We’re closing in on the end of the season (It went by too fast!) and we might possibly have the clearest picture of the Big 12 championship hunt as of yet. Right now it appears as if TCU and Kansas State are on a course to rematch in Arlington next month to take home the conference title but there’s not just some jostling going on at the top of the rankings. West Virginia leapt out of the basement with an upset over Oklahoma and the Sooners plummeted.
Feel free to let us know where you agree and disagree with our rankings.
2022 Heartland Sports Big 12 Power Rankings
| Ranking | Points |
| 1. TCU | 30 |
| 2. Kansas State | 27 |
| 3. Texas | 23 |
| 4. Oklahoma State | 22 |
| 5. Baylor | 18 |
| 6. Texas Tech | 15 |
| 7. West Virginia | 10 |
| 8. Kansas | 10 |
| 9. Oklahoma | 7 |
| 10. Iowa State | 3 |
Individual Thoughts
Craig
1. TCU | TCU put on another incredible performance last night in primetime. Although the offense had its struggles, the Horned Frogs defense held up strong.
2. Kansas State | The Wildcats absolutely routed Baylor this weekend. Will Howard was tremendous under center stepping in for the injured Adrian Martinez. The Kansas State coaching staff will have two weeks to prepare Howard for the Big 12 Championship game. But first, they’ll need wins over West Virginia and Kansas.
3. Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State needs some help from Kansas State in order to have a shot at the Big 12 championship. They’ll have to beat Oklahoma and West Virginia, and then they’ll need Kansas State to lose both of their remaining games. Although it isn’t likely, anything can happen in college football.
4. Texas
5. Baylor
6. Texas Tech
7. Kansas
8. West Virginia
9. Oklahoma | The Sooners have now lost five out of their last seven games. They’ll finish below .500 in conference play for the first time since 1998. Can they win one out of their last two games to become bowl eligible?
10. Iowa State | The Cyclones are the only team in the Big 12 that is down worse than Oklahoma. They’ll need to win both of their remaining games in order to go bowling.
Matt
1. TCU | Count me in as being among the crowd who expected TCU to fall at Texas last Saturday night. Not only did the Horned Frogs not lose in Austin, they solidified themselves as the top team in the Big 12 and in control of their own destiny in terms of the College Football Playoff.
2. Kansas State | Another team I expected to lose last week was Kansas State. The Wildcats dominated Baylor and are currently on track to set up a rematch with TCU in the Big 12 championship game.
3. Texas | The Longhorns had their shot at relevance in the conference race but now, like most everyone else, they’re on the outside looking in.
4. Oklahoma State
5. Baylor
6. Texas Tech
7. West Virginia
8. Oklahoma
9. Kansas | The good news for the Jayhawks is that they’re bowl eligible. The bad news is that they’ve reached the stretch of the season where they’re experiencing growing pains.
10. Iowa State | Close! That’s going to be Iowa State’s theme when they look back on the season. They’ve been so close so many times.
Zack
1. TCU | The Horned Frogs remain undefeated, and after defeating Texas, they secured their spot in the Big 12 Championship. They’re the conference’s best, and they have a good shot at making the College Football Playoff.
2. Kansas State | The Wildcats absolutely dominated Baylor, and if they manage to make the Big 12 Championship game, they will undoubtedly be a good rematch for TCU.
3. Texas | The Longhorns almost managed a comeback against TCU, but as is typically the case, they fell short. Still, they’re probably the third-best team in the conference right now.
4. Oklahoma State
5. Baylor
6. Texas Tech
7. Kansas
8. West Virginia
9. Oklahoma | It really is wild to have the Sooners down here. They’re probably better than at least 3 teams ahead of them—if not more—but they can’t put it together to get a win. At this rate, Sooner fans have to be worried about becoming bowl eligible.
10. Iowa State | The Cyclones will have to enjoy their win over the Mountaineers for as long as possible because it’s unlikely that they get another one before the season’s end.
Follow us on Twitter: @SportsHeartland