Big 12 Power Rankings: A Substantial Power Shift
Eleven months ago, the powerful Texas Longhorns were going toe-to-toe with the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide with their second string QB who hadn't taken a meaningful snap all year.
With Colt McCoy going down with an injury early in the game, the 'Horns were done, right?
Not so fast my friend.
Insert freshman QB Garret Gilbert, let him make a few mistakes in the first half, and then rally around him in the second.
If not for a dropped TD pass, the 'Horns would have had a fourth quarter lead.
In the end, the Texas faithful took defeat well knowing that they would be back next year with their young stud QB at the helm and twelve starters returning for the ever growing legacy of the recruiting magic of Mack Brown.
After all, Texas doesn't rebuild under Mack; they simply reload.
Wow. What a difference a year makes.
12. Colorado
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Not only is it not intramural play for you anymore, Dan Hawkins; it isn't even the Big 12.
After the rightful firing of coach Dan Hawkins, the Buffs are in full on search for their new man to take charge of Colorado as they enter Pac 12 play next year.
Why?
Because Colorado will not be playing in a bowl game for the fifth consecutive year under the tutelage of Dan Hawkins.
The 45-17 lead that his team let slip away to the lowly Jayhawks in roughly 11 minutes of play screams of a need for change.
In one of the more remarkable comebacks in Big 12 history, Big Hawk (Coach Hawkins) let Little Hawk (coach's son and QB) spell his doom as they continued to throw the ball while being ahead by 28, 21, 14, and seven points. Now he is paying the price for one of the most embarrassing losses for Colorado in the entire history of their program.
Look for Big Hawk to be coaching intramurals for your team sometime next year.
11. Kansas
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With the demise of the Buffs comes the hard-charging Jayhawks out of everybody's cellar in the Big 12.
In all seriousness though, we all need to give head coach Turner Gill some props for keeping his team involved in a 45-17 blowout that was looking to be like so many before this season.
Not only did he rally the troops to make the final score respectable, he rallied them enough to take advantage of the sorry man in charge on the other sideline all at the same time.
Losing four of the greatest players in Kansas football history (Todd Reesing, Jake Sharp, Dezmon Briscoe, and Kerry Meier) has taken it's toll on the fledgling Jayhawks.
However, these 'Hawks own wins over Georgia Tech and now Colorado to build around. With an extremely youthful and inexperienced team, former Husker and head coach Turner Gill has some games in hand that he can in-trust with his youthful team.
While 2010 doesn't have a solid ending, it will have an ending of bigger and better things on the horizon.
10. Texas Tech
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Don't let the upset victory over Missouri fool you. The Red Raiders are reeling.
Coach Tuberville has found the waters in the Big 12 to be much more competitive than he ever thought.
I'm sure his days at Auburn with top end fleet athletes are a distant memory right about now.
This isn't a very good team any way that you look at it. Sure, they beat a good Missouri team, but a team with a hampered QB coming off of a stinging loss at Nebraska that they put their entire heart and soul into. Many a solid team has lost a road game in Lubbock. Missouri wasn't the first nor the the last that it will happen against.
Now Tommie and crew get to roll into an angry Norman, OK stadium to take on the Sooners. Thankfully for the Red Raiders, it will be their final Big 12 game as they play Weber State and Houston to finish out the schedule.
While Texas Tech will be bowling, they will be bowling early in a minuscule game against a minuscule opponent, a game they will likely lose.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
9. Texas
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Reload, right?
Wow.
The only reason to rank Texas over Texas Tech is their win in Lubbock. But that can change.
As it stands right now, Texas is in the cellar of the Big 12 South division, something they have never been accustomed to during the entire tenure of coach Mack Brown.
With Oklahoma State, Florida Atlantic and Texas A&M left on the schedule, coach Brown will be under serious pressure to at least make this year's Texas team bowl eligible.
Re-read that. BOWL ELIGIBLE.
Texas needs two out of their last three games to accomplish that pedestrian feat. And at this point in time, not even a victory over lowly Florida Atlantic is exactly guaranteed.
Could the Longhorns possibly go from being in the National Title game one year to not even be playing in a bowl game the next?
Hold on to your hats, it definitely isn't out of the question right now.
8. Iowa State
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Hard to put a team that fights this hard as low as eighth.
Paul Rhoads is easily one of the top four or five coaches in the entire Big 12. With what is called the least talent in the league, he makes them to be as competitive as possible on a week in and week out basis.
Just last Saturday, they were a "short" throw away from putting the Huskers down on a two-point conversion attempt in Ames, IA.
With one of the toughest schedules in all of college football, once again Paul Rhoads has the underdog Cyclones fighting for a bowl bid yet again.
With a game at downtrodden Colorado on tap, it will likely happen.
A big hats off to Paul Rhoads and the Cyclones.
7. Kansas State
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The grand master of underdogs is at it again in Manhattan, KS.
With little talent and a flurry of players who wouldn't even make the two-deep at at plethora of other Big 12 schools, Coach Snyder has the 'Cats still fighting for a Big 12 Championship game bid.
Sure, they need a lot of good things to happen for them, but you have to give credit where credit is due.
While they played a weak as, well you know, OOC schedule the 'Cats built momentum rolling into the Big 12 season.
Their thumping of Texas made them bowl eligible, and also pegs them as the No. 25 ranked BCS team in all the land.
