Let's find out where Kansas State checks in for the first edition of KSO's Big 12 Power Rankings.
A couple of notes on the way I'll do these rankings:
1. I'm going to rank teams only on what's been accomplished in 2019. Preseason rankings or personal projections will not be taken into account.
2. The standings are not, in any way, a projection of where I think teams will ultimately finish, but instead where they deserve to be ranked at this moment. This may cause significant changes within the rankings on a weekly basis.
1. Oklahoma Sooners (3-0, 0-0)
The Sooners are 3-0 with wins over the likes of Houston and UCLA. All three victories have been blowouts for Lincoln Riley's bunch, and Jalen Hurts looks like the next superstar quarterback in Norman. The Sooners should easily roll to 5-0 with Texas Tech and Kansas the next two opponents before a showdown with Texas.
2. Texas Longhorns (3-1, 1-0)
Yes, Texas has a loss, but there's probably going to prove to be no shame in a seven-point home loss to LSU. The win over Oklahoma State last night helps make up for that, and gets UT to 1-0 in the Big 12, but it's not incredibly hard to argue Texas should be in third place, as the Horns don't have a single win as good as...
3. Kansas State Wildcats (3-0, 0-0)
Really, there's not much more the Wildcats could have already done to be ranked higher. They totally controlled over-matched opposition in Nicholls and Bowling Green then went on the road and won at (then No. 23 in the Coaches Poll) Mississippi State in Starkville. If K-State were 1-0 in the league and had opened Big 12 last week with a win, I'd have the Wildcats ahead of Texas in this poll. They'll be at least No. 2 if they win at Oklahoma State this week.
4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-1, 0-1)
The Cowboys were very competitive in their loss at Texas, although the game probably wasn't quite as close - at least through the second half - as the 36-30 final score would indicate. Spencer Sanders made a couple of mistakes in Austin - and OSU squandered too many opportunities - but this is still a scary offensive football team who should finish in the upper half of the Big 12. Saturday's game with K-State could establish the current third-best team in the league.
5. Baylor Bears (3-0, 0-0)
You can only play who's on the schedule, and Baylor has gone 3-0 against Stephen F. Austin, UTSA and Rice. The Bears are the only Big 12 team to avoid playing at least one Power Five non-conference opponent and wrapped up non-conference play with a 21-13 win over a bad Owls bunch last night. Baylor was cruising, up 21-3 at halftime, but got outscored 10-0 in the second half by Rice. Baylor still has much to prove.
6. West Virginia Mountaineers (3-1, 1-0)
I can't shake the feeling West Virginia just isn't very good, but these rankings are supposed to be about what's taken place on the field, not opinion. The win over N.C. State was very nice, and picking up a road Big 12 win anywhere (even Lawrence) is a great way to start off the conference season. I can't ignore, however, a 38-7 loss to Missouri and 20-13 win over FCS member James Madison. I think Kansas may learn a WVU home game was its best opportunity to win a Big 12 game this season.
7. Iowa State Cyclones (2-1, 0-0)
Look, the Cyclones fell flat through two games. It took three overtimes to beat Northern Iowa at home, then ISU couldn't knock off Iowa with College Gameday in the house and a great atmosphere in Ames. Brock Purdy and company took out its frustration on Louisiana-Monroe, turning a 24-13 score (with just two minutes left in the first half) into a 72-20 final. ISU's Big 12 opener at Baylor should tell us quite a bit.
8. TCU Horned Frogs (2-1, 0-0)
I really liked TCU's win at Purdue, but pretty much all of that was erased with a home loss to SMU. Don't get me wrong, that's a good SMU team, but the Horned Frogs trailed by two touchdowns virtually the entire contest and never seemed to have a real opportunity to beat the Group of Five opponent. The defense looked shaky against the Mustangs, and the Horned Frogs are getting really, really poor quarterback play so far.
9. Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-1, 0-0)
I like Matt Wells, but I think Tech is in a lot of trouble. The 28-14 loss at Arizona is probably a good sign of where the Red Raiders actually are, and now quarterback Alan Bowman is lost - again - for a portion of the season. Things aren't going to be easy for Tech, especially in its Big 12 opener at Oklahoma.
10. Kansas Jayhawks (2-2, 0-1)
The win at Boston College was big and something Kansas fans should be proud of. This is still a team that lost to Coastal Carolina on its home field, and now the Jayhawks are 0-1 in the league off a home game against one of the conference's weakest opponents. Les Miles, and the Jayhawk fan base, will really be tested the next few weeks against TCU, Oklahoma and Texas.
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