Big 12 power rankings

Half of the Big 12 should be bowl eligible by the time play wraps up this week. That said, it's hard to fathom that, with as much of the season that still remains, it's possible that five is all the mighty Big 12 might gets into the postseason. That's downright hurtful, actually.

Sigh ...

1. Baylor Bears (7-0, 4-0) — As if this season hasn't looked easy enough, Big 12 schedule makers gave the Bears two weeks off before facing Oklahoma on Nov. 7. (Yes, I count a conference game where your starters barely play a half as a bye week.) Now, the fear is rust.

2. Oklahoma Sooners (7-1, 4-1) — It's not often that the perennial league monster, playing at home, gets to earn a "gritty" performance, but that's what OU did against upstart Texas Tech. Blake Bell made huge plays at key times early, and the Sooners knocked the young Red Raiders down a peg, at least for a little while.

3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-1, 4-1) — Yep, kinda what I thought. This team is good, really good. But, it's not quite ready to play at the level needed to win road games against the Big 12's best. Not yet.

4. Texas Longhorns (5-2, 4-0) — The thunder rolled during the game, causing a three-hour delay, but it didn't stop the Longhorns, who gladly accepted a brutal effort from the futile Frogs.

5. Oklahoma St. Cowboys (6-1, 3-1) — The 'Pokes put up 58 points against Iowa St. — their highest output since a 59-3 game on Sept. 14 against Lamar. The QB spot is still a mess, but, hey, points. And, ground game, just in time for a road contest with the Red Raiders.

6. Kansas St. Wildcats (3-4, 1-3) — Mind if I take a moment here and laugh at a bit of feedback I received last week that KSU was soooo much worse than West Virginia? And it had already been proven? *pause* .... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA ... *breathe* Okay, yeah, I'm good. KSU finally just handled its business. Now, will it do it again?

7. TCU Horned Frogs (3-5, 1-4) — Most of the second-largest crowd in Amon G. Carter stadium history left before the weather delay was over. Not sure the team ever showed to begin with. TCU is now 5-9 all-time in Big 12 games.

8. West Virginia Mountaineers (3-5, 1-4) — Someday, the 'Eers will wake up in another conference and wonder if the Big 12 thing was just a really bad dream. Someday ... likely after the Dana Holgorsen project is over. WVU is 3-9 in its last 12 Big 12 games, and, like TCU, 5-9 overall.

9. Iowa St. Cyclones (1-6, 0-4) — I don't know that K-State will hit the 57-point average that ISU has given up the past three weeks, but the Wildcats will score more than enough to make a bad year a little worse for the Cyclones.

10. Kansas Jayhawks (1-6, 0-4) — Andrew Wiggins put up 16 points in his Jayhawks basketball exhibition debut, which means he either tied or put up more points than the football team in four of its seven games. Wiggins will also make more money in his sports career than the entire football team will as pros.