A weekend full of conference action provided (some) clarity when it came to the Big 12 title race but spawned another sweeping debate: Who is more deserving of a bid to the College Football Playoff, TCU or Baylor? The CFB 24/7 Power Rankings give the nod to the Horned Frogs despite the head-to-head win by the Bears.
1. TCU (8-1, 5-1 in Big 12)
Up next: at Kansas, Saturday, Nov. 15
The skinny: Considering where Kansas State was ranked coming into last week's game, TCU might have earned the most impressive Big 12 win of the season with a 41-20 victory that wasn't even that close. Few are playing as well as the Horned Frogs are, from Heisman candidate Trevone Boykin to the defense.
2. Baylor (8-1, 5-1)
Up next: vs Oklahoma State, Saturday, Nov. 22
The skinny:Bears fans are vocal about their team's merits, and you can see why after they not only defeated but throttled Oklahoma in Norman last week. The road win is big for their case to the selection committee.
3. Kansas State (7-2, 5-1)
Up next: at West Virginia, Thursday, Nov. 20
The skinny: Even though the Wildcats suffered their first conference loss, they're not completely out of the running for a split title and still have hope of getting to a major bowl at the end of the year. The biggest concern might be getting Jake Waters healthy and not afraid of running the ball if needed.
4. Oklahoma (6-3, 3-3)
Up next: at Texas Tech, Saturday, Nov. 15
The skinny: Things are not going well for Bob Stoops' team. The Sooners are just .500 in league play, quarterback Trevor Knight is hurt, and the defense has a bunch of issues after getting shredded by Baylor. A trip to Lubbock and a mediocre Texas Tech team might help get the Sooners back to their high-scoring ways.
5. West Virginia (6-4, 4-3)
Up next: vs. Kansas State, Thursday, Nov. 20
The skinny: The Mountaineers have struggled away from home, and that finally caught up with them against Texas in a surprising loss in which they weren't close to winning the game. If they're not careful, two straight losses could turn into three with a tough Kansas State team coming to town.
6. Texas (5-5, 4-3)
Up next: at Oklahoma State, Saturday, Nov. 15
The skinny: It looked a little dicey for a while, but Charlie Strong has the Longhorns back on the path to a bowl game after a massive upset of West Virginia. The defense is stingy as ever, but the offense is finally starting to come around. That is what is giving folks hopes that Texas has turned the corner.
7. Oklahoma State (5-4, 3-3)
Up next: vs. Texas, Saturday, Nov. 15
The skinny: It's been a disappointing season for the Cowboys, and they'll need to turn things around if they want to even make it to a bowl game. Injuries have been a factor, but the lack of explosion plays from the offense has been concerning.
8. Texas Tech (3-6, 1-5)
Up next: vs. Oklahoma, Saturday, Nov. 15
The skinny: The good news for the Red Raiders? Their quarterback situation might end up being better than the Sooners' as guys get healthier. The bad news is their defense is still their defense.
9. Kansas (3-6, 1-5)
Up next: vs. TCU, Saturday, Nov. 15
The skinny: Welcome out of the cellar Jayhawks. After a big win over Iowa State, interim head coach Clint Bowen might just have done enough to keep the job permanently. There's no question the team is playing better since he took over for Charlie Weis.
10. Iowa State (2-7, 0-6)
Up next: vs. Texas Tech, Saturday, Nov. 22
The skinny: Remember when this team beat Iowa at the beginning of the season? That might be the most inexplicable loss of the season based on how the Cyclones have played since then. Losing to Kansas is why they're in the cellar more than anything, though.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
