Tom Fornelli's College Football Power Ratings: Two Big 12 teams make list -- neither tops league standings

This week's power ratings have good news and bad news for the Big 12. The good news is that, for the first time this season, the Big 12 has two teams that have cracked the top 12 of my power ratings. It's an accomplishment worth celebrating, and perhaps even hanging a banner for at the Big 12 Championship Game in December.

The bad news is that neither is one of the two Big 12 teams that remain undefeated in conference play. Making matters worse, one of the two teams already has two conference losses.

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I'm talking about Texas Tech, which has been ranked here most of the season, and the Utah Utes, who climb to No. 11 this week. BYU and Cincinnati, who are 5-0 in Big 12 play, and No. 10 and No. 17 in the AP Poll, are 15th and 21st, respectively, in my power ratings. Houston is 29th. All of which means there's plenty of chaos coming the Big 12's direction over the final month plus of the season. The Utes don't have much chance of winning the league -- losses to Texas Tech and BYU kill them in most tie-breaker scenarios -- but they do get Cincinnati at home this week, so they'll certainly have a say in who will win the league.

All of which is great news for the league as far as drama and excitement down the stretch. However, it does not bode well for how the league will perform in the College Football Playoff rankings, or its likely performance in said playoff.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

2025 Preseason Fornelli Power Ratings

1	Ohio State
The Buckeyes took the week off and return to action this week to face Penn State in what was supposed to be one of the biggest games of the season. Instead, Ohio State finds itself in a situation where anything other than a multi-score margin of victory will be seen as a disappointment. Last Week: 1 | Title Odds: +250
2	Indiana
Curt Cignetti referred to UCLA as a 3-0 team last week because it was a brand new squad following a coaching change, and then he had his team treat the Bruins like they would be counted as a 3-0 team on the Hoosiers' resume at the end of the season. The Hoosiers won by 50, proving once and for all that any team can lose by 50 on the road against Indiana, all right? I'm not just saying that as an Illini licking his wounds from a 17-point loss to Washington that ended the team's slim playoff hopes. Purely neutral observation! Last Week: 2 | Title Odds: +650
3	Oregon
I don't know what it is about Wisconsin that gives the Ducks so much trouble. Last year, the Ducks survived a 16-13 scare at Camp Randall, and on Saturday, they looked somewhat pedestrian in a 21-7 win over the Badgers. The weather clearly played a factor, but even if it forced the Ducks to be more one-dimensional on offense, I'd have liked to have seen a stronger overall performance. Last Week: 4 | Title Odds: +1100
4	Alabama
I wasn't overly surprised by Alabama's lackluster performance on the road against South Carolina. First of all, it's a tough place to play. Second, the Tide were coming off a stretch of four straight games against ranked teams, including an annual rivalry tilt with Tennessee last week. This is a team that is really happy to get a bye this weekend. Last Week: 3 | Title Odds: +700
5	Texas A&M
The Aggies put the final nail in Brian Kelly's coffin at LSU, trouncing the Tigers 49-25. I've already written it, but there's no reason this team shouldn't be looked at as a legitimate threat in both its conference and the CFP picture. I know they're fifth here, but the gap between them and the three teams ahead of them is not a significant one, which is why Oregon and Alabama keep doing their little dance of leapfrogging one another. A&M might jump both here soon. Last Week: 5 | Title Odds: +1000
6	Notre Dame
The Irish had the week off and will be on the road this week to face a Boston College team that is horrible. BC's only win this season was against Fordham, and they've lost each of their last four games by at least 14 points. This is one of those games where Notre Dame can't just win, but has to do so impressively to make it worth something on the resume. Last Week: 7 | Title Odds: +1100
7	Georgia
When I tell you the gaps between these teams are small, I mean it. Why did Notre Dame jump ahead of Georgia when both had last week off? Because wins by Miami and Texas A&M improved Notre Dame's strength of schedule just enough to scoot the Irish past the Dawgs. SOS isn't part of my ratings directly, but it does affect how teams "score" in areas that are. Last Week: 6 | Title Odds: +1000
8	Ole Miss
Here's some movement that's easier to understand. The Rebels dropped after losing to Georgia two weeks ago, but an eight-point win on the road against an Oklahoma team that was 11th here last week (and is still 14th this week) helps them climb up a spot. The most difficult stretch of the schedule is complete; now the Rebels just need to make sure they don't mess up more than once down the home stretch, and they'll make their first playoff appearance. Last Week: 9 | Title Odds: +2200
9	Miami (Fla.)
I won't lie to you. I considered downgrading Miami based on its uniform choice alone. You can honor the troops without dishonoring yourselves, Canes. Those things looked awful. Anyway, Miami won 42-7 against Stanford to bounce back from the Louisville loss, but there are still a few tricky games left on the schedule. November could be a breeze, but it could also be heartbreaking. Last Week: 8 | Title Odds: +1700
10	Texas Tech
Brett Yormark didn't listen to me! Yes, my tongue was planted semi-firmly in my cheek when I said Yormark should declare Tech the Big 12 champion two weeks ago and let the team rest to avoid injuries, but there is plenty of truth in sarcasm sometimes! Now the Red Raiders have a banged-up Behren Morton, and backup QB Will Hammond was lost for the season to a torn ACL. They're still without Skyler Gill-Howard on their defensive line, too. There's a legitimate chance this team doesn't get to the Big 12 Championship Game, and I don't see a 10-2 Tech team getting an at-large bid in most outcomes. Last Week: 10 | Title Odds: +2000
11	Utah
Kyle Whittingham's injury report shenanigans remain undefeated. Byrd Ficklin -- what a damn name -- was the surprise starter for the Utes against Colorado, and nobody seemed more surprised by it than the Buffaloes. Ficklin rushed for 151 yards, threw for 140 and had 3 touchdowns in a 53-7 decimation of the Buffs. It was 43-0 at halftime! The losses to Texas Tech and BYU ruined Utah's hopes of making the playoff this year, but this team has finally begun playing like the team I thought it would be before the season. Last Week: Not Ranked | Title Odds: +17500
12	Texas
Still here, and I'm still mad about it! Texas came back from a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime and beat Mississippi State 45-38. Steve Sarkisian called it a "culture win" afterward, which I suppose is justified. You can argue that the team's culture is what kept it from giving up hope when down 17. However, if that's the case, does the culture not also take some of the blame for being down 17 points to Mississippi State to begin with? You know, a week after you needed overtime to beat Kentucky? The Horns can't keep getting away with this, yet they do. Last Week: 12 | Title Odds: +5000

Fell outside Top 12: Oklahoma