CMan's Big 12 Power Rankings - Week 9

POWER RANKINGS

#1. Baylor Bears (4-0, 7-0)

Last Week - Beat Kansas 59-14

Baylor continued it's torrid scoring by dismantling Kansas in Lawrence this weekend. The Bears did not get to 70 but they did put 59 on the Jayhawks. Baylor lead 38-0 at the half and put it on cruise control in the second half. The Bears look stout and haven't been challenged yet this season but their strength of schedule is nothing to be proud of. Baylor has not played a top 25 team or even a top tier Big 12 team yet. That schedule starts in two weeks when 4 of its last 5 teams are ranked.

Up next: Bye

#2. Oklahoma Sooners (4-1, 7-1)

Last Week - Beat Texas Tech 38-30

the Sooners dispatched previously unbeaten and 10th ranked Texas Tech Saturday. Oklahoma showed spunk and resiliency fighting off the Red Raiders all day and coming from behind twice. After a horrid start to the game which saw the Sooners fall behind again, the offense came to life. Oklahoma used a balanced attack and strong defense to pull out the win. The Sooners did take a hit though as fullback Trey Millard suffered a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season.

Up next: Bye

#3. Texas Longhorns (4-0, 5-2)

Last Week - Beat TCU 30-7

Ok, so they beat another opponent. I'm still not ready to crown them Big 12 champs. Texas beat the Horned Frogs in Fort Worth spoiling the return of quarterback Casey Pachall. The fact that TCU only scored 7 is not what bothers me. Switching quarterbacks is never a good thing, and expecting Pachall to be accurate in his first game back is crazy. What bothers me is that TCU gave up 30 points to the Longhorns and a lot was due to the passing of Case McCoy. Texas used the long ball to score and get in to scoring position. Someone better beat the Horns or I am going to have to admit the win against OU wasn't a fluke.

Up Next: Kansas

#4. Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-1, 7-1)

Last Week - Lost at Oklahoma 38-30

Texas Tech lost at Oklahoma but they didn't play that bad. They threw for 388 yards and put a total of 460 on the Sooner defense. They also pulled a couple of trick plays on OU. Kingsbury has the team believing in themselves and the loss Saturday will hurt, but shouldn't shake their belief that they are a good team. And they are. Tech should finish the season with no more than 3 losses. Not bad for a young head coach that first met Bob Stoops as a Quarterback playing against the Sooners. Tech is good and they will only get better.

Up Next: at Texas Tech

#5. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-1, 6-1)

Last Week - Beat Iowa State 58-27

The Cowboys win in Ames looks more impressive than it was. The Pokes went in to the half only leading 28-20. The biggest difference for the Pokes was running back Desmond Roland who ran for 219 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Cowboy passing game continued to be suspect as Clint Chelf only managed 10 completions on 26 passes for 78 yards. The running game will not produce at that level against stiffer competition unless it can be complimented by a passing game. The Pokes still have some work to do to get back in the top tier of the Big 12.

Up Next: At Texas Tech

#6. Kansas State Wildcats (1-3, 3-4)

Last Week - Beat West Virginia 35-12

The Wildcats made good use of their bye week bye returning to the field and beating West Virginia. KSU took and early 7-0 lead but fell behind 9-7 at the half and then 12-7 early in the 3rd. However, the Wildcats scored the next 28 points and kept the Mountaineers off the scoreboard the rest of the game. It was a win for Kansas State but, it was at home,  and against the reeling Mountaineers. Not a marquee win by any stretch.

Up Next: Iowa State

#7. TCU Horned Frogs (1-4, 3-5)

Last Week: Lost to Texas 30-7

The Horned frogs are not accustomed to losing under Gary Patterson yet, that's all they are doing lately. They have a decent defense and if they had a reliable quarterback they might have only 1 loss, LSU. It is becoming clear that the switch to the Big 12 has hurt TCU. Prior to joining, they were dominant in their conference and played their toughest game at the start of the season in their non conference schedule. In the Big 12 there is no time to rest as your opponents are usually tougher and ranked as the season progresses. TCU will likely finish this season with a losing conference record for the second straight year.

Up Next: West Virginia

#8. West Virginia Mountaineers (1-4, 3-5)

Last Week - Lost at KSU 35-17

Dana Holgerson probably wishes this season was over so he can look for his next job. This once proud program has taken a serious turn down under Holgerson and it doesn't look like its going to get better. This team has no identity and is losing any motivation as each game ends. If the players have not given up by now, another loss will likely insure a losing season and guarantee the Mountaineers will be watching bowl games from home.

Up Next: At Texas Christian

#9. Iowa State Cyclones (0-4, 1-6)

Last Week - Lost to Oklahoma State 58-27

The Cyclones have one more loss than the Jayhawks but I believe they are a tougher team than KU. The Cyclones loss to Texas might have sealed their fate this season. A win and they might have gained the needed momentum to compete. The manner in which the game was taken from them surely had to hurt mentally. I'm not saying they would be a top ten team but they are competitive and play with a lot of emotion. As it is, this season will likely cost a good coach his job.

Up Next: At Kansas State

#10. Kansas Jayhawks (0-4, 2-5)

Last Week - Lost to Baylor 59-14

It's a good thing the Jayhawks can play basketball, otherwise there would be nothing to do in Lawrence in the fall, winter and spring. Losing to Baylor this season is not a shame, everyone has. Giving up 59 to Baylor at home, including 38 in the first half alone, is a shame. Kansas will likely go 0-9 for the second straight season in the conference. In this era of limited scholarships and football parity, no conference wins in two years is unacceptable at any program.

