Red Raiders storm the top spot as the Longhorns do their part

Viva the Matadors’ Week 8 Rankings:

1. #5 Texas Tech Red Raiders: 30-8, 8-4 (LW 2)
Texas Tech seems to have woken from its mid-season offensive slumber driving in 76 runs over the last four games and 109 over their last eight. They put 20 or more runs up in three of their last four games, absolutely pummeling Kansas State and New Mexico in the process. What’s even more impressive is Texas Tech’s run differential of +51 over their last four games.

One area of concern though is their run diff over their last eight games. Despite scoring 109 runs over that span, their run differential in the first four games is only +4.

The tough stretch of the conference schedule still awaits the Red Raiders and they welcome the Sooners to Lubbock this weekend.

2. Texas Longhorns: 25-14, 11-4 (LW 3)
The entire Big 12, and especially Texas Tech, needed Texas to handle Oklahoma in their series this past weekend and that’s what they did, taking two of three. Texas has moved within a game and a half of Oklahoma for the lead of the Big 12 and has given life to Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and even TCU who is still lurking around, but a shell of their former selves.

Texas has their non-conference series this weekend as they match up with New Orleans.

3. #22 Oklahoma Sooners: 26-13, 9-3 (LW 1)
Oklahoma has finally stumbled giving life to the rest of the Big 12. With a big series against Texas Tech this weekend, do they reclaim their foothold to first place or lose it altogether? Sooners picked up a win in their mid-week game, but dropped a few spots in the latest poll which makes us think people aren’t sold on Oklahoma and are waiting for the fall.

Oklahoma travels to Lubbock this weekend.

4. Oklahoma State: 20-14-1, 9-3 (LW 4)
Oklahoma State holds firm at at No. 4 this week taking two of three from West Virginia. And though their overall record isn’t that impressive, their 9-3 conference record is sure to turn some heads. A record they look to pad as Kansas comes to town this weekend.

5. TCU Horned Frogs: 18-14, 6-5 (LW 5)
TCU also holds pat at No. 5 this week despite taking two from Kansas this weekend (finale was postponed). They aren’t completely crumbling, but the writing is on the wall as they lost to Abilene Christian last night and lost their star Luken Baker with a broken bone in his leg. It’s been a down year for the Horned Frogs all around, but this may have been the proverbial nail in the coffin.

TCU head to Waco to take on Baylor this weekend.

6. Kansas Jayhawks: 19-16, 3-8 (LW 6)
Kansas is solely holding up the bottom half of the conference as the rest try to drag them under. Kansas has had a rough go of it in conference play, but don’t forget, they did hang 17 on Texas Tech just a week ago in their finale. It hasn’t all gone their way, but this team is still dangerous and could play spoiler if teams don’t take them seriously.

They’ll get that chance this weekend going up against Oklahoma State.

7. Baylor Bears: 18-17, 3-9 (LW 9)
Baylor had a decent week taking two of three from Memphis, but No. 7 through No. 9 are almost the same. This conference is split in two. Baylor started conference play strong, but that seems like a lifetime ago at this point going 1-8 since. Baylor takes on TCU this weekend.

8. West Virginia Mountaineers: 16-17, 2-7 (LW 8)
West Virginia did get a conference win this week, which keeps them in the No. 8 spot, but that’s about it. They welcome Kansas State to town this weekend and that series won’t be for the faint of heart.

9. Kansas State Wildcats: 16-21, 2-10 (LW 7)
Kansas State got beat by Texas Tech about as bad as one can, giving up double digit run totals in each of the three games in Lubbock. While No. 7 through No. 9 are basically interchangeable at this point, the Wildcats earn the cellar this week.

While the top two in the conference battle for the top spot this week, it’s only fitting that the bottom two battle for the bottom spot at Kansas State takes on West Virginia this weekend.