Big 12 Football: Week 4 Team Power Rankings
It's taken four weeks - and a shock of a result in Austin - to finally shake up the top of the Big 12 power rankings. With UCLA's demolition of Texas - after losing to Kansas State - does that mean Bill Snyder's Purples are the best team in the conference via the transitive principle?
In a word, no.
But there are big shakeups in the Big 12's swan song season. Where did your favorite team end up?
No. 12: Colorado (2-1, 0-0)
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Last week's game: Bye
Last week's power ranking: No. 11
What happened: Well, nothing, of course.
Why No. 12? Having the week off means that CU didn't do anything to hurt themselves, of course. But with Kansas putting things together and getting a convincing win against lesser competition - something they weren't able to do in week 1 - the Jayhawks are able to climb over Ralphie and get out of the cellar.
Next game: Georgia, at home. Colorado fans angry at getting dropped, you'll get your chance against an SEC team at home, with a coach that might be in as much trouble as yours.
No. 11: Kansas (2-2, 0-0)
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Last week's game: Beat New Mexico State, 42-16, at home
Last week's power ranking: No. 12
What happened: Turner Gill has decided to embrace the past a little bit, running an offense that looks a lot more like his predecessor's hurry-up spread attack. With that familiarity, as well as a freshman quarterback and a freshman tailback, Gill seems to have at least righted the ship after what could have been a catastrophic week 1 loss.
Why No. 11? Beating New Mexico State is no great accomplishment, to be sure, but to win (as opposed to losing to an FCS school) and win convincingly (see Cornhuskers, Nebraska) means that the Jayhawks are pointed in the right direction.
Next game: Baylor, on the road. While Robert Griffin is a dangerous weapon, there are far more arduous road trips to start a conference road campaign.
No. 10: Iowa State (2-2, 0-1)
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Last week's game: Beat Northern Iowa, 27-0, at home
Last week's power ranking: No. 10
What happened: The score might not be hugely impressive, but Iowa State took control of the game early and never let a very good FCS team hang around and think they could make something happen. As we've learned this season, that's not a given.
Why No. 10? The Cyclones demonstrate yet again that they are a disciplined and well-coached team, getting the most out of a limited talent base. Their record may not look like it at the end of the season (particularly given their brutal schedule this year), but the 'Clones will challenge in every game.
Next game: Texas Tech, at home. Given Tech's offensive struggles under new coach Tommy Tubberville, a punt on an Iowa State upset wouldn't be the worst investment.
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No. 9: Baylor (3-1, 0-0)
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Last week's game: Beat Rice, 30-13, on the road
Last week's power ranking: No. 9
What happened: Baylor got a lead early over Rice and held on through a listless second half for a comfortable, if not dominating, win. Still, a win on the road after getting pounded the week prior is a solid response.
Why No. 9? Going to Rice and getting a win is enough for Baylor to hold their place, but not enough for them to move either up or down.
Next game: Kansas, at home. Gill's Jayhawks are improving, but if Baylor is dreaming of breaking their long bowl drought this is a must-win game.
No. 8: Texas A&M (3-0, 0-0)
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Last week's game: Bye
Last week's power ranking: No. 7
What happened: Again, not much.
Why No. 8? The Aggies are another victim of having the week off, having some blemishes on your record, and having teams around you take care of business.
Next game: Oklahoma State, on the road. Again, Aggie fans who are upset about getting dropped, your trip to Stillwater will give you every opportunity to make a substantial jump in the rankings. This game very well could be a first-to-sixty-wins kind of game.
No. 7: Missouri (4-0, 0-0)
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Last week's game: Beat Miami (Ohio), 51-13, at home
Last week's power ranking: No. 8
What happened: Mizzou was ahead 28-0 and cruised to an easy win against an out-manned MAC opponent at home. In other words, they did what a Big 12 team is supposed to do with a game like this.
Why No. 7? The Tigers shake off a very dodgy performance last week and put their small-fry opponent away early and decisively. By doing so, Mizzou gets a little bump over idle Texas A&M.
