As many around the college sports sphere have tried to predict the Big 12’s best team in 2024, on Tuesday, 247Sports’ Cody Nagel gave his take on the official power rankings after Week 3.
Nagel’s list featured a plethora of movements from Week 2, with a new team at the top of the list and multiple near the bottom.
- No. 16 – Houston Cougars
- No. 15 – Kansas Jayhawks
“What happened to Jalon Daniels? The Kansas star quarterback looks like a shell of his former self now that Andy Kotelnicki is no longer the offensive coordinator in Lawrence,” Nagel said. “Daniels has six interceptions in 10 quarters of action thus far. The Jayhawks’ lone win is against FCS Lindenwood.”
- No. 14 – West Virginia
- No. 13 – Cincinnati Bearcats
- No. 12 – Colorado Buffaloes
- No. 11 – Texas Tech Red Raiders
“It is only mid-September, but Texas Tech found itself in a must-win game against North Texas in Week 3,” Nagel wrote. “Three of the next four games are in Lubbock, where the Red Raiders have won six of their last seven dating back to last season. Quarterback Behren Morton has nine touchdowns and no interceptions in two home games thus far in 2024.”
- No. 10 – Baylor Bears
- No. 9 – BYU Cougars
- No. 8 – Arizona State Sun Devils
- No. 7 – TCU Horned Frogs
- No. 6 – Arizona Wildcats
“After driving 73 yards for a touchdown on their opening drive at Kansas State last Friday, Arizona was held scoreless on its final eight possessions,” said Nagel. “The Wildcats may have a serious offensive issue, as quarterback Noah Fifita struggles to find options beyond standout receiver Tetairoa McMillan. The big 6-foot-5, 212-pound target is responsible for 453 yards this season — more than one-third of the total offensive yards for Arizona through three games. That is with him being held to just 11 yards receiving against Northern Arizona in Week 2. The Wildcats also have concerns on the defensive line, giving up 4.71 yards per carry.”
- No. 5 – UCF Knights
- No. 4 – Oklahoma State Cowboys
- No. 3 – Iowa State Cyclones
- No. 2 – Utah Utes
- No. 1 – Kansas State Wildcats
“Kansas State sort of dominated Arizona in all three phases of a top-25 matchup last Friday. What was expected by many to be a close game, turned into a blowout as Avery Johnson put his dual-threat talents on display for the rest of the Big 12 to take notice. The sophomore quarterback accounted for 266 yards, including 110 rushing, while throwing for two touchdowns to lead Kansas State. Special teams is always a strength in Manhattan with transfer Dylan Edwards taking a punt return 71 yards for a touchdown. The Kansas State defense made Arizona one-dimensional, holding them to just 56 yards rushing. If Chris Klieman continues to have Kansas State playing like that, the Wildcats are going to be tough to beat in the Big 12 race.”
With matchups between Nagel’s second and fourth-ranked teams, Utah and Oklahoma State, set for Saturday, Big 12 fans should get another sizeable update ahead of Week 5. Kansas and West Virginia play in a matchup to decide which team needs to completely reevaluate their title hopes, while No. 12 Kansas State takes on undefeated BYU at night in Provo.
