photo by: AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt warms up prior to an NCAA college football game against BYU Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Tempe, Ariz.

The Arizona State Sun Devils moved into the top spot in the Big 12 power rankings for the first time this season as they continue a dream season in the desert.

After going 3-9 in Kenny Dillingham’s first season, Arizona State is 9-2 and in contention for a spot in the Big 12 championship game in Arlington, Texas.

The Sun Devils were a near-unanimous pick, receiving 15 of a possible 16 first-place votes from a panel of media who regularly cover the Big 12. Iowa State received the other first-place vote and was second. Colorado, whose turn at the top was short-lived, was third, followed by BYU and Kansas State.

And the madness is just beginning.

Entering the final week of the regular season, there’s a four-way tie for first between Arizona State, BYU, Colorado and Iowa State. Nine teams remain in contention for the league championship game. In the event of an eight-way tie, there are 256 different “scenarios” that could play out, according to the Big 12.

1. Arizona State

Previous ranking: 3

Points: 255 (15 first-place votes)

Record: 9-2 (6-2 Big 12)

Last week: beat No. 14 BYU, 28-23

This week: at Arizona

Comment: Cam Skattebo rushed for another 147 yards and three touchdowns and Jordyn Tyson caught passes for another 125 yards as the Sun Devils defeated a top-20 team for the second time in as many weeks. That marked a third win over a nationally ranked foe and enabled ASU to finish undefeated at home for the first time in 20 years.

Did you know? The onside (squib) kick ASU recovered that led to the third touchdown in the first half was the first such kick ASU has recovered since 2017. — Michelle Gardner, Arizona Republic

2. Iowa State

Previous ranking: 4

Points: 234 (one first-place vote)

Record: 9-2 (6-2 Big 12)

Last week: beat Utah, 31-28

This week: vs. Kansas State

Comment: Jayden Higgins caught nine passes for 155 yards last week to become the Cyclones’ seventh player ever to surpass the 1,000-yard receiving mark. Teammate Jaylin Noel sits just 24 yards away from that milestone. Iowa State’s never had two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season.

Did you know? Iowa State has nine regular-season wins for the first time in 118 years. The Cyclones have never won 10 or more games in a season. — Rob Gray, The Cedar Rapids Gazette

3. Colorado

Previous ranking: 1

Points: 213

Record: 8-3 (6-2 Big 12)

Last week: lost to Kansas, 37-21

This week: vs. Oklahoma State (Friday)

Comment: The CU offense played fairly well in Kansas City, averaging 7.3 yards per play (its best in the last 10 games), but the Buffs had the ball for just 42 plays (15 fewer than in any other game this year). Kansas absolutely dominated a CU defense that had been playing well, holding the ball for more than 40 minutes and racking up 331 rushing yards.

Did you know? Buffs quarterback Shedeur Sanders has set a single-season school record for touchdown passes with 30, breaking the old record of 28 with his three TD passes on Saturday. With 3,488 passing yards this season, he’s also just 40 yards away from breaking that school record (Koy Detmer had 3,527 in 1996). — Brian Howell, Boulder Daily Camera

4. BYU

Previous ranking: 2

Points: 210

Record: 9-2 (6-2 Big 12)

Last week: lost to No. 21 Arizona State, 28-23

This week: vs. Houston

Comment: BYU looked dead in the water after halftime, down 21-3. But the Cougars stormed back and had two chances to win the game in Tempe. The issue: Jake Retzlaff threw an interception on one drive and the BYU Hail Mary came up short on the other. Now, the Cougars need help to make the Big 12 title game.

Did you know? After losing to ASU, BYU needs to beat Houston and have either Iowa State or ASU lose to make it to Arlington. — Kevin Reynolds, The Salt Lake Tribune

5. Kansas State

Previous ranking: T5

Points: 199

Record: 8-3 (5-3 Big 12)

Last week: beat Cincinnati, 41-15

This week: at No. 17 Iowa State

Comment: After being down in the dumps for the past month thanks to substandard play offensively, the Wildcats looked like their old selves as they put up 281 yards rushing on Cincinnati. One of the keys to the turnaround? Offensive coordinator, play-caller and offensive line coach Conor Riley moved out of the press box and went back down to the sideline, providing a spark that helped get the Wildcats’ run game flowing once again.

