Big 12 Roundup & Power Rankings: Oklahoma Rising Like a Phoenix

#11 Baylor Bears 49 (6-0, 3-0), Kansas Jayhawks 7 (1-5,0-3)

Another game and another final score is deceiving in the Baylor Bears. Yes, they won by 42 points and led at halftime, 42-0. Yet, Seth Russell only completed 9-of-22 passes for 144 yards against the 89th ranked pass defense. Baylor ran the ball 49 times for 246 yards, good for 5.0 YPC. But Kansas is 90th ranked rush defense allowing nearly 200 yards per game and 4.8 YPC. Baylor didn’t do more than what Kansas already allows. It should be noted that Baylor has yet to allow a point in the 4th quarter through six games. Over at the KU site, they are just looking forward to basketball season.

#19 Oklahoma Sooners 38 (4-2,3-0), Kansas State Wildcats 17 (3-3, 1-2)

Dede Westbrook has taken over Norman, Oklahoma. Westbrook is doing his best Shelton Gibson impression, averaging over 20 yards per catch against Kansas State. Westbrook caught 9 passes for 182 yards and the last three weeks has caught 26 passes for 574 yards and 8 touchdowns. The bad news for the Sooners is that wrecking ball running back Samaje Perine pulled a muscle and will be out two-to-three weeks. That means he will be back in time for the Mountaineers game against Oklahoma on November 19th. For Kansas State, starting quarterback Jesse Ertz was injured but eventually returned. Last season, Joe Hubener had K-State fans believing in the beginning but that faith has long since faded.

Texas Longhorns 27 (3-3, 1-2), Iowa State Cyclones 6 (1-6, 0-4)

In the one game not featuring a ranked Big 12 team this week, Texas and Charlie Strong beat the inept Iowa State Cyclones. Texas seems to have settled on Shane Buechele as their starting quarterback. Buechele threw for nearly 300 yards while running back D’Onta Foreman ran 30 times for 136 yards. Texas got bad news to start the week when one player transferred from the team and a recruit has decommitted. It then got worse as freshman DT Jordan Elliot tore his MCL against ISU and will need surgery, ending his 2016 season. The Cyclones have determined they have two quarterbacks who each do half of quarterbacking good and they too have decided to look toward 2017.

Power Rankings

1. West Virginia - If WVU had beaten TTU 60-59 and held TTU to 667 yards offensively, that would have been less than TTU’s home averages over the last two years. What WVU did to TTU hasn’t been seen since Deliverance.
2. Oklahoma - The Sooners are arguably the most talented team in the Big 12 and had all the pundits picking them as preseason favorites. That reality is still in play and the Sooners appear to be coming on strong.
3. Baylor - The Bears continues to mystify me. Are they really good or is the fact that other than Oklahoma State their schedule is: NW State, SMU, Rice, ISU and Kansas. There is easy, there is cupcake, there is powder puff, there is about 100 miles, then there is this schedule.
4. TCU - I’ll give TCU the #4 spot based on the fact that they said something seemingly funny in their comments section on Sunday. I like your shade of purple Frogs.
5. Texas - Congrats Strong, you finally won after nearly a month of losing. I suggest you revert back to form immediately.
6. Oklahoma State - Trap game in Stillwater this week as the Cowboys face the Jayhawks before they get their shot at the Mountaineers?
7. Texas Tech - Hotter seat: Charlie Strong or Kliff Kingsbury?
8. Kansas State - 200 career wins for Bill Snyder is not looking good. I am curious what that means for the White Wizard? Will he come back in 2017 to secure that last milestone?
9. Iowa State - Can someone tell me who picked the Cyclones as their #1 vote in the Big 12 Preseason Basketball Poll?
10. Kansas - Just curious Jayhawk fans, would you trade basketball dominance for some better football play or do you just enjoy that #1 or 2 ranking in March every year?