After facing off with (and absolutely bowling right over) one of the best teams in the Big 12 (and one of the most physical and disciplined defenses in the country), it looks like the folks voting on the AP Poll are finally starting to understand that the Texas Tech Red Raiders might just have one of the best teams in the country this season.
At the very least, it looks like folks voting on the AP Poll understand that the Texas Tech football team might just be the best team in the Big 12 this season. This week, after a lopsided road win over the then No. 16 Utah Utes, the Red Raiders are coming in as the No. 12 team in the country in the latest AP Poll.
While Texas Tech should probably be ranked higher (and the Utes should probably still be ranked), it’s worth noting that there isn’t a Big 12 team ranked higher than the Red Raiders right now.
Here’s where the Red Raiders rank in the AP Poll among the other teams in the Big 12:
AP Poll college football rankings finally place Texas Tech at the top of the Big 12 after Red Raiders’ dominant win over Utah
- Texas Tech Red Raiders - No. 12 overall
- Iowa State Cyclones - No. 14 overall
- TCU Horned Frogs - No. 24 overall
- BYU Cougars - No. 25 overall
New @AP_Top25. New ranked teams. New opportunity.#Big12FB | @Venmo pic.twitter.com/IRlVXhCzFW
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 21, 2025
It’s a little weird that the AP Poll isn’t taking the Big 12 seriously this season and that should absolutely not be the case. I don’t have an easy or quick fix for that though. I think teams in the Big 12 will have to earn that respect (and that’s a process that could take some time and plenty of non-conference wins).
Right now, what I think is important is acknowledging that folks voting on the AP Poll have the Red Raiders as the No. 1 team in the conference. And that’s something worth celebrating and enjoying.