Big 12 Football Power Rankings: End Of The Regular Season Edition
Dec 3, 2024, 11:00 AM
SALT LAKE CITY – It’s time for another installment of the Big 12 football power rankings.
The league of chaos provided a memorable regular season with many twists and turns. Arizona State and Iowa State came out on top. They will square off this Saturday in Arlington for a chance to play in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff.
Every week, KSL Sports Zone host Alex Kirry and I drop our Big 12 power rankings on our radio show, “First & 12.”
It airs Sundays at 10 a.m. (MST) until Noon on KSL NewsRadio and the KSL Sports Zone.
You can listen to the show on the KSL Sports app and all major podcasting platforms.
Big 12 Football Power Rankings, 2024 Season: Week 15
Here are our power rankings in the Big 12 entering Championship Week.
1. Arizona State (10-2, 7-2 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 1
Arizona State 49, Arizona 7
This Week: vs. Iowa State | Big 12 Championship Game | 10 a.m. (MST) | ABC
Arizona State is flying high entering the Big 12 Championship Game. The Sun Devils are one of the best stories in college football this year.
2. Iowa State (10-2, 7-2 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 2
Iowa State 29, Kansas State 21
This Week: vs. Arizona State | Big 12 Championship Game | 10 a.m. (MST) | ABC
The first-ever 10-win season for Iowa State is another feather in the cap for Matt Campbell. Iowa State has posted winning records in the Big 12 in seven of the past eight seasons. They might be the most consistent program in the league right now.
3. Colorado (9-3, 7-2 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 4 (Up 1)
Colorado 52, Oklahoma State 0
Up Next: Bowl Game
The Heisman Trophy should be a wrap and go to Travis Hunter.
4. BYU (10-2, 7-2 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 3 (Down 1)
BYU 30, Houston 18
Up Next: Bowl Game
BYU’s 10-win season should be celebrated. But there’s a feeling of letdown after being so close to the Big 12 Championship Game.
5. Baylor (8-4, 6-3 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 6 (Up 1)
Baylor 45, Kansas 17
Up Next: Bowl Game
What a turnaround for Baylor in this six-game winning streak. And to think, two of their three Big 12 losses were against teams above them in the standings by one possession.
6. TCU (8-4, 6-3 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 8 (Up 2)
TCU 20, Cincinnati 13
Up Next: Bowl Game
The Horned Frogs have some momentum again heading into the postseason.
7. Texas Tech (8-4, 6-3 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 10 (Up 3)
Texas Tech 52, West Virginia 15
Up Next: Bowl Game
Texas Tech’s first eight-win regular season since Mike Leach was the head coach.
8. Kansas State (8-4, 5-4 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 7 (Down 1)
Iowa State 29, Kansas State 21
Up Next: Bowl Game
K-State will always be a threat in this conference. But they stumbled to finish this season, losing three of their final four games.
9. Kansas (5-7, 4-5 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 5 (Down 4)
Baylor 45, Kansas 17
Season Over
The hot streak for Kansas ended in Waco and resulted in a bowl-less season. Replacing star RB Devin Neal will be a tall task.
10. West Virginia (6-6, 5-4 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 9
Texas Tech 52, West Virginia 15
Up Next: Bowl Game
The Neal Brown era is over in Morgantown. After the loss to Texas Tech to close out the regular season, it was probably time.
11. Houston (4-8, 3-6 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 13 (Up 2)
BYU 30, Houston 18
Season Over
Houston is built on defense under Willie Fritz. If the Cougs get the OC hire right, they should be back in bowl contention.
12. Cincinnati (5-7, 3-6 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 11 (Down 1)
TCU 20, Cincinnati 13
Season Over
Year two under head coach Scott Satterfield ends with a five-game losing streak and another season without a bowl game.
13. Utah (5-7, 2-7 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 15 (Up 2)
Utah 28, UCF 14
Season Over
The season finale win at UCF was a nice sendoff for the Seniors. But now, big questions need to be answered. Starting with, is Kyle Whittingham returning in 2025?
14. UCF (4-8, 2-7 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 12 (Down 2)
Utah 28, UCF 14
Season Over
Gus Malzahn left to take the Florida State OC job. That’s a good thing for UCF. The rumblings of Liberty’s Jamey Chadwell being the next head coach would be an upgrade for a program that needs to return to being innovative.
15. Arizona (4-8, 2-7 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 14 (Down 1)
Arizona State 49, Arizona 7
Season Over
Suffering a 42-point loss to your rival that’s potentially going on to play in the Playoff is a brutal ending to year one under Brent Brennan.
16. Oklahoma State (3-9, 0-9 Big 12)
Last week’s power ranking: No. 16
Colorado 52, Oklahoma State 0
Season Over
We had low expectations entering the regular season finale, but wow.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
