Big 12 Power Rankings: Chaos rules as Kansas State, Texas fall and Oklahoma wins big

What is going on?

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark should adopt those words as the conference’s new slogan for the remainder of football season. Maybe he can even get actor John Krasinski to reprise his role as Jim Halpert from “The Office” and emphatically say the line for added impact on social media.

I know I have found myself saying something similar every Saturday as I check scores from across the conference.

Oklahoma upset Texas? Oklahoma State beat Kansas State? West Virginia is undefeated in Big 12 play? Iowa State downed TCU? Kansas thumped UCF ... by 29?

Big 12 underdogs went 4-1 on Saturday, with only Texas Tech winning as a favorite.

The conference is arguably more chaotic than it has ever been before. Very few games play out according to expectations, and just about everyone still has some hope of making a run to the Big 12 championship game.

About the only thing you can count on right now is new members struggling against established Big 12 teams. The four newcomers in this league (BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF) are off to a 1-7 start in conference games, with the only victory coming from BYU against Cincy.

That leads us into this week’s Big 12 Power Rankings:

1. Oklahoma (6-0, 3-0 Big 12)

Last game: 34-30 win over Texas

Next game: UCF

Analysis: The Sooners can probably go ahead and start making travel plans for the Big 12 championship game. It’s hard to see them missing out on a spot in Arlington, Texas, after they pulled off an upset over Texas in the Red River Rivalry. Not only have they started 6-0, but they get an incredibly easy schedule the rest of the way. All that stands between them and an undefeated regular season are UCF, Kansas, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, BYU and TCU.

2. Texas (5-1, 2-1 Big 12)

Last game: 34-30 loss to Oklahoma

Next game: at Houston

Analysis: The Longhorns can still win the Big 12 and maybe even reach the College Football Playoff, but they lost all margin for error over the weekend. They have no one to blame but themselves. Texas was clearly better than Oklahoma but squandered the game by throwing two interceptions, losing a fumble, running into the kicker on a punt and failing to score when they had first-and-goal at the 1 early in the fourth quarter.

3. Kansas (5-1, 2-1 Big 12)

Last game: 51-22 win over UCF

Next game: at Oklahoma State

Analysis: The next three weeks are enormous for the Jayhawks. If they can beat Oklahoma State on the road as a four-point favorite and then get quarterback Jalon Daniels healthy during their off week, they will be sitting at 6-1 with the Sooners coming to Lawrence for one of the biggest games in school history. But they have to beat the Cowboys to set up that scenario.

4. West Virginia (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)

Last game: 24-21 win at TCU

Next game: at Houston

Analysis: It was a tough call between KU and West Virginia at the No. 3 spot. I’m just not totally sold on the Mountaineers yet. Yes, they have won four straight games. But none of the teams they have defeated currently own a winning record. That being said, if they continue beating up on mediocre competition, they will remain in the Big 12 championship mix. West Virginia was blessed with a soft schedule this year.

5. Texas Tech (3-3, 2-1 Big 12)

Last game: 39-14 win at Baylor

Next game: Kansas State

Analysis: Is it time to start believing in Texas Tech again? Maybe. The Red Raiders have beaten Houston and Baylor in consecutive weeks to save their season. But those two teams are (spoiler alert) at the bottom of these rankings. Still, Joey McGuire’s team may have found something with Behren Morton taking over the offense. We will learn a lot more about Texas Tech when it hosts K-State this weekend.

6. Kansas State (3-1, 1-1 Big 12)

Last game: 29-21 loss at Oklahoma State

Next game: Texas Tech

Analysis: The Wildcats could do no wrong with Will Howard at quarterback last season, as they averaged 39 points in the games he started. That number has only dipped to 35.8 points this season, but he is turning the ball over far too often (seven interceptions in five games) and the offense has grown stagnant on the road. It has been hard for an injured defense to make up for those mistakes. A team that thumped Missouri (40-12) and Oklahoma State (48-0) a year ago has lost to both of those teams this season.

7. Iowa State (3-3, 2-1 Big 12)

Last game: 27-14 win over TCU

Next game: at Cincinnati

Analysis: I was ready to give up on the Cyclones when they lost to Ohio and got blown away by Oklahoma, but Matt Campbell’s team keeps fighting back. Maybe they are only good at home this season, but there is no denying that Iowa State looked like a solid team in recent wins over Oklahoma State and TCU.

8. Oklahoma State (3-2, 2-1 Big 12)

Last game: 29-21 win over Kansas State

Next game: Kansas

Analysis: Why exactly wasn’t Alan Bowman the primary quarterback for the Cowboys early on this season? Oklahoma State has a respectable offense now that he is handling all the snaps. Mike Gundy’s team was in scoring range all game against K-State and could have cleared 50 points had they scored a few more touchdowns instead of settling for six field-goal attempts.

9. TCU (3-3, 1-2 Big 12)

Last game: 27-14 loss at Iowa State

Next game: BYU

Analysis: The Horned Frogs tried three different quarterbacks against Iowa State, and they all threw at least one interception. Yikes. Chandler Morris is expected to miss at least a few weeks with a knee injury. That run to the national championship game seems like ages ago.

10. BYU (4-1, 1-1 Big 12)

Last game: 35-27 win over Cincinnati

Next game: at TCU

Analysis: Despite all the things going against TCU right now, the Horned Frogs are still favored against the Cougars this week. That just goes to show how much of an uphill climb some of the new members are facing in this conference.

11. UCF (3-3, 0-3 Big 12)

Last game: 51-22 loss at Kansas

Next game: at Oklahoma

Analysis: I considered moving the Knights even further down these rankings. After all, they started off their time in the Big 12 by getting blown out at K-State, squandering a huge lead against Baylor and then losing big at Kansas. But John Rhys Plumlee should be ready to lead the offense again in two weeks. This team can still win some games when he’s healthy.

12. Cincinnati (2-3, 0-2 Big 12)

Last game: 35-27 loss at BYU

Next game: Iowa State

Analysis: The Bearcats are in a favorable spot at the moment. Despite some early season struggles, they are coming off an open week with home games against Iowa State and Baylor next up on the schedule.

13. Baylor (2-4, 1-2 Big 12)

Last game: 39-14 loss to Texas Tech

Next game: at Cincinnati

Analysis: The Bears went for it on fourth down six times against the Red Raiders and only moved the chains once. Dave Aranda needs to learn that punting isn’t always a bad idea. Running for more than 17 yards in a game is also a good idea.

14. Houston (2-3, 0-2 Big 12)

Last game: 49-28 loss at Texas Tech

Next game: West Virginia

Analysis: Dana Holgorsen left West Virginia for Houston in 2019. It’s hard to say exactly how that move worked out for his career. He was 61-41 with the Mountaineers. He is off to a 29-23 start with the Cougars. One thing is for sure, he needs to beat his former team to give Houston any hope of saving the current season.