Big 12 Power Rankings - Week 3: #Pac12AfterDark and #CollegeAmesDay shook up the rankings.

It’s Tuesday, and that means it’s time to look at where everyone stands in the Big 12 conference pecking order. This week isn’t nearly as painful as last week, unless you happen to root for the Red Raiders.

A reminder that these are power rankings, not resume rankings. They are intended to be a current snapshot, and the opinion of the author on how teams would likely fair if they played everyone else in the conference this coming week. They are highly influenced by recent history, and if you don’t like them, feel free to give your own in the comments.

1 – #5 Oklahoma Sooners (3-0) (LW - 1)

Last Week: Won 48-14 at UCLA
This Week: BYE

The Sooners finished their non-conference slate without being seriously challenged. While the defense looked good, they still haven’t faced an offense worth talking about. They’ll get a week off to prepare for a Red Raider team that is missing their starting QB.

2 – #12 Texas Longhorns (2-1) (LW - 2)

Last Week: Won 48-13 at Rice
This Week: vs Oklahoma State (3-0)

Texas bounced back with a big win over Rice. Having failed their first test against LSU, they get another chance to show that they deserve to be up top when the Cowboys come to town.

3 – Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-0) (LW - 3)

Last Week: Won 40-21 at Tulsa
This Week: at #12 Texas (2-1)

The offense went cold for a stretch against Tulsa. While they eventually recovered, they can’t afford to do that against Texas this week.

4 – Kansas State Wildcats (3-0) (LW - 5)

Last Week: Won 31-24 at Mississippi State
This Week: BYE

The competition took a big step up. While it took a bit for them to adjust, the Wildcats showed that they will be difficult to deal with this year.

5 – Baylor Bears (2-0) (LW - 4)

Last Week: BYE
This Week: at Rice (0-3)

They fall because Kansas State was impressive enough to jump over them, not because they actually did anything wrong during the bye week. It might be difficult to jump back over the Wildcats this week with a trip to Rice.

6 – TCU Horned Frogs (2-0) (LW - 8)

Last Week: Won 34-13 at Purdue
This Week: vs SMU (3-0)

Yes, the score against Purdue was impressive. But this position is more about the issues of Iowa State. It seemed that Max Duggan won the starting job, but Gary Patterson said that he would still split time with Alex Delton. I’m not sure how that is going to work out, but they have to shore up the quarterback play even further if they want to compete in the Big 12.

7 – Iowa State Cyclones (1-1) (LW - 6)

Last Week: Lost 18-17 vs #19 Iowa
This Week: vs UL Monroe (1-1)

There is no way around it. This offense is BAD. The defense looks phenomenal, and should carry them to a few wins. But Brock Purdy still hasn’t developed the chemistry with the other offensive playmakers that he is going to need. They’ll need to figure it out this week against UL Monroe if they want to compete in Waco.

8 – Kansas Jayhawks (2-1) (LW - 10)

Last Week: Won 48-24 at Boston College
This Week: vs West Virginia (2-1)

What a huge win for the Jayhawks. Obviously there is some question about how well it will carry into the next few weeks, but the offense looked dynamic. The defense dominated in the second half. Playing the Mountaineers will give them an opportunity to stay out of the cellar.

9 – West Virginia Mountaineers (2-1) (LW - 9)

Last Week: Won 44-27 vs NC State
This Week: at Kansas (2-1)

The Mountaineers got a huge win over NC State, pulling away in the second half. The offensive line issues that plagued them in the first two games were still present, but definitely much improved. They will need to take another step forward Saturday against the Jayhawks.

10 – Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-1) (LW - 7)

Last Week: Lost 28-14 at Arizona
This Week: BYE

Not only did the defense not come through, but the offense fell off a cliff. Add in the news that Alan Bowman is out with an injury for at least a few weeks, and the bye couldn’t come at a better time.