Oklahoma Sooners drop in USA TODAY Sports re-rank after loss to Texas Tech
The Big 12 has provided a lot of entertaining football this season. The depth of the league has been really good. Even teams at the bottom of the standings, Iowa State and West Virginia, have provided competitive games this season.
In West Virginia’s case, they beat Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma for their only wins in Big 12 play. Iowa State had the best defense in the Big 12, though it didn’t look like it on Saturday in Fort Worth.
In the final year of the 10-team league, the Big 12 showed it has an entertaining product to offer. Next week’s Big 12 title game between TCU and Kansas State should be an entertaining affair between two teams playing really good football right now.
With the regular season behind us, let’s take a look at where the Big 12 landed in USA TODAY Sports latest 1-131 re-rank after week 13.
3. TCU Horned Frogs
Nov 26, 2022; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Max Duggan (15) points at his receiver after thrown a touchdown pass against the Iowa State Cyclones during second half at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
Change: +1
That was an emphatic performance against an Iowa State team that hadn’t allowed more than 31 points in a game all season. TCU has to beat Kansas State, but a win in the Big 12 title game and they’ll avoid a date with Georgia in the College Football Playoff.
10. Kansas State Wildcats
Nov 26, 2022; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats running back Deuce Vaughn (22) runs the ball against the Kansas Jayhawks during the first quarter at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
Change: +3
Kansas State earned an opportunity to get back at TCU for the loss handed to them by the Horned Frogs earlier in the season. The Wildcats played spoiler to Oklahoma’s national title aspirations in 2003. Can they do it again?
22. Texas Longhorns
Nov 25, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns spirit squad carry flags across the field after a touchdown during the second half against the Baylor Bears at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Change:+3
The Longhorns outscored Baylor 21-8 in the second half to pick up their eighth win of the season. Texas got better in 2022. Will they be able to take another step in 2023?
42. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Nov 26, 2022; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders kick returner Jordan Brown (86) is pushed out of bounds by Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Trey Morrison (6) in the first half at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Change: +10
Texas Tech beat Texas and Oklahoma in the same season for the first time in school history. That’s a pretty nice way to start the Joey McGuire era.
43. Baylor Bears
Nov 25, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback Blake Shapen (12) throws a pass during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
From a two-win team to Big 12 champions and then back to the middle of the pack. They’re 20-15 under Dave Aranda in three seasons. Would things have turned out differently had they stuck with Gerry Bohanon at quarterback?
Change: -10
50. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Nov 26, 2022; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Ollie Gordon (0) runs for a touchdown beside West Virginia Mountaineers linebacker Lee Kpogba (8) during a college football game between Oklahoma State and West Virginia at Boone Pickens Stadium. Bryan Terry-USA TODAY Sports
Change: -7
No Spencer Sanders after the beating he took against Oklahoma, but the Cowboys still put up a fight in their loss to West Virginia. They took a 10-7 lead into halftime but were outscored 17-9 in the second half to finish 7-5 on the season.
58. Kansas Jayhawks
Nov 26, 2022; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats cornerback Jacob Parrish (10) breaks up a pass intended for Kansas Jayhawks tight end Jared Casey (47) during the fourth quarter at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
Change: -5
After starting 5-1, the Kansas Jayhawks finished the season with losses in six of their last seven contests. Kansas locked up Lance Leipold with a contract extension, but finished the season on a totally different trajectory than they did a year ago. Still, they’re going bowling and that’s a positive sign for the Jayhawks.
62. Oklahoma Sooners
Nov 26, 2022; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Jalil Farooq (3) scores a touchdown against Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive back Keyon Blankenbaker (16) and defense linebacker Krishon Merriweahter (1) in the second half at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Change: -7
Anytime a team scores 48 points in a game and loses, it’s disappointing. The defense wasn’t good after the first quarter and the offense missed opportunities throughout the game to put up even more points. Special teams struggled and the coaching staff had some questionable decisions in the loss.
79. West Virginia Mountaineers
Nov 26, 2022; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers safety Marcis Floyd (24) gestures after an Oklahoma State incompletion late in the fourth quarter of a college football game between Oklahoma State and West Virginia at Boone Pickens Stadium. Bryan Terry-USA TODAY Sports
Change: +10
Did Neal Brown do enough in wins over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to preserve his job? They haven’t won more than six games under Brown and this is his second 5-7 finish in four years.
90. Iowa State Cyclones
Nov 26, 2022; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Savion Williams (18) runs the ball against Iowa State Cyclones defensive back Tayvonn Kyle (13) during the second half at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
Change: -11
The best defense in the Big 12 laid an egg on Saturday in Fort Worth. They got absolutely romped by the Horned Frogs. Matt Campbell may have done all he can in Ames, but after the season they’ve had, are there any better jobs that will come calling?
[listicle id=76320]
[listicle id=76363]
