Where did the Big 12 land in USA TODAY Sports’ 1-131 re-rank after week 7
A new team has entered the top 10 of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and is also in the top 10 of the latest 1-131 re-rank from USA TODAY Sports.
After three-straight wins over previously undefeated Oklahoma, Kansas, and Oklahoma State, the TCU Horned Frogs look like the class of the Big 12. That’s represented as such with their first top 10 ranking since 2017.
Max Duggan and the Horned Frogs overcame a 14-point halftime deficit to Oklahoma State to win in double overtime and stay undefeated.
They have another tough test this week with Kansas State, who is 5-1 and 3-0 in Big 12 play. If TCU wins, they’ll be in the driver’s seat for a berth in the Big 12 title game. If they lose, they’ll have to rely on some head-to-head tiebreakers to potentially sort out the mess.
The Big 12 features three teams in the top 15 and four in the top 20. Oklahoma experienced the biggest rise after their 52-42 win over Kansas and Baylor suffered the largest fall after their three-point loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers in Morgantown.
Let’s take a look at how the Big 12 squads rank in the latest 1-131 re-rank.
6. TCU Horned Frogs
Oct 15, 2022; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs running back Kendre Miller (33) carries the ball in overtime against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the second half at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
Change: Up 6
Remained undefeated after knocking off the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Now have another tough test heading to Fort Worth in the Kansas State Wildcats fresh off a bye.
13. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State’s Spencer Sanders (3) fakes out the defense before running the ball into the end zone for a touchdown in the third quarter during a college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. OSU won 41-31. Nathan Fish, The Oklahoman
Change: Down 6
The Cowboys had a 14-point lead at halftime and couldn’t close the deal. The defense has been an issue all season, much like every other team in the Big 12 not named Iowa State.
15. Kansas State Wildcats
Oct 1, 2022; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Adrian Martinez (9) runs past running back Deuce Vaughn (22) for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
Change: Up 2
After their bye week, Kansas State travels to Fort Worth to take on the undefeated TCU Horned Frogs for first place in the Big 12. Can they slow down Max Duggan, Kendre Miller, and Quentin Johnston? Doubtful.
20. Texas Longhorns
Oct 15, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) calls a play from the line of scrimmage during the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Change: Up 4
The Longhorns had to get a late score to overcome another strong performance from the Iowa State Cyclones. A fortuitous dropped pass by Xavier Hutchinson bailed out the Horns who remain in contention for the Big 12 title game.
29. Kansas Jayhawks
Oct 15, 2022; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Marvin Mims (17) runs past Kansas Jayhawks safety Marvin Grant (4) during the second half at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Change: Down 10
The magical season for the Jayhawks has run into a nightmare the last two weeks after dropping games to TCU and Oklahoma. They’re playing competitive football, but Kansas is struggling to stop anyone right now.
40. Oklahoma Sooners
NORMAN, OK – OCTOBER 15: Running back Eric Gray #0 of the Oklahoma Sooners scores a 28-yard rushing touchdown as he hurdles into the endzone past linebacker Rich Miller #30 of the Kansas Jayhawks in the second quarter at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 15, 2022 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Change: Up 18
The Oklahoma Sooners got a much-needed win on the backs of the offense. The defense still needs some work, but entering their bye week, Brent Venables and the Sooners have an opportunity to fix some things.
41. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Oct 8, 2022; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton (2) throws the ball against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the first quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium. Nathan J Fish/The Oklahoman – USA TODAY NETWORK
Change: Up 4
Coming off a bye week, the Red Raiders will host the West Virginia Mountaineers, who got a big win over Baylor in Morgantown.
49. Baylor Bears
Oct 1, 2022; Waco, Texas, USA; The Baylor Bears defense stops Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Dominic Richardson (20) short of the end zone during the second quarter at McLane Stadium. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Change: Down 17
In a season where we’ve been wondering what’s happened to Oklahoma’s defense, they have to be asking the same thing down in Waco after allowing the West Virginia Mountaineers to put up 43 points on Thursday night.
55. Iowa State Cyclones
Oct 15, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Hunter Dekkers (12) jumps in to the end zone for a touchdown during the second half against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Change: Up 1
Iowa State’s defense is good enough to keep them in every game. In their four-game losing streak, they’ve lost by a combined 14 points, or 3.5 points per game. If they can get consistent offensive production, they’ll be a tough task for the Sooners in two weeks.
80. West Virginia Mountaineers
Sep 22, 2022; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers running back Justin Johnson Jr. (26) celebrates a touchdown with offensive lineman Zach Frazier (54) and wide receiver Kaden Prather (3) during the second half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lane Stadium. Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Change: Up 6
The Mountaineers continued their home dominance over the Bears last Thursday with a big-time offensive performance that rivaled the Pat White-Tavon Austin days. J.T. Daniels and West Virginia are looking like a difficult task
