Big 12 Power Rankings – Week 8
October 20, 2022
1) TCU Horned Frogs
The Horned Frogs continue to cling to the top spot in the Big 12 rankings, sitting at 6-0 for the first time since 2017. Head coach Sonny Dykes is setting himself up as a potential Coach of the Year candidate after leading TCU from a two touchdown deficit to a 43-40 double overtime win against Oklahoma State this past weekend.
2) Kansas State Wildcats
Coming out of a bye week, Kansas State will need to play its best game in order to come out victorious against TCU this Saturday. However, Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman is having his most successful season with the Wildcats thus far, so fans can expect an energetic game.
3) Texas Longhorns
Despite a close game against Iowa State this past Saturday, the Longhorns managed to recover from early mistakes and held on to defeat the Cyclones. Time will tell whether or not head coach Steve Sarkisan can eventually bring his team to a much needed Big 12 title.
4) Oklahoma State Cowboys
Rumors are swirling around starting quarterback Spencer Sanders’ health, who has been fighting a shoulder injury for the last few weeks. He only accumulated 68 rushing yards on 6.2 yards per carry against the Horned Frogs, which is abnormally low compared to his previous performances. If Sanders isn’t healthy, then the Cowboys might have some extra trouble during their homecoming weekend.
5) Kansas Jayhawks
Losing to Oklahoma wasn’t the only upsetting thing to hit the Kansas Jayhawks this week. Sophomore cornerback Cobee Bryant suffered an ankle injury during their game against the Sooners. This is the third straight week that the Jayhawks have seen a key player leave the field with an injury. Holes in the offense could lead to the end of Kansas’ impressive run.
6) Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech is not a team to be overlooked in the Big 12. Freshman quarterback Behren Morton got his shot at starting versus Oklahoma State on Oct. 8, accumulating 432 yards of total offense and assisting with three touchdowns. If the Red Raiders can have a healthy set of quarterbacks again, they’ll be a dominant force against the West Virginia Mountaineers.
7) West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia defense finally forced turnovers in its latest bout against Baylor. With one interception and two fumble recoveries, the Mountaineers were able to take advantage of big scoring opportunities. If this defense continues to show up for West Virginia, then the team stands a chance at recovering from a 1-2 conference play record.
8) Baylor Bears
Taking their second Big 12 loss last weekend against West Virginia, the Baylor Bears are in dire straits and must beat Kansas. To make matters worse, Baylor’s starting quarterback Blake Shapen suffered a concussion against West Virginia and isn’t expected to play against the Jayhawks.
9) Oklahoma Sooners
The Oklahoma offense was cooking against Kansas after being shut out two weeks ago in a 49-0 loss to Texas. Oklahoma averaged over 5 yards per carry, with running back Eric Gray netting 176 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel returned with a solid performance, completing 69% of his passes for 402 yards.
10) Iowa State Cyclones
After opening the season undefeated, Iowa State is now 0-4 in conference play. While Iowa State still has one of the best defenses in the conference, head coach Matt Campbell will need to figure out how to get his offense to work.
