Big 12 Football Power Rankings: Oklahoma moves up a spot

Happy Tuesday, OU fans!

We all know that this conference isn’t in fantastic shape, especially from an image standpoint. But who isn’t intrigued to find out how this entire conference race is going to shake out this season? There are a lot of things that can be said about the Big 12, but you can’t say it’s boring. Come to think of it, the on-field product really isn’t bad this year. The league has three top-10 teams, and there are three or four more that can legitimately be labeled as “good”. After seven weeks, do any of us really have a good idea as to who is going to occupy spaces 1-6 or 7 in the standings once the regular season ends? A team like Texas Tech could finish third or fourth in the league, but it could also easily finish close the bottom of the heap. Oklahoma could very easily win this thing, but it could also finish fifth if things bounce the wrong way.

1. TCU (6-0, 3-0) - TCU once again proved to be the most complete team in the Big 12 with a convincing, 26-6 win over Kansas State in Manhattan. The Horned Frogs held Kansas State to 216 yards of offense while Kenny Hill avoided making any big mistakes. If Hill continues to take care of the football, it’s tough to image the Frogs walking into Memorial Stadium on Nov. 11 without an undefeated record.
2. Oklahoma (5-1, 2-1) - I mentioned last week that I would likely flip the Oklahoma schools if Oklahoma showed me something against Texas, and they sort of accomplished that goal with a pretty gutsy performance. However, the Sooners gave up a 20-0 lead in the process and damn near lost the game. As a fan, I was pretty elated after the win, but I’m still feeling uneasy. The biggest questions will be answered in next Saturday, when OU begins a three-game stretch against Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and TCU. For the record, I’m not too worried about this coming weekend, as I just don’t think K-State has the firepower to hang. However, they could cause problems if they get pressure and force Mayfield into some bad decisions. Additionally, that run defense of theirs is pretty stout. Basically, I don’t think it’ll be a walk in the park, but I’m not nearly as paranoid as I’ll be for the following three weeks.
3. Oklahoma State (5-1, 2-1) - Well wuddayah know — the Big 12 has three teams in the top 10, and all three actually deserve to be there. I still don’t think the Cowboys will top Oklahoma this year, but another 10-win season is well within reach.
4. West Virginia (4-2, 2-1) - The Mountaineers have two losses against two current top-15 teams — both of which were played outside of Morgantown. Will Grier continues to light people up and now averages 348 passing yards per game with a rating of 167.8, which is currently good for 10th nationally.
5. Texas Tech (4-2, 1-2) - The team ranked above them pulled off a quality win when the two played in Morgantown on Saturday, but the Red Raiders were able to outgain WVU by a count of 513-396 and would’ve been in their spot if not for some late lapses. OU is in for a serious battle when the come to Norman next Saturday.
6. Texas (3-3, 2-1) - It’s safe to say that the Longhorns are an alright football team, but they’ll have to win a game they aren’t supposed to in order to get back to a bowl game. Games against Baylor and Kansas remain, but they have to travel to Morgantown, West Virginia and play TCU in Ft. Worth. I don’t envision a W this week against Oklahoma State, so their best chance to reach six wins will likely come the day after Thanksgiving against Texas Tech in Austin.
7. Iowa State (4-2, 2-1) - I’m afraid I can’t quite put them ahead of Texas just yet, but a win in Lubbock this weekend would change that (unless Texas somehow beats OSU). Also, don’t overlook last week’s 45-0 victory over Kansas, when they held the Jayhawks to 106 yards of total offense. Kansas is bad, but not that bad. Iowa State’s defense has been solid since experiencing some late misfortune against Iowa.
8. Kansas State (3-3, 1-2) - As has been mentioned, Kansas State has a really good front seven. Unfortunately and somewhat surprisingly, they haven’t really succeeded in many other areas.
9. Baylor (0-6, 0-3) - The Bears face Kansas on Nov. 4. Mark your calendars.
10. Kansas (1-5, 0-3) - The Jayhawks face Texas on Nov. 11. Mark your calendars.

Week 7 Big 12 Schedule

Iowa State at Texas Tech - 11 a.m. CT (FS1)

Oklahoma State at Texas - 11 a.m. CT (ABC)

Oklahoma at Kansas State - 3 p.m. CT (FOX)

Kansas at TCU - 7 p.m. CT (FOX)

West Virginia at Baylor - 7 p.m. CT (FS2)

Follow Crimson & Cream Machine on Twitter!