Big 12 power rankings for Week 10: Utah on top as Texas Tech rises

The Big 12 placed five teams in the AP Top 25 rankings released Sunday, including two in the top 10, Utah and BYU.

Is the poll accurate? We will find out Tuesday when the College Football Playoff reveals the first of six sets of rankings.

(The five Tuesday editions are, of course, for show. Only the Sunday version, on Dec. 6, is for dough.)

In the past, the CFP selection committee's initial rankings have closely tracked the AP poll released two days earlier, particularly with the top 10 teams.

If history repeats, the Big 12 will have two top-12 teams (Utah and BYU) and a total of five featured in the rankings (Texas Tech, Houston and Arizona).

That would constitute a stronger foundation for November than the conference experienced at this point in either of the past two seasons.

In 2024, the Big 12 placed four teams in the initial committee rankings and one (BYU) in the top 12.

In 2025, there were three overall and two (BYU and Texas Tech) in the top 12.

How will it shake out Tuesday? Here are three Big 12 issues to watch during the rankings reveal at 4 p.m. (Pacific) on ESPN:

— How many and how high?

Utah is one of three undefeated teams (along with Miami and UCLA) and could crack the top five despite a schedule that ranks No. 83 nationally according to ESPN's power rankings.

One-loss BYU and Texas Tech seemingly are strong candidates for the top 12.

Meanwhile, two-loss Arizona and Houston are a bit thin on quality wins but have no bad losses and could land somewhere in the high teens or 20s.

— Where is BYU relative to Notre Dame?

Yes, the Cougars won the head-to-head matchup a few weeks ago. Since then, they have lost at UCF and struggled to defeat unranked Arizona State.

And don't forget: Last year, the committee placed Notre Dame ahead of Miami in the first rankings even though the teams had the same record and Miami won the head-to-head matchup. (It wasn't until the final set of rankings that the Hurricanes jumped the Irish.)

— Counting the losses?

The selection committee was obsessed with losses in past years, continually ranking teams in order of the number of defeats — except, it seemed, when the Big 12 was involved.

On numerous occasions, multi-loss SEC or Big Ten teams were ranked ahead of one-loss Big 12 teams, with the committee leaning into the schedule strength and quality win metrics as justification.

The math is different this season. With the ACC and SEC moving to nine-game conference schedules (instead of eight), there are more two- and three-loss teams at this point.

How will the committee view one-loss Big 12 teams relative to two-loss SEC/Big Ten teams and even two-loss Big 12 teams relative to three-loss SEC/Big Ten teams?

Remember, there is data available to help with cross-conference comparisons.

In the intra-Power Four matchups, the Big 12 fared well. It owns a 6-7 record against the ACC, Big Ten and SEC, whereas the Big Ten's record in those games is a mere 4-10. The SEC's mark, on the other hand, is 10-2.

Above all, do not be surprised by any single ranking or the reason given for said ranking. They are making it up as they go along.

To the power rankings ...

1. Utah (8-0/5-0)

Result: won at Cincinnati 49-25

Next up: vs. BYU (10 a.m. on ABC)

Comment: The Utes opened as 3-point favorites in the Holy War, but the line quickly jumped to 5.5. That makes sense given how the teams have played the past two Saturdays — Utah was terrific at Cincinnati — but feels a tad high based on the recent tangles with each other. (Last week: 1)

2. BYU (7-1/4-1)

Result: beat Arizona State 27-20

Next up: at Utah (10 a.m. on ABC)

Comment: In each of the past three weeks, the Cougars have benefited from a Big 12 officiating gaffe involving application of the rules (not judgment calls), which is notable not for favoritism but for frequency. (Last week: 2)

3. Texas Tech (7-1/4-1)

Result: beat Arizona 34-26

Next up: vs. West Virginia (7:30 p.m. on ESPN)

Comment: With West Virginia (home), Oklahoma State (road), Baylor (road) and TCU (home), the Red Raiders are well-positioned to qualify for the conference championship against the Holy War winner. But they cannot lose again and feel confident about their chances. (Last week: 5)

4. Houston (6-2/3-2)

Result: did not play

Next up: vs. Cincinnati (1:30 p.m. on FOX)

