Around the Big XII -- Week 4

So given everything that happened yesterday-- KState beating OU in Norman, WVU looking lackluster against Maryland, TCU failing to put away a weak Virginia team, and Kansas losing predictably to Northern Illinois-- Baylor's win has to be the second most impressive showing of the weekend, right? KState enforcing their will over OU was certainly number 1, and they'll receive well-deserved kudos far and wide for it, but I'd take ULM over Northern Illinois and Virginia, for sure. And I haven't been exactly wowed by TCU's defense, so I'm not sure they'd be able to stop Kolton Browning any better than we did.

Before we get to the news of the day, here's my off-the-cuff ranking of the Big XII as it stands today. This will be reflected in this week's BlogPoll ballot, which I'll reveal tomorrow. Teams with an asterisk next to their name will more than likely be ranked on that ballot once ODB's other voters weigh in.

1. Kansas State (late top 10) -- Looked truly dominant against OU last night, but where do you place the blame?
2. West Virginia (late top 10) -- Offense looked mortal against an Maryland and the defense gave up numerous long plays. If Maryland hadn't turned the ball over so many times, that game would have been close.
3. Texas (teens) -- Didn't play. Rose in the rankings by default since Oklahoma fell.
4. Oklahoma (teens) -- Really don't know what to think about them, I just don't want to punish them too much if KState really is that good.
5. Baylor (late teens) -- Didn't think it was possible for our defense to underwhelm, but they did.
6. TCU (late teens) -- Weird red zone tendencies and
7. Oklahoma State (maybe 24-25)
8. Texas Tech
9. Iowa State
10. Kansas

I'll give you my thoughts across the country as a whole with the BlogPoll ballot tomorrow. For now, the links!

College Football Rankings, Week 5: LSU Or Oregon For No. 2? - SBNation.com
There's little doubt Alabama will remain No. 1 in the Week 5 college football rankings, but Oregon made itself a case for No. 2 by rocking Arizona while LSU struggled with Auburn.

Collin Klein, Kansas State upset Oklahoma in Big 12 showdown - Stewart Mandel - SI.com
NORMAN, Okla. -- Collin Klein spent about 10 minutes sitting behind a table answering questions from reporters. His expression rarely changed, nor did his message.

The Wizard Storms Norman: K-State Dents Oklahoma's Title Dreams - SBNation.com
For the first time in 15 years, K-State has beaten Oklahoma on the road. For the first time ever, a Bob Stoops Sooners team has lost at home to a ranked foe. Bill Snyder is amazing.

West Virginia Survives Lackluster Performance To Beat Maryland 31-21 - The Smoking Musket
Knee-jerk reactions both positive and negative after WVU's win over Maryland.

OU Football 2012 - Sooners' Defense Called On One Too Many Times Versus K-State - Crimson And Cream Machine
The Oklahoma defense is not without fault in the incredibly disappointing loss to a very tough Kansas State team Saturday night in Norman, but they were certainly done no favors for their teammates on the offensive side of the ball. The OU defense was put in difficult position after difficult position throughout most of the night following multiple gut-punch type turnovers from the Sooner offense.

TCU 27, Virginia 7- Frogs O' War Postgame Analysis - Frogs O' War

Big 12 Roundup: No. 17 TCU wins 11th straight game, 27-7 over Virginia | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
FORT WORTH — Brandon Carter had a 68-yard touchdown on one of his one-handed catches, linebacker Kenny Cain recovered a fumble along with two interceptions and 17th-ranked TCU beat Virginia 27-7 Saturday for its 11th consecutive victory.Casey Pachall threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns for the Horned Frogs (3-0), whose winning streak is the longest among FBS schools.

Defensive redemption propels KSU upset - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
Tre Walker climbed the wall in the southeast corner of Owen Field just to reach a few loved ones Saturday. He had to hug somebody, and couldn't wait until his pads were off to do it.

Klein pushes KSU toward title hopes - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
Bill Snyder was so excited about Kansas State's history-making 24-19 win at Oklahoma on Saturday evening that his heart rate almost reached single digit. You didn't know whether to congratulate him or check to see if he had dozed off.

What we learned in the Big 12: Week 4 - ESPN
So, after a bit of an eye-popping night in Norman, what did we learn about the Big 12?

Big 12 helmet stickers: Week 4
Time to hand out a few stickers for a job well done in Week 4. My hat is off, gentlemen. And the next time yours is on, I expect these stickers to be on it.

Kansas Falls To Northern Illinois On Saturday - Big 12 Conference - Official Athletic Site
Northern Illinois rallied from a 23-13 fourth quarter deficit to defeat Kansas 30-23 Saturday afternoon.

Smith and WVU Too Much For Maryland - Big 12 Conference - Official Athletic Site
Geno Smith threw three touchdown passes to Tavon Austin and No. 8 West Virginia outlasted Maryland 31-21 on Saturday.

K-State Shocks Sooners In Norman - Big 12 Conference - Official Athletic Site
John Hubert ran for 130 yards and a touchdown, Jarell Childs scooped up a fumble and returned it for a score and No. 15 Kansas State beat No. 6 Oklahoma 24-19 on Saturday night to avenge a wrenching loss from last season.

John Werner: Though frightful at times, Bears' win profound | Wacotrib.com
They flew into Monroe Friday afternoon, scraped out a win before a rambunctious crowd, and flew back to Waco that night.