With a pair of conference matchups set for Week 3, here are Traver Cox's Big 12 power rankings as of Friday, Sept. 18.

1. Texas Tech (2-0)

Previous ranking: 1

Despite taking care of business in the first two weeks, Texas Tech hasn’t been impressive, even squeaking by unranked Oregon State (0-2) last week in a game that was tied entering the fourth quarter.

Additionally, the quarterback situation continues to get weirder, as fifth-year transfer Tommy Castellanos has carved out at least some sort of role in the offense. Returner Will Hammond has looked serviceable at best and has certainly not elevated the Red Raiders.

Furthermore, the defense, which was thought to be the main strength of the team, did not look great. They surrendered 472 yards of total offense to Oregon State.

With all this being said, I will not be moving the Red Raiders from the number one spot. Despite looking relatively shaky the first two weeks, the talent on the roster should eventually reign supreme in the Big 12. 

2. BYU (2-0, 1-0 Big 12)

Previous ranking: 2

BYU has checked every box so far through two weeks, even defeating a conference foe in Arizona (1-1) last week, 28-17.

After a slow start at home for the Cougars, where they fell behind 17-14 heading into halftime, sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier and company dominated the Wildcats in the second half on both sides of the ball. Bachmeier scored four touchdowns on his own, one through the ground and three through the air.

BYU has undeniably looked awesome so far, but I am not ready to move them above Texas Tech until they can prove they belong when the two teams match up. Despite BYU’s success last year, they lost to Texas Tech twice.

BYU’s trenches seemed solidly outmatched in those matchups last year, and until I see them compete with an elite team in this facet of the game, I cannot give them the No. 1 spot. The Cougars have the chance to do just that as they are playing host to Notre Dame in Week 7.

3. Utah (2-0)

Previous ranking: 4

Despite a coaching change, the Utes are operating at the same level as the nation has become accustomed to over the last two decades.

Utah absolutely throttled Arkansas (1-1) over the weekend, posting 441 yards of offense in a 43-10 victory. Senior quarterback Devon Dampier cemented himself in the Heisman race, recording 310 total yards and four touchdowns.

The defense for the Utes also looked stellar against the Razorbacks, answering some questions about the unit following top players transferring to follow former coach Kyle Whittingham.

Utah garnered a lot of media attention following the use of two-quarterback plays against Arkansas, certainly providing some of the best highlights of the season so far.

Overall, the Utes should definitely be poised to be a contender in the conference once again, and seemed to have barely missed a step despite staff shake-up and uncertainty. I firmly believe that Utah has among the highest ceilings in the entire country. Consistency will be the key for the Utes to be on the right side of playoff discussions, unlike last year where they were one of the first teams out.

4. Houston (2-0) 

Previous ranking: 3

Willie Fritz’s squad has mostly looked the part thus far, though their only two games have come against the aforementioned Oregon State (0-2) and an FCS school. The game against Oregon State in Week 1 was certainly not pretty, as Houston gave up 376 yards through the air to the Beavers.

The Cougars will have a lot to clean up defensively before their highly anticipated matchup this Friday. Houston has the ultimate chance to put the country on notice and prove they are a true conference contender Friday, when they head to Lubbock, Texas, to face Texas Tech.

Senior wide receiver Amare Thomas has looked like one of the best receivers in the country so far despite only posting three catches for 29 yards and one touchdown against FCS opponent Southern. The offense for Houston has looked very solid thus far despite a slow start versus Oregon State, though the unit remains untested.

Houston certainly has a lot to clean up if they want to beat the Red Raiders, although I expect the game to be a close contest throughout.

5. Kansas State (2-0) 

Previous ranking: 6

The Wildcats disposed of inferior opponents in the first two weeks in impressive fashion. Kansas State took on Washington State (0-2) at home last weekend, where they thrashed the Cougars 34-7.

Everything that made Kansas State an appealing team in the pre-season seems to be clicking through two weeks. Not only did the Wildcats rack up 487 yards of offense against Washington State, but they also only allowed 166 total yards on defense.

Despite turning the ball over twice against the Cougars, senior quarterback Avery Johnson has looked much better this year under new head coach Collin Klein.

I expect the Wildcats’ offense to continue to produce fireworks, and if the defense continues to look as sharp as it has up until now, Kansas State could insert themselves as a dark horse in the conference.

Kansas State faces Tulane (1-1) at home this weekend, where they should take care of business. The Green Wave are not operating at their typically high level following the loss of coach Jon Sumrall in the offseason, so the Wildcats have a great opportunity to move to 3-0 to start the season.

6. Arizona State (1-1) 

Previous ranking: 5

Although the Sun Devils suffered a seemingly crushing defeat, the team proved they can somewhat hang with elite company as they only trailed by four points entering the fourth quarter in their 48-20 loss at Texas A&M (2-0).

The offensive line was nothing short of worrying against the Aggies, completely crumbling along with Boley in the last frame. Texas A&M had a few crucial pressures down the stretch, with one even leading to a pick-six.

