It’s looking more and more like the Big 12 race is going to come down between three schools. Well, at least that’s what the first five weeks of the season has shown us. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas are nationally ranked and share just one loss between the three of them. The Sooners and Cowboys are the only undefeated teams the conference has left and the Longhorns are back in the Top 25 rankings following last Saturday’s win at TCU.
Baylor, Iowa State, and even TCU are still very much in the hunt but are playing with their backs against the wall. They still have the talent to get back in the hunt.
Holding Steady
Four teams remain in the same spot in our power rankings as last week. Oklahoma remains at the top and Oklahoma State solidified itself as a unanimous #2 after beating Baylor. Despite losing to the Sooners, Kansas State remained at #5 and Kansas is holding on to its spot in the basement for the foreseeable future.
Moving Up
We have three teams moving up this week. Texas took advantage of Baylor’s loss at Oklahoma State to become the unanimous #3 in our power rankings. Texas Tech moved up four spots after winning in Morgantown. The Red Raiders are tied with Kansas State at #5. Iowa State didn’t get much love for beating Kansas but the Cyclones are up one spot this week from last week.
2021 Heartland Sports Big 12 Power Rankings
| Ranking | Points |
| 1. Oklahoma | 40 |
| 2. Oklahoma State | 36 |
| 3. Texas | 32 |
| 4. Baylor | 24 |
| 5. Kansas State | 21 |
| 5. Texas Tech | 21 |
| 7. Iowa State | 18 |
| 8. TCU | 16 |
| 9. West Virginia | 8 |
| 10. Kansas | 3 |
Individual Thoughts
Rich
1. Oklahoma – The Sooners continue to find a way to win and remain undefeated on the season. Despite facing a few challenges, Spencer Rattler remains an efficient quarterback with the ability to make any and all throws. Defensively, the group is anchored by the best line in the country. A 37-31 win wasn’t as close as it would appear on the scoreboard. Until Oklahoma falls, they’ll retain the top spot.
2. Oklahoma State – Getting a couple of wins over ranked opponents goes a long way in impressing the masses. Yet, it’s the inconsistent play at quarterback that should have fans worried. How long will this streak last? For now it’s good enough to solidify the program at No. 2 in the rankings for me.
3. Texas – Possessing the best running back in the conference, Bijan Robinson, takes much of the pressure off the quarterback. Still, this is a team that looks vulnerable at best. There’s a chance to make a wave in the rankings this upcoming week though.
4. Texas Tech
5. Baylor
6. Iowa State
7. Kansas State
8. TCU
9. West Virginia – After going toe to toe with a giant, the Mountaineers should have rebounded. Instead, the program suffered defeat at the hands of a team that’s by and large beatable. The hot seat is heating up for Neal Brown at the university.
10. Kansas – Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, the Jayhawks take a beating. At least the group will not go without a win this season.
Zack
1. Oklahoma | The Sooners remain undefeated, and while they continue to look less than impressive, they are improving. This weekend’s test against Texas will tell us more.
2. Oklahoma State | The Cowboys made plenty of mistakes against Baylor, but a win is a win. Sometimes you don’t have to be good, just good enough, and right now, they’re 5-0 for the first time since 2015.
3. Texas | The Longhorns managed a win against TCU, which is probably their best of the season. Red River Rivalry is this weekend, and a win for the Longhorns would be incredible, but I wouldn’t bank on it.
4. Kansas State
5. TCU
6. Baylor
7. Iowa State
8. Texas Tech
9. WVU | Seriously? After knocking off Virginia and competing with Oklahoma, I thought the Mountaineers might be legit, but losing to Texas Tech is not the way.
10. Kansas | Is there anything left to say at this point?
Craig
1. Oklahoma | The Sooners continue to pull off these one possession victories, but it’s enough to stay perfect on the season. It’s been an entire calendar year since the Sooners have lost a football game. Although they haven’t looked super impressive through the first five weeks, that accomplishment alone keeps them on top of the Big 12 throne.
2. Oklahoma State | The Cowboys are getting better and better each week. With a 10 point victory over Baylor they now have two wins over top 25 teams. They’ll need some better quarterback play from Spencer Sanders, but at the moment they deserve the second spot in the conference.
3. Texas | The running game for the Longhorns has been phenomenal this season. Now, they have finally found their guy at quarterback and the offense seems to be moving the ball well. My only reason for not ranking Texas any higher is because of their defense. That being said, they’ll have a chance to take over the Big 12 next week if they can pull off a win against Oklahoma.
4. Baylor
5. Texas Tech
6. Iowa State
7. TCU
8. Kansas State
9. West Virginia | The Mountaineers certainly played Oklahoma two weeks ago like a team much higher than second to last in the conference. However, they only scored 20 points against Texas Tech who gave up 70 the week before. The offense of the Mountaineers has been struggling so far this season, which is why they are a bottom tier team at the moment.
10. Kansas | At this point I’m wondering why the Jayhawks suit up on Saturdays. I know they are levels behind other programs in talent, but the effort this team has put in this season is pathetic.
Matt
1. Oklahoma | The Sooners are still at the top but the margin is narrowing. That will change one way or the other after the Red River Rivalry this Saturday.
2. Oklahoma State | I bumped the Cowboys up a notch to #2 this week because they have the best resume of any team in the Big 12. With wins over Top 25 opponents in back-to-back weeks the Pokes are knocking on the door of #1 in my rankings.
3. Texas | The Longhorns looked a little more vulnerable against TCU than they had in the previous two weeks. They’re still on the rise though with a huge matchup against Oklahoma looming this weekend.
4. Kansas State
5. Baylor
6. Texas Tech
7. Iowa State
8. TCU
9. West Virginia | I really don’t know where the Mountaineers fit in the Big 12 rankings right now. They played Oklahoma to within a field goal in Norman and then lost to Texas Tech and a backup quarterback in Morgantown last weekend. The only thing I can say for sure about WVU is that an 0-2 mark in conference play has Neil Brown on the hot seat.
10. Kansas | Cue the basketball school jokes.
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