Big 12 Power Rankings: Oklahoma Climbs After Red River Win, Who’s Third Best Team?

SALT LAKE CITY – As we enter week seven of the college football season, it’s time for another installment of Big 12 power rankings.

Every week me and KSL Sports Zone host Alex Kirry drops our Big 12 power rankings on our radio show, “First & 12.”

It airs Sundays at 10 a.m. until Noon, then re-airs from 3-5 p.m. on KSL NewsRadio and the KSL Sports Zone.

You can also listen to the show on the KSL Sports app and all major podcasting platforms.

What a game between Texas and Oklahoma in the final Red River Rivalry as Big 12 members. Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel put together an impressive game-winning touchdown drive to give the Sooners a 34-30 victory.

The Oklahoma defense was night and day different from the 49-0 shellacking they took last year to the Longhorns.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers started slow but had another impressive outing despite the loss. It’s hard to imagine anyone in the Big 12 right now derailing a potential rematch in the Big 12 Championship Game between Oklahoma and Texas.

That raises the question, who is number three? Is it West Virginia who has jumped out to a surprising 2-0 start? What about Kansas put together a near 400-yard rushing performance against UCF? Then there’s BYU which is finding ways to win games in unconventional paths.

The power rankings will shake it all out for the week.

Big 12 Power Rankings 2023 Season: Week Seven

Here’s how we have the power rankings stacked up in the Big 12 entering the week seven slate.

1. Oklahoma (6-0, 3-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 2 (Up 1)

Oklahoma 34, Texas 30

This week: Bye

2. Texas (5-1, 2-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 1 (Down 1)

Oklahoma 34, Texas 30

This week: Bye

3. Kansas (5-1, 2-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 4 (Up 1)

Kansas 51, UCF 22

This week: at Oklahoma State | 1:30 p.m. | FS1

4. West Virginia (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 6 (Up 2)

Bye

This week: at Houston (Thursday) | 5 p.m. | FS1

5. BYU (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 5

Bye

This week: at TCU | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN & KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)

6. Texas Tech (3-3, 2-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 8 (Up 2)

Texas Tech 39, Baylor 14

This week: vs. Kansas State | 5 p.m. | FS1

7. Kansas State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 3 (Down 4)

Oklahoma State 29, Kansas State 21

This week: at Texas Tech | 5 p.m. | FS1

8. Iowa State (3-3, 2-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 12 (Up 4)

Iowa State 27, TCU 14

This week: at Cincinnati | 10 a.m. | FS1

9. Oklahoma State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 14 (Up 5)

Oklahoma State 29, Kansas State 21

This week: vs. Kansas | 1:30 p.m. | FS1

10. TCU (3-3, 1-2 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 7 (Down 3)

Iowa State 27, TCU 14

This week: vs. BYU | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN & KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)

11. Cincinnati (2-3, 0-2 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 11

Bye

This week: vs. Iowa State | 10 a.m. | FS1

12. Baylor (2-4, 1-2 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 9 (Down 3)

Texas Tech 39, Baylor 14

This week: Bye

13. UCF (3-3, 0-3 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 10 (Down 3)

Kansas 51, UCF 22

This week: Bye

14. Houston (2-3, 0-2 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 13 (Down 1)

Bye

This week: vs. West Virginia (Thursday) | 5 p.m. | FS1

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X and Threads: @Mitch_Harper.

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