Conference Realignment: Power Ranking the Big 12 with TCU Horned Frogs

The Big 12 lives for another day after officially adding TCU Monday. It is a move that comes with a bit of controversy, as many have questioned just how good of an addition TCU is to the Big 12.

TCU factors into the conference very nicely geographically, especially as a replacement for Texas A&M. However, are they good enough to compete with teams like Oklahoma, Texas and Oklahoma State?

Here are how the teams of the Big 12 stack up, including TCU and excluding the SEC-bound Aggies.

10. Kansas

Kansas might just be one of the worst defensive teams in the nation.

The Jawhawks rank dead last in the FBS in scoring defense, giving up an astounding 49 points per game. A 70-28 loss last week didn’t help, especially since they were down 56-7 at halftime.

TCU may have been a non-BCS team before now, but they are still light years better than this Jawhawk squad.

9. Iowa State

Iowa State is not a very good team. They rank 51st or worse nationally in passing yards, rushing yards, points scored, and points given up.

They do have some unexpected wins (at Connecticut, versus Iowa), but they have fallen flat against the good teams they’ve played, losing by more 23 points to both Texas and Baylor.

Iowa State may be an up-and-coming team under Paul Rhodes, but they are not as good as TCU.

8. Texas Tech

Despite what you have seen on the field, Texas Tech still ranks low in this conference.

Whether that is because of the strength of the Big 12 or because of Tech’s lack of wins against big teams is a question that is worth asking.

As usual, the Red Raiders have one of the best passing offenses in the nation (sixth nationally in passing yards per game), but they have yet to play anyone that good.

A 45-40 loss to Texas A&M this past week clearly illustrates that they are one not one of the best teams in the league. They are also not as good as TCU.

7. TCU

For a team that won the Rose Bowl last year, this ranking may seem low. However, this team is not as good as that one.

TCU has posted a fairly decent 4-2 record thus far this season. They started off the season with a 50-48 loss to Baylor in what was probably the most exciting college football game so far this season.

They followed that up with three straight wins, all over non-BCS opponents, but impressive nonetheless.  Baylor is the lone BCS opponent on TCU’s schedule all year.

An overtime loss to Southern Methodist does look bad, but if the Frogs play to their potential for the rest of the year, they have a very good shot at finishing at 9-3, very respectable for a rebuilding year.

How they perform on November 12 against Boise State will be a good measuring stick to determine just how ready they are for the Big 12.

Are they good? Yes. Are they Big 12 elite material? Not yet.

6. Missouri

Despite actually having a losing record, this Missouri team is pretty good. They aren’t great, but they are decent. They’re a middle-of-the-road team.

On offense, it all starts with balance. The Tigers average 254 yards passing and 225 yards rushing, making them one of the most balanced teams in the Big 12. That balance begins with quarterback James Franklin.

The 6’2” sophomore has thrown for 981 yards, seven touchdown passes and just one interception while rushing for 260 yards. Franklin is a guy that will get big national attention soon.

It’s close between TCU and Missouri, but ultimately Missouri is more athletic.

5. Texas

Only a prisoner of the moment would drop the Texas Longhorns very far after their 55-17 spanking at the hands of their archrival.

Many thought Texas was back, and they are in a smaller way. They are a good team, but not an elite team. Athletically, they are better than everyone in the league save Oklahoma and possibly Oklahoma State.

They are also a young team, with a majority of their starters being underclassmen. This Longhorn team could be a powerhouse in a year or so. Right now they are not.

They are still better than TCU, as they just have too many athletes.

4. Baylor

Baylor is a top-25 team. It’s okay, I’ll give you a second to pinch yourself.

That top-25 status is due to one guy: quarterback Robert Griffin III. Griffin is the most efficient quarterback in the nation, posting an impressive 212.9 passer rating with 19 touchdowns to just one interception. He’s also completing 80 percent of his passes.

Griffin is playing better than anyone in the country right now. There is really no argument for TCU over Baylor, since Baylor has beaten them this season.

Baylor has just one close loss this season. Speaking of which…

3. Kansas State

The Wildcats are happy with the addition of TCU; it isn’t easy being the only team in the conference that wears purple.

In an era of lightning-quick offenses and an evolving game, Kansas State wins the old-school way. The Wildcats are 5-0 thanks to a strong rushing game, solid defense and the best head coach in the game.

Bill Snyder may be 72 years old, but he continues to prove that he still knows how to win.

TCU is good, but they just couldn’t beat this team.

2. Oklahoma State

The Cowboys might just have the fastest offense in the country. They’ve had their last two opponents (Texas A&M and Kansas) panting pretty heavily in the second halves of those games, and it doesn’t appear they will slow down any time soon.

Quarterback Brandon Weeden is a legit Heisman contender. He went 24-28 for 288 yards and five scores in less than one half of football this past week. Kansas is bad, but those stats are ridiculous against anybody.

While they still have some tough road games ahead, the Cowboys have shown the maturity needed to win on the road (11-1 in their last 12 road games). It appears that their biggest test will be at home against Oklahoma on December 3.

The Cowboys might just be the only team that has any chance of stopping the team on the next slide. TCU would have no shot of beating the Cowboys.

1. Oklahoma

You don’t need convincing. The Sooners have already convinced those watching of what they are.

Beating a team like Texas 55-17 is no small thing. Many will respond to such a drubbing by diminishing how good Texas is, saying that they are just as bad as last year. That isn’t true.

Texas has superb athletes all over the field, and Longhorn defensive coordinator Manny Diaz threw every kind of blitz possible at Sooner quarterback Landry Jones. Jones responded by throwing for over 300 yards before leaving the game early.

Oklahoma is the real deal, too real for TCU.