Week 5 Big 12 College Football Power Rankings (2024)

Here’s a reminder on how I’ve done this for year or for those of you who are new at Heartland College Sports: It’s about how your team looked and how it played, not always about if your team won or lost. And last week’s rankings have little impact on this week’s. That’s what makes this fun. These are also not predictions for the way the season will end, just a Power Rankings based on the most recent performances.

1. Utah Utes (Last Week: 3)

The Utes went into Stillwater, where the Cowboys had the second-most home wins of any FBS program other than Alabama since 2020, and manhandled the Pokes most of the afternoon. Oh, and they did it with their true freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson. The final score doesn’t do this game justice. Utah has the most impressive win in the Big 12 thus far and deserves the top spot.

2. BYU Cougars (Last Week: 7)

If not for Utah’s win being on the road, BYU would have a strong case for having the most impressive Big 12 win of the season. BYU absolutely demolished Kansas State (last week’s #1 team) at home on Saturday night and continues to showcase one of the best defenses in the country and an improving offense. At 4-0, BYU is now the surprise of the Big 12.

3. UCF Knights (Last Week: 2)

UCF had a bye week after their thrilling comeback win against TCU in Week 3 to start Big 12 play. Now, they get set for Colorado who is coming off an incredible win themselves over Baylor. And UCF vs. Colorado will be the home for Big Noon Kickoff this Saturday.

4. Iowa State Cyclones (Last Week: 6)

Iowa State crushed Arkansas State coming off their bye week 52-7. The offense continues to come into its own led by Rocco Becht, while the defense is doing what it seems to do every season under Jon Heacock. The Cyclones are starting to get College Football Playoff love. But let’s get into Big 12 play first.

5. Kansas State Wildcats (Last Week: 1)

Kansas State shot itself in the foot with bad penalties and turnovers in Provo on Saturday. And even got owned on Special Teams. It was a very un-Kansas State like performance. They were going to slide down, but given they were on the road in a tough spot, we’re keeping them one spot ahead of the team below them.

6. Oklahoma State Cowboys (Last Week: 4)

Oklahoma State can’t find its running game with Ollie Gordon, who hasn’t rushed for more than 50 yards since the opener. Alan Bowman was pulled for Garrett Rangel, who was worse. The defense looks good, but the offense has absolutely no mojo. Now, they go to Manhattan in a battle between two teams that need to win this game to avoid an 0-2 start.

7. Texas Tech Red Raiders (Last Week: 15)

Texas Tech is 3-1. Yes. Texas Tech is 3-1. It’s not the prettiest 3-1 you’ll find, but does it really matter? I still have questions about the Red Raiders, but a 1-0 start in Big 12 play against a solid Arizona State program should please Tech fans. Also, it looks like the team is progressing each week, which is what Joey McGuire has been able to do during his Tech tenure.

8. Arizona State Sun Devils (Last Week: 5)

Arizona State may be coming back down to earth a bit after sneaking past Texas State with a win and then losing their first game in the Big 12 in Lubbock. Also, their first two wins over Wyoming and Mississippi State don’t look as impressive, since both those teams appear to be terrible. But the Sun Devils are going to be a thorn in the side of many Big 12 teams this fall.

9. Colorado Buffaloes (Last Week: 13)

Well, it took a miracle, but Colorado beat Baylor on Saturday night and won its first Power 4 game since October 7th, 2023. They needed a Hail Mary at the end of the fourth quarter and then got a big defensive play to seal the win, but for CU, this is a huge confidence boost heading into Big 12 play.

10. West Virginia Mountaineers (Last Week: 10)

Boy did Neal Brown need that win. One week after blowing a double-digit lead, West Virginia returned the favor in the fourth quarter against Kansas. So WVU is 2-2 overall and 1-0 in Big 12 Conference play, and while there are still questions, this comeback win takes the heat off Brown for, well, at least another week?

11. Baylor Bears (Last Week: 9)

Baylor was thisclose to being 1-0 in Big 12 play. Instead, they gave up a 50-yard Hail Mary bomb from Shedeur Sanders as time expired and lost the game in overtime vs. the Buffaloes. That one hurts as much as a loss can hurt. Baylor hosts BYU this weekend and it will be an incredible test to see how Dave Aranda gets his guys to bounce back.

12. Cincinnati Bearcats (Last Week: 14)

Cincinnati has matched its win total from 2023 after blasting Houston on Saturday. The offense is looking sharper than it ever did last season, which has been a welcomed sight for Bearcats fans. Cinci gets its biggest test of the season on the road against Texas Tech in Lubbock this weekend.

13. Arizona Wildcats (Last week: 12)

Arizona had a week off following their loss against Kansas State in Week 3. The Wildcats are 2-1, but start Big 12 play this weekend against Utah. The Wildcats need to figure out the trenches if they are going to compete in this game on Saturday night.

14. TCU Horned Frogs (Last Week: 8)

Wow, what a mess in Fort Worth. TCU blew a 21-point lead last week vs. UCF, and then they give up 66 to SMU in as ugly a performance as you’ll see. They were down 17-0 in a heartbeat with two massive blunders, had five turnovers, well over 100 yards in penalties, oh and their head coach got ejected from the game. Yikes.

15. Kansas Jayhawks (Last week: 16)

Kansas has held leads against Illinois, UNLV and then against West Virginia. They lost every single game. This despite having at least an 80% in-game odds chance of winning each game at one point. That’s not just a Jalon Daniels issue, that’s also on the coaching staff.

16. Houston Cougars (Last Week: 11)

I mean, when you get shut out like Houston did on Saturday, you slide, and you slide far. UH has a lot of work to do. But I firmly believe Willie Fritz is the guy for the job. It’s just going to take some time.