A lot has unfolded in the Big 12 this season, but one thing has remained consistent: Texas Tech continues to look like the powerhouse it was expected to be.

The Red Raiders extended that momentum Saturday with a 42-17 win over Kansas in their annual blackout game at Jones AT&T Stadium.

It wasn’t the cleanest performance for head coach Joey McGuire’s squad. Senior quarterback Behren Morton exited with an ankle injury, and freshman Will Hammond struggled to find a rhythm in relief.

Still, sophomore running back Cameron Dickey carried the load, rushing for 263 yards and two touchdowns. Texas Tech finished with 505 total yards, with 373 on the ground, while its defense held the Jayhawks in check, illustrating their multifaceted strength. 

Looking ahead, the Red Raiders will face their toughest test since the Utah game when they travel to Arizona State on Saturday. 

The Sun Devils are unranked but remain a dangerous team when healthy. A win in Tempe would put Texas Tech in prime position for a spot in the Big 12 championship game.

2. Utah (5-1) - Last Week: 4

Other than their week four loss to Texas Tech, the Utah Utes have been one of the Big 12’s most consistent teams.

That trend continued Saturday with a dominant 42-10 win over No. 21 Arizona State at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Utah controlled the game on the ground, rushing for 276 yards. Junior quarterback Devon Dampier led the way with 120 yards on just 10 carries and three touchdowns.

Some fans may point out that Arizona State played without sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt, but Utah’s dominance likely would have made the difference regardless. The win propelled the Utes back into the Top 25 for the first time since Week 4, prior to their loss to the Red Raiders.

Up next for Utah is its biggest game of the season: The Holy War against rival No. 15 BYU.

Last season, the Utes suffered a heartbreaking 20-19 loss to the Cougars on a last-second field goal. The game was marked by controversy after a late holding call on Utah negated a turnover on downs that would have sealed the win.

This year’s matchup marks the first time since 2009 that both teams will enter the rivalry game ranked. In that meeting, No. 18 BYU defeated No. 22 Utah 26-23 in overtime.

3. BYU (6-0) - Last Week: 2

The good news for BYU is that it is 6-0 and bowl eligible for the second straight season.

The bad news? It’s still unclear whether the Cougars are a true contender in the Big 12.

BYU survived a scare in Tucson on Saturday, edging Arizona 33-27 in double overtime.

Freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier struggled against the Wildcats’ defense, completing just 12 of 29 passes and throwing two interceptions. But junior running back LJ Martin carried the load, rushing 25 times for 162 yards and a touchdown.

Junior wide receiver Parker Kingston was also a bright spot, finishing with 117 of BYU’s 172 receiving yards.

Despite their perfect record, the Cougars have yet to record a win over a ranked opponent, leaving some skeptical about how they stack up against the conference’s elite.

That question may be answered this weekend, when BYU hosts No. 23 Utah in the Holy War. The in-state rivalry game is expected to be the Cougars’ biggest test of the season, and a true measure of what coach Kalani Sitake’s team is made of.

4. Cincinnati (5-1) - Last Week: 5

It wasn’t the prettiest win, but Cincinnati matched its 2024 win total with a 20-11 victory over UCF on Saturday.

The Bearcats posted their lowest offensive output since their week one loss to Nebraska, managing just 306 total yards and 20 points.

Fortunately for coach Scott Satterfield’s squad, the defense carried the day. While UCF found some success on the ground, senior quarterback Cam Fancher struggled to generate much in the passing game.

The win marked Cincinnati’s fifth straight, which is its longest winning streak since 2021, and pushed the Bearcats into the Top 25 for the first time since 2022. Ranked No. 24, it’s also the program’s first appearance in the poll since joining the Big 12.

Cincinnati will look to secure its first bowl-eligible season since 2022 when it travels to Oklahoma State on Saturday. Though the Cowboys have struggled in conference play, the Bearcats will need to stay focused to avoid a potential trap game.

