Big 12 Conference Power Rankings: Week 1

© Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

The Big 12 Conference kicks off nonconference play Aug. 29, when the UCF Knights play the New Hampshire Wildcats and the Kansas Jayhawks play the Lindenwood Lions. In what is a very anticipated season, the league should be competitive from top to bottom with no clear favorites for the conference title game.

Who tops the rankings for the very first week? Obviously, the Big 12's preseason poll has been released, with the Utah Utes at the top, but are they really the top dog in the conference in their very first year? Where do teams like the Arizona Wildcats, Kansas Jayhawks and West Virginia Mountaineers fall? The Big 12 writers at College Football Dawgs took part in some heated debate and have come up with what is felt to be the definitive Week 1 rankings for the conference based on individual polling for each team.

Point Structure

Each first-place vote counted for 16 points, going in descending order. For example, second-place votes counted for 15, third for 14 and so on. Each team's points were added up and the poll was organized to reflect how many points (shown in parentheses) each team got, determining their ranking. Here are the results, with each top 5 team having a short summary about why they garnered the most points.

No. 1: Utah Utes (105 Points)

The Utes ended up being the top dog in the College Football Dawg poll as well. It's hard to argue against the fact that Utah will have a great football team this year. Seventh-year quarterback Cam Rising is back healthy as is one of his favorite targets in Brant Kuithe, the program has a history of strong performances and strong development and overall, the team is brimming with talent on both sides of the ball.

The vote was incredibly close. Not everyone is a believer in Utah's immediate success in a brand-new conference and given the fact that injuries put a damper on what should have been another great year for the program, is confidence in this team shaken a bit due to the health of players like Rising and others? Should they stay healthy though and show that they can bounce back from injuries and some major losses like Jonah Elliss, Cole Bishop and others, then the sky really is the limit for this Utes squad.

Upcoming Game: Southern Utah Thunderbirds (0-0)

No. 2: Oklahoma State Cowboys (104)

Losing out on first place by just a point we have the Oklahoma State Cowboys. This team is not being talked about as much as being Big 12 favorites and should be in the conversation more, to be frank.

Yes, quarterback Alan Bowman struggled last year, but with the Doak Walker Award winner that got Oklahoma State to the Big 12 title game last year, Ollie Gordon II, making his return, Bowman doesn't have to improve all that much for the Cowboys to be a contender once again. Not only does Gordon return, but so does the offensive line that blocked for him. Even if teams gameplan more around Gordon, he is still set to have a big year with the might of that offensive line.

Not only is Gordon set for a big season, but the Oklahoma State defense should be as well. Led by Bednarik Award Watch List members Nick Martin and Collin Oliver, this defense will hopefully take a big step up from last year as it returns 10 starters. It will be needed for this defense to take that step up, as the Cowboys ranked just No. 86 in scoring defense and No. 111 in passing defense in 2023. Should that big step happen, and it is a big emphasis on the word "should," the Cowboys have a one-way ticket to Arlington, Texas, come Dec. 7.

Upcoming Game: South Dakota State Jackrabbits (0-0)

No. 3: Kansas State Wildcats (102)

The Big 12 preseason poll's silver medalist, the Kansas State Wildcats come into 2024 with hopes and aspirations of seeing their young quarterback Avery Johnson flourish into a potential Heisman Trophy candidate while also seeing their team secure their second Big 12 title in three years.

Johnson has the right tools for the job too. A dual-threat player who showed major flashes his freshman year last season, he could develop into something truly great. A backfield that includes the likes of DJ Giddens and Dylan Edwards certainly helps too along with an offensive line that still maintains a lot of talent even after the loss of standouts Cooper Beebe and KT Leveston.

The backfield will likely carry the load for the Wildcats this season, as the receiving corps, though still decently strong, isn't exactly as up to par with the Big 12's best. Johnson's arm and decision-making still need a bit of development as well, such is the maturation of a young college quarterback.

Should Johnson take a major, somewhat unlikely but still possible leap, then this team will be a shoo-in for the Big 12 title game. Even if Johnson only takes a bit of one though, they'll be right in the thick of it due to their strong ground game. Not only that but the depth and talent on defense, specifically in the front seven with players like Austin Moore and Brendan Mott among others, will put the Wildcats up there with the best defenses in the league. It will be another strong showing for the Wildcats in 2024.

