The 2024 college football season is underway and the Big 12 starts a new era with 16 teams in the conference. Week 2 had a loaded schedule for the Big 12, with several teams taking on fellow Power 4 teams. So now that we are two weeks in, let’s take a look at the Big 12 Power Rankings.
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. Kansas State Wildcats (Last Week: 6)
For a third-straight week, there is a new No. 1 in the Power Rankings after Kansas State demolished Arizona in a non-conference Big 12 game on Friday night in Manhattan. KSU outrushed Arizona 235-56 and dominated in the trenches. Plus, Kansas State’s road win over Tulane looks better after the Green Wave had Oklahoma in a one-score game in the fourth quarter in Week 3.
2. UCF Knights (Last Week: 8)
The Knights keep moving up after a very solid road win over TCU where they had to come back from three scores down to win the game. UCF’s rushing attack wore down the Horned Frogs as the game went along. UCF is going to be trouble for every team in the league. And if KJ Jefferson improves passing, watch out Arlington.
3. Utah Utes (Last Week: 2)
Utah found itself in a hole early against Utah State, but dug out with Isaac Wilson leading the way at quarterback without Cam Rising playing. I am moving them down one slot just because of the uncertainty around the quarterback position. This team is still in position to compete atop the Big 12, but they need Rising back ASAP.
4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (Last Week: 3)
The Cowboys put the hammer down on Tulsa this weekend after a nail biter vs. Arkansas last week. The Razorbacks didn’t exactly light it up vs. UAB this weekend, which is notable and part of why I moved OSU down a slot. But this ranking is more of a reflection of what the teams above them have done, rather than what Oklahoma State has done.
5. Arizona State Sun Devils (Last Week: 1)
Arizona State is 3-0, and while they took care of Texas State, which was expected to be a closer game than most people thought, it was a game that ASU looked somewhat vulnerable in. Also, their Mississippi State win doesn’t look as good after the Bulldogs lost to Toledo. And Wyoming, their Week 1 win, isn’t as impressive as it seemed two weeks ago either. But no matter what, this team is still the story of the Big 12 in the early season and it’s been fun to watch.
6. Iowa State Cyclones (Last Week: 4)
Iowa State had an unusual early-season bye week. So for the Cyclones, it’s Arkansas State this week and then onto Big 12 play.
7. BYU Cougars (Last Week: 7)
The Cougars stay in the No. 7 spot after a dominant win over Wyoming. Their defense is absolutely dominating thus far and it’s been fun to watch. It hasn’t been the toughest of non-conference schedules, but the Cougars will have a great chance to prove themselves when they host Kansas State this Saturday.
8. TCU Horned Frogs (Last Week: 5)
The Horned Frogs looked like the dominant team for much of the night against UCF, but then the second half began to unfold. As Sonny Dykes said after the game, UCF just wore his team down. But for the Frogs looking the turn the page from a bad 2023 (5-7), this is a punch to the gut at the worst time as they start conference play.
9. Baylor Bears (Last Week: 11)
Are we overlooking Baylor? We might be, especially on defense after a dominant win over Air Force. You have to like how Dave Aranda has the defense humming under his play-calling, but more interestingly is how there might be a quarterback controversy brewing in Waco. Let’s see how that plays out.
10. West Virginia Mountaineers (Last Week: 10)
What a blown opportunity for Neal Brown and the Mountaineers. WVU has now lost three games the last three seasons where they had a 94% probability of winning the game, and that includes Saturday’s loss to Pittsburgh. That’s on the coaching. This weekend vs. Kansas is now a must-win.
11. Houston Cougars (Last Week: 12)
Hey, Houston is in the win column after blasting Rice on Saturday. After playing Oklahoma close and losing to UNLV, which doesn’t look like all that bad of a loss in hindsight, things are progressing for Willie Fritz in Year 1. Now, it’s time for conference play against Cincinnati.
12. Arizona Wildcats (Last Week: 10)
Arizona showed up in the old Big 12 and got manhandled. They got smoked against the rush and had trouble getting anything going in the run game. This team has great talent at the skill positions, but the issues remain, notably at defensive line and running back. Their resume looks less impressive by the week, as well. New Mexico stinks and scored more points vs. Arizona than it did against Montana State, the Northern Arizona game was messy, and now this fiasco.
13. Colorado Buffaloes (Last Week: 14)
Colorado handled its business on Saturday vs. Colorado State. Travis Hunter did something that hasn’t been done since Kansas State’s Kevin Lockett: 100 receiving yards, two touchdowns and one interception. But this team still needs to prove it against much better competition than North Dakota State and Colorado State.
14. Cincinnati Bearcats (Last Week: 15)
The Cincinnati Bearcats got back into the win column vs. Miami (OH) on Saturday, one week after blowing a 20-point lead vs. Pittsburgh. The Bearcats have an FCS win and a Group of 5 win, but now it’s time to rack up some Big 12 wins for Scott Satterfield.
15. Texas Tech Red Raiders (Last Week: 16)
I’m moving the Red Raiders up a slot after blasting North Texas, including half-a-hundo in the first half. Also, their loss at Washington State doesn’t look as bad after the Cougars beat their in-state rival Washington this weekend, which help’s Tech’s resume.
16. Kansas Jayhawks (Last Week: 13)
Kansas keeps sliding after another tough loss, this time at home to UNLV. The Jayhawks are 1-2 and Jalon Daniels looks like a shell of what he was. It’s not just rust, it’s something more. And the offensive play calling is clearly missing Andy Kotelnicki, who left for the offensive coordinator role at Penn State. Kansas has one win vs. a bad FCS opponent.
