What a great week for the Big 12. Well, maybe not for the Big 12 as a whole but we have some teams on the rise and other teams barely hanging on. Then there’s Kansas. The only thing we know for sure is that Kansas is still a basketball school. They were setting records on the football field this weekend, but not the kind of records anyone wants to be associated with. They set a Big 12 record for fewest total yards in a game with 21. At one point they had -6 yards of total offense. Here is a post week 8 breakdown of the Big 12 based on in-conference games only. Yes, Oklahoma beat Ohio St. but that doesn’t matter if you can’t beat the teams in your own conference.
1. TCU
TCU is the only remaining undefeated team in the Big 12, and one of the eight reaming undefeated in all of the FBS. TCU has been flying under the national radar all season long, but not anymore as the Horned Frogs are now the fourth ranked team in the country and all eyes will be on TCU the rest of the season. We all know what happened the last time the Horned Frogs had national attention. That won’t be the case this year because there will be a Big 12 championship game, and ONE TRUE CHAMPION just like the playoff committee wants.
2. Oklahoma State
OSU is coming in at number two simply because of schedule alone. They have only lost to TCU. Still, they let teams like Texas and Texas Tech hang around for way too long. This is where things start to shake up a bit. The head to Morgantown to take on a well rounded West Virginia team, and then the following week they play host to in-state rival Oklahoma. A loss in either of these games almost certainly kills the Cowboys chances of a Big 12 championship.
3. Iowa State
Iowa state is now a top 25 team in the country.Yes, you are reading this right. They went into Norman and beat a really good Oklahoma team. Then, they smacked Kansas and Texas Tech. This team is good, and they control their own destiny in the Big 12. They could potentially be the number one team in the conference if they can knock off TCU who is headed to Ames next weekend. If the Cyclones can pull off the upset, Ames, Iowa will be one wild place next Saturday.
4. Oklahoma
Before the Sooner faithful come after me, OU is the most electric team in the conference. They play great football, but the loss to Iowa St. is a big blemish on the Sooners record. Oklahoma is another team that is completely in control of their own destiny. The reason they are 4, other than losing to the Cyclones, is because they don’t finish games like they should. They always come out hot but let teams hang around even though they shouldn’t. Win out, win the conference championship game and the result is the CFB playoff. Lose and maybe make a New Year’s Six bowl.
5. West Virginia
WVU is another Big 12 team that prides itself on spreading the ball out, and they do just that. But this year, the defense is lacking the identity that they usually have, highlighted by giving up a lot of points to teams they shouldn’t. They have a tough road ahead but only two road games left. Tough opponents 3 of the last 5 seems like a stretch for the Mountaineers but the offense will always show up. The defense just has to prove they can show up as well.
6. Texas
Texas has played much better than their record shows. That being said, they are still a losing football team and sitting at .500 in the conference. Had they beaten Oklahoma St. this weekend, we would be talking about them just like the rest of the one-loss teams in the group, but now we are talking about them as maybe a team who can compete next year when their freshman QB matures. As of right now Tom Herman is not the savior that Texas fans thought he would be, and they can only hope to win enough games to be bowl eligible this year, which would be an improvement from years past.
7. Kansas State
This is not the season that was predicted for KSU. They are very one dimensional on offense and that seems to be a big issue. They can’t put up numbers like the rest of the Big 12. Their defense is decent but they can’t expect to win a game if they score less than 30 points every week. A tough back stretch for KSU includes three top 25 teams and in state rival Kansas next week in Lawrence.
8. Texas Tech
Tech started off the season hot. It seemed that Coach Kingsbury had his team rolling and there was even some defense. The last four weeks have been the opposite with exception of beating Kansas. The Red Raiders have been in some close games but last week’s loss to ISU was bad. The team that is notorious for scoring upwards of 50 only scored 13 points and got pummeled by the Cyclones. Credit to ISU, they are a good program, but Tech not being able to put up points is not good. Kingsbury is back on the hot seat and the way Tech is playing they will have a new head coach next fall.
9. Baylor
Baylor has had a pretty bad season, especially if you consider not winning a single game to be pretty bad. Let it be noted that Matt Rhule took over a Baylor team in the midst of a HUGE scandal that will take some time to recover from. They have shown glimpses of hope, with true freshman and Austin’s own Charlie Brewer, brother of former Va. Tech QB Michael Brewer, showing flashes of greatness. Baylor is banking on a good recruiting class and hopefully a better record this time next year.
10. Kansas
Kansas is just bad, they have only won one game and it was against an FCS opponent. They have lost all their conference games. They should go all out for the game against Baylor because that is their bowl game. If they finish the season 1-11 they should call Butch Jones and ask where they can get some rings made. Kansas is a basketball school for now, and probably for a long time to come.
Now that we have gone through that, LET’S GET WEIRD.
Here is how your team can win the Big 12. If your team is TCU, WVU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St. or Iowa St. If these aren’t your teams, I’m sorry because it’s just not happening.
This brings us to our current leader in the conference TCU. All they need to do is win out, simple but if they lose to any team, especially Iowa st. or Oklahoma, the Big 12 is blown wide open.
If Iowa St. beats TCU, they would be atop the conference and would then have to win out. If they win out then it will be a ISU vs. TCU rematch in the Big 12 championship game assuming TCU also wins out after that point.
That leaves Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. If OU wins out and ISU loses a single game then OU is into the championship game. Same with OSU: they win out and they are in. Seems easy enough for everyone, but one more loss ruins each team’s chances. This will probably end up going to head to head matchups to determine who is playing in the conference championship game. Same with West Virginia all they have to do is win out, but that would mean beating ISU, OU and OSU. To come out of those three games with three wins is asking a lot.
One loss ruins your chances. Win out and you’re in. IF you like chaos you’ve come to the right conference. Iowa State winning the Big 12, Oklahoma not even in the Big 12 championship game, WVU and OSU out to ruin some seasons? It’s gonna be hectic, it’s gonna be weird. Undefeated conference champions are overrated anyway.