5. Arizona State (4-2) - Last Week: 2

Last Saturday was a game many Arizona State fans would rather forget.

There was optimism heading into the matchup at Utah, but that faded quickly after news broke that sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt would miss the game with an undisclosed injury.

Senior quarterback Jeff Sims got the start and the results were as expected. Sims completed fewer than half of his passes and averaged just 3.3 yards per attempt as the Sun Devils fell 42-10 to the Utes.

Now, all eyes are on Leavitt’s status for Saturday’s home game against No. 7 Texas Tech. Coach Kenny Dillingham said Wednesday that he “feels good” about where Leavitt is in his recovery, but his availability remains uncertain.

Saturday’s matchup marks the biggest game of the season for Arizona State. The Sun Devils believe they can compete with the conference’s top teams, and with Leavitt potentially returning, they could play spoiler.

With the way the season has unfolded, ASU may need to win out to keep its Big 12 championship hopes alive.

6. TCU (4-2) - Last Week: 6

It’s been a rough three-game stretch for coach Sonny Dykes and the TCU Horned Frogs.

When Big 12 play began in week five, TCU was 3-0 and viewed as a potential dark horse in the conference race. But after blowing a 17-point lead to Arizona State and suffering an upset loss at Kansas State, the Horned Frogs have dropped two of their last three and look to be searching for answers.

Junior quarterback Josh Hoover put up big numbers in last week’s loss, throwing for 376 yards and three touchdowns, but much of that production came with the game out of reach. Kansas State also had two interceptions off of Hoover. 

Senior wide receiver Eric McCalister had another strong outing, recording 156 yards on just four receptions, though like Hoover, most of the production came late.

TCU returns home Saturday to face in-state rival Baylor in a critical matchup. Beyond the bragging rights, a loss could effectively end the Horned Frogs’ hopes of contending for the Big 12 title.

7. Baylor (4-2) - Last Week: 9

Watching Baylor this season has been a frustrating experience for many fans.

The Bears entered 2025 with high expectations and hopes of contending in the Big 12. While the offense, led by senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson, has delivered explosive performances, the defense has been a major disappointment.

Opponents such as Auburn, Oklahoma State, and Kansas State have moved the ball with ease against Baylor. As a result, even with a 4-2 record and plenty of football left, the season hasn’t met the lofty expectations set in the offseason.

Coach Dave Aranda’s squad closed the 2024 campaign with six straight conference wins, fueling optimism heading into this year. But despite Robertson’s stellar play, the Bears will need more complete efforts on both sides of the ball to live up to that potential.

Baylor will stay in Texas this week for a road matchup with in-state rival TCU. The Bears edged the Horned Frogs 37-34 in Waco last season and will look to repeat that result in Fort Worth.

8. Kansas (4-3) - Last Week: 8

Another loss went on the board for coach Lance Leipold and Kansas last week, though facing the top team in the Big 12 made the result far from surprising.

The Jayhawks fell behind 21-0 early before mounting a brief comeback to trail 21-17 at halftime. But Texas Tech, even without its starting quarterback for most of the game, leaned heavily on its rushing attack to pull away for the win.

Senior quarterback Jalon Daniels posted solid numbers, throwing for 228 yards and two touchdowns, most of the stats came during the second quarter. 

However, Kansas struggled to establish a running game, finishing with limited production on the ground. Daniels, typically a dual-threat, was held to negative eight rushing yards.

The Jayhawks now head into their second and final bye week of the season before returning home to face in-state rival Kansas State. Kansas hasn’t beaten the Wildcats since 2008.

9. Kansas State (3-4) - Last Week: 13

It might sound like a stretch to rank them this high given the record, but Kansas State appears to have turned a corner after a rough start to the season.

The Wildcats, who opened the year ranked No. 17, barely escaped FCS North Dakota in their opener and followed that with a loss to Army, which prompted questions about what had gone wrong. Expectations were low entering Big 12 play, but the past few weeks have brought a noticeable shift.

