansas State to round out non-conference play.

3. Utah (2-0) - Last Week: 4

Junior quarterback Devon Dampier looks every bit like the player Utah fans imagined to begin the season.

After a dominant win against UCLA last week, Dampier threw for three touchdowns against Cal Poly, and the Utes used a dominant run game to a 63-9 win in Salt Lake City.

Coach Kyle Whittingham, now in his 21st season with the Utes, has gotten his team to bounce back after a rough 5-7 record in 2024. With the Utes now 2-0 and ranked No. 20 in the nation, things are looking up for his team.

Utah will hit the road for a matchup against a Mountain West squad in Wyoming this coming week. A 3-0 start heading into conference play could be a likely outcome.

4. Arizona State (1-1) - Last Week: 1

Heading into their week 2 game, the Sun Devils knew they would be playing in a raucous environment, but even they weren’t prepared for what would happen.

The Cowbells were out in full force, as ASU failed to accomplish anything in the first half vs. Mississippi State. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt looked off, as he was very inaccurate with his throws and seemed overly reliant on redshirt junior wide receiver Jordyn Tyson.

The Sun Devils faced a 17-3 deficit at halftime, but coach Kenny Dillingham rallied his squad.

ASU utilized the run game heavily in the second half, featuring junior running back Kanye Udoh and redshirt junior running back Raleek Brown. As a result, the Sun Devils slowly took control of the game, highlighted by a 17-play drive in the fourth quarter that consumed almost nine minutes of the clock.

Brown finished with 110 yards on 18 carries, and Udoh had 105 yards on 23 carries, plus a touchdown as ASU took a 20-17 lead late.

However, deja vu hit the Sun Devils, as a busted coverage play resulted in a go-ahead touchdown for the Bulldogs. A Leavitt interception on the final drive later sealed the game as MSU fans stormed the field in celebration of defeating a ranked opponent. 

ASU fell outside the AP Top 25 from No. 12 to No. 26, yet there is still a sense of optimism in Tempe, as coach Dillingham doesn’t want this loss to derail his guys.

The Sun Devils conclude non-conference play with a home game against Texas State, a game in which ASU needs to deliver a complete performance if it wants to instill hope back into the fan base.

5. TCU (1-0) - Last Week: 5

The Horned Frogs enjoyed an early bye last week, following their dominant victory in Chapel Hill.

With the turnover we’ve seen in the Big 12 already throughout the first two weeks of the season, there is a sense of hope down in Fort Worth, Texas, that TCU can make some noise within the conference.

Coach Sonny Dykes said in his press conference last Wednesday he felt good about the team in their win because they were mature, and they’ve been able to focus on stuff that’s important and what matters.

Dykes’ club will have its home opener this Saturday, as Abilene Christian will visit Amon G. Carter Stadium, as TCU looks to begin the season 2-0.

6. Baylor (1-1) - Last Week: 8

Redshirt senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson is quietly inserting himself into the Heisman conversation.

After throwing for 419 yards in the loss against Auburn, Robertson threw for 440 yards and four touchdowns as Baylor completed a come-from-behind victory against then-ranked No. 17 SMU.

The Bears started the game slowly, trailing 24-14 in the second quarter, and though they tied it, SMU took a 38-24 lead with 8:25 left in the game.

Coach Dave Aranda needed this win to dismiss any concern about his job security. Baylor had expectations to win the Big 12 heading into the season, and starting 0-2 in non-conference play would have been a detriment to the team.

Yet Robertson guided the team to 14 unanswered points, as the Bears tied the game with under a minute left and later sent the game to overtime.

Both teams scored in the first overtime, but SMU senior kicker Collin Rogers missed a 38-yard field goal wide right, leading to redshirt freshman kicker Connor Hawkins hitting a 27-yard field goal to secure a massive double-overtime victory for the Bears.

Although Baylor’s defense looked suspect through the first two games, if Robertson can keep his play up, he’ll have the Bears in any game they play.

Coach Aranda and his club will return home to host Samford in a tune-up game before the start of conference play.

7. BYU (2-0) - Last Week: 7

BYU’s defense is absolutely locked in to begin 2025.

After shutting out Portland State to begin the season, the Cougars only allowed a field goal in their win over Stanford, as the Cardinals only gained 19 yards rushing on 24 carries.

BYU only allowed 161 total yards of offense, after allowing 51 yards to Portland State, and Stanford was 2/13 on third downs.

The only question for BYU is its offense, more specifically, its passing game. Freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier didn’t turn the ball over, but the productivity wasn’t there either, as he finished the game with a 25.2 quarterback rating.

Coach Kalani Sitake knows his defense is one of the best in the Big 12, but Bachmeier is going to need to make some plays with his arm if the Cougars want to compete in the Big 12 this season.

