photo by: AP Photo/Karen Warren

Texas Tech running back J'Koby Williams (20) joins teammates in singing their fight song as they celebrate after their win over Houston in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Houston.

Texas Tech was the unanimous pick for the top spot in this week’s Big 12 power rankings.

The Red Raiders, who host Kansas on Saturday, received all 16 first-place votes from a panel of media members who regularly cover the Big 12. Arizona State, the defending Big 12 champion, was second followed by Cincinnati, BYU and Iowa State to round out the top five.

Cincinnati moved up five spots, the biggest jump of the week, after an upset win against Iowa State.

1. Texas Tech

Previous ranking: 1

Points: 256 (16 first-place votes)

Record: 5-0 (2-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat Houston, 35-11

This week: vs. Kansas

Comment: Red zone troubles on offense prevented the Red Raiders from beating the Cougars by an even greater margin, so there’s at least one area to nitpick for Texas Tech. David Bailey looked like an All-American and Jacob Rodriguez is making the same case for the defense.

Did you know? Texas Tech has earned its highest spot in the AP poll since 2008 and held five straight opponents to 15 points or less for the first time since 1948. — Nathan Giese, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

2. Arizona State

Previous ranking: T2

Points: 231

Record: 4-1 (2-0 Big 12)

Last week: Open date

This week: at Utah

Comment: The No. 21 Sun Devils have a number of players dealing with injuries, so it was a well-timed open week as ASU braces for a stretch of four games against teams with a combined record of 18-4, with three of those losses to each other, in Utah, Texas Tech, Houston, and Iowa State.

Did you know? A year after Cam Skattebo finished second in the Big 12 in rushing, Raleek Brown leads the league with 506 yards. — Michelle Gardner, Arizona Republic

3. Cincinnati

Previous ranking: 8

Points: 199

Record: 4-1 (2-0 Big 12)

Last game: beat No. 14 Iowa State, 38-30

This week: vs. UCF

Comment: Cincinnati raced out to a 31-7 lead in the first half and hung onto win 38-30 despite being penalized 13 times to Iowa State’s eight.

Did you know? The Bearcats have won four games in a row for the first time under Scott Satterfield. — Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer

4. BYU

Previous ranking: 5

Points: 196

Record: 5-0 (2-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat West Virginia, 38-24

This week: at Arizona

Comment: Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick opened up the playbook to freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier. He responded with 351 passing yards and close to 40 points.

Did you know? BYU running back LJ Martin has accounted for over 500 yards in the first five weeks of the year. — Kevin Reynolds, The Salt Lake Tribune

5. Iowa State

Previous ranking: T2

Points: 190

Record: 5-1 (2-1 Big 12)

Last week: lost to Cincinnati, 38-30

This week: at Colorado

Comment: Iowa State has lost just two of its past 20 games in which the offense scored 30 or more points, including last week at Cincinnati.

Did you know? The Cyclones haven’t faced longtime conference rival Colorado since 2010 and haven’t beaten the Buffaloes in Boulder since 2000. That win at the turn of the 21st century ended a 16-game skid in a lopsided series that stretches back to 1946. — Rob Gray, Cedar Rapids Gazette

T6. TCU

Previous ranking: 6

Points: 176

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

Last week: beat Colorado, 35-21

This week: at Kansas State

Comment: Eric McAlister returned and gave the Frogs another receiving threat, scoring a pair of touchdowns, and TCU won the turnover battle 4-0 to beat Colorado. Now they head to Manhattan, a place they’ve notoriously struggled over the years.

Did you know? The win gives Sonny Dykes win No. 31 at TCU, the most at any stop during his head coaching career. — Jamie Plunkett, Horned Frog Blitz

T6. Utah

Previous ranking: 4

Points: 176

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

Last week: Open date

This week: vs. No. 21 Arizona State

Comment: Utah’s next big test comes against No. 21 Arizona State this weekend in Salt Lake City. Not only will the Utes be looking for their first ranked win of the season, but also their first Big 12 Conference win at home in two years.

Did you know? Devon Dampier leads all Big 12 quarterbacks with a 72.5% completion rate through five games in 2025. — Jason Batacao, The Salt Lake Tribune

8. Baylor

Previous ranking: 9

Points: 149

Record: 4-2 (2-1 Big 12)

Last week: beat Kansas State, 35-34

This week: Open date

Comment: For the second time this season, Baylor overcame a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter, using a pick-6 from former walk-on safety Jacob Redding and getting a blocked field goal by senior defensive lineman Cooper Lanz to outlast the Wildcats. The defense, however, has a long way to go. Last season, Dave Aranda and the Bears used the first open week to launch into a strong finish to the season. They’ll hope to do the same this season.

