Big 12 Conference Power Rankings: Week 9

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The top two teams in the Big 12 Conference were a part of thrilling games in Week 8 starting on Oct. 18 in Provo, Utah when No. 11 BYU scored a touchdown with 10 seconds remaining to beat Oklahoma State 38-35. On Oct. 19 No. 10 Iowa State was pushed to the limit by UCF which gave up 354 yards rushing. Rocco Becht scored a touchdown on a quarterback sneak with 30 seconds remaining to win 38-35. No. 16 Kansas State blew out West Virginia on the road 45-18. Colorado won big over Arizona 34-7. Kansas demolished Houston 42-14. The most surprising blowout of the weekend was Baylor blowing out a hot Texas Tech team 59-35.

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: Iowa State Cyclones (7-0, 4-0) (95), Last Week: No. 2

Iowa State has positioned itself to have its first-ever 10-win season. Becht has thrown for 1,712 yards with 11 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Running back Carson Hansen has rushed for 398 yards and 7 touchdowns on the season. The Cyclones are on a bye week this week before they start a tough stretch to end the season. Texas Tech, Cincinnati, Kansas, Utah and Kansas State are the remaining five games on the schedule.

Upcoming game: Bye

No. 2: BYU Cougars (7-0, 4-0) (91), Last Week: No. 1

The Cyclones and Cougars have swapped the No. 1 spot the last couple of weeks showing how close these two programs are. Oklahoma State has been struggling this season but was able to give BYU a scare at home. But they did what good teams do—they found a way to win on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Jake Retzlaff to Darius Lassiter. Retzlaff has 1,644 yards with 16 touchdowns and 7 interceptions and leads the team in rushing with 265 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Upcoming game: UCF Knights

No. 3: Kansas State Wildcats (6-1, 3-1) (84), Last Week: No. 3

Kansas State is improving every week and had its most complete game of the season against West Virginia. The Mountaineers committed to stopping the run forcing Johnson to beat them with his arm and he did that throwing for 298 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Since the BYU meltdown, K-State has beaten teams with the rush and pass game with limited mistakes leading to two blowout wins and a comeback. A birth in the Big 12 Championship game is still alive with what is shaping up to be a play-in game for the last game of the season against Iowa State.

Upcoming game: Kansas Jayhawks

No. 4: Colorado Buffaloes (5-2, 3-1) (78), Last Week: No. 6

After an abysmal rushing game against Kansas State rushing for minus-29 yards, Colorado bounced back against Arizona running for 155 yards. Head coach Deion Sanders has his Buffaloes on the right trajectory in their first season back in the Big 12. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders has 2,268 yards passing with 19 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. If Colorado can find a consistent run game they will be difficult to stop on offense for the rest of the season. Travis Hunter only played one half this week after getting hurt against K-State. The Buffaloes are dangerous without him but are lethal when he is healthy.

Upcoming game: Cincinnati Bearcats

No. 5: Cincinnati Bearcats (5-1, 3-1) (72), Last Week: No. 8

The Bearcats did what many teams have had trouble doing this season—slow down Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo in a win 24-14. Quarterback Brendan Sorsby threw for 206 yards with 1 interception but scored 2 rushing touchdowns. Sorsby has 1,928 yards 13 touchdowns and 4 interceptions adding on 6 rushing touchdowns.

Cincinnati's two losses are to Pitt (6-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) by 1-point and Texas Tech by 4. We will find out more about the Bearcats these coming weeks with three road games at Colorado, Iowa State and Kansas State.

Upcoming game: at Colorado Buffaloes

Big 12 Power Rankings: Nos. 6-16

No. 6: Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-2, 3-1) (64); Last week: No. 4; Upcoming game: at TCU Horned Frogs

No. 7: Arizona State Sun Devils (5-2, 2-2) (62); Last week: No. 5; Upcoming game: Bye

No. 8: TCU Horned Frogs (4-3, 2-2) (54); Last week: No. 12; Upcoming game: Texas Tech Red Raiders

No. 9: Utah Utes (4-3, 2-2) (46); Last week: 7; Upcoming game: at Houston Cougars

No. 10: UCF Knights (3-4, 1-3) (40); Last week: 11; Upcoming game: BYU Cougars

No. 11: West Virginia Mountaineers (3-4, 2-2) (38); Last week: 9; Upcoming game: at Arizona Wildcats

No. 12: Baylor Bears (3-4, 1-3) (31); Last week: 14; Upcoming game: Oklahoma State Cowboys

No. 13: Arizona Wildcats (3-4, 1-3) (23); Last week: 10; Upcoming game: West Virginia Mountaineers

No. 14: Kansas Jayhawks (2-5, 1-3) (17); Last week: 16; Upcoming game: at Kansas State Wildcats

No. 15: Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-4, 0-6) (16); Last week: 15; Upcoming game: at Baylor Bears

No. 16: Houston Cougars (2-5, 1-3) (7); Last week: 13; Upcoming game: Utah Utes

There are plenty of sneaky good games in the Big 12 this upcoming weekend. How will BYU handle UCF's rushing attack on the road? Will Kansas play to its potential on the road at their in-state rival or will Kansas State win its 16th straight game in the rivalry? Can Cincinnati win on the road at Colorado to keep pace in the standings? A lot of questions to be answered this weekend in the Big 12.