CMan's Big 12 Power Rankings - Week 8

POWER RANKINGS

#1. Baylor Bears (6-0, 3-0)

Last Week - Beat Iowa State 71-7

The Bears keep rolling along. They returned to the 70+ club again this week with a 71-7 clubbing of the Cyclones. They have also moved in to the top 10 nationally. Sure, a lot of big name and top ten teams lost last week but the Bears cant be ignored by the National media any longer. Baylor will get to meet Oklahoma in two weeks and then finally, Texas Tech on November 15th. If the bears win those two, look for them to finish the regular season undefeated and ranked in the top 5.

Up next: at Kansas

#2. Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-0, 4-0)

Last Week - Beat West Virginia 37-27

The Red Raiders struggled early against the Mountaineers down 27-23 going in to the 4th quarter. Tech needed two scores in the fourth to put the game away. But, like Baylor, The Red Raiders keep winning. They too have joined the elite coming in at #10 in the latest AP top 25. The National media can't ignore Kingsbury's bunch much longer either, unless they stumble in Norman on Saturday.

Up next: At Oklahoma

#3. Oklahoma Sooners (6-1, 3-1)

Last Week - Beat Kansas 34-19

I just can't rank Texas ahead of OU until I see the Longhorns play again. Despite the Sooners falling behind the KU basketball reserves 13-0 on Saturday, I still believe the OU Texas game was a fluke win for Texas. The Sooners defense looked like an open hole in the first half against the Jayhawks and the Blake Bell offense was better at three and out than almost anything else. The second half was a different story. The Offense got rolling and the defense gave up fewer yards to the Jayhawks than their first two offensive series of the game. However, KU has done that all season. The jury is still out on Oklahoma.

Up next: Texas Tech


#4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-1, 2-1)

Last Week - Defeated TCU 24-10

Oklahoma State defeated the Horned Frogs Saturday but not before turning on the quarterback carousel again. After two bad, early interceptions, Clint Chelf replaced much maligned JW Walsh and led the Cowboys to a 24-10 win in Stillwater. The irony for Oklahoma State is that the defense is the strength of their team. They are struggling offensively and in special teams, both trademarks of Mike Gundy's success as a head coach. If he could ever get all three working at the same time the Pokes could be dominant. Uh....just kidding.

Up next: at Iowa State

#5. Texas Longhorns (4-2, 3-0)

Last week - Bye week

The Texas Longhorns got to enjoy the Red River Rivalry victory for two weeks. Good for them. They still have games left though and they include match ups with Texas Tech and Baylor. Texas didn't just get good all the sudden and I don't think the reincarnation of Greg Robinson defensive tenure will change the Longhorns future anymore than it did his last trip through Austin. I could be wrong, I don't think I am. Teams don't often go from bad to good in the middle of a season.

Up next: At Texas Christian



#6. TCU Horned Frogs (3-4, 1-3)

Last Week - Lost at Oklahoma State 24-10

The Horned Frogs own the #6 spot because they look like they are more consistently competitive than West Virginia, at least on the road. Despite losing to OSU last week and being 1-3 in conference, the TCU defense is still pretty good. They just don't have an offense. Boykin is a fine runner at quarterback but he can't throw with any consistency. TCU joined the big 12 because they had beaten some good teams and thought they could hang with the big boys. It's one thing to beat OU or Texas prior to starting your conference season, its another thing when you to play them both and half a dozen other similar teams IN your conference.

Up next: Texas

#7. West Virginia Mountaineers (3-4, 1-3)

Last Week - Lost to Texas Tech 37-27

Dana Holgerson and Gary Patterson have to be wondering the same thing. What were they thinking joining the Big 12. Both programs are all but assured their first two seasons in the conference will be losing ones. Both programs came in winners and just have not gotten off the ground since joining. Holgerson came from the Big 12 so he knew what the season was like game after game. He has less of an excuse. The Mountaineers get off to good starts but can't seem to finish. The only positive for either team is the fact that KU and ISU are also in the conference.

Up next: At Kansas State

#8. Kansas State Wildcats (2-4, 0-3)

Last Week - Bye week

The Wildcats are coming off a bye week and the biggest news in the Little Apple is that they didn't lose. Bill Snyder is not used to being 0-3 in conference so the conventional wisdom say's he worked his tail, and the teams tails, off last week. If he can't get this team figured Kansas State will be lucky to beat the Cyclones and, gulp, the Jayhawks. Perhaps Snyder needs to reconsider retirement.

Up next: West Virginia

#9. Iowa State Cyclones (1-5, 0-3)

Last Week - Lost to Baylor 71-7

I know the Cyclones only have one win and the Jayhawks have 2. But Kansas doesn't get much credit for beating what amounts to Junior College teams. At least Iowa State beat Tulsa, in Tulsa. The Cyclones play hard as well. I know Baylor put 71 on them but they do that to almost everyone they play. This team should have beat Texas. Having said all that, they are only a little better than KU.

Up next: Oklahoma State

#10. Kansas Jayhawks (2-4, 0-3)

Last Week - Lost to Oklahoma 34-19

The Jayhawks followed a similar pattern last week. Take and early lead, fall behind and roll over. Its as if they want to play football but realize half way through the game that they suck. The sad fact is that KU is probably suffering from the same lack of conditioning that their head coach does. At least, that's the way they play. The Kansas Basketball team played an inter squad scrimmage on Saturday, once again, the Basketball team won, and the football team lost. There were likely more KU fans at the scrimmage than in the stands at memorial stadium. No surprise.

Up Next: Baylor (Ouch)