CRFF Ranks the Big 12: Week 8

After an entertaining week featuring some bounce back blowouts and some (sort of) challenges for the league favorites the Big 12 hasn't shaken up much. This next week probably won't provide many more answers for who's going to be crowned champ at the end of the year but after this next week we'll be one week closer to the November that will probably lend those answers.

1. Baylor

The Bears were pushed a little bit by West Virginia this past weekend. They still got whatever they wanted on offense against a banged up defense. The Baylor defense has some question marks but nothing has stopped this team from looking like the leagues favorite.

2. TCU

We know all to well that night games in Ames should never be taken lightly so we shouldn't be surprised that TCU struggled with the Cyclones in the first half. TCU is still undefeated however and looks like they belong in the top tier with Baylor. If you haven't noticed by now Boykin is the real deal and deserves the Heisman hype he is getting.

3. Oklahoma State

The Cowboys are coming off their bye 6-0 probably in the most unconvincing way possible. This team keeps finding ways to win games and they will have an opportunity to enter the final four games 8-0 with all three other Big 12 contenders left on the schedule. The Cowboys have some flaws but are still in contention for the league, we'll see if they can take advantage of their schedule going forward. The Cowboys take on Kansas this week for homecoming, in what shouldn't be too big of a challenge.

4. Oklahoma

The Sooners looked disinterested to say the least in their loss to Texas two weeks ago. That was not the case this past weekend when they traveled to Manhattan. The Sooners decimated the Wildcats but have us scratching our heads as to what kind of team this is.

5. Texas Tech

The Red Raiders barely escaped the Kansas Jayhawks this past weekend. There is still questions out about if this team is legit, and almost loosing to Kansas won't help that. However, the only two losses this team has are to TCU and Baylor and still have Oklahoma and Oklahoma State left on their schedule. We'll see what kind of team Texas Tech is in the coming weeks when they face these two teams.

6. West Virginia

The Mountaineers are in a rough portion of their schedule. They are 0-3 in a stretch of OU, OSU, and Baylor and it doesn't look to get any easier as they take on TCU next week. Dana Holgorson's team looked to possibly challenge for the Big 12 crown, and injuries have really hurt that cause. After TCU, the schedule gets much easier and we'll see if they can get it turned around.

7. Texas

The Longhorns are coming out of the bye after a year-changing win over OU. This program looked to be in a downward spiral going into that game but coming out of it they look like a team that is on the rebuild. They face Kansas State this weekend in a game they will probably be favored in, something you couldn't say before two weeks ago.

8. Kansas State

The Wildcats have had a rough three week stretch. With close losses to OSU and TCU Bill Snyder's team needed to bounce back this past week. That was the opposite of what happened. This team got blown out by an OU team that also desperately needed a win. The rest of the season looks bleak for the Wildcats if the team that showed up last week is the team we see for the rest of the year, although I don't think that'll be the case.

9. Iowa State

Paul Rhodes was on his way to doing it again as his team had TCU on the ropes in the first half. The Horned Frogs eventually pulled away but they showed that they cannot be overlooked by any team this year. This next week is going to be rough as they take on Baylor, however they have the opportunity to trip someone up going forward.

10. Kansas

The Jayhawks showed some vast improvements this past week. They played their best game all season as they took on the Red Raiders. If a couple plays had gone differently they could have potentially pulled off the upset. This is still a very bad team, but they are showing some good improvement.