Close your eyes and begin to smell the deep fryers all around cooking up some of the most incredible and creative food creations around. With the Red River Rivalry approaching this week, college football fans are blessed with one of the greatest spectacles the sport has to offer. And while the Red River participants can easily be found atop the week six Big 12 power rankings, there was some moving around by the rest of the league. So where do all the teams find themselves a week before the halfway mark in the season?
Week Six Big 12 Power Rankings
14. Houston
“I have five years on my contact with a [expletive] impossible buyout…So there ain’t no [expletive] hot seat in my mind. There just ain’t.” This was a direct quote head coach Dana Holgorsen gave to The Athletic back in March of this year. But he also works for a university president who has some pretty clear standards for the football team. And the buyout isn’t that impossible. Bottom line; If Holgorsen were to be fired before December 1, 2023, he would be owed just under $15 million. The Cougars need to start winning to stop the Google searches for his buyout.
13. Cincinnati
The Bearcats are playing quality football. But they just can’t seem to hold on to the ball or finish drives. Not to mention, that win over Pitt is aging about as well as potato salad left outside on a July picnic in Dallas. The basic law of averages says that they have to start converting these drives into points. But until they do, and as long as they keep losing, they will remain at the bottom of the conference.
12. Oklahoma State
The Cowboys were on a bye week last week. Mike Gundy’s team hosts defending Big 12 Kansas State this week.
11. Iowa State
Matt Campbell’s team has had a recent habit of being a thorn in the side of the Oklahoma Sooners. And for the first quarter, it appeared that they would do the same. Except after that, they could not slow down Oklahoma. Iowa State is not built to get into a track meet with a team that possesses an elite offense. With a 50-20 defeat at the hands of Oklahoma, the Cyclones continue to be on the wrong side of football games.
10. UCF
This one has to hurt as a Knights fan. There is no other way to put it. When a team is up 35-7 mid-way through the third quarter and loses a game regulation, blame can be assigned everywhere. Gus Malzahn has to get this team re-focused quickly. UCF plays in their first Big 12 road game this week. They have to take on a Kansas team reeling after getting smacked around by Texas. If Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels is playing, it will be a tall task for the Knights to get back in the win column.
9. Baylor
Now, on the flip side, Bears fans have been riding high for the last week. Dave Aranda did a masterful job coaching his team to a thrilling comeback. But where does the team go from here? This is a squad that has underperformed all season. So does this win get Baylor back on track to salvage this season? Or was the win over UCF simply a lighting-in-a-bottle situation that will be the one lone bright spot in the 2023 season?
8. Texas Tech
Another team that was close to seeing its season spiral out of control in week five, Texas Tech got a much-needed win over Houston. And just like Baylor, will that win be a shift back toward the lofty pre-season expectations? Or will it be one of the few bright spots for a season that will fall well short of the potential many believed this team had? With two teams at the same crossroads, it is only fitting that they can settle it on the football field on Saturday.
7. TCU
Sonny Dykes and his Horned Frog team became the latest victim in the surprise start storm coming out of West Virginia. TCU outgained West Virginia by 90 yards, did not turn the ball over, had more first downs, and still could not take down the Mountaineers. The Horned Frogs appear that they are going to be living in the middle of this conference all season. A team capable of beating and losing to everyone equates to a 6-6 type season for last season’s national runner-up.
6. BYU
It is still hard to grasp how good BYU really is. The road win against Arkansas could look very “meh” in two weeks. They do currently boast the only Big 12 victory of the four new members. But it came against a Cincinnati team that is only interested in playing quality offense on 75% of the field. The Cougars are 4-1 and now go on the road against a feisty TCU team. This three-week stretch against three consecutive Texas schools will paint a clear picture of how good BYU is.
5. Kansas
It sucked that Daniel’s back was reaggravated the morning of their game against Texas. It likely wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the game. But it would have been fun to see the best quarterback in the Big 12 take his shot at the best team. However, this week Lance Leipold brings his team back home to face a Knights team that could still be reeling after their collapse against Baylor. It could be a great opportunity for the Jayhawks to get back to their winning ways (yes, people, Kansas is a winner now.)
4. West Virginia
The team that made the biggest leap in the week six Big 12 power rankings was the Mountaineers who just keep winning. Neal Brown continues to see his teams out-gained in many different areas on the stat sheet. But behind a powerful rushing attack, West Virginia continues to make winning plays. The latest one was blocking a potential game-tying 55-yard field goal with 32 seconds left against TCU. One stat that can’t be quantified is belief. With each win, the belief and confidence of this team grows. And there is no reason to think it will end with a trip down to Houston this week.
3. Kansas State
Kansas State was on bye last week. They travel to Stillwater on Friday night in a showdown with Oklahoma State.
2. Oklahoma
Brent Venables’ team has had a few head-scratching performances this year. But they are still 5-0 and only appear to be getting stronger. Of course, for those who are well versed in the wildness that Red River can be, Oklahoma’s record doesn’t matter. The Sooners could be 0-5 coming into Red River and they could come out and beat Texas without many people thinking twice about it. So while they are currently the runner-up in the week six Big 12 power rankings, it is simple. Win Red River, and claim the top spot in the power rankings, the conference standings, and the inside route to playing for a Big 12 title.
1. Texas
But the fact is both Texas and Oklahoma are undefeated coming into their annual showdown. This is the first time since 2011 that both teams are undefeated going into Red River. The Longhorns are looking more and more like a playoff team. Their latest business-like performance against Kansas continues to highlight how physical Steve Sarkisian’s team is. A win against their arch-nemisses would all but secure a spot in the Big 12 title game for the Longhorns. A win would also cue up “playoff or bust” talk for the rest of the season.
