Big 12 Roundup & Power Rankings: On Earth 2, ISU & Kansas Actually Won

#20 Oklahoma 45 (3-2, 2-0), Texas 40 (2-3, 0-2)

Dede Westbrook is Oklahoma’s new secret weapon. Westbrook set the Oklahoma single-game receiving record with 232 yards. Neither team really played defense, as both teams recorded over 400 total yards. Charlie Strong’s debut as defensive play caller went about a smoothly as a cobble-stone road. Oklahoma gained over 600 yards of offense. Perine is now less than 600 yards away from the all-time rushing record at OU. If last year’s showdown saved Charlie Strong’s job, this game likely ended it.

TCU 24 (4-2, 2-1), Kansas 23 (1-4, 0-2)

Poor, poor Kansas. They had TCU where they wanted them but could not get out of their own way. The Jayhawks were intercepted on their first and fourth series of the game. They fumbled on their sixth possession. Threw another interception on their seventh and punted three times, all in the first half. Yet they only trailed 14-10 at halftime. After halftime they got inside the TCU 20 and settled for field goals. They even stripped Kenny Hill of the football but refused to fall on the ball, which allowed Hill to pick up the ball and gain 20 yards. All of this and they still had a chance to win the game with a 54 yard field goal but missed.

Oklahoma State 38 (4-2, 2-1), Iowa State (1-5, 0-3)

If Kansas couldn’t get out of its own way, Iowa State simply left the playing field. ISU went into halftime leading 17-14. They came out and looked like Matt Campbell lit a fire under them. Iowa State owned the third quarter, scoring two touchdowns and taking a commanding 31-14 lead. Then Oklahoma State finally got on the scoreboard with a Mason Rudolph touchdown. Then the fumble. And the Cyclones collapsed. When ISU was taking command of the game, they gained 130 yards. After fumbling, they gained 12 yards. OSU has to feel good about coming back but they still can’t run the ball. 33 carries gained 108 yards.

Kansas State 44 (3-2, 2-1), Texas Tech 38 (3-2,2-1)

Patrick Mahomes threw for another 500 yards, but when the end of the game came, he didn’t look right. His shoulder appears to still be bothering him after leaving the game last week against Kansas. Meanwhile, Jesse Ertz again only completed 10 passes for the Wildcats, but only threw the ball 20 times, as the Snydercats gained 231 yards on 39 carries. DJ Reed, who de-horned Shelton Gibson last week, returned an interception for a touchdown. Byron Pringle returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. Texas Tech also lives and dies by its quarterback, gaining only 63 yards on 28 rushes.

Power Rankings

1. West Virginia - Just because I don’t believe Oklahoma State is any better than Missouri or BYU, I think WVU has the best win so far out of all Big 12 teams. I’m giving them the #1 spot.
2. Baylor - 2-0 in conference play is nothing to sneeze at but really, who has Baylor played?

3-10.

I really have no idea how to rank the rest of the teams. Do I give Oklahoma credit for beating a rival who allows 45+ points a game? Do I give Kansas and ISU credit for playing well but not being able to play 4 quarters? Do I say TCU and OSU are mentally tough because they came back from deficits or do I discredit them for being manhandled by the bottom feeders? I JUST DON’T KNOW!

3. Oklahoma - Ultimately I’ll give OU the third spot because they beat a rival. Texas played spirited but Charlie Strong can go ahead and pack up his office.

4. Kansas State - That Texas Tech defense is awful. Seriously awful. But the Wildcats should get to bowl eligibility and give Snyder 200 career wins.

5. TCU - A win is a win but any other team beats the Horned Frogs.

6. Oklahoma State - Had Mike Gundy lost this game, the war between him and T. Boone Pickens would have reached Volume 11.

7. Iowa State - The trip to Ames before playing Baylor scares me. Hopefully they’ve lost all hope by then and just curl up and don’t play.

8. Kansas - I really want Kansas to be semi-decent. I keep hoping and they keep doing things that contradict that hope.

9. Texas Tech - IF you hate Dana Holgorsen, you could have Kliff Kingsbury. Since starting 7-0, Kliff is 15-21 and has taken a team that had a very good offense and decent defense to amazing offense and no defense. The offense will break records but can’t stop anyone. He could be out of a job by December.

10. Texas -