Around the Big 12: Four ranked teams? Chaos truly reigns.

There are four ranked teams in the Big 12. FOUR! How did this happen?

Somehow, the pollsters have decided that 5-2 Texas and 5-2 Oklahoma are two of the best 25 teams in the country — I’ll give you the latter, but have we seen anything from the Longhorns that makes you think they’re good, outside of last week’s upset in Stillwater?

Well, if they keep winning, I guess they’ll keep rising. That’s what 2020 college football has become.

Let’s take a look around the Big 12.

#14 Oklahoma State 20, Kansas State 18

The Cowboys were without Tylan Wallace on offense and Kolby Harvell-Peel on defense, and it showed; Spencer Sanders continued to struggle, especially without his favorite target, throwing for just 108 yards on 23 attempts without a touchdown. Normally a threat with his legs too, Sanders was sacked three times and was held to just nine total yards on 12 attempts.

LD Brown carried the day for the Cowboys, rushing for 110 yards on 15 carries, while Chuba Hubbard added 31 yards on just six attempts after getting dinged up in practice earlier in the week. The defense didn’t record a sack against the Wildcats, but Will Howard was relatively ineffective on the day, completing just ten passes for one touchdown and one interception. K State rushed for over 200 yards and the defense played well, but the Cats time atop the standings is over.

#17 Iowa State 38, Baylor 31

The most entertaining game on the slate was this wild one in Ames; the Bears continued their hot second half from a week ago, jumping out to a 14-0 lead over the Cyclones thanks to consecutive interceptions. But Iowa State fought back behind Breece Hall and overcame one of the worst performances of Brock Purdy’s career, as the Clones turned a Charlie Brewer pick into a 14 yard Hall score to cut into the deficit. A pick six stretched BU’s lead to 21-7, but Iowa State scored four unanswered touchdowns to go on top 38-24. Baylor got within a touchdown late, but Brewer’s second interception with just minutes remaining sealed the L.

After calling for the senior QB to be benched against TCU a week ago, Baylor fans watched Brewer throw for 295 and three scores — but turn it over twice. The Bears ran for just 71 yards at an average of 2.6 per carry, while Breece Hall almost doubled their total on his own, adding two touchdowns.

The Cyclones are in great shape to get to Arlington; they lead the league at 5-1 in Big 12 play, with their biggest challenge appearing to be a trip to Austin on the 28th.

#19 Oklahoma 62, Kansas 9

The Sooners looked primed for a return to the Big 12 title game, and a win over the Cowboys on the 21st could all but lock it up.

Meanwhile, Spencer Rattler had a meh day against Kansas, but it’s Kansas so it didn’t hurt the Sooners. OU rushed for 200 yards Marvin Mims and Austin Stogner got in the end zone, and the defense held KU to 3-19 on third downs and 246 total yards.

It’s Kansas. They’re bad.

#22 Texas 17, West Virginia 14

Texas has found something over the second half of the season, earning an ugly win — but a win nonetheless over WVU in Austin.

Sam Ehlinger threw for 184 yards and two scores, Bijan Robinson had the first 100 yard game of his career, and the Mountaineers somehow managed just 360 total yards despite Jarret Doege attempting 50 passes. WVU couldn’t get anything going on the ground and it cost them; Leddie Brown has been so good but managed just 47 yards Saturday, and as a team the Eers picked up just 43 yards on the ground in total on 26 attempts.

If you’re a TCU fan, you have to be thinking that game in Morgantown feels a little less threatening now, since it feels like the Eers are reeling a bit.