Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Week 1 Of 2025-26 Season

Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Week 1 of 2025-26 Season

The 2025-26 Big 12 basketball season has officially begun, marking the second year of the 16-team era. This season promises to be competitive as the conference aims to reestablish itself as the top basketball league in the country.

Big 12's Recent Performance and Expectations

Last year, the Big 12 took a backseat to the SEC but still had a strong showing, sending seven teams to the NCAA Tournament. Houston notably made it all the way to the National Championship Game. Kelvin Sampson's Cougars are favored again this season as they chase a third straight regular-season title.

Freshman Stars to Watch

This season’s Big 12 squads feature several standout freshmen:

AJ Dybantsa from BYU
Darryn Peterson, the nation's No. 2 recruit, at Kansas
Tounde Yessoufou from Baylor
Chris Cenac from Houston
Koa Peat from Arizona

Strong Teams Returning

Four Big 12 teams reached the Sweet 16 last year and they look poised for another successful season:

Houston
BYU
Texas Tech
Arizona

"It’s a younger team than we’re used to seeing in Houston, with a heralded freshman class in the program led by Chris Cenac."

Weekly Big 12 power rankings will be updated every Monday throughout the college basketball season by KSL Sports.

Author’s Summary

The 2025-26 Big 12 basketball season features a talented freshman class and strong returning teams, setting up another intense race for conference supremacy.

KSL Sports — 2025-11-04