Upcoming Game: UT Martin Skyhawks (0-0)

No. 4: West Virginia Mountaineers (83)

A bit of a drop-off points-wise, but this is only Week 1. Things could easily change in a heartbeat and are expected to. It doesn't get any less tight though between the fourth, fifth and sixth-place teams, which are all separated by just one point. Taking fourth is the West Virginia Mountaineers, who bring their conference-leading rushing attack back for another year.

Quarterback Garrett Greene and running backs Jaheim White and CJ Donaldson combined for the best rushing attack in the Big 12 last season and third-best in the country last year, rushing for 228.9 yards per game. This unit will be a force to be reckoned with once again, but so will Greene's arm and his young, but strong receiving corps.

Hudson Clement, Rodney Gallagher III and Traylon Ray all broke out as underclassmen last season, and now with transfers like Jaden Bray and Justin Robinson being added to the mix, this unit is poised to add another dimension to an already scary offense.

However, questions still lie on the defense for the Mountaineers, who bring in a vast amount of transfers and don't have that much depth to spare even with the incoming talent. Aubrey Burks, Josiah Trotter and Sean Martin will have to take the reins, stay healthy and lead this defense to strong performances against what will be very tough offenses. Given that they had the best pass rush last season, things are promising, but they will have to fall into place should the Mountaineers have success this season.

West Virginia has one of the toughest schedules in the conference but should be at least competitive in every single game. This is a team that returns a lot of talent and that people shouldn't be surprised about should they make a run for the conference title.

Upcoming Game: Penn State Nittany Lions (0-0)

No. 5: Arizona Wildcats (83)

Tying West Virginia in points is the Arizona Wildcats. First-year coach Brett Brennan will have a very talented team to build on this season, headlined by one of the best quarterback-receiver duos in the country in Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan.

The Wildcats will have a strong passing attack this season, something that Brennan is perfect for being a passing guru for all of his coaching career. Where the Wildcats will have questions though is in their run game. Top back Jonah Coleman followed former head coach Jedd Fisch to the Washington Huskies, but the Wildcats did bring in San Jose State Spartan transfer Quali Conley, who ran for 842 yards last season. Behind an offensive line that returns a good portion of experience, Conley should do well.

Defensively, Arizona's secondary should be one of the best in the country, with Tacario Davis, Gunnar Maldonado and Dalton Johnson patrolling the skies. Leading tackler Jacob Manu will also be making his return at linebacker. Where the defense has questions is at the defensive line, as the departure of Fisch once again left some major holes. Transfers and rising underclassmen will have to make a big step up for this defense to be as successful as they were last season, but Arizona will also be right there in the thick of it.

Upcoming Game: New Mexico Lobos (0-1)

Big 12 Power Rankings: Nos. 6-16

The Kansas Jayhawks just barely missed out on the top 5 with 82 points, but will also be a team to watch for this upcoming season with quarterback Jalon Daniels, running back Devin Neal and an explosive offense leading the charge. Should their defense come together, they will find themselves near the top soon. Other teams to keep an eye on include the Iowa State Cyclones, UCF Knights and Texas Tech Red Raiders, who also have major strengths that could see them make a push. The rest of the power rankings list is as follows:

No.6: Kansas Jayhawks (82), Upcoming Game: Lindenwood Lions (0-0)

No. 7: Iowa State Cyclones (72), Upcoming Game: North Dakota Fighting Hawks (0-0)

No. 8: UCF Knights (61), Upcoming Game: New Hampshire Wildcats (0-0)

No. 9: Texas Tech Red Raiders, (55) Upcoming Game: Abilene-Christian Wildcats, (0-0)

No. 10: TCU Horned Frogs (53), Upcoming Game: at Stanford Cardinal (0-0)

No. 11: Colorado Buffaloes (45), Upcoming Game: North Dakota State Bison (0-0)

No. 12: Baylor Bears (32), Upcoming Game: Tarleton State Texans (1-0)

No. 13: BYU Cougars (29), Upcoming Game: Southern Illinois Salukis (0-0)

No. 14: Arizona State Sun Devils (20), Upcoming Game: Wyoming Cowboys (0-0)

No. 15: Houston Cougars (13), Upcoming Game: UNLV Rebels (0-0)

No. 16: Cincinnati Bearcats (13), Upcoming Game: Towson Tigers (0-0)

An exciting Week 1 of college football is ahead and an exciting season of Big 12 football is finally here. This conference will bring the mustard in competition and drama, something college football fans everywhere are more than looking forward to. What will these rankings look like when all is said and done? Time will tell.