Big 12 Power Rankings Week 10

1. Oklahoma Sooners
A good win over a very good Tech team sees the Sooners assume the top spot once more.  Blake Bell may well be the best quarterback in the conference (which should only make you sadder about Casey Pachall not being able to play the majority of our games).  Though the game was close, OU actually dominated most statistical areas which makes me feel good about putting the Sooners back on top of the conference as they have two wins over top 25 teams, while Baylor has one win over an opponent with a winning record.
Previous ranking: #4, Season high ranking: #1

2. Baylor Bears
Baylor jumps Tech but is jumped by OU based on the Sooners strength of schedule.  Speaking of strength of schedule, I heard Baylor is actually going to play a real team next time out!  Some time before the week 12 power rankings come out we'll know if Baylor is for real or just a product of a very fortuitous schedule.  My guess is a little of both- they're not going undefeated, but they'll contend.  This week was more of the same for Baylor as they got to get their feet wet on the road again while not actually playing a team that can win.
Previous ranking: #2, Season high ranking: #2

3. Texas Longhorns
Texas has an extra loss on Tech, but they have a much better win by manhandling the same OU team that beat Tech on Saturday.  It was very tempting to put the Horns up at #2 (or even #1) after they easily handled a TCU team that gave both Tech and Oklahoma all they could handle, but two losses are two losses, and I think it would have been a different game if OU had tried running the ball with Bell in the RRS.  Texas may still move up next week with a suitably impressive win over the Jayhawks in this fickle ranking business, but probably not just yet.
Previous ranking: #3, Season high ranking: #2

4. Texas Tech Red Raiders
It was a good effort, but Tech's run at the top of the power rankings came to an end with Saturday's loss in Norman.  As I mentioned above, OU passed the ball better (though Tech passed it more), ran the ball better, converted third downs better and didn't turn the ball over as much, meaning that it was lucky that the Raiders were as close as they were.  I initially gave the Raiders a lot of credit for beating TCU (even in the fashion that they did) but as the Frogs have looked worse and worse it's becoming hard to justify keeping them up high in the rankings if they aren't undefeated.
Previous ranking: #1, Season high ranking: #1

5. Oklahoma State Cowboys
If the game were in Stillwater or a neutral site I'd be picking OSU to win next week and probably putting the Cowboys at #4 after their thorough victory over Iowa State, but strange things happen in Lubbock.  Also, as impressive as OSU's performance on the ground was against the Cyclones, ISU had been ground into hamburger ahead of time by a slate of three consecutive teams that are higher in the power rankings than the Cowboys, which tends to wear a team down.  I believe the Cowboys are a good team, but they're a one dimensional team whose dimension changes week to week.  Very, very weird.
Previous ranking: #5, Season high ranking: #1

6. Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State can suddenly throw the ball with both of its quarterbacks.  TCU's chances at bowl eligibility took a big hit from that performance, even if we haven't played K-State yet.  
Previous ranking: #7, Season high ranking: #6

7. West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia is as inept on offense as TCU is.  Who saw that coming last year?  The Mountaineers continue to struggle abysmally on the road and is vulnerable to the pass, which should lead to an interesting game against TCU, who refuses to do anything but pass.
Previous ranking: #6, Season high ranking: #5

8. TCU Horned Frogs
This afternoon I'm honestly going out to a Port Noarlunga Oilers American Football team practice just to see if I can find a way to hire their offensive coordinator for TCU.  They scored two touchdowns last week.  I'm tired of describing how bad this team has played, and what a disappointment everyone on offense except Casey Pachall and the running backs are.  My only solace is telling myself that there's a chance to finangle a bowl bid out of these last three games and give the new offensive coordinator extra practices to install an offense.  It doesn't have to be the Port Noarlunga guy, it could be anyone (including FroggieStyle), but it needs to happen and soon.  If they lose to a West Virginia crew that's looked hopeless on the road the Frogs will have the honor of being the first of the many teams that have been #1 in the rankings to drop to the basement.
Previous ranking: #8, Season high ranking: #1 (I must have been on something)

9. Iowa State Cyclones
I remembered that they had Texas beaten before the referees gifted it the other way.  It's not a great reason, but it's what we're working with when two teams have very bad performances.
Previous ranking: #10, Season high ranking: #7

10. Kansas Jayhawks
They have a player named Brandon Bourbon.  So at least they've got that going for them.
Previous ranking: #9, Season high ranking: #6