Merry Christmas, basketball fans. With the holidays here and conference play just days away, it is time for our Christmas edition of the Big 12 Power Rankings. As expected, the Big 12 is shaping up to be one of the most competitive leagues in college basketball, with very little separation from top to bottom. A photo finish feels inevitable once league play begins.
Without further ado, here are the Christmas 2025 Big 12 power rankings.
16. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-5)
It has not been the start to the season Cincinnati envisioned. The Bearcats sit at 7-5, but losses to Eastern Michigan and rival Xavier loom large. They nearly erased a 27-point deficit in their most recent loss to Clemson, showing some fight, but consistency remains an issue. Cincinnati is off until December 29, when it hosts Lipscomb, before opening conference play on January 3 at home against defending Big 12 champion Houston.
15. West Virginia Mountaineers (9-4)
West Virginia enters Christmas with a solid 9-4 record and is coming off a 35-point win over Mississippi Valley State. All four losses have come by 10 points or fewer, including narrow defeats to Ohio State and Clemson. The Mountaineers will have little margin for error when Big 12 play opens, starting with a road trip to unbeaten Iowa State on January 2.
14. Utah Utes (8-4)
Utah’s season has been uneven. The Utes own a quality win over Ole Miss but have struggled against lesser competition, with losses to Cal Poly, Grand Canyon, California, and Mississippi State. Offensively, they showed life in a 101-point outing against Eastern Washington. Utah resumes play December 29 at Washington and opens Big 12 action January 3 at home against Arizona.
13. Arizona State Sun Devils (9-4)
Bobby Hurley’s group heads into Christmas on a two-game skid, with losses at UCLA and at home against Oregon State. Their other defeats came against Gonzaga and USC. Arizona State is averaging 80 points per game, led by Maurice Odom at 16.2 per contest. The Sun Devils open conference play January 3 at home against Colorado.
12. Kansas State Wildcats (8-4)
Kansas State enters the break on a three-game winning streak after a four-game slide earlier this month. Losses to Nebraska, Indiana, Bowling Green, and Seton Hall still linger, but recent wins over Creighton and South Dakota have stabilized things. PJ Haggerty remains one of the nation’s elite scorers at 22.8 points per game. The Wildcats host UL Monroe on December 28 before opening league play against BYU.
11. Colorado Buffaloes (10-2)
Colorado has put together a strong nonconference résumé, but losses in two of its last four games have raised questions. Defeats at Colorado State and at home against Stanford were setbacks. Still, the Buffaloes are scoring 86.3 points per game, one of the better marks in the league. They finish nonconference play December 28 against Northern Colorado and open Big 12 action January 3 at Arizona State.
10. TCU Horned Frogs (9-3)
TCU has won four straight games following a narrow loss to Notre Dame. The Frogs also dropped close games to Michigan and Notre Dame, with the season-opening loss to New Orleans standing out as the lone blemish. Wins over Florida and Wisconsin strengthen the résumé. TCU hosts Jackson State on December 29 before opening Big 12 play against Baylor.
9. UCF Knights (10-1)
An 11-1 start is impressive, even if the Knights lack a signature win. Their lone loss came against a red-hot Vanderbilt team, while wins over Texas A&M, Pittsburgh, and Florida Atlantic headline the schedule. UCF is finished with nonconference play and opens Big 12 action at home against Kansas before traveling to Oklahoma State.
8. Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-1)
Oklahoma State has been one of the most explosive teams in the conference, averaging 90.3 points per game, which ranks among the nation’s top 20. The Cowboys’ only loss came against rival Oklahoma. Since then, they have rebounded with back-to-back wins. Anthony Roy leads the way at 16.2 points per game. Oklahoma State hosts Bethune-Cookman on December 29 before opening league play at Texas Tech.
7. Baylor Bears (9-2)
Baylor suffered early losses to St. John’s and Memphis but has responded with three straight wins. The Bears have been scorching offensively, averaging 112 points per game over their last two outings. Cameron Carr has been outstanding, scoring 21.7 points per game while shooting nearly 56 percent from the field. Baylor plays Arlington Baptist on December 29 before opening conference play at TCU.
6. Texas Tech Red Raiders (9-3)
Texas Tech owns one of the league’s best wins, rallying to beat Duke at Madison Square Garden. All three losses have come against ranked opponents: Illinois, Purdue, and Arkansas. Led by JT Toppin and Christian Anderson, the Red Raiders are as dangerous as anyone in the conference. Texas Tech hosts Winthrop on December 28 and Oklahoma State on January 3, then travels to Houston on January 6.
5. Kansas Jayhawks (9-3)
Kansas has managed to win nine games despite freshman standout Darryn Peterson appearing in only four contests. The Jayhawks own impressive wins over Tennessee, Missouri, NC State, Notre Dame, and Syracuse. Their losses have come against elite competition in UConn, North Carolina, and Duke. Kansas opens Big 12 play at UCF on January 3 before hosting TCU.
4. BYU Cougars (12-1)
BYU has looked the part of a national contender. The Cougars’ lone loss came by two points to UConn, and they have rattled off nine straight wins since. Freshman AJ Dybantsa has been sensational, recently posting a 33-point triple-double, the program’s first since 2016. BYU opens conference play January 3 at Kansas State.
3. Houston Cougars (11-1)
Houston has quietly built a strong résumé, winning five straight since a loss to Tennessee. The Cougars own wins over Auburn, Arkansas, Notre Dame, Florida State, and Syracuse. While they have not always been dominant, an 11-1 start speaks volumes. Houston hosts Middle Tennessee on December 29 before opening Big 12 play January 3 at Cincinnati.
2. Iowa State Cyclones (12-0)
Iowa State is one of two undefeated teams in the conference and has been rolling through opponents. The Cyclones’ résumé includes wins over Purdue, St. John’s, Creighton, Syracuse, and Iowa. They wrap up nonconference play December 28 against Houston Christian before opening league play at home against West Virginia, followed by a road trip to Baylor.
1. Arizona Wildcats (12-0)
Arizona sits atop the rankings and is widely considered the best team in the country. The Wildcats have one of the most impressive résumés in college basketball, with wins over Florida, UCLA, UConn, Auburn, and Alabama. Arizona closes nonconference play December 29 against South Dakota State before opening Big 12 action on the road at Utah.
Once again, happy holidays. The Big 12 is loaded from top to bottom, and conference play promises to deliver nightly must-watch basketball. It should be a thrilling ride through the heart of the season.