Next game: Colorado, at home, after a bye week. Good heavens, does anyone in the country have a softer beginning of the schedule than Mizzou?
No. 6: Kansas State (4-0, 1-0)
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Last week's game: Beat Central Florida, 17-13, at home
Last week's power ranking: No. 5
What happened: Don't be fooled by the alphabet soup opponent - Central Florida has top-quality athletes and is no joke of a foe. Having said that, the Purples needed a 14-point fourth quarter rally to survive the Knights' upset bid at home.
Why No. 6? Here's the opposite of what we've seen earlier in the power ranking, where a sub-par performance costs a team a power ranking spot against an idle opponent.
Next game: Nebraska, at home, after a bye week. Given their ponderous offense, the fact that K-State could put a 14-point comeback together should give their opponents pause.
No. 5: Oklahoma State (3-0, 0-0)
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Last week's game: Bye
Last week's power ranking: No. 6
What happened: Zippo.
Why No. 5? The Cowboys benefitted from the teams around them struggling a bit to slide up a notch in the rankings.
Next game: Texas A&M, at home. Easily the Cowboys' toughest opponent to date, and we'll know a lot more about their defense after having to deal with Jerrod Johnson.
No. 4: Texas Tech (2-1, 0-1)
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Last week's game: Bye
Last week's power ranking: No. 4
What happened: (consulting thesaurus for another word meaning "nothing").
Why No. 4? Because they had the week off, meaning they couldn't show improvement, and because their most recent game was a loss against Texas. Even in a power ranking, I can't in good conscience drop the Longhorns below a team they just beat.
Next game: Iowa State, on the road. Given the talent differential, the Red Raiders should win this game comfortably. But given how the 'Clones are coached and play defense, this could be the week's upset.
No. 3: Texas (3-1, 1-0)
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Last week's game: Lost to UCLA, 37-12, at home
Last week's power ranking: No. 1
What happened: The strange thing is, the score might not actually tell you just how badly UCLA outplayed the Longhorns in Austin. We had seen hints of the Longhorns' offensive identity crisis being a problem, but the depths to which UCLA pushed Texas off the field was stunning.
Why No. 3? Because Texas Tech, the team Texas just beat, was number four. That was the only thing that stopped a steeper fall for Mack Brown's kids.
Next game: Oklahoma, at a neutral site. At least Brown won't have a problem getting his kids motivated for the next game. And it's not like OU has been overly impressive with their wins.
No. 2: Nebraska (4-0, 0-0)
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Last week's game: Beat South Dakota State, 17-3, at home
Last week's power ranking: No. 2
What happened: The score itself looks pretty anemic for an NU team facing an FCS opponent at home. It looks worse when you realize the Jackrabbits had two (!) touchdowns taken off the board because of penalties.
Why No. 2? The top spot was there for the taking for Nebraska, but clunking their way through the ugliest win of the season is no way to announce yourself as the best team in the conference.
Next game: Kansas State, on the road, after a bye week. That sound you hear is Bill Snyder taking notes on what SDSU did against Nebraska on offense. And K-State fans getting lubricated already for a Thursday night ESPN matchup against a team they truly despise.
No. 1: Oklahoma (4-0, 0-0)
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Last week's game: Beat Cincinnati, 31-29, on the road
Last week's power ranking: No. 3
What happened: The Bearcats team OU knocked off last week is a far cry from the traditional-power-busting national championship-aspiring crew from a year ago. Still, it's a road win against a BCS-conference foe, and one where OU again built up a lead and had to hold on for dear life at the end.
Why No. 1? Quite simply, process of elimination. The other members of the Big Three in the conference were either destroyed at home (Texas) or sputtered through an ugly home win over an FCS foe (Nebraska).
Next game: Texas, at a neutral site. Both the Sooners and the Longhorns have looked shaky at times, and OU should be on alert for a huge rebound from Texas after their humiliating loss to UCLA.
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.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
