Big 12 Conference Power Rankings: Week 12

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Week 11 of the Big 12 Conference is over. Iowa State stumbled against Kansas 45-36 inside Arrowhead Stadium. No. 17 Colorado held off Texas Tech on the road 41-27. No. 6 BYU fought back to beat rival Utah 22-21 on a last-second field goal. There are still 12 teams mathematically alive to make the Big 12 Championship game, but only six teams (BYU, Colorado, No. 16 Kansas State, West Virginia, Arizona State and Iowa State) have a real chance to make it.

College Football Dawgs' Big 12 power rankings are based on an aggregated weighing of writing staff votes for conference members.

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 received. Here are the results, with summaries of each of the top 5 vote-receiving teams.

No. 1: BYU Cougars (9-0, 6-0) (95), Last Week: No. 1

The Big 12's last remaining undefeated team is set up nicely to make the conference championship game even if they drop one game between now and the end of the season. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff has done enough this season to keep this team undefeated after nine games throwing for 2,091 yards 18 touchdowns 7 interceptions and 4 rushing touchdowns. Getting LJ Martin back from injury has boosted the rushing game with 338 yards and 4 touchdowns in four games. The BYU defense only allows 19.8 points per game. The Cougars have a plus-10 turnover margin.

Upcoming Game: Kansas Jayhawks

No. 2: Colorado Buffaloes (7-2, 5-1) (90), Last Week: No. 4

Colorado has positioned itself to make the conference title game with only one loss in conference play. Shedeur Sanders is currently second in the Big 12 with 2,882 yards passing and first with 24 touchdown passes. Travis Hunter is currently the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy according to FanDuel. The defense currently leads the Big 12 in sacks on the season with 29. The Buffaloes avoided all of the top teams (Iowa State, BYU, Arizona State and West Virginia) in the conference outside of Kansas State who was their lone loss in conference play.

Upcoming Game: Utah Utes

No. 3: Kansas State Wildcats (7-2, 4-2) (83), Last Week: No. 3

The Wildcats are coming off of a bye week after a shocking upset on the road against Houston. The Kansas State offense has struggled running the ball over the last three games with 131 yards per game after averaging 241 yards per game for the first six games.

In his first full season starting at quarterback Avery Johnson has the school record for passing touchdowns within reach needing seven over the next three games. For K-State to make the Big 12 championship game they need to win out the remaining three games and have Colorado drop one game.

Upcoming Game: Arizona State Sun Devils

No. 4: Iowa State Cyclones (7-2, 4-2) (80), Last Week: No. 2

Iowa State started the season winning its first seven games before dropping their game at home to Texas Tech 23-22 before getting beat by Kansas. The Cyclone's rushing attack has struggled over those two losses with 133 yards against Texas Tech and 78 against Kansas. Rocco Becht has done well this season with 2,394 yards passing with 16 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Iowa State's defense is giving up 18.8 points a game this season but over the last three games they have allowed 34.3 points. Iowa State's Big 12 title hopes need a lot of help from others including winning the final three games, Colorado losing at least one game and Kansas State beating Arizona State.

Upcoming Game: Cincinnati Bearcats

No. 5: Arizona State Sun Devils (7-2, 4-2) (72), Last Week: No. 5

Arizona State was able to come back to beat UCF 35-31 boosted by two non-offensive touchdowns. Quarterback Sam Leavitt has thrown for 1,631 yards with 14 touchdowns and 4 interceptions with 4 rushing touchdowns. Outstanding running back Cam Skattebo is battling an injury and missed the UCF game but has run for 1,001 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The Sun Devils defense sits fifth in the Big 12 giving up 330.8 yards a game. The Arizona State path to the conference championship game is like the others with two losses, needing a Colorado loss,, to win the rest of their games and rely on tiebreakers. Arizona State will be in a good spot with those tiebreakers if they win out since they have games against Kansas State and BYU remaining on the schedule.

Upcoming Game: at Kansas State Wildcats

Big 12 Power Rankings: Nos. 6-16

No. 6: Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-4, 4-3) (62); Last week: No. 8; Upcoming game: Bye

No. 7: TCU Horned Frogs (6-4, 4-3) (61); Last week: No. 7; Upcoming game: Bye

No. 8: West Virginia Mountaineers (5-4, 4-2) (55); Last week: No. 9; Upcoming game: Baylor Bears

No. 9: Cincinnati Bearcats (5-4, 3-3) (49); Last week: No. 6; Upcoming game: at Iowa State Cyclones

No. 10: Baylor Bears (5-4, 3-3) (43); Last week: No. 10; Upcoming game: at West Virginia Mountaineers

No. 11: UCF Knights (4-6, 2-5) (33); Last week: No. 11; Upcoming game: Bye

No. 12: Kansas Jayhawks (3-6, 2-4) (29); Last week: No. 13; Upcoming game: at BYU Cougars

No. 13: Houston Cougars (4-5, 3-3) (28); Last week: No. 12; Upcoming game: at Arizona Wildcats

No. 14: Arizona Wildcats (3-6, 1-5) (17); Last week: No. 13; Upcoming game: Houston Cougars

No. 15: Utah Utes (4-5, 1-5) (13); Last week: No. 15; Upcoming game: at Colorado Buffaloes

No. 16: Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-7, 0-7) (6); Last week: No. 16; Upcoming game: Bye

This week will clear up the postseason picture with BYU facing a surging Kansas, Arizona State traveling to Kansas State and if Iowa State will continue their slide backward. The Big 12 is the most unpredictable conference in America at this point of the season with anyone able to win.