Big 12 Football Power Rankings, Week 5: Oklahoma loss creates chaos

Having the 2-0 Cowboys before that other Oklahoma school might confuse some, but there’s good reason for that: we still don’t know if the Pokes are any good.

They beat West Virginia 27-13 on Saturday, but were rolling with a backup quarterback in Shane Illingworth. They also didn’t get the expected production from star running back Chuba Hubbard, although he did eclipse the 100-yard mark late in the game thanks to a 23-yard scamper to the end zone. LD Brown is solidifying himself as Hubbard’s successor, but the defense gave the Pokes a boost with a touchdown of their own following a Mountaineer fumble.

The jury’s still out on the Cowboys, but they’ll likely move to 3-0 after their upcoming road bout with the Kansas Jayhawks.

Depending on where your rooting interests lie, having the Sooners at No. 2 following a loss might be puzzling. But that’s just how it is in the Big 12 right now. Kansas State dug themselves a whole, which they ultimately climbed out of. Oklahoma State didn’t do anything exceptional versus West Virginia. TCU couldn’t win. Baylor looked solid, but everyone typically does against Kansas. So here we are, with Oklahoma falling to No. 2.

They’re getting nearly every benefit of the doubt from me, but in particular because they’re playing an inexperienced signal-caller in Spencer Rattled — I mean Rattler. The redshirt freshman threw for four touchdowns and nearly 400 yards, but his three interceptions cost the Sooners’ their rhythm and the game.

This loss isn’t all on Rattler, though, especially when the defense allowed 31 second half points. The Sooners’ defense was the question during last season’s College Football Playoff, and after Saturday’s meltdown versus the Wildcats, it’ll continue being one moving forward.

I believe if another Big 12 team wants to beat Oklahoma in 2020, they’ll need a herculean-effort from multiple players. And I just don’t see that happening from anybody other than Texas right now — but things can change (I’m looking at you Oklahoma State).

“Texas is back! Hook ‘Em, baby! Go Horns! College Football Playoff here we come!” Did I take it a bit too far? I think I took it a bit too far. But here they are, the Texas Longhorns, back at No. 1 in something. It may not be the Top 25 or the CFP rankings, but in order to get there, they have to be here.

A seven-point win against Texas Tech in overtime won’t turn many heads, but the way it transpired — two touchdowns in the final three minutes of regulation, then the score and stop in overtime to seal it — should worry Longhorn opponents.

They’ve always had the talent. And the opportunities have been there. But these are games the Longhorns have lost in recent memory. Getting an early test like this and passing? Move over Oklahoma, the Big 12 is Texas’s to lose.