Big 12 Football Power Rankings and Bowl Projections: Week 12
And then there were three. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State meet this week for Bedlam – a game that will determine not only the Big 12 Championship Game but could potentially impact the College Football Playoffs final rankings. The Pokes know they will be in Arlington next week. Will they get a rematch with Oklahoma a week later? Or a rematch with Baylor?
This week’s rankings were a tight race. Only OSU at #1 and TCU at #8 were definitive. The races between Baylor and Oklahoma, Kansas State and Iowa State, Tech and West Virginia, and even between Texas and Kansas were all razor-thin margins.
Here's how our panel of fans ranks the teams in the Big 12:
Power Rankings
10. Kansas, 2-9, 1-7 (Last week: #10)
Kansas tried to make it two wins in a row. And they made it close. It took a near walk-off field goal by TCU with 0:11 to play. Hey, at least hoops season is starting, enjoy that, Jayhawks.
9. Texas, 4-7, 2-6 (Last week: #9)
Lost to West Virginia 31-23
Six straight losses for Sark’s team. No one saw this coming for this season. Tech is going bowling, and Texas stays home. Whoa!
8. TCU, 5-6, 3-5 (Last week: #8)
Is there enough fight left in the Frogs to get one more win this season and become bowl eligible? Frogs look to be finalizing the agreement with Sonny Dykes to be their new head coach. Will he be able to coach them in a bowl game this year?
7. West Virginia, 5-6, 3-5 (Last week: #7)
Beat Texas 31-23
The Mountaineers were like the Frogs – win the last two and become bowl eligible. They were able to eliminate the Longhorns from going bowling. If they beat Kansas, they will have salvaged some of their season.
6. Texas Tech, 6-5, 3-5 (Last week: #6)
Lost to Oklahoma State 23-0
It wasn’t pretty. OSU’s dominant defense would not give Tech any ground. However, at the end of the day, Tech is bowl eligible, and Texas is not.
5. Kansas State, 7-4, 4-4 (Last week: #5)
Lost to Baylor 20-10
The race between Kansas State and Iowa State for fourth and fifth in the power rankings remains razor thin. The Wildcats have seven wins and know they are going to a decent bowl game. And with a game in Austin this week, chances are they can finish 8-4.
4. Iowa State, 6-5, 4-5 (Last week: #4)
Lost to Oklahoma 28-21
The Cyclones came close to giving Oklahoma two consecutive losses, but their 4th and long late in the game resulted in an interception that gave OU the win. Iowa State, like many of the Big 12 teams, is wrapping up a season that did not meet their preseason expectations.
3. #13 Baylor, 9-2, 6-2 (Last week: #2)
Beat Kansas State 20-10
Baylor is now ranked above Oklahoma in the CFP rankings, even with their two losses, including one to TCU. A Baylor win and an OU loss puts Baylor into the Big 12 Championship game. Let’s hope for more Baylor tears.
2. #13 Oklahoma, 10-1, 7-1 (Last week: #3)
Beat Iowa State 28-21
The only change in our week-over-week rankings was a shift between OU and Baylor. Sooners travel to Stillwater for Bedlam. Can the shaky Sooners get it together for this game with huge implications? Or will it be the team we’ve seen with Tulane, Nebraska, and West Virginia early in the season?
1. #10 Oklahoma State, 10-1, 7-1 (Last week: #2)
Beat Texas Tech 23-0
Now solidly in first place, the Pokes are already traveling to Arlington next week for the championship game. Keep winning and maybe make a statement to the CFP selection committee.
Big 12 Bowl Projections
In this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, the top three teams in the Big 12 all shifted. And with that, we have new projections for the Big 12’s post-season opportunities.
Based upon the above rankings, here are this week’s projections, listed in order of bowl selection:
Allstate Sugar Bowl
January 1 - New Orleans
Oklahoma State vs Mississippi
Valero Alamo Bowl
December 29 – San Antonio
Oklahoma vs Utah
Cheez-It Bowl
December 29 – Orlando
Baylor vs Clemson
Mercari Texas Bowl
January 4 – Houston
Iowa State vs Mississippi State
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
December 28 – Memphis
Kansas State vs Auburn
Guaranteed Rate Bowl
December 28 – Phoenix
Texas Tech vs Minnesota
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
December 22 – Fort Worth
West Virginia* vs Army
SERVPRO First Responders Bowl
December 28 – University Park, Texas
TCU* vs Northern Illinois
*Must first become bowl eligible
Note: Power Rankings are determined by a group of fans representing all ten of the schools currently in the Big 12 Conference.
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