Big 12 (Lack of) Power Poll: Week 10
Texas appears home free, Baylor appears like it’ll be home for the holidays and Gary Pinkel appears home bound — as in, heading home after he’s booted out of Columbia. This is your weekly Big 12 (Lack of) Power Poll:
(Note: If you’re looking to vote in the Beer Championship Series, see the post below this one.)
1. Missouri (5-4, 1-4, lost to Baylor 40-32; next, at Kansas State) Losing to Baylor? Bad. Losing to Baylor at home? Very bad. Losing to Baylor after twice blowing an 11-point lead? Really bad. Losing to Baylor and allowing the Bears to drop a 40-spot on you? Can someone tell Gary Pinkel where he can rent a U-Haul?
2. Kansas (5-4, 1-4, lost to Kansas State 17-10; next, vs. Kansas) Yes, these are the same Jayhawks many touted as pre-season north division favorites. If you look in a dictionary under the definition of “Wheels are falling off,” you’d see a picture of the 2009 Jayhawks.
3. Baylor (4-5, 1-4, beat Missouri 40-32; next, vs. Texas) I’m sure the Bears are feeling fine and dandy about beating Missouri, but they’ve still got games against Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech, and I don’t see two wins and a bowl berth in that group.
4. Texas A&M (5-4, 2-3, lost to Colorado 35-34; next, at Oklahoma) Texas A&M claims the award for top split-personality team. They roar through Lubbock and destroy Texas Tech, but then fall to the Lower Buffs at home. And now they have an angry OU, a desperate Baylor and a confident Texas on their schedule. They’ve got a shot at six wins, but it’s no sure thing.
5. Colorado (3-6, 2-3, beat Texas A&M 35-34; next, at Iowa State) It was nice for Dan “Short Timer” Hawkins to get a win under his belt.
6. Iowa State (5-5, 2-4, lost to Oklahoma State 34-8; next, vs. Colorado) Paul “I am so proud to be your coach” Rhoads thought he was living large after winning in Lincoln; now two straight conference losses have brought the Cyclones back down to Earth. Have I mentioned before that when Iowa State won in Lincoln, they were the recipients of eight turnovers but only managed nine points? I may even petition the Big 12 to have that game counted as a loss for Nebraska and Iowa State.
7. Oklahoma (5-4, 3-2, lost to Nebraska 10-3; next, vs. Texas A&M) Whoa. Where to even start here? The Sooners were done in by Landry “Too Tall” Jones. As in, those passes were too tall for his receivers, but just right for Nebraska’s defenders. Come on Sooners, even Iowa State managed a touchdown against Nebraska!
8. Nebraska (6-3, 3-2, beat Okahoma 10-3; next, at Kansas) The Huskers really have no place being ranked fifth least lacking in power in the conference, but I couldn’t very well say OU was less lacking in power. Nebraska has scored 37 points in its past four games — they’re no superstars offensively, I’ll say that much.
9. Texas Tech (6-3, 3-2, bye; next, at Oklahoma State) How many times on the Texas Tech-OSU broadcast will they mention that “last time Texas Tech was in Stillwater, it was the Mike Gundy rant?”
10. Kansas State (6-4, 4-2, beat Kansas 17-10; next, vs. Missouri) Can I hand the coach of the year award to a team that’s 6-4, lost to Louisiana-Lafayette and features two of its wins against average Division II teams? You’re damn right I can! Wait, Kansas State scheduled three games against D-II teams this year? Maybe I’ll take that award back.
11. Oklahoma State (7-2, 4-1, beat Iowa State 34-8; next, vs. Texas Tech) Somewhere along the way, Oklahoma State got to be ranked 35th in the country in total defense. Where did that come from? They’re 33rd in the nation in scoring defense and ninth against the rush. The problem? They’re 87th against the pass. And sure enough, here comes Texas Tech to town on Saturday. Tech is second in the country in passing. Guess who’s first? Houston. We know how that went. Is trouble ahead for OSU?
12. Texas (9-0, 5-0, beat UCF 35-3; next, at Baylor) Not much to say here. Texas appears to be hitting its stride on both sides of the ball. All their competition in the conference is dropping off week-by-week. I’m not sure if there could be a less exciting drive to a perfect season.
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