Kansas State has won two of its last three games, including a 41-28 home victory over TCU that was more lopsided than the final score suggested. Junior quarterback Avery Johnson looked rejuvenated, throwing for three touchdowns, while sophomore running back Joe Jackson, who started in place of junior Dylan Edwards, rushed for 110 yards on 27 carries.

Coach Chris Klieman has engineered a midseason resurgence, even if the Wildcats may not reach their preseason goals.

Kansas State will head into its bye week before the 123rd edition of the Sunflower Showdown against Kansas, where it will look to extend its winning streak in the rivalry to 17 games.

10. Houston (5-1) - Last Week: 11

Houston delivered a strong bounce-back performance Saturday, cruising to a 39-17 win over Oklahoma State after last week’s blowout loss to Texas Tech.

The Cougars were firing on all cylinders, with an explosive offense and a stifling defense leading to one of their most complete games of the season under coach Willie Fritz.

Junior quarterback Connor Weigman, benched in the previous game, responded in impressive fashion. He threw for 306 yards, averaged 10.2 yards per attempt, and accounted for three touchdowns. 

Junior wide receiver Amare Thomas posted a breakout performance, hauling in seven catches for 157 yards. Senior running back Dean Conners added 83 rushing yards, averaging 5.5 yards per carry.

Defensively, Houston limited the Cowboys to just 84 passing yards. Senior defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr. recorded an interception, while senior linebacker Jalen Garner tallied two sacks — the Cougars’ only sacks of the game.

With the win, Houston improved to 5-1, surpassing its 2024 win total and moving within one victory of its first bowl appearance since 2022.

The Cougars will return home Saturday for an 11 a.m. Central kickoff against Arizona.

11. Arizona (4-2) - Last Week: 10

Arizona’s bid for its first ranked home win since 2023 fell short Saturday, as the Wildcats lost a double-overtime thriller to No. 18 BYU, 33-27, at Arizona Stadium.

The Wildcats battled back after an early 14-0 deficit in the first quarter and scored before a weather delay halted play. Despite the momentum shift, Arizona couldn’t complete the comeback, with an incomplete pass on fourth down ending the game in the second overtime period.

Junior running back Kedrick Reescano led the Wildcats’ rushing attack with 90 yards on 13 carries. Senior running back Ismail Mahdi, who got the start, was limited to 21 yards on seven attempts against a strong BYU front.

Junior quarterback Noah Fifita once again showed flashes of promise but struggled with consistency, completing 45 passes for 219 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Arizona totaled 383 yards of offense but converted just four of 17 third-down attempts, which was a key factor in the loss.

Despite the defeat, Arizona showed noticeable improvement from last season, giving fans optimism moving forward. The Wildcats will look to bounce back with an early kickoff Saturday against Houston.

12. Iowa State (5-2) - Last Week: 7

It may be panic time for coach Matt Campbell and the Iowa State Cyclones.

At 5-2, the record looks solid on paper, but the team’s recent performances have raised concerns. A loss to No. 24 Cincinnati was understandable, but last week’s defeat to Colorado left many questioning whether the Cyclones are legitimate Big 12 contenders.

Iowa State moved the ball effectively against the Buffaloes, totaling 441 yards of offense, but struggled badly on third down, converting just two of 12 attempts. 

Junior quarterback Rocco Becht had one of his worst outings of the season, throwing for 205 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. The loss of top receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to the NFL appears to have taken a toll on the passing game.

Junior running back Amu Samu III was a bright spot, rushing for 177 yards on 24 carries while filling in for the injured junior running back Carson Hansen. 

But defensive injuries proved costly, as Colorado senior quarterback Kaidon Salter exploited the secondary, sealing the win with a 38-yard strike on 3rd-and-16 late in the game.

The Cyclones head into their second bye week before a critical stretch featuring home matchups against No. 15 BYU and Arizona State. If Iowa State hopes to return to the Big 12 Championship Game, there’s little margin for error the rest of the way.

