Big 12 Power Rankings After Week 6 Put BYU on Top and TCU Near the Bottom

BYU moves to the top of this week's Big 12 power rankings, Houston climbs after a road win and Arizona heads into its bye with another impressive offensive performance.

See how the conference outlook has changed since our preseason Big 12 power rankings.

For TCU, the week off brought no change in position. The Horned Frogs remain No. 14 as they prepare to visit Baylor, with both teams looking to make their return from the bye count.

The next slate includes BYU against Notre Dame, Houston against Oklahoma State and two conference rivalry games. Here is where all 16 teams stand following Week 6.

Movement reflects the change from last week's rankings. All kickoff times are Central.

1. BYU (2)

Record: 5-0, 3-0 Big 12

BYU remained undefeated with a 24-10 home victory over Iowa State on Friday night. Even without running back LJ Martin, the Cougars found enough offense while holding the Cyclones to 10 points. The win moves BYU to No. 1 in our rankings and sets up a major opportunity against Notre Dame.

This week: vs. Notre Dame, Saturday, October 17, at 6:30 p.m. on ABC.

2. Utah ()

Record: 5-0, 2-0 Big 12

Utah continued its undefeated start with a 41-24 home win over Kansas. The Utes remain No. 2, with BYU's latest win giving the Cougars the edge this week. Utah keeps taking care of business, and a road trip to Colorado offers another chance to protect its place near the top.

This week: at Colorado, Saturday, October 17, at 9:15 p.m. on ESPN.

3. Texas Tech (2)

Record: 5-0, 2-0 Big 12

Texas Tech had a bye in Week 6 and drops two spots as BYU and Utah strengthen their cases. The Red Raiders remain undefeated and firmly in the conference race. Saturday's matchup against Arizona State gives them an opportunity to remind everyone why they held the top spot.

This week: vs. Arizona State, Saturday, October 17, at 2:30 p.m. on FOX.

4. Houston (2)

Record: 5-1, 2-1 Big 12

Houston climbs two spots after a convincing 35-16 road win over Kansas State. The Cougars continue to build momentum and now get a chance to back up their rise against Oklahoma State. With the Cowboys directly behind them in these rankings, Saturday's matchup could bring another change near the top.

This week: vs. Oklahoma State, Saturday, October 17, at 6:30 p.m. on FOX.

5. Oklahoma State (1)

Record: 4-1, 2-0 Big 12

Oklahoma State defeated UCF 42-28 at home to remain unbeaten in conference play. The Cowboys drop one spot because Houston moves ahead of them, rather than because of a setback of their own. A trip to Houston gives Oklahoma State an immediate opportunity to settle that argument on the field.

This week: at Houston, Saturday, October 17, at 6:30 p.m. on FOX.

6. Arizona (1)

Record: 5-1, 2-1 Big 12

Arizona delivered one of the week's biggest offensive performances in a 52-31 road win at West Virginia. The Wildcats move up one spot and enter their bye with plenty of momentum. For TCU fans, Arizona's ability to score quickly deserves attention before the Frogs' November trip to Tucson.

Our Arizona-West Virginia breakdown examines the different challenges both teams will present for TCU.

This week: Bye.

7. Baylor (2)

Record: 4-1, 2-0 Big 12

Baylor had a bye after winning four of its first five games. The Bears drop two spots as other teams add wins, but their unbeaten conference record keeps them in a strong position. They return to action against TCU in the Revivalry, with an opportunity to keep their Big 12 start rolling.

This week: vs. TCU, Saturday, October 17, at 6 p.m. on FS1.

8. Cincinnati (1)

Record: 4-1, 1-1 Big 12

Cincinnati was off in Week 6 and moves up one spot. The Bearcats have put together a solid start, but the next stretch will test how well they stack up against the conference's contenders. First comes a trip to West Virginia, where a road win would help Cincinnati move past its loss to Arizona.

This week: at West Virginia, Saturday, October 17, at 11 a.m. on TNT/truTV, with streaming on HBO Max.

9. Iowa State (1)

Record: 3-3, 1-2 Big 12

Iowa State lost 24-10 at BYU and drops one spot. The Cyclones could not generate enough offense to threaten the undefeated Cougars consistently. A bye gives Iowa State time to regroup before returning to conference play.

This week: Bye.

10. Kansas State (1)

Record: 3-2, 0-2 Big 12

Kansas State lost 35-16 to Houston and is still searching for its first conference win. The Wildcats move up one spot as UCF slides, but the result leaves plenty to address. A rivalry matchup against Kansas offers a chance to respond and avoid a third straight Big 12 loss.

This week: vs. Kansas, Saturday, October 17, at 11 a.m. on FS1.

11. Arizona State (2)

Record: 3-2, 1-1 Big 12

Arizona State returned to the win column with a 30-12 victory over Hawai'i. The nonconference win improves the Sun Devils' overall record while leaving their Big 12 mark at 1-1. They climb two spots, but a trip to undefeated Texas Tech will provide a much tougher test.

This week: at Texas Tech, Saturday, October 17, at 2:30 p.m. on FOX.

12. UCF (2)

Record: 3-3, 1-2 Big 12

UCF fell 42-28 at Oklahoma State for its second consecutive conference loss. The Knights scored enough to stay involved but could not keep pace with the Cowboys. They drop two spots and head into a bye with time to make adjustments.

This week: Bye.

13. West Virginia (1)

Record: 3-3, 0-3 Big 12

West Virginia struggled defensively in its 52-31 home loss to Arizona. The Mountaineers have now lost their first three conference games and need to find a way to slow opposing offenses. They fall one spot and will try to respond at home against Cincinnati.

This week: vs. Cincinnati, Saturday, October 17, at 11 a.m. on TNT/truTV, with streaming on HBO Max.

14. TCU ()

Record: 2-3, 0-2 Big 12

TCU had a bye after losing its first two conference games. The Horned Frogs remain No. 14 as they prepare for a critical road matchup against Baylor. A rivalry win would give TCU a much-needed reset, but the Frogs must turn the extra preparation time into better execution.

TCU has plenty of company among Power Four teams struggling through slow starts, although that offers little comfort heading into Waco. One encouraging development has been freshman Ace Theus giving the Frogs something to build on.

This week: at Baylor, Saturday, October 17, at 6 p.m. on FS1. r

15. Colorado ()

Record: 2-3, 0-2 Big 12

Colorado was off in Week 6 and remains No. 15. The Buffaloes are still looking for their first conference win and return against undefeated Utah. They will need a much stronger performance to pull off an upset and begin changing the direction of their season.

This week: vs. Utah, Saturday, October 17, at 9:15 p.m. on ESPN.

16. Kansas ()

Record: 2-3, 0-2 Big 12

Kansas fell 41-24 at Utah and remains at the bottom of these rankings. The Jayhawks are still searching for their first conference win, but Saturday brings a chance to change that against Kansas State. Both teams enter the Sunflower Showdown at 0-2 in Big 12 play.

This week: at Kansas State, Saturday, October 17, at 11 a.m. on FS1.

What These Big 12 Results Mean for TCU

The Frogs' immediate focus is Baylor, but the rest of the conference schedule will not offer much relief. TCU needs to start turning close games into wins before its position in the standings becomes harder to repair.

Our look at what the latest Big 12 results mean for TCU takes a closer look at the teams still ahead on the schedule.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/tcu as Big 12 Power Rankings After Week 6 Put BYU on Top and TCU Near the Bottom.