Sooners surge and West Virginia gets out of the cellar

Viva the Matadors’ Week 8 Rankings:

1. #16 Oklahoma Sooners: 24-11, 8-1 (LW 2)
We expected Texas and Oklahoma State, but not Oklahoma. And maybe that’s our fault for not respecting their perpetual home schedule during non-conference, but regardless here they are. Going 4-1 over the weekend including taking two of three from TCU has Oklahoma looking pretty as we reach the midway point in the conference schedule this weekend.

2. #6 Texas Tech Red Raiders: 26-8, 5-4 (LW 1)
Texas Tech drops to No. 2 this week. Not because of anything they did, but because Oklahoma is scorching hot this week. But if there is something to Tech dropping in our rankings yet again, it’s this: Texas Tech is 5-4 against the bottom four teams in the conference. Having yet to play Oklahoma, Texas, TCU or Oklahoma State. With Kansas State in town this weekend, that would be the bottom five teams in the conference off the front part of the schedule with the heavy lifting coming next including a trip to Fayetteville to battle a top 5 Arkansas squad in a mid-week matchup.

3. Texas Longhorns: 22-13, 9-3 (LW 3)
Texas is looking more and more like the dark horse we saw them as before the season, along with Oklahoma State. Sweeping Baylor after a slight hiccup the previous weekend has this weekend’s series with Oklahoma looking huge. The entire conference is cheering for the Longhorns this week. A series win by Oklahoma could put everyone out of reach.

4. Oklahoma State: 18-12-1, 7-2 (LW 5)
Oklahoma State just keeps hanging around and are slowly making their way up the power rankings. Sweeping Kansas State is great, but it was soured by book-end loses to Wichita State to finish 3-2 on the week. The Cowboys need to keep momentum going as they head to Morgantown to take on West Virginia.

5. TCU Horned Frogs: 16-13, 4-5 (LW 4)
Well this is a surprise. Not sure anyone saw TCU 4-5 in conference and losing two of three in their latest series to Oklahoma. I guess the conference should take notice that TCU and Tech are no longer the favorites for the conference title at this point. Oklahoma and Texas are driving that bus.

TCU travels to Lawrence to face Kansas this weekend.

6. Kansas Jayhawks: 17-11, 2-4 (LW 7)
Great job by Kansas to salvage the series with Texas Tech in the series finale. A 17-3 run-rule over Tech is something Kansas won’t soon forget. On top of, Kansas coach Ritch Price got his 700 coaching win and is closing in on 500 wins at Kansas.

Kansas welcomes TCU to town this weekend.

7. Kansas State Wildcats: 15-13, 2-4 (LW 6)
A dreadful week for Kansas State going 0-5. Getting swept by OSU over the weekend and no help in sight as the Wildcats travel to Lubbock to take on the Red Raiders this weekend.

8. West Virginia Mountaineers: 11-14, 1-5 (LW 9)
While it’s hard to keep West Virginia below Kansas State, time will tell if the Mountaineers can continue their climb. Season history can’t be ignored, but a 4-1 record over the last week has West Virginia trending in the right direction finally. They will welcome Oklahoma State to town this weekend.

9. Baylor Bears: 14-13, 3-6 (LW 8)
Since taking two of three from the Red Raiders to open conference play, Baylor has gone just 1-8 since. Including losing two of three to Kansas and getting swept in back to back series by Texas and Oklahoma. As of now Baylor is playing the worst ball in the conference, but they do get a reprieve from conference play as they travel to Memphis in a non-conference bout.