Look for two more wins out this crew as they face @ Colorado and @ North Texas. An eight win season out of the Wildcats is likely one or two wins more than even the most fruitful of 'Cat Backers during the regular season.
The Big 12's Ol' Ball Coach is getting it done in Manhattan.
6. Baylor
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One of the better stories in the entire Big 12 is the resurgence of the bottom-feeding Baylor Bears.
Led by head coach Art Briles and the magnificent talents of Robert Griffin, the Bears hold their own destiny in the Big 12.
Re-read that. BAYLOR holds their own destiny in the Big 12 in November.
It won't be easy, as they face Oklahoma State on the road, and finish with Texas A&M and Oklahoma at home, but with three games left on their schedule, Baylor can still win the Big 12.
If Baylor were to win two of their remaining games, we may as well hand over the best coach in the Big 12 trophy to Art Briles this year. With a defense that ranks 96th in total defense in the country, this Baylor team is overcoming incredible odds to have seven wins this year already.
This is a team anybody can root for: good or bad. They keep fighting and keep playing, regardless of the odds. Just like they did against Texas the night before Halloween.
Maybe the Bears have the real "Trick-or-Treat" when all is said and done?
5. Texas A&M
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Signs of the vaunted "Wrecking Crew" at Texas A&M are back after they shut down Oklahoma at home last week in a surprising (OK, not for me) victory over Oklahoma.
Former QB/WR/QB Ryan Tannehill has provided a new spark for the A&M offense with his mobility and lack of throwing to the other opponent.
So...
How can I put a team who just beat the other team below them?
Mike Sherman.
While A&M is on a good upside, they aren't that far away from being hammered by Arkansas or Oklahoma State.
There is plenty of specialty talent in College Station. The real question is whether or not Sherman can lead them to wins at Baylor, Nebraska and Texas?
I say they lose two of the three, and maybe all of them.
4. Oklahoma
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Phil Steele had this team as his No. 1 ranked team in the entire nation before the season started.
Why not?
Second year starter Landry Jones at QB fulfilling his late season push at QB was good news.
You also had DeMarco Murray at RB, and Ryan Broyles at WR with a deep bench of specialty players at each and every offensive position.
Then again.
Did anybody tell you that defense means the difference between pretenders or contenders?
Oklahoma doesn't have a defense. They are the 68th ranked defense in the entire nation. With the youth and lack of depth in the Sooner secondary teams are taking advantage of their weaknesses.
Especially in the '"chuck-n-duck" Big 12 South, and Big 12 in general.
Can Oklahoma run the table to be in the Big 12 Championship game? Yes. Will they? Damn good question right about now.
Bedlam will be...Bedlam, and likely for the Big 12 South representative.
3. Oklahoma State
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The best WR in the country roams the sidelines and field for the Oklahoma State Cowboys for two years in a row.
They also have some other guys like Kendall Hunter and Brandon Weeden that make Oklahoma State one of the toughest offenses to defend in all of college football.
All three of these guys rank in the Top 3 in their respective positions for yards per game.
Now for the big question. Can Oklahoma State play enough defense to win the Big 12?
Ranking #89th in the country in total defense leaves a lot of questions to be answered for this team. Along with longing question; Can you beat Oklahoma?
Currently ranked as the No. 10 team in the BCS standings, the Cowboys are getting an awful lot of respect for not having beat anybody of substance. To date, the biggest Okie State win is Baylor. And TCU handed Baylor their head in much more impressive fashion.
Bring on Texas. Bring on Oklahoma. The Cowboys are looking for more doubters.
2. Missouri
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Take away the 24 first quarter from Nebraska, and the best team on the field two Saturday's ago in Lincoln was Missouri.
Blaine Gabbert showed toughness and resolve to try and rally his troops from a 24 point deficit early in the game.
In the end, however, the defensive adjustments and constant pressure and hits on Gabbert took their toll as Missouri couldn't quite get over the hump.
However, make no mistake about it, this Missouri team IS the 2nd best in the Big 12.
Why?
They actually have a defense and an offense that can go with it.
Missouri didn't beat Oklahoma with smoke and mirrors. They flat out beat them up head-to-head, toe-to-toe.
Something Oklahoma State hasn't done in a very long time.
1. Nebraska
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Hard to argue against a team that has defeated their two biggest challengers to the title in Missouri and Oklahoma State.
Taylor Martinez has been an electric addition to a very solemn Husker offense simply a year ago.
While the defense has given up gashing yards rushing the ball, they have been steadfast in coverage in the pass-happy Big 12 and have done as much defensively as any team in the league.
While it hasn't been a dominating season for the Huskers, they have defeated the other two biggest challengers to the Big 12 title in Oklahoma State and Missouri. With only having to defeat the bottom two teams in the Big 12 in Kansas this weekend and Colorado Thanksgiving day after, the Huskers seem to have an almost easy script to the Big 12 title game.
However, the little road trip to College Station that is still on the horizon could throw a wrench or two in the mighty Cornhuskers ultimate plans.
Either way, as it stands right now, the Huskers ARE the best team in the Big 12.
Big 12 Championship Game?
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Look for the Sooners and Huskers to clash heads for another classic.
What a great way to end the Big 12.
Huskers 31 Sooners 24
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
