We can officially say that Week 1 of the 2025 college football season is in the rearview mirror after TCU smacked around UNC on Monday night in Chapel Hill. So with that, all 16 Big 12 football teams have played at least one game. So now, it’s time for our first Power Rankings of the Big 12 season. A reminder on how I do these rankings: They are based on what you have actually done on the field, not what we think you will do throughout the remainder of the season. So, with that, here’s a look at our Week 2 Big 12 football power rankings for the 2025 season.
1. Iowa State Cyclones (Last Week: 2)
Iowa State is the only 3-0 team in the Big 12, and picking up a league win and a quality Big Ten win early in the season makes the Cyclones well worth putting atop the Power Rankings in Week 3. Credit to Matt Campbell, who had some slow starts in his career, starting hot out of the gates for a second-straight season.
2. Utah Utes (Last Week: 3)
Utah rolled Cal Poly, which isn’t all that impressive, but combined with the UCLA win, the Utes look like they’re ready for a bounce-back season in Salt Lake City. For those saying the UCLA win isn’t impressive because the Bruins barely beat Fresno State, well, Fresno got preseason Top 25 votes. That’s not a bad team at all. Plus, Devon Dampier looks like the real deal at quarterback as well.
3. TCU Horned Frogs (Last Week: 1)
TCU was off Week 2 after playing on Monday night, but I’m keeping them in the Top 3 because that absolute domination of Bill Belichick was a sight to behold.
4. Baylor Bears (Last Week: 8)
Baylor had to come back in the fourth quarter, but hey, it’s a great comeback win against a solid SMU team that was in the CFP last season. It’s one of the better Big 12 wins this year, so Baylor shoots up into the Top 4.
5. Arizona Wildcats (Last Week: 5)
I know it was Weber State, but Arizona has looked pretty solid through two games, especially on defense. That can change this weekend, facing Avery Johnson, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by what I have seen thus far.
6. Cincinnati Bearcats (Last Week: 6)
Cincinnati bounced back with a solid win over Bowling Green. Not a great team, but their tight road (let’s be honest) loss to Nebraska looks better after Nebraska blasted Akron and is likely going to play a role in the Big Ten race.
7. Texas Tech Red Raiders (Last Week: 9)
Texas Tech is a team I picked to win the Big 12. But come on. UAPB and Kent State (0-12 last season). I can’t put them any higher right now, and even this might be generous.
8. Kansas Jayhawks (Last Week: 4)
The Jayhawks blew a 15-point lead at Missouri on Saturday. That one stings. They had themselves in a great spot, but their defense, especially vs. the run, just let up and got smoked. KU needs to clean up that side of the ball to feel like it can compete atop the Big 12.
9. BYU Cougars (Last Week: 10)
Hey, it’s an ACC win. Albeit it’s Stanford, maybe one of the worst P4 programs in the country right now. But you take it and move on. The defense is nasty, and if the Cougars keep developing Bear Bachmeier, watch out, Big 12!
10. Houston Cougars (Last Week: 11)
Houston handled Rice on Saturday in the cross-town rivalry, and it continues to be a nice change of pace to see an offense moving the way Houston’s is up and down the field. We’ll see how that goes in Big 12 play, starting with Colorado, but it’s nice to watch!
11. Colorado Buffaloes (Last Week: 7)
Speaking of Colorado, there are lots of questions, especially on defense. The final score vs. Delaware doesn’t do it justice, but man, there is still work to be done, notably on that side of the ball. The offense can’t bail it out this season.
12. UCF Knights (Last Week: 16)
UCF with a dominant win vs. NC A&T, and why not just enjoy it if you are a UCF fan after sweating it out vs. Jacksonville State? And unlike the teams below you, there is no loss to worry about here!
13. West Virginia Mountaineers (Last Week: 12)
Well, they were only three-point favorites against Ohio for a reason. West Virginia did not look like they were up to play the Bobcats, and then lost their starting running back, Jahiem White, for the rest of the season. A brutal Saturday for the Mountaineers.
14. Arizona State Sun Devils (Last Week: 14)
Ugh. It was my most important game of the 2025 non-conference schedule for the Big 12. A Big 12 contender vs. a believed-to-be SEC bottom feeder. And now this. Brutal. Ugly. And Sam Leavitt did not come close to looking like a first-round NFL Draft talent on Saturday. That was a major dose of humble pie for the Sun Devils.
15. Kansas State Wildcats (Last Week: 15)
Speaking of humble pie, there is a lot of that going around Manhattan. This team should be 0-3. They barely escaped over North Dakota last week and then lost to Army on Saturday. I don’t know how this season can be turned around, or if it can be turned around. But Friday night in Tucson will be telling.
16. Oklahoma State Cowboys (Last Week: 13)
Dumpster fire. If there could be a No. 17 team, it would be Oklahoma State. This program is in brutal shape right now. And it might cost Mike Gundy his job sooner rather than later.