Despite the struggles, the Sun Devils still had their top-end talent on display. Junior wide receiver Reed Harris tallied nine catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns last weekend, proving that he is among the best at his position in the entire country.

Although ASU struggled last weekend, most of the team’s goals remain in front of them and achievable. The Sun Devils have a big test in London against Kansas this Saturday, where they have a chance to start conference play on the right foot.

7. Oklahoma State (1-1) 

Previous ranking: 7

The Cowboys shocked the nation on Saturday when they took out No. 6 Oregon (1-1) 39-31 in a thriller.

Quarterback Drew Mestemaker put on a show, proving to the nation that he was perhaps worthy of the hype he garnered in the offseason. The explosive offense posted a whopping 554 yards against the Ducks, sophomore quarterback Drew Mestemaker racking up 416 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Oklahoma State certainly still showcased some of the defensive flaws I expected to be present in the preseason against Oregon, but the unit was just good enough. If the defense can simply be an average unit, the Cowboys could certainly achieve a lot, especially in such a chaotic conference.

While last weekend was the best moment for Oklahoma State football in years, their Week 1 loss cannot be ignored. Eric Morris’ squad lost to rival Tulsa (2-0) and the Cowboys looked awful, only posting 10 points in a 24-10 loss.

Consistency will be the key if Oklahoma State wants to be near the top of the standings come January. They simply looked like a different team in Week 2, which is a testament to just how unpredictable college football tends to be.

 8. Arizona (1-1, 0-1 Big 12)

Previous ranking: 8

Arizona had a chance to shock the conference and take out BYU last weekend, although they ultimately fell short due to offensive struggles.

 While the Wildcats certainly have a talented roster, I question what their ceiling truly is, especially with the way their offensive and defensive lines performed in Provo, Utah.

Senior quarterback Noah Fifita is a good player, but I don’t believe he raises Arizona’s ceiling. He requires better infrastructure around him in order to succeed like we saw last year and in 2023.

The Wildcats have an easy matchup at home this week against Northern Illinois (0-2), where they should get back on track heading into the thick of conference play.

With four of the top five teams in this ranking on Arizona’s schedule (including BYU), they should take a step back this year, especially in the win total department. I don’t expect the Wildcats to get close to double-digit wins this year with the gauntlet they face.

Overall, Arizona is a very solid football team, and in other years may be able to compete for the conference, though I believe their shortcomings will hold them back from replicating what they did last year.

9. Colorado (2-0) 

Previous ranking: 12

The Buffaloes have gotten off to an ideal start to the season, taking out a good Georgia Tech (0-2) team on the road in week one, despite how ugly it was at times.

The main thing that intrigues me about Colorado is just how dominant their trenches have looked thus far. Colorado racked up 189 rushing yards against Georgia Tech, who was widely thought to be a team to watch in the ACC.

The defense also shined in Atlanta, only allowing 1.7 yards per carry.

The Buffaloes are a team that has quickly faded from national prominence after a disastrous 2025 campaign, but I believe this version of Colorado is different. They are an incredibly scrappy team that seems to be physically imposing, generally dominating the line of scrimmage through two weeks.

If sophomore quarterback Julian Lewis can begin to show improvement, the Buffs could easily be going bowling this year and right back on track to becoming a respected program nationally once again.

10. Baylor (1-1) 

Previous ranking: 10

Baylor has not been particularly impressive so far in the young season, even though they played a very tight game against Auburn (2-0). In that game, the Bears attempted a 2-point conversion in the final seconds that came up half a yard short, resulting in a 17-16 loss in Week 1.

 The main question I had about the Bears entering the year was the defense, and to their credit, they have looked the part through two weeks. In Week 1, Baylor’s defense managed to come up with three interceptions, along with limiting the Tigers’ rushing offense to 3.2 yards per carry.

 Junior transfer quarterback DJ Lagway continues to be an enigma. He made some incredibly high-level throws against Auburn, but often struggled to make the simple ones. It should be noted that he was playing through injury during Week 1, making his performance a bit more impressive. If he can return to decent health, there is a real chance Baylor can bounce back.

Overall, I don’t think the offense will have a problem in conference play against most teams, but the defense needs to continue to play at the level they have this year if they want to reach their season goals and head coach Dave Aranda wants to keep his job.

11. TCU (1-1) 

Previous ranking: 9

Despite the Horned Frogs’ taking care of FCS opponent Grambling State last weekend, I find it difficult to get the image of the game against North Carolina (2-0) out of my head, where TCU posted a mere 10 points in the 15-10 Week 0 loss.

The general strength of the Horned Frogs under Sonny Dykes has been offense, so the team certainly needs to get back on track on that side of the ball.

TCU doesn’t play a tough opponent until Week 5 when they play BYU. If the team can get their feet back under them during this upcoming two-game stretch, they could easily bounce back.

The Horned Frogs certainly haven’t gotten off to the start they expected to, but it’s so early in the season that they could easily turn it around. I still believe in the offense they run and think they should be a competitive team all year.

