1. West Virginia (6-0, 3-0)
The Mountaineers continued to make their case Saturday that they are the most complete team in the Big 12. Their defense stymied TCU’s high-scoring offense, and the offense showed the kind of balance that will play dividends as the season winds down. With contests against Oklahoma, Baylor and Oklahoma State on their second half schedule, they’ll need to keep playing at a high level if they want a Big 12 championship.
2. Baylor (6-0, 3-0)
The Bears are coming off of a bye and travel to Austin this weekend to take on Texas. Baylor is undefeated just like the Mountaineers, but West Virginia has looked far more impressive as of late.
3. Oklahoma (5-2, 4-0)
Although Oklahoma pulled out a tight victory over Texas Tech, the team can’t be pleased with the play of its defense. The unit surrendered a staggering 854 yards to the Red Raiders, and gave up 59 points. On the plus side, the Sooner offense continues to look unstoppable.
4. Oklahoma State (5-2, 3-1)
The Cowboys started slow against the Jayhawks, but the offense exploded for a 27-point second to lead Oklahoma State to a 44-20 win. Things will get a lot tougher this weekend, when the team hosts conference leading West Virginia.
5. Kansas State (4-3, 2-2)
In their 24-21 win over Texas, the Wildcats held a whopping 17 minute advantage in time of possession. Their sound ball control, and solid defensive efforts, have helped Kansas State become a tough out in the conference.
6. TCU (4-3, 2-2)
The Horned Frogs put forth their worst performance of the season in a loss to West Virginia. The offense struggled all afternoon, committing three turnovers and finishing with their lowest point production of the season. Junior quarterback Kenny Hill threw for only 148 yards, by far his lowest total as a Horned Frog.
7. Texas Tech (3-4, 1-3)
It’s a shame that junior quarterback Patrick Mahomes II wasn’t rewarded for his legendary performance against the Sooners. The quarterback accounted for over 800 yards of offense, shattering the NCAA record. If the Red Raiders had even an average defense, who knows how good this team would be.
8. Texas (3-4, 1-3)
The Longhorns were unable to keep the Wildcat offense off the field, and as a result, they suffered their fourth loss in their past five games. With Baylor coming to Austin, the Texas defense doesn’t get a chance to catch their breath.
9. Iowa State (1-6, 0-4)
The Cyclones are coming off a bye, and will look to snap their three-game losing streak against Kansas State this weekend.
10. Kansas (1-6, 0-4)
Kansas kept it close against Oklahoma State until midway through the third quarter, when turnovers ultimately led to the Jayhawks’ unraveling. The Jayhawks have shown signs of competitiveness during conference play, but have yet to turn in a solid, complete-game performance.
