Big 12 power rankings for week two bring some shuffling throughout. Oklahoma retains the top spot but after that only two of the additional 9 teams remain the same.
Baylor and A&M both looked impressive and could pose a bit of trouble for a Texas team looking to regain their footing in the State after a 5-7 season a year ago. In the lower half Kansas was the most impressive of the "bottom three" so to speak and that gives them the nod at #8 although that's a pretty fluid section of the power poll and things can change in a hurry.
1. Oklahoma
How They Fared: 47-14 win over Tulsa
Previous Ranking #1
Oklahoma did what top teams do and they handled Tulsa with ease. Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles looked the part and the OU defense looked strong despite some unexpected losses in the offseason. Stoops has a well oiled machine in Norman. They should be in the mix for a National Title shot this year.
2. Texas A&M
How They Fared: 46-14 win over SMU
Previous Ranking #5
A&M probably started a bit low in our initial poll and they certainly didn't make any friends in the conference over the last three weeks. That said, they looked like a good team on Sunday against SMU who is a decent opponent. A&M has a solid offense and the defense looks better than some of the other teams in the conversation so that earns them a spot at #2.
3. Oklahoma State
How They Fared: 61-34 win over LA Lafayette
Previous Ranking #2
The offense is off the charts but the defense leaves some questions on the table. It's the story every year with Mike Gundy and his team. It just makes you wonder if they can hold up over a full conference schedule with a defense that struggles to stop people. This week will be a big test as OSU takes on Arizona Thursday night.
4. Baylor
How They Fared: 50-48 win over TCU
Previous Ranking #6
WOW what a game. Robert Griffin is going to be a load for anyone to deal with and while the Baylor defense had it's struggles, they did play a ranked TCU team and they did put together a win. Baylor is athletic and they will be able to create some problems during conference play.
5. Missouri
How They Fared: 17-6 win over Miami
Previous Ranking #4
Mizzou wasn't bad, they just weren't real good. If Miami could have punched it in after moving the ball down the field this could have been a real close call for the Tigers. That said Mizzou looks good defensively but might struggle until James Franklin settles in. The injury bug might be the challenge this week when the Tigers take on Arizona State.
6. Texas
How They Fared: 34-9 win over Rice
Previous Ranking #3
Decent showing by the Longhorns but it wasn't anything super impressive. Rather than a team ready to jump back to the forefront of the league, Texas looked like a team with some potential but one that will also be in a dogfight with some of the top teams across the conference. Next week the Longhorns face BYU and we should learn a lot more about what the ceiling might be in Austin.
7. Texas Tech
How They Fared: 50-10 win over Texas State
Previous Ranking #7
Tech was trailing Texas State at halftime before coming out in a hurry in the second half. If you looked at the score alone things don't look to bad in Lubbock, but it is Texas State and it wasn't really a complete game by any means.
8. Kansas
How They Fared: 42-24 win over McNeese
Previous Ranking #9
Kansas looked like a solid team on the offensive side of the ball against McNeese with over 300 yards of offense. The defense will need to improve in order to compete in the conference but at the very least the Jayhawks looked competent which is more than you could say a year ago. It's definitely clear that there are a few winnable games left on the calendar.
9. Kansas State
How They Fared: 10-7 win over Eastern Kentucky
Previous Ranking #8
K-State was more or less the opposite of Kansas. A bad offense, a good defense and a near miss against an FCS opponent. Kansas State should finish higher than this. Bill Snyder's teams traditionally improve over time but without a doubt week one wasn't a high point.
10. Iowa State
How They Fared: 20-19 win over Northern Iowa
Previous Ranking #10
Iowa State barely grabbed a win over Northern Iowa. Yes Northern Iowa is a traditionally strong program but the Cyclones looked pretty bad in a year where they are going to be searching for answers on the offensive side of the ball. You could probably argue that they deserve the nine spot but Kansas State gets the nod for now because of their defense.