EMAWonline.com Big 12 Rankings – Week 7
Every team that was unbeaten in conference play saw action this past Saturday and one more team dropped from the unbeaten list, Kansas. TCU kept their strong start alive with the seven-point victory on the road in Lawrence. K-State stayed perfect by the skin of their teeth with a 10-9 victory in Ames. Oklahoma State held off a feisty fight from Texas Tech. The final matchup was down in Dallas where Texas made a statement amidst the return of Quinn Ewers. Here is how the EMAW Online Staff views the Big 12 at the midway point in the season.
1. Oklahoma State – LW: 1
Mason: 1 | Alec: 1| Gabe: 1
Alec: The Cowboys have solidified themselves as the top team in the Big 12 at the midway point of the season. Mike Gundy’s team appears to have found consistency and confidence in the offense, led by Spencer Sanders who looks like the Big 12’s best quarterback after another 297 yards passing and a touchdown vs. Texas Tech on Saturday. Oklahoma State travels to TCU for the game of the year – so far – in the Big12.
2. TCU – LW: 4
Mason: 3 | Alec: 2 | Gabe: 3
Gabe: Max Duggan and Quentin Johnston had tons of success Saturday as the big-body receiver caught more than 200 yards and secured the game-winning touchdown for the Horned Frogs. If consecutive weeks at home against Oklahoma State and Kansas State don’t trip up Sonny Dykes’ squad they could start planning to play a game in Arlington on the first weekend of December.
3. K-State – LW: 2
Mason: 2 | Alec: 3 | Gabe: 4
Mason: Less than flattering adjectives have been used to explain the Wildcats’ win at Iowa State on Saturday. Those are well deserved for a game that ends 10-9, but a lot is to be said for finding a way to win on the road against the conference’s best defense. Especially when the Wildcats threw away 10 points. Adrian Martinez is starting to chase the crown of the best quarterback in the conference and the defense continues to shine. The question for the Cats for the rest of the season will be how much influence can the rest of the offense around Martinez have? If they can do just enough, the Wildcats are one of four teams that have a real shot at Arlington.
4. Texas – LW: 6
Mason: 5 | Alec: 5 | Gabe: 2
Gabe: How are we talking about this Texas team if Quinn Ewers doesn’t get hurt? I think we’d be having significantly different conversations about the Longhorns if that were the case and using the ol’ eye test, I’d say Texas – with a healthy Ewers – actually looks like the best team in the league. I know it was Oklahoma, but UT just looks well put together.
5. Kansas – LW: 3
Mason: 4 | Alec: 4 | Gabe: 5
Alec: No longer is Kansas undefeated, but the Jayhawks continue to show that they are worthy of being ranked near the top of the Big 12. Jalon Daniels struggled in the first half before exiting with a shoulder injury. But backup – and last season’s starting quarterback – Jason Bean had a day to remember with four touchdowns in relief. Kansas now gets to play a vulnerable, but very hungry Oklahoma team on Saturday in Norman.
6. Baylor – LW: 5
Mason: 6 | Alec: 6 | Gabe: 6
Mason: Baylor didn’t play, which depending on what you think is either a blessing or a curse. The teams above them were either teams that had that claim last week and continue to deserve it or in Texas’ case looked too good to ignore. Baylor gets a Thursday night showdown in Morgantown out of their bye week which is a good chance to get right for the final half of the season.
7. Texas Tech – LW: 8
Mason: 7 | Alec: 7 | Gabe: 7
Gabe: Texas Tech looked like it had serious plans to alter the landscape of the Big 12 for the majority of three quarters on Saturday. A lack of offense in the fourth quarter doomed the Red Raiders, as they were unable to score in the final frame. In doing so, an 18-0 run was put on them to lose to Oklahoma State. A stretch of five straight games against ranked opponents is over now.
8. Iowa State – LW: 9
Mason: 8 | Alec: 8 | Gabe: 8
Mason: It is telling about the teams at the bottom of the Big 12 that both Texas Tech and Iowa State got to move up with losses over the weekend. But as Tech continued to prove they can compete with anyone in the conference, Iowa State showed their defense will keep them in games against any team as well. The Cyclones likely have the stingiest defense in the conference, unfortunately, they don’t have the offense to supplement and will most likely finish in the bottom third of the league.
9. Oklahoma – LW: 7
Mason: 9 | Alec: 9 | Gabe: 10
Gabe: Brent Venables’ Red River Rivalry debut went as poorly as it possibly could have and the Sooners have their first three-game losing streak since 1998. That was the final year before Bob Stoops took over. Just putting this out there, but if things go really poorly for Venables and this turns into the Ron Prince era for OU, Stoops is only 62 years old and could return just like Bill Snyder to put the program back in place.
10. West Virginia – LW: 10
Mason: 10 | Alec: 10 | Gabe: 9
Alec: The Mountaineers were also on their idle week during Week 6, but they return to play on Thursday night against Baylor in Morgantown. The Bears opened as a three-point road favorite, but that’s a tough environment to play in. It’s a good opportunity for Neal Brown’s team to get their first Big 12 win in 2022.