Did you know? All senior receiver Kobe Prentice does is catch touchdowns, as 31% of his receptions have ended in the end zone. He leads the Bears with five touchdown receptions despite ranking fifth on the team with 16 catches. — Zach Smith, Waco Tribune-Herald

9. Kansas

Previous ranking: 10

Points: 127

Record: 4-2 (1-1 Big 12)

Last week: beat UCF, 27-20

This week: at No. 9 Texas Tech

Comment: Kansas’ defense tightened up dramatically in the second half and halted UCF on two separate drives in the final two minutes — including once on three straight plays from the 1-yard line — to preserve a narrow victory on a rainy night at the Bounce House.

Did you know? KU has not beaten Texas Tech in Lubbock since 2001. That is the only time the Jayhawks have ever done so. — Henry Greenstein, Lawrence Journal-World

10. Arizona

Previous ranking: 11

Points: 120

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

Last week: beat Oklahoma State, 41-13

This week: vs. No. 18 BYU

Comment: Arizona is capitalizing on its home-heavy schedule, which has five home games in the first half of the season, and is off to its best start since 2019. The Wildcats matched their win total from last season.

Did you know? Arizona is the only team in college football that hasn’t allowed a passing touchdown this season. The Wildcats are tied with BYU for second in the Big 12 in interceptions. — Justin Spears, Arizona Daily Star

11. Houston

Previous ranking: 7

Points: 112

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

Last week: lost to No. 11 Texas Tech, 35-11

This week: at Oklahoma State

Comment: Nothing went right as Houston was held to a season low in points and total yards (267) in its first loss of the season. The immediate concern is the status of starting quarterback Conner Weigman, who did not play for two and a half quarters and began the week in concussion protocol. Coach Willie Fritz said things were “trending in the right direction” for Weigman to be available for Oklahoma State.

Did you know? Tanner Koziol leads all Big 12 tight ends with 25 receptions. — Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle

12. Kansas State

Previous ranking: 12

Points: 75

Record: 2-4 (1-2 Big 12)

Last week: lost to Baylor, 35-34

This week: vs. TCU

Comment: Kansas State dropped its fourth one-score game of the season on Saturday, blowing a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in Waco.

Did you know? K-State needs to win four of the next six games to avoid missing a bowl game for the first time in the Chris Klieman era, if you exclude the 2020 COVID season. — Tim Everson, The Manhattan Mercury

13. UCF

Previous ranking: 13

Points: 66

Record: 3-2 (0-2 Big 12)

Last week: lost to Kansas, 27-20

This week: at Cincinnati

Comment: UCF jumped out to a 14-0 lead early in the first half but couldn’t hold on as Kansas went on a 27-6 run as Leshon Williams scored three rushing touchdowns to power the Jayhawks to a 27-20 win. Running back Myles Montgomery rushed for 110 yards, his second straight game with at least 100 yards rushing.

Did you know? The Knights haven’t won an October game since 2022. — Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel

14. Colorado

Previous ranking: 14

Points: 51

Record: 2-4 (0-3 Big 12)

Last week: lost to No. 25 BYU, 24-21

This week: at TCU

Comment: Another strong start turned into a disappointing finish. The Buffs led 14-0 late in the second quarter at TCU but had a disastrous end of the half. TCU scored a touchdown and then CU’s Kaidon Salter threw two interceptions in the last two minutes of the half, one leading to a tying touchdown and the second at the goal line on the last play of the half. TCU dominated the fourth quarter to win going away.

Did you know? For the first time in program history, the Buffs have jumped out to 14-point leads and lost in consecutive games. CU built 14-0 leads in each of the past two games but has been outscored a combined 59-14 after those leads. — Brian Howell, Boulder Daily Camera

15. West Virginia

Previous ranking: 15

Points: 34

Record: 2-4 (0-3 Big 12)

Last week: lost to No. 23 BYU, 38-24

This week: Open date

Comment: Bear Bachmeier ran wild over West Virginia in the first half of another poor defensive performance. In his first career start, WVU quarterback Khalil Wilkins threw for 81 yards and a pair of picks and ran for 89. The Mountaineers were desperate to get to this open week as they try to get healthy for the second half of the season.

Did you know? West Virginia has zero punt return or kickoff return yardage in its last two games for the first time in program history. WVU has also only forced one punt over its last two games. — Cody Nespor, Gold and Blue Nation

16. Oklahoma State

Previous ranking: 16

Points: 17

Record: 1-4 (0-2 Big 12)

Last week: lost to Arizona, 41-13

This week: vs. Houston

Comment: For the second time this season, Oklahoma State must make a change at quarterback due to injury since Zane Flores will miss at least one game and possibly more. The Cowboys will either turn things over to true freshman Banks Bowen, who saw his first action last weekend, or receiver Sam Jackson, who played roughly 20 quarterback snaps in the last two weeks.

Did you know? Oklahoma State linebacker Wendell Gregory averages 3.6 total pressures (sacks, hits or hurries) per game, which ranks fifth in the conference and puts him on pace for more than any Cowboy since 2021. — Tyler Waldrep, Pistols Firing