BYU enters a bye week, hoping to improve its production in the passing game before finishing non-conference play against East Carolina.

8. Kansas (2-1) - Last Week: 6

In a rivalry game that was renewed for the first time in 14 years, Kansas came up just short.

The Jayhawks played the Missouri Tigers, a team with which Kansas had a yearly matchup until 2012, when Missouri transitioned from the Big 12 to the SEC. The two teams rematch in Kansas in 2026, then play again in 2031 and 2032.

Coach Lance Leipold’s squad proved that their team this year is a much-improved team from 2024, but the Jayhawks ultimately fell short, partially due to a lack of running game, as redshirt senior quarterback Jalon Daniels led the team in rushing with 17 yards.

Missouri dominated the stat sheet, gaining 595 yards of offense, holding the ball for 40:27 of game time, and converting 10 of 19 third-down attempts, yet trailed 21-6 after the first quarter. 

Kansas had one takeaway, a fumble returned for a touchdown by freshman cornerback Austin Alexander in the first quarter.

Missouri led 35-31 late in the game, and the Jayhawks had a chance to take the lead. Yet, a dropped pass by Daniels to senior wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. forced Kansas to punt, and Missouri sealed the game with a 63-yard touchdown run by redshirt sophomore running back Jamal Roberts.

Despite the loss, the Jayhawks fought toe-to-toe with an SEC team that entered the Top 25 following the game.

Kansas has a bye this week before beginning conference play against West Virginia.

9. Cincinnati (1-1) - Last Week: 11

After a week where the passing game was non-existent, the Bearcats got the exact opposite in a win over Bowling Green.

Redshirt junior quarterback Brendan Sorsby, following his performance against Nebraska, where he had only 69 yards passing, had 333 yards and three touchdowns and averaged 13.9 yards per attempt.

It was the end of a six-game losing streak, dating back to last season, as Cincinnati had its whiteout game in front of 35,421 people.

If there is a concern for the Bearcats, it’s how Bowling Green outdid them in time of possession by 15 minutes and had more first downs, but Cincinnati ultimately produced more on offense, outgaining the Falcons 439-372.

Cincinnati hosts Northwestern State on Saturday before entering Big 12 play.

10. Colorado (1-1) - Last Week: 12

Colorado’s quarterback situation may not be as predetermined as Coach Deion Sanders hoped for.

Senior quarterback Kaidon Salter started against Georgia Tech and Delaware, and although he hasn’t played terribly, he seems to have some work to do.

In the game against Delaware, Coach Sanders decided to play the game like an NFL preseason game, swapping his quarterbacks in and out. Salter played the first quarter, and freshman quarterback Julian Lewis played the second quarter.

However, the Buffaloes' most productive play came from redshirt sophomore quarterback Ryan Staub, who threw for 157 yards on just 10 attempts, giving them life on offense.

Staub sat behind former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in 2023 and 2024 and made the most of the opportunity he got.

Colorado won 31-7, and although Delaware’s sophomore quarterback Nick Minicucci threw for 312 yards, the Buffaloes forced three turnovers on the day, a pick and two fumble recoveries.

After the game and following a few days of deliberation, coach Sanders decided to have Staub as the starting quarterback, a somewhat surprising move, but he seems to be riding with the hot hand.

Colorado will open Big 12 play this Friday, as they head down to Houston to face the Cougars.

11. Arizona (2-0) - Last Week: 13

There was at least one team from Arizona that showed up this past Saturday.

Arizona hosted Weber State this past Saturday and continued its hot start to the season, particularly thanks to the play of redshirt junior quarterback Noah Fifita.

After an uneventful start in week 1, Fifita had the highest passer rating in his career in a game, finishing with a 294.7 rating, and he threw for 373 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 17 yards per attempt.

It was a nice bounce-back for Fifita following a quiet performance in week 1.

Coach Brent Brennan’s squad is 2-0 to begin 2025, but the vibes in Tucson feel much better compared to last season.

Arizona will stay home to host a free-falling Kansas State squad in the Battle of the Wildcats. Although this is a game between conference foes, it is not considered a conference game since it was scheduled before Arizona joined the Big 12. 

12. Kansas State (1-2) - Last Week: 9

It’s panic time in Manhattan, Kansas. The Wildcats entered 2025 as the No. 17 team in the country, but after three games, things are already looking dire for coach Chris Klieman’s squad.

Over the span of three weeks, Kansas State has lost to its rival, barely beaten FCS North Dakota at home, and suffered an upset loss in its home stadium against Army — a team that had lost to FCS Tarleton State in double overtime the week before.

