Big 12 (Lack of) Power Poll: Week 12
And so it all comes down to Saturday’s match-up in Stillwater. What was improbable when the season started is sitting there right in front of us now, just staring at us. Can someone tell that thing to stop looking at me? I can’t take the pressure! (Stay tuned later this week for my Bedlam preview column.) Now, on to the rankings.
1. Kansas (3-8, lost to Oklahoma State 48-14): Kansas actually looked pretty decent for about 1.5 quarters, but then they remembered they were the 2010 Kansas Jayhawks.
2. Texas (5-6, beat Florida Atlantic 51-17): A home win against a sub-.500 Sun Belt Conference team won’t score you a lot of points in this poll.
3. Iowa State (5-7, lost to Missouri 14-0): Despite out-gaining Missouri, the Cyclones’ season ends with a loud, lonely thud as they go from 5-4 and on the verge of bowl eligibility to a three-game losing streak that finishes them off.
4. Kansas State (6-5, lost to Colorado 44-36): The Wildcats win the Scuffling Team award after starting 5-1 and going 1-4 since.
5. Colorado (5-6, beat Kansas State 44-36): The Buffaloes all the sudden are tearing through the league! OK, so they beat Iowa State and Kansas State in consecutive weeks. Still, better than the alternative, right? Now they can find out how real their mojo is when the travel to Lincoln on Friday.
6. Texas Tech (6-5, beat Weber State 64-21): Nothing like a little Weber State For the Soul to help the Red Raiders attain bowl-worthy status.
7. Baylor (7-5, lost to Oklahoma 53-24): Baylor has three straight losses, two of them of the “We just got taken to the woodshed for 50-plus points” variety. Still, based on historical standards, this is a good year for the Bears.
8. Missouri (9-2, beat Iowa State 14-0): I’m pretty sure Missouri is the quietest 9-2 team in the country. Nothing wrong with being 9-2, but you sure never hear anything about these Tigers.
9. Nebraska (9-2, lost to Texas A&M 9-6): Dropping Nebraska from 12th to ninth might seem a little harsh based on the Texas A&M outcome alone, but I’m looking at several factors, including the inexcusable home loss to Texas, the poor offensive showing at home against Kansas and the mistake-filled offensive struggle against the Aggies. Plus, without Taylor Martinez on the field, or with an injured Martinez on the field, this team boasts an average-at-best offense going forward.
10. Oklahoma (9-2, beat Baylor 53-24): Sooners have posted two straight shellackings, but those wins have come against Texas Tech, which needed a match-up against Weber State to reach six wins, and Baylor, which has been exposed as having zero defense. Point being, they’ll have a chance to pass a real test on Saturday.
11. Texas A&M (8-3, beat Nebraska 9-6): A&M is on a roll after five straight wins. The turnover-fest in Stillwater continues to haunt them.
12. Oklahoma State (10-1, beat Kansas 48-14): I was hesitant to put Oklahoma State here based on the fact that they’ve never been here before in these rankings, but when you compare all the numbers, at this point, they deserve to be here. Best record in the conference, undefeated on the road, sweep of Texas teams. It all adds up.
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