12. Cincinnati (2-0) 

Previous ranking: 13

The Bearcats have looked solid throughout the first two weeks, although these performances have not altered my overall outlook for their season. Cincinnati took care of business in week two against an FCS opponent, but their more impressive win was over Boston College (1-1) in Week 1.

The Bearcats seem to have something truly flowing on offense, especially in the rushing department. Cincinnati ran rampant over the Eagles, posting 254 rushing yards in Week 1, followed by 418 rushing yards in their Week 2 game. The rushing offense with transfer quarterback JC French IV definitely seems to be something the Bearcats can build on throughout the season.

Despite taking care of business defensively in the first two weeks, I still believe the unit will be below average in the Big 12 and likely end up holding the team back overall. Cincinnati managed to stop Boston College on 10 of their 13 third-down attempts. This unit has shown promise, but needs to continue to do so in order to solidify their status as a good defense.

The Bearcats have shown some promise, but I still believe they’ll struggle to achieve the six wins needed for bowl eligibility. Scott Satterfield is a name to watch on the hot seat as well if conference play goes poorly for his squad.

13. Kansas (1-1) 

Previous ranking: 11

Although the game remained close for a couple of quarters in a rivalry matchup with No. 23 Missouri (2-0), offense was tough to come by as the Jayhawks turned the ball over three times, all three turnovers coming from sophomore quarterback Isaiah Marshall.

The Jayhawks showed a clear lack of talent in the secondary as well, allowing senior quarterback Austin Simmons to throw for 299 yards and three touchdowns. The defense started the game relatively well, allowing 14 points in the first half, but they allowed 24 in the second half in the 38-21 loss.

It seems like the Jayhawks may struggle for bowl eligibility once again this year. They have a chance to turn over a new leaf when conference play begins against Arizona State in London this upcoming Saturday.

I’ve generally been a believer in Lance Leipold and what he’s building at Kansas, but it seems like his seat may start to warm if the lackluster years continue to pile up.

14. Iowa State (1-1)

Previous ranking: 15

Last weekend, the Cyclones put forth a terrific effort against Iowa, losing a nail-biter to their bitter rivals on the road 16-13.

The Cyclones certainly showed a lot of life in the Cy-Hawk showdown, but I still question their ability to move the ball. Iowa does have a terrific defense annually, but Iowa State’s passing offense has been poor through the first two weeks.

The Cyclones even mildly struggled offensively against their FCS opponent in Week 1, where they barely eclipsed 300 yards of offense. The offense simply needs to be better for the Cyclones to win multiple conference games, and that seems unlikely.

I believe Iowa State will be a more competitive team than I originally thought they would be before the season. Despite this, I think they will be fighting to make it to a bowl game, and probably struggle throughout the majority of conference play.

Iowa State takes on Bowling Green (0-2) this weekend, who lost to an FCS team to open the year. The most interesting part of this season for the Cyclones may be whether Jimmy Rogers is truly their head coach for the future.

15. UCF (1-1) 

Previous ranking: 14

After posting an absurd 73 points in week one versus an FCS opponent, the Knights came back down to earth quickly in Week 2, where they lost on the road to Pittsburgh (2-0) 12-7.

Although senior quarterback Alonza Barnett III hasn’t been bad to start the season, it’s clear that he will struggle to elevate the lackluster roster that surrounds him.

The trench play for UCF was clearly outmatched on Saturday against the Panthers. The Knights only managed to post a meager 20 yards on the ground, and their air attack was not very efficient either, only turning in nine first downs in total.

There was certainly some good for the Knights’ defense against Pitt, as they only allowed 12 points and managed to prevent the Panthers from converting on 13 of their 18 third-down attempts.

I just believe the roster Scott Frost has built is simply not good enough to compete against most teams in the Big 12, despite a few good players sprinkled around the roster. UCF will likely once again struggle to surpass four wins as Scott Frost’s seat continues to get hotter and the magical 2017 run under Frost becomes more of a relic of the past.

16. West Virginia (2-0) 

Previous ranking: 16

The Mountaineers are off to a relatively strong start to the young season, although neither of their wins has been remarkable. So far, West Virginia played in a contested battle in Week 1 against Coastal Carolina (1-1), and routed UT Martin in Week 2.

Although the Mountaineers are at the bottom of this ranking, they’ve certainly had a positive start to the year, especially offensively.

To be more specific, West Virginia’s rushing offense has looked great through two weeks. Senior transfer running back Cam Cook has picked up right where he left off at Jacksonville State last year, where he led the entire FBS in rushing yards. Cook's talent, paired with the speed and running ability of quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., certainly makes for an interesting backfield at the very least.

I’m still not convinced that the Mountaineers’ defense will be competent this year, as they showed cracks even against Coastal Carolina in Week 1, allowing 435 yards in a 31-24 win. If the Mountaineers’ defense can play at a competent level, maybe they could make a bowl game, but even that seems unlikely at the moment.

I'm not bought into the vision for the program under head coach Rich Rodriguez in general. They haven’t looked great through the first two weeks of the season, and I do not foresee that changing as they play Virginia this weekend. West Virginia should be a bottom-feeder in the conference, similar to in recent years.