EMAW Online Staff: Big 12 Rankings – Week 9
1. TCU – LW: 1
Mason: 1 | Alec: 1 | Gabe: 1
Alec: For the second straight week, TCU was able to overcome a multiple-score deficit on their home turf with a second-half rally to victory. Max Duggan and Kendre Miller are a dynamic duo in the backfield and Quentin Johnston is proving to be one of the best wide receivers in the country. This week TCU gets a break from the top teams in the league, but they have to go to a hostile West Virginia.
2. Oklahoma State – LW: 3
Mason: 2 | Alec: 2 | Gabe: 2
Mason: The Cowboys bounced back by forcing key turnovers and not committing a mountain of penalties like their opponent Texas did. Oklahoma State now finishes the toughest part of the schedule with a road trip to No. 22 K-State. If the Cowboys get the victory in Manhattan on Saturday, they become the front-runner in the race for second place and a berth in the Big 12 Championship game to face TCU. They will have to finish the season with injuries starting to pile up.
3. K-State – LW: 2
Mason: 3 | Alec: 3 | Gabe: 3
Gabe: As the 28-10 lead slipped through K-State’s grasp Saturday night, a potential College Gameday appearance and top-10 ranking did, too. In exchange for those opportunities, the Wildcats now have what is essentially a must-win game against Oklahoma State if they want to make it to the Big 12 title game.
4. Texas – LW: 4
Mason: 4 | Alec: 4 | Gabe: 4
Gabe: How big of a fourth-quarter lead will Texas need to preserve a win when they play the come-from-behind kings at TCU? Nothing is bigger in Texas than the fourth-quarter leads that Steve Sarkisian’s teams have blown and no, the referees are not responsible for nine pre-snap penalties. The lack of ability to close out games with running backs as good as Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson is remarkable and lands Texas in the middle of my Big 12 rankings.
T-5. Oklahoma – LW: 6
Mason: 5 | Alec: 8 | Gabe: 5
Alec: Oklahoma enjoyed an open week, but this week they go to Jack Trice Stadium for a game with Iowa State. The Cyclone offense continues to be one of the worst in the Big 12, but is it poor enough to make the Oklahoma defense look refined? We’ll see.
T-5. Texas Tech – LW: 7
Mason: 6 | Alec: 5 | Gabe: 7
Mason: Props to Texas Tech for obliterating West Virginia, with their third-string quarterback, this weekend. I thought the game would remain tight, but that was more to do with West Virginia’s recent victory against Baylor. Joey McGuire is the real deal and the Red Raiders are going to be a headache for the teams at the top of the league that hasn’t faced them yet this season, like TCU and Texas.
7. Baylor – LW: 8
Mason: 7 | Alec: 6 | Gabe: 6
Gabe: Baylor didn’t play well against Kansas and nearly coughed up a 28-3 lead because of it. With Blake Shapen back Baylor faces a tough road test at Texas Tech next Saturday. The young Bears need to show some maturity and win a toss-up.
8. Kansas – LW: 5
Mason: 8 | Alec: 7 | Gabe: 8
Mason: Welcome back to the bottom of the league Kansas! The Jayhawks continue their slide after losing another game without Jalon Daniels. Creating an early hole, the Jayhawks got back in the game after mistakes from the Bears. They ultimately lost 35-23 and now, still, just one win from bowl eligibility enter their bye week with a tough finishing stretch. They come back on November 5th to face Oklahoma State, then hit the road to face a lively Texas Tech squad, before their final home game with talented Texas and the Sunflower Showdown in Manhattan against K-State. Their only two conference victories remain against the bottom two teams in the Big 12.
9. Iowa State – LW: T-9
Mason: 9 | Alec: 9 | Gabe: 9
Alec: Iowa State also enjoyed an open week. They play host to Oklahoma on Saturday. If the Cyclones can get a productive rushing day from Jirehl Brock, they could threaten to beat the Sooners in Ames.
10. West Virginia – LW: T-9
Mason: 10 | Alec: 10 | Gabe: 10
Gabe: West Virginia scored 10 points in 12 possessions against Texas Tech, but the game was actually closer than the 48-10 score indicates. The Mountaineers had 1st and 10 inside the Texas Tech 36-yard line five times in the game and wound up with only 10 points to show for it. That’s impressively bad. Cellar dwellers, for now, Saturday offers an opportunity for the Mountaineers to shake up the Big 12 with a visit from No. 7 TCU.
