Big 12 Rankings: Kansas State misses major opportunity to move up

It is quite possible that the two best Big 12 teams squared off in Austin this past weekend. It resulted in a missed opportunity for Kansas State. Meanwhile, Texas has regained control of their season weeks after a disappointing rivalry loss to Oklahoma.

With the race to Arlington becoming clearer after a major Week 10, here is how the KSO staff ranks the league.

1. TEXAS LONGHORNS

Mason: 1
DY: 1
Drew: 1

Texas jumped on Kansas State early on Saturday. An early 17-0 lead eventually evaporated within minutes of the fourth quarter starting. Texas almost dropped their second game of the season in epic fashion, but they survived. It now leaves the Longhorns in the driver’s seat to win the Big 12 title and the last hope of a Big 12 team making the College Football Playoff. It is expected that Quinn Ewers returns this weekend to face TCU. That is a good thing because his replacement Maalik Murphy single-handedly did everything he could for K-State to win.
Next game: at TCU, 6:30 PM ABC

2. OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS

Mason: 2
DY: 2
Drew: 2

Oklahoma State pulled off another impactful Bedlam victory over Oklahoma. This is a wildly different Cowboy team than the one that appeared in the first four games of the season. It turned when they knocked off Kansas State after the bye week. They have the easiest remaining schedule in the Big 12 as they have to face three newcomers. Ollie Gordon can carry this team and himself to unexpected heights over the next three games.
Next game: at UCF, 2:30 PM ESPN

3. KANSAS STATE WILDCATS

Mason: 3
DY: 4
Drew: 3

Three losses by 14 points will haunt K-State this season. All were games that could have been won but easily spotted errors cost Kansas State a few key wins. Will Howard and the passing attack had their best showing of the season in the overtime loss to Texas. Advanced metrics love the Wildcats and despite the three losses, they are still in the College Football Playoff Top 25. Even with the disappointing losses, K-State is still getting their respect and can achieve a 10-win season.
Next game: vs Baylor, 2:00 PM ESPN+

4. KANSAS JAYHAWKS

Mason: 4
DY: 3:
Drew: 4

A wise man once said, “no JD, no problem.” He might be right! Jason Bean has filled in admirably, while also getting lucky, during Jalon Daniels’ mysterious absence. Kansas’ success in 2023 is a blend of Lance Leipold being the real deal and building a program while also taking advantage of a weak schedule, like most Big 12 teams. The only thing standing between Kansas and a 10-win season currently is Kansas State and a strong bowl opponent.
Next game: vs Texas Tech, 11:00 AM FS1

5. OKLAHOMA SOONERS

Mason: 5
DY: 5
Drew: 5

If Texas isn’t going to have a laughable finish to their Big 12 tenure, at least Oklahoma is. Brent Venables’ team has now lost two straight games to Kansas and Oklahoma State. They are on the outside of the Big 12 title game picture and plenty of questions should be asked of what Venables actually is at Oklahoma. If this were any other Big 12 season, there is a chance that the Sooners would be lower than fifth. They certainly deserve it right now.
Next game: vs West Virginia, 6:00 PM FOX

6. IOWA STATE CYCLONES

Mason: 6
DY: 6
Drew: 6

They aren’t world beaters and the offense isn’t totally fixed, but the improvement from 2022 to 2023 is impressive from Iowa State. They fought to come back last week against Kansas but took a home loss to join the two-loss club in Big 12 play. It is a tough finishing stretch for the Cyclones. After a road trip to BYU this weekend they face Texas and K-State to close out the season. There is a real chance that 5-3 turns into 5-7 to finish the year.
Next game: at BYU, 9:15 PM ESPN

7. WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS

Mason: 7
DY: 7
Drew: 7

West Virginia is doing a masterful job of hanging onto a top half of the league spot. Neal Brown went from likely fired coach to bowl game qualifier and quite possibly an eight or nine game winner. It may not be what Mountaineer fans wanted, but Brown is going to be their guy for at least another season.
Next game: at Oklahoma, 6:00 PM FOX

8. TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

Mason: 8
DY: 8
Drew: 8

Texas Tech has kept the chance of a salvaged season alive after beating TCU last Thursday. If they can win two of their final three they will be bowl eligible. But the schedule isn’t a cakewalk. A road trip to Kansas and a Black Friday game at Texas are left on the schedule. They should handle UCF, but finding the second win in this stretch seems tough to do. Behren Morton is back and the loss to Kansas State may have been the lowest point of the season for the Red Raiders.
Next game: at Kansas, 11:00 AM FS1

9. TCU HORNED FROGS

Mason: 9
DY: 9
Drew: 10

Two ranked opponents are left on TCU’s schedule. The Frogs already sit with five losses and could be heading to being the first national title game participant to miss a bowl game the following season since Texas in 2010.
Next game: vs Texas, 6:30 PM ABC

10. BYU COUGARS

Mason: 11
DY: 11
Drew: 9

I have been pleasantly surprised by BYU’s competitiveness at times during the Big 12 season. I thought they would mightily struggle while adjusting to the Big 12. While that is somewhat the case, the Cougars have done enough to have a respectable season. They could earn their biggest Big 12 win yet this weekend when they get Iowa State in a vulnerable spot after dark in Provo.
Next game: vs Iowa State, 9:15 PM ESPN

11. HOUSTON COUGARS

Mason: 10
DY: 10
Drew: 12

Houston might be able to beat up Cincinnati this weekend and inexplicably sit at 5-5 with two games left. Houston is the perfect example of a team that wouldn’t be bad if they were still in the American, but just have gotten beat down by the difficult week-in, week-out schedule.
Next game: vs Cincinnati, 6:00 PM FS1

12. BAYLOR BEARS

Mason: 12
DY: 12
Drew: 13

The Bears are playing their fourth straight game on ESPN+ this weekend (against K-State), and their sixth of the season. Enough said.
Next game: at Kansas State, 2:00 PM ESPN+

13. UCF KNIGHTS

Mason: 13
DY: 13
Drew: 11

It has been a brutal season for UCF. Unfortunately, things have gone poorly with injury, tough scheduling, and a bump up to the Big 12. I still expect better long-term success for Gus Malzahn and the Knights over the other current newcomers, but this just wasn’t their year. Kansas State and Kansas ran all over them and Oklahoma State looks to run wild on their poor rushing defense next.
Next game: vs Oklahoma State, 2:30 PM ESPN

14. CINCINNATI BEARCATS

Mason: 14
DY: 14
Drew: 14

This team is disgustingly bad. Any individual that willingly tunes into their game this weekend with Houston is either madly in love with the Big 12 or sick.
Next game: at Houston, 6:00 PM FS1