Comment: In terms of the conference championship, the Cougars are on the outside looking in because of narrow head-to-head losses to teams (Utah and Texas Tech) that likely would be involved in the tiebreaker, as well. (Last week: 4)

5. Arizona (6-2/3-2)

Result: lost at Texas Tech 34-26

Next up: vs. TCU (Friday at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN)

Comment: The loss in Lubbock can be whittled to one statistic. Rushing yards: Arizona 12, Texas Tech 328. Given that disparity, the Wildcats had no business being within four points late in the game. (Last week: 3)

6. Oklahoma State (5-3/3-2)

Result: lost at Iowa State 51-49

Next up: at Kansas State (11 a.m. on TNT)

Comment: At home, the Cowboys can beat anyone. On the road, they can lose to anyone. Notably, they host Texas Tech in two weeks in what could be a massive game for the conference race. (Last week: 6)

7. West Virginia (5-3/2-3)

Result: did not play

Next up: at Texas Tech (7:30 p.m. on ESPN)

Comment: We aren't saying the Mountaineers will pull a stunner and upset Texas Tech in Lubbock, but we aren't saying they won't. The circumstances set up well for Rich Rodriguez and Co. (Last week: 7)

8. Arizona State (4-4/2-3)

Result: lost at BYU 27-20

Next up: vs. Colorado (5:30 p.m. on ESPN2)

Comment: The Sun Devils must win two of their final four to secure a bowl bid. If they lose at home to the Buffaloes, the math gets exponentially more difficult. (Last week: 8)

9. Baylor (5-3/3-2)

Result: won at UCF 41-9

Next up: vs. Iowa State (10 a.m. on FS1)

Comment: So often, teams experience an immediate uptick in performance after the head coach is fired. (Call if the post-axe bounce.) How long will it last in Waco following Dave Aranda's dismissal? Nobody knows. (Last week: 11)

10. Cincinnati (5-3/2-3)

Result: lost to Utah 49-25

Next up: at Houston (1:30 p.m. on FOX)

Comment: Clearly, the Bearcats' hangover from a field-storming victory (over Texas Tech) was more debilitating than Utah's cross-country flight after an exhausting win (over Houston). Also, the Utes are better than Cincinnati. (Last week: 10)

11. UCF (4-4/2-3)

Result: lost to Baylor 41-9

Next up: at Kansas (1:45 p.m. on ESPN2)

Comment: Clearly, the Knights' hangover from a field-storming victory (over BYU) was more debilitating than Baylor's decision to dismiss Aranda. (Last week: 9)

12. Iowa State (4-4/2-3)

Result: beat Oklahoma State 51-49

Next up: at Baylor (10 a.m. on FS1)

Comment: We are prepared to declare Jimmy Rogers' first season a success regardless of the results down the stretch. Four wins seemed like the ceiling for the Cyclones prior to the season. (Last week: 14)

13. TCU (4-4/2-3)

Result: beat Kansas 22-16

Next up: at Arizona (Friday at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN)

Comment: Friday road games are always difficult, but at least the Horned Frogs will face a host (Arizona) that's coming off a big-game loss and could struggle to muster the necessary urgency. (Last week: 15)

14. Kansas State (4-4/1-4)

Result: lost at Colorado 27-24

Next up: vs. Oklahoma State (11 a.m. on TNT)

Comment: The November schedule is challenging for the Wildcats, who have dropped four of their past five and face a narrow path into the postseason. (Last week: 12)

15. Colorado (3-5/1-4)

Result: beat Kansas State 27-24

Next up: at Arizona State (5:30 p.m. on ESPN2)

Comment: The Buffaloes were averaging 128.3 rushing yards per game but churned for 222 against Kansas State. It's amazing (sarcastic voice) what an effective ground game can do. (Last week: 16)

16. Kansas (3-5/1-4)

Result: lost at TCU 22-16

Next up: vs. UCF (1:45 p.m. on ESPN2)

Comment: The bell has tolled in Waco. Will it do the same in Lawrence, where coach Lance Leipold has lost 10 of his past 14 conference games? (Last week: 13)