Big 12 Power Rankings 9/15

After one week of play, the Big 12 took some brutal losses. The league is 0-3 against the Sun Belt. If Texas Tech had played one of their teams instead of Houston Baptist, the conference would probably be 0-4 against the Sun Belt.

These are predictive.

1) Oklahoma- Spencer Rattler is amazing. We didn’t learn much from the Missouri State game—especially with the Sooners playing on pay-per-view—but we know this is the team to beat in the league.

2) Oklahoma State- The Cowboys’ skill position players warrant ranking them highly. My take is that they were a little better than their record last season.

3) Texas- The Longhorns destroyed UTEP. This team still wasn’t too good last season, so I’m not buying Texas until they prove they can win the league. They haven’t done that since 2009. In the interim, Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Kansas State have own the league. If West Virginia had been in the conference the whole time, they might have won the league once too. I will hold Baylor below them until the Bears play, but if Baylor wins on Saturday, they’re jumping Texas.

4) Baylor- Without playing, Baylor went way up in my estimation. After the struggles of Matt Rhule’s first season, I won’t hold anything against Dave Aranda this year (well, except a Kansas loss). I expect the Bears to be in that mix to make the Big 12 title game.

5) West Virginia- Maybe you can’t take much away from their victory against an FCS team, but sometimes you’d rather not take away much than whatever happened to some of the league.

6) TCU- The defense probably could have done more than the rest of the Big 12 did against the Sun Belt.

7) Kansas State- The Wildcats messed up defensively on a few plays against Arkansas State. They could rise up the rankings.

8) Iowa State- The Cyclones gave up some big special teams plays and had bad turnovers. They were also ransacked by Louisiana, and there was no doubt they were worse than their opponent.

9) Texas Tech- Matt Wells’ seat, even in year two, could be getting a little warm. Thankfully their former star quaterback that they fired looks to have a big season as an NFL head coach.

10) Kansas- I feel bad for them.