13. Colorado (3-4) - Last Week: 13

It might seem harsh to keep Colorado from moving up after its latest win, but the game may have revealed more about its opponent than the Buffaloes themselves.

Still, it was a solid performance for coach Deion Sanders’ squad, and fans stormed the field to celebrate a ranked victory.

Senior quarterback Kaidon Salter bounced back with an efficient outing, throwing for 255 yards and two touchdowns while adding 57 yards on the ground. 

Sophomore wide receiver Joseph Williams was the star of the day, finishing with eight receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown, including a 38-yard grab on 3rd-and-16 to seal the win.

Junior wide receiver Omarion Miller also made an impact, catching three passes for 82 yards and a touchdown, highlighted by a 70-yard scoring strike from Salter that gave Colorado a 14-10 lead in the third quarter.

While the season has been somewhat disappointing for Buffaloes fans, and with Sanders managing ongoing health issues, victories like this provide a much-needed boost of confidence for the program, even if it remains a step behind the Big 12’s top teams.

Colorado will head into its bye week before traveling to Salt Lake City to face No. 23 Utah.

14. UCF (3-3) - Last Week: 14

UCF’s defense proved it could rise to the challenge against one of the Big 12’s top offenses, shutting down Cincinnati for much of the game. Unfortunately for the Knights, their offense couldn’t match that effort.

UCF failed to reach the end zone until the final minutes of the game, squandering what was otherwise a strong defensive performance in a 20-11 loss.

Senior quarterback Cam Fancher made his first start since Week 1 against Jacksonville State and was effective on the ground, rushing for 108 yards and a touchdown. His passing, however, struggled to keep pace, he completed 49 attempts for just 222 yards, averaging 4.5 yards per pass.

Coach Scott Frost’s team has now dropped three straight games after a 3-0 start and remains winless in conference play.

The Knights will look to turn things around Saturday when they host a struggling West Virginia team at the Bounce House.

15. West Virginia (2-4) - Last Week: 15

West Virginia spent last week on a bye, hoping to regroup after what has been a disastrous start to Big 12 play.

Since defeating Pitt 31-24 in the Backyard Brawl, the Mountaineers have dropped three straight conference games by a combined 79 points. Their most recent loss, which was a 38-24 defeat to No. 23 BYU, was more lopsided than the final score suggested.

The offense has struggled to find rhythm amid a revolving door at quarterback, while the defense has been repeatedly exposed by opposing offenses. It’s been a frustrating season for coach Rich Rodriguez’s team, one many Mountaineer fans will want to move on from once it’s over.

West Virginia will look to snap its losing streak Saturday when it travels to UCF. With a difficult schedule ahead, this matchup may represent the Mountaineers’ best chance at securing their first conference win of the season.

16. Oklahoma State (1-5) - Last Week: 16

The high point of Oklahoma State’s season came on its first two drives, when freshman quarterback Hauss Hejny led the Cowboys to a pair of touchdown marches.

Then Hejny fractured his foot. Everything since has unraveled.

Oklahoma State dropped its fifth straight game last week, falling 39-17 at home to Houston. Freshman quarterback Zane Flores missed the game with an injury, forcing senior quarterback Sam Jackson V into the starting role, a position he hadn’t held since his early college days.

Jackson’s college journey has been unique. After two seasons at TCU, he transferred to California in 2023, then to Auburn in 2024, where he switched to wide receiver and caught just two passes. 

He transferred again in 2025 to Oklahoma State, moving back to quarterback and beginning the year as the third-string option before injuries pushed him into action.

Against Houston, Jackson threw for just 84 yards and was intercepted once. Freshman running back Rodney Fields Jr. provided most of the offensive spark, rushing for 44 yards and adding 63 yards on two receptions.

The loss was largely forgettable, so much so that one of the day’s most notable moments came when students in the stands took off their shirts and waved them in mock celebration.

Oklahoma State will stay home this week still searching for its first conference win since 2023, hosting No. 24 Cincinnati on Saturday.