Big 12 Power Rankings: Final 2025 Edition
The regular season is over. The championship game is in the books. And now it’s time for the final power rankings of the 2025 season.
I’m writing this one. Jake tried to write it, but his version had Texas Tech ranked 1-16 in every spot somehow. So here we are. — Mike
That’s not true. I had them 1-15 and then Oklahoma State at 16. Which is accurate. — Jake
Let’s get into it.
1. Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-2)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 9/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 10/10 (Jake refuses to rate them lower)
Big 12 Champions. College Football Playoff participants. Best season in program history since… ever?
I’ve watched this team all year, and here’s what stands out on film: they got better every single month. The September team was good. The December team was elite. The defensive growth was remarkable — Jacob Rodriguez developed into the best defensive player in the conference, and the secondary went from a weakness to a strength.
Joey McGuire built something real. The culture is there. The physicality is there. The belief is there.
THIRTY-ONE YEARS, MIKE. THIRTY-ONE YEARS. — Jake
Season Grade: A+
2. BYU Cougars (11-2)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 8/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 7/10
The championship game wasn’t close, but that doesn’t diminish what BYU accomplished this season. 11-2 with an elite defense. Consistent, disciplined, well-coached.
Jake Retzlaff only threw 6 interceptions all year. Six. In a conference full of aggressive defenses trying to create turnovers. That’s elite ball security.
The championship loss was about matchups. Tech’s front seven was too physical for BYU’s offensive line. It happens. Doesn’t mean BYU isn’t an excellent program.
Season Grade: A
3. Iowa State Cyclones (10-3)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 8/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 7/10
Matt Campbell continues to be the most underrated coach in college football. Iowa State has no business being this good year after year, and yet here they are. Again.
The defense is suffocating. The offense is efficient. They don’t beat themselves. 10-3 in a conference this competitive is excellent.
They’re boring to watch but impossible to beat. Respect. — Jake
Season Grade: A
4. Colorado Buffaloes (9-3)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 7/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 9/10
The Deion Sanders Experience continues. Travis Hunter won the Heisman. Shedeur Sanders is going to be a first-round pick. Colorado is nationally relevant and bowl-bound.
Is it sustainable? I don’t know. The roster is built around two generational talents who are leaving. But 9-3 is 9-3.
Every Colorado game was must-watch TV. That counts for something. — Jake
Season Grade: A-
5. Kansas State Wildcats (8-4)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 7/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 6/10
K-State is the program that just wins. No drama, no headlines, just consistent competitiveness.
Avery Johnson is going to be a star. The running game is physical. The defense is fundamentally sound. Chris Klieman knows exactly what he’s doing.
Season Grade: B+
6. Arizona State Sun Devils (8-4)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 7/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 8/10
Kenny Dillingham’s rebuild is ahead of schedule. ASU plays fast, scores points, and is genuinely fun to watch.
The defense needs work, but the trajectory is up. Cam Skattebo is a star. This program is going places.
Season Grade: B+
7. Kansas Jayhawks (7-5)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 6/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 7/10
Lance Leipold deserves a statue. Kansas was 0-9 five years ago. Now they’re bowl eligible for the third straight year.
Jalon Daniels staying healthy was huge. The culture is real. This is a respectable program now.
I still can’t believe I just typed that about Kansas football. — Jake
Season Grade: B
8. Baylor Bears (7-5)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 6/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 5/10
Baylor is the definition of inconsistent. They beat Kansas State and lost to Houston in the same season. I don’t understand them. Nobody does.
Dave Aranda’s defense is still good. The offense needs to figure itself out.
Season Grade: B-
9. UCF Knights (7-5)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 5/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 8/10
UCF games went over 75% of the time. The offense scores. The defense bleeds. Every game is chaos.
7-5 is fine, but they need to learn how to get stops if they want to compete for titles.
If you bet the over on every UCF game, you made money. That’s their identity now. — Jake
Season Grade: B-
10. West Virginia Mountaineers (6-6)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 5/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 5/10
West Virginia is perpetually in the 6-6 to 8-4 range. Never terrible, never great. Just… there.
Garrett Greene can play. The defense cannot stop anyone. It evens out to bowl eligibility.
Season Grade: C+
11. TCU Horned Frogs (6-6)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 5/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 4/10
Two years ago they were in the national championship game. Now they’re 6-6 and hoping to beat LSU in Houston.
TCU needs an offensive reset. The magic from 2022 is gone.
Season Grade: C
12. Cincinnati Bearcats (6-6)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 5/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 4/10
The playoff run from 2021 feels like ancient history. Cincinnati is still adjusting to the Big 12, and it’s taking longer than expected.
Scott Satterfield needs to show progress in Year 4.
Season Grade: C
13. Utah Utes (5-7)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 4/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 4/10
Kyle Whittingham’s first losing season in forever. The quarterback injuries were brutal, but 5-7 is 5-7.
I expect a bounce back. Whittingham doesn’t lose twice in a row.
Season Grade: C-
14. Arizona Wildcats (5-7)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 4/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 4/10
Arizona’s Big 12 transition has been rough. The physicality is different from the Pac-12, and they haven’t adjusted yet.
Tetairoa McMillan is a star. The rest of the roster needs to catch up.
Season Grade: C-
15. Houston Cougars (4-8)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 3/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 3/10
Houston is in trouble. The Big 12 move hasn’t worked, and they’re years away from competing.
The only highlight was beating Oklahoma State. Which… I don’t want to talk about.
I want to talk about it. — Jake
Season Grade: D
16. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-9)
🛋️ Recliner Rating: 2/10 | 🍺 Barstool Rating: 1/10 (Jake is being petty)
This is the worst Oklahoma State season in decades. The coaching change mid-season. The blowout losses. The complete collapse of everything Mike Gundy built.
Eric Morris is a good hire. It’s going to take time. I’ll be patient.
Jake, I swear to God, if you write anything here—
I’m not saying anything. I’m just… here. Supportively. With my championship ring. — Jake
Season Grade: F
Final Thoughts
This was a fascinating Big 12 season. The new additions from the Pac-12 are still adjusting. The traditional powers had mixed results. And Texas Tech won their first conference title in 31 years.
The conference is deep, competitive, and unpredictable. That’s what makes it fun to cover.
See you in bowl season.
— Mike
TEXAS TECH BIG 12 CHAMPIONS. I had to say it one more time. — Jake
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