Big 12 Football Power Rankings: Week 5
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Last week, all three underdogs in the conference games came away with victories. This included big upsets in Norman and Lubbock, with Kansas State beating then No. 6 Oklahoma and Tech beating then No. 22 Texas. Now for Week 5, all ten teams are playing conference foes.
Kansas sits atop the Big 12 standings at 4-0, 1-0. Oklahoma State and TCU have had their bye weeks and have not yet played a conference game. Both are at 3-0. Texas and West Virginia sit at 2-2 overall records and 0-1 in the conference. Then there are the five teams bunched in the middle at 3-1 overall and either 1-0 or 0-1 in the conference.
There’s a lot of parity in the conference right now, which makes these Power Rankings rather tricky until there are more head-to-head matchups. There’s certainly a lot of movement week-to-week right now.
Once again, we have brought together a group from across the league to vote each week during the season on the Big 12 Power Rankings. There are 26 participants in this group, which consists of the KillerFrogs editorial staff plus one or two fans from each of the other schools in the league. Each week, each participant provides their rankings 1-10. Those rankings are compiled, and the average rank is then listed below.
Here's how our panel of fans ranks the teams in the Big 12:
Power Rankings
10. West Virginia, 2-2, 0-1
(Last week #10)
Beat Virginia Tech 33-10
Sure, they beat Virginia Tech. But Virginia Tech lost earlier this season to Old Dominion. So, the Mountaineers need a win over a higher-quality opponent to get them to move up from the bottom of this list. They travel to Austin this weekend but considering where Texas now appears on this list, a win there may not say much.
9. Iowa State, 3-1, 0-1
(Last week #5)
Lost to Baylor 31-24
It was close, but Iowa State eked out the second from the bottom spot, with Texas just getting two more points in our votes. The Cyclones came through the non-conference schedule unblemished but lost at home to a ranked Baylor team. The problem here, though, was that even though Baylor was ranked, they were the underdog. They travel to Kansas this weekend. A win there will derail the Jayhawks’ train and get the Cyclones at least back to the middle of the pack.
8. Texas, 2-1, 0-1
(Last week #4)
Lost to Texas Tech 37-34
It was an exciting game in Lubbock. Texas came out on the wrong end after an unusual fumble by Bijan Robinson in overtime. Hudson Card looked healthier, and Quinn Ewers could be available soon. Time for the Longhorns to regroup, take care of business with West Virginia then get ready for next week’s Red River Rivalry.
7. Texas Tech, 3-1, 1-0
(Last week #9)
Beat Texas 37-34
Congratulations, Tech! You won your Super Bowl. You stormed the field because you won the game over your biggest rival. And you looked good in the win. But with a tight back of 3-1 teams, here you sit. Get past an explosive K-State this weekend in Manhattan. Then we can talk about you moving up more.
6. TCU, 3-0, 0-0
(Last week #6)
Beat SMU 42-34
Max Duggan leads the nation in passing efficiency. Yes, you read that correctly. The same Max Duggan that struggled with control last year leads the nation. But TCU has yet to face real competition. So, the jury is still out on this team. The Horned Frogs start conference play with Oklahoma coming to The Carter on Saturday morning. A win over a ranked team will get the Frogs moving back up. Otherwise, they may be destined for a season in the middle or towards the bottom of these rankings each week.
5. Kansas, 4-0, 1-0
(Last week #7)
Beat Duke 35-27
The ride continues for the Jayhawks, who are now 4-0 for the first time since 2009. They’ve already got one conference win under their belt. Can they make it two this weekend when they host Iowa State? Quarterback Jalon Daniels and head coach Lance Leipold have this team headed in the right direction. They are on the cusp of being ranked. Win this weekend and move up in these Power Rankings and the national polls.
4. #18 Oklahoma, 3-1, 0-1
(Last week #1)
Lost to Kansas State 41-34
For the third time in four years, Kansas State. It was enough for the Sooners to plummet out of the Top Ten and to drop from the top spot in our Power Rankings. The Sooners look to get back on track this week when they travel to Fort Worth to take on the Horned Frogs.
3. #25 Kansas State, 3-1, 1-0
(Last week #8)
Beat Oklahoma 41-34
We have said it before and will keep saying it. K-State could be the dark horse contender in the Big 12 race. Adrian Martinez has found his new home, and man, he can run. He had four rushing touchdowns last weekend on the road against a Top Ten team. Could we be headed to a Sunflower Showdown in Week 13 to determine which team from Kansas goes to Arlington? Or maybe it will be both.
2. #16 Baylor, 3-1, 1-0
(Last week #3)
Beat Iowa State 31-24
Baylor was the ranked team but was still the underdog when they played Iowa State on the road last week. They got the win and had a decent game. It was enough to move them up a notch. Now, get your popcorn ready. This weekend brings us the highly anticipated 2021 Big 12 Championship Game rematch. Oklahoma State travels to Waco to avenge that game they lost last year – a game lost by less than one yard. With a win over OSU, most certainly, Baylor will be back on top. A loss to OSU, and based on what happens in the other games, may keep the Bears right here at the No. 2 spot.
1. #9 Oklahoma State, 3-0, 0-0
(Last week #2)
Bye Week
Hope you enjoyed your bye week rest, Pokes. Now the run begins. Oklahoma State now becomes the third team to sit atop our weekly Power Rankings after Baylor was there for one week, then Oklahoma for the next two. Can the Cowboys stay on top? Win in Waco this weekend, and yes, they will.
Other FanNation Power Rankings
How do other FanNations rank the Big 12? Check them out here:
Baylor – Inside the Bears
Texas – Longhorns Country
West Virginia – Mountaineers Now
Note: Power Rankings are determined by a group of fans representing all ten schools currently in the Big 12 Conference.
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