Did you know? A very important Farmaggedon is on tap for Saturday. If things fall K-State’s way, it will be the final piece of the puzzle that gets the Wildcats back in the Big 12 title game picture. K-State needs a lot of help, but with as zany as conference play has been over the past month, anything is possible. — Tim Everson, The Manhattan Mercury

6. Baylor

Previous ranking: T5

Points: 161

Record: 7-4 (5-3 Big 12)

Last week: beat Houston, 20-10

This week: vs. Kansas

Comment: It wasn’t always pretty, but a win is a win. Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson threw a career-high three interceptions, but the defense picked off three passes, its most in a game this season, to escape Houston with a 10-point win over the Cougars. Baylor has won five games in a row and is still mathematically alive for a spot in the Big 12 championship game. Kansas offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes spent the last three seasons in the same position with Baylor.

Did you know? Baylor has won its last 13 games against Kansas and has outscored the Jayhawks 603-159 during that stretch. The Bears are 11-0 against the Jayhawks in games played in Waco. — Zach Smith, Waco Tribune-Herald

7. TCU

Previous ranking: 7

Points: 151

Record: 7-4 (5-3 Big 12)

Last week: beat Arizona, 49-28

This week: at Cincinnati

Comment: TCU rushed for six touchdowns against the Wildcats and Jack Bech became the fifth Horned Frog to eclipse the 1,000-yard receiving mark in a single season. The Frogs have won four of their last five and seem to have captured the momentum fans were hoping for earlier in the season. A win over Cincinnati would go a long way to mollifying a once (read: six weeks ago) very angry fanbase.

Did you know? TCU has not finished a regular season with exactly eight wins since Jim Wacker’s team did so in 1984. The Frogs have only had two eight-win seasons (including bowl wins) since then (1999, 2007). — Jamie Plunkett, Horned Frog Blitz

8. Kansas

Previous ranking: 10

Points: 149

Record: 5-6 (4-4 Big 12)

Last week: beat No. 16 Colorado, 37-21

This week: at Baylor

Comment: Devin Neal accounted for 287 total yards and four touchdowns to stun what in recent weeks had been a stingy Colorado defense. He and the rest of the Jayhawks’ seniors are now just one win away from what could be a crowning achievement for their class: rallying from a 2-6 start to get four straight wins and a third consecutive bowl bid.

Did you know? Not only has KU never won in Waco, but it also hasn’t beaten Baylor at all since 2007, and the Jayhawks and Bears played for 13 straight years prior to 2023. — Henry Greenstein, Lawrence Journal-World

9. Texas Tech

Previous ranking: 8

Points: 139

Record: 7-4 (5-3 Big 12)

Last week: beat Oklahoma State, 56-48

This week: vs. West Virginia

Comment: Talk about a flashback to the good old days of the Big 12 with a 56-48 shootout in which there were 41 points scored in the fourth quarter. Texas Tech survived that onslaught thanks to Tahj Brooks’ four-touchdown day, three on the ground and one receiving.

Did you know? Texas Tech has now won three road games in a season for the first time since 2017. Next up? Trying for the first eight-win regular season since 2009. — Nathan Giese, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

10. West Virginia

Previous ranking: 9

Points: 129

Record: 6-5 (5-3 Big 12)

Last week: beat UCF, 31-21

This week: at Texas Tech

Comment: Being bowl eligible may not be enough to save Neal Brown’s job. There continues to be speculation that Brown – who is 37-34 in six seasons – won’t be back in Morgantown. Since losing consecutive games to Iowa State and Kansas State in October, the Mountaineers have won three of their last four games while averaging 32 points per game.

