1: #20 Oklahoma Sooners – Record, 2-2 (1-0)
Last Week – Beat TCU 52-46
Who knows what to make of the Big 12 this year, a season that has no team wanting to assume the Alpha position. This allows for fluid rankings and as a result, Oklahoma jumps back up to the top after their impressive performance in Ft. Worth.
After a slow start, the Sooners pounced on the host team, scoring 28 unanswered points in the second quarter. TCU mounted a comeback in the fourth, but Oklahoma held on to win their Big 12 opener against the Horned Frogs.
Next Three - @Texas, K-State, @Texas Tech
2: #13 Baylor Bears – Record, 5-0 (2-0)
Last Week – Beat Iowa State 45-42
If it weren’t for a porous Cyclone defense, that has given up somewhere in the vicinity of 5,000 yards up the middle so far this season, Baylor would have left Ames with their first loss of the season and a lot of explaining to do (about football, not about why half of their staff still doesn’t think they did anything wrong).
Iowa State dominated the Bears through three quarters but ultimately failed to keep up with the potent, Briles-led, Baylor offense.
Next Three – Kansas, @Texas, TCU
3: #22 West Virginia Mountaineers – Record, 4-0 (1-0)
Last Week – Beat K-State 17-16
The Mountaineers stirred up some sorcery of their own scoring the final two touchdowns of the game; overcoming a late 13 point deficit for their first win against Kansas State since 1930. West Virginia now takes their undefeated record, and shiny new ranking, into Lubbock to test themselves against a Red Raider offense that hasn’t scored under 55 points yet this season.
Next Three – @TTU, TCU, @Oklahoma State
4: Oklahoma State Cowboys – Record, 3-2 (1-1)
Last Week – Beat Texas 49-31
Mason Rudolph threw for 392 yards and 3 touchdowns against a Longhorn defense that is now under new management.
Next Three – Iowa State, @Kansas, West Virginia
5: TCU Horned Frogs – Record, 3-2 (1-1)
Last Week – Lost to Oklahoma 52-46
TCU appears to have taken a step or two back this season without Trevone Boykin running the offense and a defense giving up 31.4 points per game - SMU only scored 3 against the Horned Frogs or this would have been much worse.
Still, did TCU play a bad game, or is Oklahoma suddenly motivated to be the team it was thought to be at the beginning of the season?
Or is the Big 12 just really bad this year?
Next Three – @Kansas, @West Virginia, Texas Tech
6: Texas Tech Red Raiders – Record, 3-1 (1-0)
Last Week – Beat Kansas 55-19
I still don’t give a shit about Tech. They beat Kansas. Woo-frickin-hoo.
Next Three – @K-State, West Virginia, Oklahoma
7: Kansas State – Record, 2-2 (0-1)
Last Week – Lost to West Virginia 17-16
There is nothing impressive or flashy about Kansas State. At least, nothing I can find through Google. We all know to never count out the Wildcats as long as Snyder is around, and West Virginia begins their struggles when conference play begins, so the outcome isn’t overly surprising. It is surprising, to me at least, that this was the Mountaineers’ first win over K-State since joining the conference.
Next Three – Texas Tech, @Oklahoma, Texas
8: Texas Longhorns – Record, 2-2 (0-1)
Last Week – Lost to Oklahoma State 49-31
Charlie Strong is in some deep fried doo-doo if he fails this weekend at the Cotton Bowl. He assumed control over his defense, demoting the previous coordinator, Vance Bedford after his squad surrendered 555 yards and 49 points last Saturday in Stillwater.
This game likely extended his tenure last season. A loss this season might expedite his departure from Austin.
Next Three – OU, Iowa State, @K-State
9: Iowa State Cyclones– Record, 1-4 (0-2)
Last Week – Lost to Baylor 45-42
I don’t care how the game ended, or that the last minute field goal by Baylor sunk the Cyclones to a 1-4 record. That game was fun.
Shore up some issues in the middle and we might just win us a few ballgames this (but more likely next) season.
Next Three – @Oklahoma State, @Texas, K-State
10: Kansas Jayhawks – Record 1-3 (0-1)
Last Weekend – Lost to Texas Tech 55-19
If you’re reading this, you’re likely a Kansas fan. Why else would your eyes be all the way down here? I haven’t seen them play yet this season, so I can’t really say anything positive or negative about your team. But, hang in there. Season’s almost over.
Next Three - TCU, @Baylor, Oklahoma State