Big 12 Power Rankings: Week Nine

Do you like #HotSprotsTakes? Good, because I've got some right here for you. No funny business this round of power rankings, just straight-up rankings. Let's go.

10. Kansas Jayhawks (+0)

Kansas has scored 88 points in their five losses. In their five wins? 58. You don't win games in the Big 12 by only scoring 146 points in seven games. Kansas has been getting better after firing Weis (not hard to be better than they were though), but they certainly aren't getting their first Big 12 win of the year this Saturday. Were Patterson coaching Baylor, Baylor might could put up triple digits.

9. Texas Tech Red Raiders (-1)

Their offense has no quarterback, their coach appears to have no control over their program, and their defense is going to let Texas put up 50.

8. Iowa State Cyclones (+1)

Iowa State had a bye and moves up because Tech is just awful.

7. Texas Longhorns (+0)

Ohhh Texas. Not only did they get shut out for the first* time since 2004, but they looked as if their offense didn't even board the plane to make the trip. The Longhorn defense was good, as usual. Still, no offense means that the Horns stay down here in the bottom of rankings.

6. Oklahoma State Cowboys (+0)

The Pokes' quarterback, Garman, is competing for the title of worst in the conference. The Okies aren't a bad team, though they certainly aren't a good team either. They aren't mathematically eliminated from Big 12 title contention just yet, yet you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who thinks the Cowboys can win the crown this year.

5. Oklahoma Sooners (+0)

Oklahoma was off this week which means there isn't much to say about the Sooners.

4. West Virginia Mountaineers (+0)

The 'Eers looked impressive against the Cowboys. Clint Trickett threw for a good 2TD and 238 yards while Wendell Smallwood ran for over 100 yards. The problem I have with the Mountaineers is that they gave up 300 yards and struggled against the Cowboys in the first half. Still, they only gave up 10 points and will look to give TCU fits this weekend with GameDay coming to town. Beat TCU and the Mountain Men shoot up the rankings. Lose, and they stay here.

3. Baylor Bears (+0)

BEARS SHUT OUT BYE WEEK

2. TCU Horned Frogs (-1)

Yup. Tech hung with the Froggies for a while until Davis Webb remembered he was a really poor quarterback. TCU has no answer for Tech's offense; the Techsters had to shoot themselves in the foot. Don't get me wrong, TCU would have won this game handily regardless. That being said, I think K-State is going to go in to Fort Worth and beat TCU on their own "home" field, which is partially why I have the Snydercats ranked above them.

1. Kansas State Wildcats (+1)

Bill Snyder is a wizard. The Frogs and their chrome helmets get all the media attention. Meanwhile, Bill Snyder is Sndyerballing his way into the top spot. They are, as of right now, the Big 12 team with the least amount of flaws and are coached by someone who knows what class is.

Big 12 Tiers:

I: KSU, TCU, BU, WVU - Any of these teams can beat the other.

II: OU - OU can beat any of the teams in Tier I, though they've been on a cold streak of late.

III: UT, OSU

IV: ISU, TTU

V: Kansas

The Final Four and Top Ten:

Final Four Right Now:

1. Mississippi State Bulldogs

2. Florida State Seminoles - The two undefeated teams go here because they're undefeated. No, Marshall doesn't count.

3. Oregon Ducks - The Ducks have looked good since recuperating on the O-Line.

4. Alabama Crimson Tide - The Tide keep rolling along with a victory at Tennessee. Probably the second-best one-loss team right now behind Oregon.

Final Four at the End of the Season:

1. Alabama Crimson Tide - The Tide have to go to LSU, but they get MSU and Auburn at home. Oh, and the mighty Catamounts of Western Carolina!

2. Florida State Seminoles - I don't see them losing to anyone left on their schedule.

3. One-Loss Big 12 Winner - If a team makes it to the end of Big 12 play with only one loss, they deserve to be in the Playoffs. They might not be, and I will bite my thumb in the general direction of the Selection Committee if it happens.

4. One-Loss Oregon, Else One-Loss Michigan State, Else SEC West Runner-Up - The Pac-12 is crazy and Oregon very likely will lose another game. I don't see a one-loss Utah, etc. making it in; they don't have the brand value. Michigan State is the B1G's only hope, as Ohio State was a couple of bafflingly-incorrect calls away from losing to a Penn State team that lost to Michigan. The SEC West stuff is self-explanatory.

Top Ten:

1. Mississippi State - Undefeated with good wins over Auburn and at LSU. Looked very beatable against UK though.

2. Oregon Ducks - Given a neutral field, I'd put Oregon's chances of beating FSU at around 55%. Very good win against Michigan State. We'll see if they're playoff caliber when they face the duo of Stanford and Utah.

3. Florida State Seminoles - Undefeated, yes. The win over Okie State is looking worse and worse each week and Notre Dame and maybe Clemson are the only other feathers in their cap. Very well could drop below Bammer in the coming weeks.

4. Alabama Crimson Tide - A&M's offense isn't what it was under Manziel. Still, shutting out a Kevin Sumlin offense is mighty impressive, even if A&M were way overrated. The WVU win looks better each week as well. They have a tough slate coming up, so we'll see how they do.

5. Kansas State Wildcats- See reasons in this post.

6. TCU Horned Frogs - Big 12 teams are criminally underrated in the national polls right now.

7. Michigan State Spartans - Sparty defense suffocates Notre Dame, if they play four quarters.

8. Notre Dame Irish - I guess they'll go here. Not too high on the Irish, to be honest. They seem to always be over-ranked. Prove me wrong, Irish.

9. Baylor Bears - Great win against TCU, West Virginia loss doesn't look as bad. We'll see if the Bears can get back on track against Kansas. There is certainly Playoff potential in this team.

10. Ole Miss Rebels- Bad Bo got exposed against an LSU team that is good, not great. I never was all-in on the Rebels; they had prepared for months for Alabama, that's why they beat them. You don't get months to prepare for teams in the regular reason.

Conclusion: No one is great, everyone is good, and the Selection Committee is going to receive fiery mail on Tuesday evening.