Big 12 Football Power Rankings: 11.10.2022

No beating around the bush, does TCU play dirty, or are they maybe the luckiest team the Big 12 has ever seen? In six conference games, TCU has played four teams with starting quarterbacks unable to finish the game and a fifth greatly impeded by injury. The sixth plays for what is probably the worst team in the conference. TCU has had some luck on their side, but they have generated some of that luck through questionable hits on the opposing QBs. The hit on OU’s Dillon Gabriel was dirty, no argument can be made otherwise, watch the tape. I also think the hit on Jalon Daniels was borderline dirty. I thought it at the time and time has only solidified my belief the hit was by NFL rules was penalty worthy. The tackler landed unnecessarily with his full weight on the quarterback. Now this week Texas Tech losses QB Behren Morton after a TCU tackle. Normally I would see the Morton injury as bad luck for Tech, but in light of injuries to Gabriel and Daniels, I am starting to think “where there is smoke, there is fire.” TCU had fortune smiling on them when K-State’s Martinez could not go more than one drive and OSU’s Spencer Sanders was banged up before stepping on the field. Neither of those injuries could be blamed on TCU, but man, their run this season has been greatly aided by injuries to the starting quarterback of their opponents.

As for the rankings, the big mover this week is the Cowboys, going from 5 to 8. It would be easy to write off their troubles to Sanders’ injury, but they were down big to the Wildcats before he left, and Rangel, despite 2 early interceptions, played fine. I do not think the Cowboys were a lock by any means to win if Sanders had been healthy enough to play. Iowa State worked its way out of the cellar with a convincing win over new bottom-feeder West Virginia. What surprises me about the rankings is how high I have both Texas and Baylor. Texas beat the Wildcats in a game that held little suspense and Baylor ran all over OU in a close win.

What this past week’s slate of games really tells me is despite TCU’s undefeated record, there is no clearly dominant team and there is potential for a lot of late-season movement in the rankings as teams battle it out for the second spot in the championship game. Even KU with 2 of their final 3 games against opponents above them in the standings, still has a chance to play for the title.

1. TCU: Lucky or ???
2. Texas: Took down former #2 KSU
3. Baylor: Have they righted their season?
4. KSU: Are they better without Adrian?
5. KU: Bowl Eligible, now how high can they go?
6. OU: How Gabriel goes, so go the Sooners.
7. Texas Tech: Lose their QB and the game.
8. OSU: Injuries have them in a bad place.
9. Iowa St: Finally a conference win.
10. West Virginia: Will Neal Brown be around next season?