Did you know? By beating UCF, West Virginia avoided losing for a fifth time at home in a season, something that hasn’t happened since 1990. — Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle

11. Cincinnati

Previous ranking: 11

Points: 91

Record: 5-6 (3-5 Big 12)

Last week: lost at Kansas State, 41-15

This week: vs. TCU

Comment: The Bearcats got punched in the mouth on Kansas State’s opening drive when quarterback Avery Johnson rushed for 54 of his 72 yards and scored. They had no answer for DJ Giddens, who ran for 143 yards and two scores, and couldn’t get anything going against Kansas State offensively until the second half, when the hole was too deep. Now they’re faced with playing a seven-win TCU squad Saturday night at Nippert Stadium to qualify for a bowl game at 6-6.

Did you know? Cincinnati is 0-4 in night games this season, falling at Texas Tech, Colorado, Iowa State and Kansas State. Corey Kiner ran for 140 yards Saturday to reach 1,000 yards for the second straight year. — Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer

T12. Houston

Previous ranking: 13

Points: 69

Record: 4-7 (3-5 Big 12)

Last week: lost to Baylor, 20-10

This week: at No. 19 BYU

Comment: Houston is in search of an offensive coordinator after Kevin Barbay was fired Tuesday. The Cougars rank last in FBS in scoring (13.6 points) this season and have gone without an offensive touchdown the last two games. For the season, UH has failed to score a touchdown four times and had just one touchdown in two other games. Quarterback coach/passing coordinator Shawn Bell will serve as interim offensive coordinator against BYU.

Did you know? Jeremiah Wilson had two interceptions against Baylor, including a pick-six, and had a 92.2 coverage grade by Pro Football Focus, the highest for a cornerback nationally in Week 13. — Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle

T12. UCF

Previous ranking: 12

Points: 69

Record: 4-7 (2-6 Big 12)

Last week: lost to West Virginia, 31-21

This week: vs. Utah

Comment: Running back RJ Harvey rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns, but the Knights couldn’t overcome a West Virginia rushing attack that scored three times, highlighted by a pair of rushing touchdowns from CJ Donaldson. The loss ended UCF’s chances for making the postseason, snapping a streak of eight consecutive seasons with a bowl appearance.

Did you know? Harvey has a career-high 1,458 yards and 21 touchdowns this season. The redshirt senior has rushed for 2,874 yards for the Knights over the past two seasons. — Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel

14. Arizona

Previous ranking: 14

Points: 52

Record: 4-7 (2-6 Big 12)

Last week: lost to TCU, 49-28

This week: vs. No. 14 Arizona State

Comment: Following the loss to TCU, the Wildcats are officially out of bowl contention in Brent Brennan’s first season at the helm. Brennan is the third straight Arizona head coach to miss a bowl game in their first season, joining Kevin Sumlin and Jedd Fisch. Arizona looks to play spoiler this week with a win to end the regular season and prevent its archrival from a spot in the Big 12 championship — and ultimately the College Football Playoff.

Did you know? Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan recently broke the program’s all-time receiving yards record, passing current UA wide receivers coach Bobby Wade. McMillan, a projected top-10 pick in the NFL Draft, will play against ASU on Saturday. — Justin Spears, Arizona Daily Star

15. Utah

Previous ranking: 15

Points: 37

Record: 4-7 (1-7 Big 12)

Last week: lost to No. 22 Iowa State, 31-28

This week: vs. UCF

Comment: With Utah’s bowl game hopes officially over, the program will now shift its focus to the offseason. Kyle Whittingham is officially mulling retirement, and Cam Rising is still deciding about a potential return for an eighth year of college football. Those decisions will likely come in the next few weeks, as the Utes embark on an important offseason.

Did you know? The Utes, outside of the 2020 COVID-19 season, are not bowl eligible for the first time since 2013. — Jason Batacao, The Salt Lake Tribune

16. Oklahoma State

Previous ranking: 16

Points: 18

Record: 3-8 (0-8 Big 12)

Last week: lost to Texas Tech, 56-48

This week: at No. 23 Colorado (Friday)

Comment: Oklahoma State started freshman quarterback Maealiuaki Smith for the first time in his career. This was the second time Oklahoma State made a quarterback change during a bye week this season.

Did you know? OSU receiver Brennan Presley is 8 yards away from hitting 1,000 all-purpose yards in a season for the fourth time. He would be the 72nd college player to accomplish that and the first power-conference player since Travis Etienne (2017-20). — Tyler Waldrep, Tulsa World