#1 - (10) West Virginia Mountaineers – Record, 6-0 (3-0)
Last Week – Beat TCU 34-10
The Mountaineers take over as my top team after an impressive win over an admittedly fading TCU squad. Dana Holgorsen has so far kept his team from their all-too-common mid-season slump to open conference play.
A College Football Playoff spot is not out of the question for West Virginia if they finish strong, but they still need to play the three teams directly below them starting this weekend in Stillwater. Running the table should definitely buy them a seat.
Next Three – @Oklahoma State, Kansas, @Texas
#2 - (16) Oklahoma Sooners – Record, 5-2 (4-0)
Last Week – Beat Texas Tech 66-59
Oklahoma is the lone conference member, undefeated in conference play, who has zero chance at a playoff berth and their next two opponents offer little boost to their resume.
They will, however, likely offer Baker Mayfield an opportunity cool down after throwing for 545 yards and seven touchdowns against what I am assuming was the Texas Tech student body dressed up in Red Raider gear on defense. We’ll get to the Sooner defense later.
Joe Mixon added 263 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries in this game that saw four total punts in 185 combined offensive plays.
Next Three – KU, @Iowa State, Baylor
#3 - (8) Baylor Bears – Record, 6-0 (3-0)
Last Week – Who knows what people do with their free time in Waco?
Baylor was off last week.
Next Three – @Texas, TCU, @Oklahoma
#4 - Oklahoma State Cowboys – Record, 5-2 (3-1)
Last Week – Beat Kansas 44-20
Oklahoma State is not out of the conference championship conversation with West Virginia and Oklahoma looming on their schedule (assuming Baylor eliminates themselves along the way).
However, the Cowboys will likely need to play a lot better down the stretch than they have their last two games, where Iowa State and Kansas have given them more trouble than expected.
Next Three – West Virginia, @K-State, Texas Tech
#5 - Kansas State Wildcats– Record, 4-3 (2-2)
Last Week – Beat Texas 24-21
In an effort to show they are as irrational as some big name programs, there are some in Manhattan that believe Bill Snyder should be forced into his second retirement as soon as this season is over, if not earlier.
Please do that. Signed: every other fan-base in the Big 12
Next Three – @Iowa State, Oklahoma State, @Baylor
#6 - TCU Horned Frogs – Record, 4-3 (2-2)
Last Week – Lost at West Virginia 34-10
I polled the readers in Week 7 what their opinion of TCU football was this season and 61% were undecided.
Let’s see where you are today below.
Next Three – Texas Tech, @Baylor, Oklahoma State
#7 - Texas Tech Red Raiders – Record, 3-4 (1-3)
Last Week – Lost to Oklahoma 66-59
Patrick Mahomes II had 36 passes not reach their intended target Saturday night in Lubbock, Texas. And, yet, he still managed to throw for 734 yards and five touchdowns on 88 pass attempts against Mike Stoops’ Sooner defense.
Games like this one cast a dubious light upon the defense played within this conference, and allows supporters of its ultimate demise a focus for their discontent. One can hardly blame them when they see a box score with over 1,700 yards of offense and 125 points, but it may be a bit myopic to believe the Big 12 is alone in this new world of college offenses.
Sometimes it's better to tend to your own lawn than envy your neighbor’s.
Next Three – @TCU, Texas, @Oklahoma State
#8 - Texas Longhorns – Record, 3-4 (1-3)
Last Week – Lost at Kansas State 24-21
The Charlie Countdown sits at five weeks.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Next Three – Baylor, @Texas Tech, West Virginia
#9 - Iowa State – Record, 1-6 (0-4)
Last Week – Covered
Any weekend Iowa State doesn’t lose in football is a good one.
Next Three – K-State, Oklahoma, @Kansas
#10 - Kansas Jayhawks – Record 1-6 (0-4)
Last Weekend – Lost to Oklahoma State 44-20
They kept it close for a half at least.
Next Three - @Oklahoma, @West Virginia, Iowa State