It’s turned a season from high expectations to one where it feels like it’s almost over, even though conference play hasn’t begun.

In their loss to Army, the Wildcats converted just 2 of 9 third downs, turned the ball over twice, and held the ball for only 19:31 of game time. 

Kansas State has a chance to turn things around in a game against a conference opponent, albeit not a conference game, against Arizona.

Many people pointed to the Wildcats potentially having the Dublin curse, which is what Florida State experienced last season – following a 13-1 season, FSU opened the season in Ireland and went 2-10 on the year. 

Now, it feels like Kansas State is the next victim, and while it’s not a guarantee they’ll finish with that record, the season already feels like a letdown.

13. Houston (2-0) - Last Week: 14

Coach Willie Fritz’s squad hasn’t been talked about too much within the Big 12, but they are off to a solid start in 2025.

Houston is 2-0 to begin 2025 and has outscored its opponents 62-9, with its most recent win being a 35-9 victory on the road against in-state rival Rice.

Junior quarterback Connor Weigman has been efficient so far in his two starts with the team, as he threw for a touchdown and ran for one against the Owls.

The run game for the Cougars was a big part of their win, as senior running back Dean Connors, who previously played at Rice, rushed for 132 yards on just 13 carries and scored two touchdowns. The Cougars in total had 207 yards on the ground, averaging 5.6 yards per carry.

Houston will return home to open conference play, as Colorado comes to town. This is a chance for Fritz and the Cougars to make a statement in front of their home crowd this Friday.

14. West Virginia (1-1) - Last Week: 10

Reports circulated if West Virginia beat Ohio on the road, then College Gameday would’ve come to Morgantown for the Backyard Brawl against Pittsburgh. It would’ve been a great opportunity to shine a light on one of the best rivalries in all of College Football. 

Yet, at the end of the day, it became a mirage, as the Mountaineers were upset by the Bobcats 17-10.

The entire game felt like a waste for the Mountaineers, as they had multiple chances to strike, thanks to three interceptions thrown by graduate quarterback Parker Navarro on three consecutive drives. However, West Virginia couldn’t capitalize on numerous golden opportunities, as it went three-and-out on all three drives following the takeaways its defense generated.

Redshirt junior quarterback Nicco Marchiol struggled, posting a QBR of 27.4 on the day, and the run game aside from junior running back Jahiem White, who averaged 6.7 yards per carry and had a touchdown, but only got six carries on the day.

It’s a frustrating game for West Virginia fans, who wanted to return the relevance Coach Rich Rodriguez brought them when he coached the team from 2001 to 2007, but it feels like they are still in the same position they were when Neal Brown was their coach.

The Mountaineer host Pitt next week in the 108th edition of the Backyard Brawl. Coach Rodriguez seeks revenge, as the last time he coached against Pitt, the No. 2-ranked Mountaineers were upset by a 4-7 Pitt team in a game the Panthers were 28-point underdogs.

14. UCF (2-0) - Last Week: 16

Coach Scott Frost has now won 15 consecutive games as UCF’s head coach.

This dates back to their 2017 season, when the Knights won the Peach Bowl against Auburn.

Following a close win against Jacksonville State that raised some eyebrows, UCF secured a more comfortable victory against NC A&T.

Redshirt junior quarterback Tayven Jackson got the start after playing well in relief of redshirt senior quarterback Cam Fancher, who left the Jacksonville State game due to a back injury and was inactive for the NC A&T game.

Jackson threw for under 200 yards, but with a dominant run game that gained 356 yards, he didn’t need to do too much.

Redshirt senior running back Jaden Nixon had 156 yards on only four carries, with the longest being an 87-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

It was a dominant game for Frost’s club as they head into a week three bye week. The quarterback situation remains uncertain for now, so we’ll see if Frost goes with Jackson or Fancher before their week four game against North Carolina.

15. Oklahoma State (1-1) - Last Week: 15

What we saw in Eugene this past Saturday may have truly been the rock bottom of Mike Gundy’s tenure in Stillwater,

What could’ve gone wrong for the Cowboys did indeed go wrong. It didn’t help that redshirt freshman quarterback Hauss Henjy underwent surgery on his foot after being injured last week.

Redshirt freshman Zane Flores got the start, and it was clear he was not ready for the team and the environment he was facing, completing just 36.8% of his passes and throwing two pick-sixes back-to-back.

Oregon scored two touchdowns on its first three plays of the game and had a 41-3 lead by halftime.

Two years after making it to the Big 12 Championship Game, things could not have gone more wrong for Gundy, whose tenure at Oklahoma State could be over soon if he can’t get the ship in the right direction. 

Tulsa will be coming to town, and if the Cowboys can get a win here, it’ll give them just a bit of momentum before conference play begins.