The Big 12 continues to reshape itself with new powers rising to the top. Freshmen playmakers are the story in this league. Sure, Kansas has a great one, but losing to North Carolina has them trending down, while Koa Peat has Arizona thinking big. The first edition of the Big 12 power rankings is full of young talent leading the charge for the teams.
Let’s take a closer look.
Big 12 Power Rankings: Freshmen are the Story
1. Arizona (2-0)
After taking down the defending Champion Florida Gators in their season opener, the Wildcats followed it up with a convincing 93-67 victory against Utah Tech. Peat is quickly becoming a household name in Tucson. Clashes with NAU and old rival UCLA will tell the tale for this team.
Arizona freshmen Koa Peat was unreal vs the defending National Champs in Florida:
30 points
7rebounds
5 assists
3 steals
1 block
11/18 FGAbsolutely dominated Florida on both ends was quite unbelievable to watch in real time. pic.twitter.com/YlnX802oDt
— Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) November 4, 2025
2. Houston (2-0)
Coach Kelvin Sampson has the Cougars rolling early, much like he has for the last several seasons. It’s too early to say if they are going to be a top national contender so far, but Houston is certainly in the hunt in the Big 12. They get Oakland in town this week, plus a fun match-up on November 16th against a Top 25-ranked Auburn Team as both look to cement themselves.
3. BYU (2-0)
It’s AJ Dybantsa season in Provo. The freshman phenom is all that has been advertised. He’s averaging 19 points and seven rebounds through his first two games for the Cougars. The November 14th clash with UConn is going to be a must-see match-up.
4. Iowa State (2-0)
The Cyclones are once again right in the thick of the fight near the top of the Big 12 power rankings. They handled business against FDU and Grambling to open the season. Now comes a fun clash with the SEC’s Mississippi State this week.
5. Texas Tech (2-0)
The city of Lubbock, Texas, has it going on. What a time to be a Red Raider fan. Top 10 football and a top 10 basketball team. JT Toppin could take this team to the next level. Bring on the Illinois Fighting Illini on Veterans Day.
6. Cincinnati (2-0)
Is it time to take the Bearcats seriously? I mean, they did beat Michigan during the exhibition season. They have rolled to pretty comfortable wins against Western Carolina and Georgia State. Baba Miller certainly looks to be locked in. Clash with fellow in-state school Dayton should be a taste of what Cincinnati really has.
7. Kansas (1-1)
Despite having a fantastic performance from a freshman, the Jayhawks fell short in their clash with North Carolina. Will Darryn Peterson be ready for the highly anticipated clash with Duke next week in NYC? Kansas has to handle business against Texas A&M CC and an always sneaky Princeton team.
8. Baylor (2-0)
The Bears picked up a nice home win against Washington this weekend, as they look to build confidence. They only have Tarleton State on the schedule this week, but they have some huge match-ups in the coming weeks.
9. West Virginia (3-0)
No more DeVries, no problem, the Mountaineers are off to a 3-0 start under first-year Ross Hodge. Time will tell if it is sustainable for WVU. Say hello to an old rival in Pittsburgh on Thursday.
10. Colorado (2-0)
The Buffaloes have been winning games, but they have been way too close for comfort. That includes their clash with EWU, where they needed overtime to escape with a 102-97 victory. Isaiah Johnson certainly appears to be the next great Colorado guard.
11. Arizona State (2-0)
Youth is a strong mark in the Big 12, and that’s no different for the Sun Devils. Bobby Hurley’s got a pair of underclassmen starting to lead the charge. Massamba Diop had 18 in ASU’s win against Utah Tech. Gonzaga visits Tempe this week. Can the Devils bring the heat?
12. Kansas State (2-0)
Two games, two wins for Jerome Teng’s 2025-26 Wildcats team. PJ Haggerty has brought the intensity thus far. Will it be enough moving forward, with the likes of California, Tulsa, and Mississippi State coming into Manhattan over the next week?
13. Oklahoma State (2-0)
Sure, the Cowboys are pretty low in this week’s rankings, but that’s nothing against them. They are 2-0, and beating Texas A&M was a huge resume builder. The schedule is favorable moving forward, so who’s to say Oklahoma State isn’t going to be amongst the top 10 of the Big 12 in the coming weeks?
14. Utah (2-0)
Terence Brown might be the sole reason the Utes stay competitive in games. Utah needed him against Weber State, as the Utes barely escaped with a 92-89 overtime victory. That isn’t too promising moving forward.
15. TCU (1-1)
Losing your starting center to an ACL injury is crushing. But not as crushing as the way the Horned Frogs lost their season opener. Yeah, they lost to New Orleans on their home floor in Fort Worth by four. Now, with Malick Diallo officially out for the rest of the season. TCU might be in trouble.
16. UCF (1-1)
The Golden Knights won their opener but came up on the bad end of the scoreboard against Vanderbilt. Even their opening win was way too close for comfort. UCF is flirting with an ugly season ahead at this point.
© Candice Ward-Imagn Images
