Following a limited weekend of action in the Big 12 you would think that there would be minimal movement in the weekly power rankings. That’s absolutely not the case though. Four teams hold steady in this week’s rankings. The top two and the bottom two are still in place from a week ago, the six in between are in a new order though.
Holding Steady
Coming off a huge win in Dallas the Sooners hold on to the top spot in the rankings. Oklahoma State was off over the weekend but the loss by Texas solidified the Cowboys as a unanimous #2. At the bottom of the rankings Kansas is still in the cellar and West Virginia’s blowout loss to Baylor kept the Mountaineers at #9.
Moving Up
Three teams moved up this weekend. TCU took the largest leap this week, moving up three spots to #5. Baylor and Iowa State are also up one spot from a week ago.
Dropping
Three teams also dropped this week with Texas Tech taking the most significant plunge. The Red Raiders are down three spots this week to #8. Texas and Kansas State are also down a spot this week.
2021 Heartland Sports Big 12 Power Rankings
| Ranking | Points |
| 1. Oklahoma | 40 |
| 2. Oklahoma State | 36 |
| 3. Baylor | 32 |
| 4. Texas | 28 |
| 5. TCU | 21 |
| 6. Iowa State | 19 |
| 6. Kansas State | 19 |
| 8. Texas Tech | 12 |
| 9. West Virginia | 9 |
| 10. Kansas | 4 |
Individual Thoughts
Zack
1. Oklahoma | The Sooners rallied from a 21-point halftime deficit, and they remained undefeated. They’re not moving from the top spot until (unless) they lose.
2. Oklahoma State | The Cowboys moved up a spot because of a bye week, plus Texas lost. This weekend’s matchup with the Longhorns will have a major impact on conference standings.
3. Baylor | The Bears dominated the Mountaineers, and despite a really tough conference schedule remaining, they technically have a shot at a spot in the Big 12 Championship.
4. Texas
5. Kansas State
6. TCU
7. Iowa State
8. West Virginia
9. Texas Tech | The Red Raiders continue to fall back to reality. A 21-point loss at home to TCU is rough, but at least they get Kansas this weekend.
10. Kansas | The Jayhawks had the week off, but unless they somehow figure out a way to beat Texas Tech on Saturday, they’re going to remain at the bottom.
Rich
1. Oklahoma | On Saturday, the Sooners proved that the road to the big 12 Championship still runs through Norman. As one of two undefeated teams in the league, the program claimed a win over a ranked foe in epic fashion. Building momentum on both sides of the ball in the second half of the RRR, this team remains a difficult one to topple.
2. Oklahoma State | Despite not playing this past weekend, the Cowboys stay put. Undefeated with two wins over previously ranked opponents, the folks in Stillwater are making a case for the top spot.
3. Baylor | As a surprise contender in the Big 12 this season, the Bears are 1-1 when facing a ranked conference foe. This is a team that dismantled their opponent over the weekend and looks to have the components in place to remain relevant throughout the year. Is it time to label the Dave Aranda experiment a success?
4. Texas
5. Iowa State
6. TCU
7. Kansas State
8. Texas Tech
9. West Virginia | As things started coming together for the Mountaineers, the season took a turn for the worse. Dropping three consecutive games is not a good look for the group. Needless to say, it puts Neal Brown in the hot seat despite a win over No. 15 VT earlier this year.
10. Kansas | The good news is that the Jayhawks did not suffer another defeat over the weekend. The bad is that they didn’t claim a win either with the week off. Could KU get a win over a TTU defense that hasn’t been able to stop any program?
Craig
1. Oklahoma | The Sooners remain perfect on the season after an incredible second half performance against Texas. This could have been the game that really gets the season going for Oklahoma. This team hasn’t played a complete game at all this season, but they keep finding ways to come out on top.
2. Oklahoma State | The Cowboys had the week off, but with the Longhorns losing they automatically jumped up into the second place spot. They’ll have an opportunity to solidify their ranking with a matchup against Texas this week. It’s time to find out if Oklahoma State is the real deal or not.
3. Baylor | The Bears bounced back from their loss to OSU with a huge victory over West Virginia. Don’t count out the Bears just yet, there’s still a lot of football to be played this season.
4. Texas
5. TCU
6. Iowa State
7. Texas Tech
8. Kansas State
9. West Virginia | The Mountaineers have fallen to 0-3 in conference play. What once seemed like a solid start to the season now seems like a collapse for West Virginia. They’ve got a tough stretch of games ahead, so things might only get worse.
10. Kansas | It’s the first time in four weeks the Jayhawks haven’t lost! It might be the last time they go a week this season without losing as well.
Matt
1. Oklahoma | The come from behind win against Texas was one for the ages and it shouldn’t be undervalued what it did to the confidence and psyche of the team. Following the quarterback situation over the next few weeks is going to be pretty interesting.
2. Oklahoma State | I was a step ahead of the crowd with moving the Cowboys to #2 last week. Now OSU has a huge game looming with Texas this weekend.
3. Baylor | The Bears’ lone loss through the first half of the season came on the road at Oklahoma State. After smoking West Virginia last weekend Baylor is definitely looking like a threat in the Big 12.
4. Texas
5. Kansas State
6. TCU
7. Iowa State
8. Texas Tech
9. West Virginia | Things are unraveling really fast for Neal Brown.
10. Kansas | I’m not saying that they’ve taken up permanent residence in the cellar but the Jayhawks have been here for a very long time.
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