1) No. 10 TCU (6-1, 3-1) 82-27 win vs. Texas Tech
(Last week: 1)
The Horned Frogs are easily having their best season since entering the Big 12 and their offense is becoming a monster. What they did against the Red Raiders was a total embarrassment to head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s defense. Junior quarterback Trevone Boykin had the game of his career as he passed for 433 yards.
The best news for the Horned Frogs is that Boykin is becoming a feared passer, ranking first in the league in total offense with 382.9 yards. He is starting to hit a rhythm in the pocket, which is supported by his seven touchdown passes in the game. Their defense looked solid after a sloppy first half and is showing streaks of what people thought they were coming into the season.
2) No. 11 K-State (6-1, 4-0) 23-0 win vs. Texas
(Last week: 2)
Head coach Bill Snyder and his team are the only other team in the conference that has a legitimate claim to the top spot in the rankings. Senior quarterback Jake Waters might be the best dual-threat quarterback in the conference, but he is followed very closely by the quarterback of the team above. What makes him so impressive is that he makes every opposing defense question his every move.
Waters is the leading rusher for the Wildcats in total yardage and his arm completes an impressive package of ability. However, the Wildcats could have an issue if his arm isn’t at full health. Their offense relies heavily on his presence and the running game cannot completely hold this team above water.
3) No. 12 Baylor (6-1, 3-1) Bye
(Last week: 3)
4) No. 20 West Virginia (6-2, 4-1) 34-10 win at Oklahoma State
(Last week: 5)
Speaking of talented quarterbacks, West Virginia’s Clint Trickett makes his team one of the most dangerous in the country and has shown that he is capable of carving almost any defense. He ranks in the top five in the country in total passing yards and is first in the Big 12 in passing yards per game.
The downside to his pass attack is that he relies predominately on fellow senior Kevin White. White, who had his first game under 100 receiving yards against Oklahoma State, may be among the best receivers in the country. However, his dominance may actually pose a huge problem for his team.
The second leading receiver on the team is senior Mario Alford, who has only 600 yards on the season. Alford did show that he could assist in a win against the Cowboys, leading the team in receiving with 136 yards this past Saturday.
5) No. 19 Oklahoma (5-2, 2-2) Bye
(Last week: 4)
6) Oklahoma State (5-3, 3-2) 34-10 loss vs. West Virginia
(Last week: 6)
The Cowboys looked like a team that was poised to compete in the Big 12, but that was before they got to the competitive section of their schedule. They have the parts they need to compete, but seem to crack under pressure.
Junior Daxx Garman is a very good quarterback, but he continues to not play well down the stretch. He is still Oklahoma State’s best shot to win games and will continue to put them in positions to win.
The blame cannot solely be placed on his shoulders, though, due to an inconsistent defense that also plagues the Cowboys. Until that unit fixes it’s issues, their team will not compete in the conference.
7) Texas (3-5, 2-3) 23-0 loss at K-State
(Last week: 7)
Let’s call this season what it really is for the Longhorns: a re-building year. New head coach Charlie Strong is molding his team into exactly what he wants. There are always bumps on the road in these types of processes and if the Longhorns’ rowdy fan base and controlling donors don’t interfere or make the dreadful decision to fire Strong, he will succeed in his mission.
It won’t get much better this season for Strong and his depleted team, which is starting to look more like a mobile rehab facility than a team.
8) Texas Tech (3-5, 1-4) 82-27 loss at TCU
(Last week: 8)
The good news for the Red Raiders and Kliff Kingsbury is that things can’t get much worse. Kingsbury’s team has been able to play cleaner in the last few weeks due to less penalties. The bigger issue for Texas Tech is the health of quarterback Davis Webb. Patrick Mahomes came in for Webb midway through the third quarter, but there is a clear disparity between the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on the depth chart.
9) Iowa State (2-5, 0-4) Bye
(Last week: 9)
10) Kansas (2-5, 0-4) Bye
(Last week: 10)
