The Large 12 energy rankings are printed weekly by the Hotline all through the common season. They’re the results of a deep dive into the analytics, an evaluation of subjective elements and, when obligatory, flips of the coin. No convention has extra parity. The parity results in chaos, and the chaos creates an endlessly compelling product that isn’t at all times straightforward to unscramble.
(Listed below are final week’s rankings.)
We’re two weeks from the midpoint of the Large 12 race — loads of time for presumptions to flip and mass mayhem to strike a convention outlined by its unpredictability.
However the pattern measurement is massive sufficient for readability to emerge in a single vital regard: the diploma of variance in stretch-run schedules for the (obvious) title contenders.
With 16 groups and solely 9 convention video games, the checklist of opponents missed is as vital because the lineup of opponents performed. Location issues. Sequencing issues. Byes matter.
The Hotline took a deep dive into the remaining schedules for the seven groups we consider possess the very best likelihood to achieve the convention championship: Arizona State, BYU, Cincinnati, Iowa State, TCU, Texas Tech and Utah (listed alphabetically).
Our analysis uncovered distinct ends of the spectrum — the hardest and best schedules — with a muddle of groups within the center.
The hardest remaining schedule? That’s straightforward. It belongs to BYU.
5 of the Cougars’ seven remaining video games are towards groups that appear to be contenders.
They host Utah and TCU, together with UCF. However the highway lineup is what pushes BYU’s schedule to the following degree: Arizona, Iowa State, Texas Tech and Cincinnati, which have a mixed report of 18-3.
With a purpose to attain the convention title recreation, which may contain profitable a multi-step tiebreaker, the Cougars (5-0/2-0) in all probability have to win 5 of their last seven. Even with a sweep of the house video games, they need to cut up on the highway.
On the different finish of the schedule-strength vary? Hiya, Texas Tech.
Yep, this system with the $30 million roster has a gilded path to Arlington.
OK, that’s an overstatement. However we’d moderately be the Purple Raiders than anybody else primarily based solely on the opponents and placement of video games.
The Purple Raiders play 4 at dwelling and three on the highway and face simply two groups that we might contemplate contenders:
— Dwelling video games: Kansas, Oklahoma State, BYU and UCF.
— Highway video games: ASU, Kansas State and West Virginia.
Solely the journey to Tempe in two weeks and BYU’s go to to Lubbock stand as severe obstacles. The Purple Raiders (5-0/2-0) shall be closely favored within the different 5 video games.
The key sauce: Texas Tech doesn’t play Iowa State, Utah or Cincinnati.
It’s not all concerning the schedule misses, however that’s an enormous consider figuring out the form of the race.
To the facility rankings …
All instances Pacific
1. Texas Tech (5-0/2-0)
End result: received at Houston 35-11
Subsequent up: vs. Kansas (4:30 p.m. on Fox)
Remark: Solely 4 groups are within the high 15 nationally in most yards-per-play gained and fewest yards-per-play allowed: Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana and Texas Tech. (Earlier: 1)
2. Arizona State (4-1/2-0)
End result: didn’t play
Subsequent up: at Utah (7:15 p.m. on ESPN)
Remark: The sport of the yr within the Large 12 very properly may very well be Texas Tech’s journey to ASU on Oct. 18, notably if the Solar Devils don’t stumble this week in Salt Lake Metropolis. And even when they lose to the Utes, there shall be a lot at stake when the Purple Raiders arrive. (Earlier: 3)
3. TCU (4-1/1-1)
End result: beat Colorado 35-21
Subsequent up: at Kansas State (12:30 p.m. on Fox)
Remark: It’s not TCU’s fault that the Fightin’ Belichicks stink. However has a season-opening victory ever misplaced as a lot luster so rapidly? The Horned Frogs would possibly as properly have performed East Carolina as a substitute of North Carolina for all of the profit that consequence has dropped at their resume. (Earlier: 4)
4. BYU (5-0/2-0)
End result: beat West Virginia 38-24
Subsequent up: at Arizona (5 p.m. on ESPN2)
Remark: The Cougars have seemed the a part of a contender, particularly on protection, however their two Large 12 victims to this point (West Virginia and Colorado) are 0-6 in convention play. Not solely is the jury out, the jury has not even been chosen. (Earlier: 6)
5. Cincinnati (4-1/2-0)
End result: beat Iowa State 38-30
Subsequent up: vs. UCF (9 a.m. on FS1)
Remark: The search to establish this yr’s model of Arizona State is nearing a conclusion thanks largely to Cincinnati’s stellar operating recreation and junior quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who has thrown 12 touchdowns and one interception. (Earlier: 10)
6. Iowa State (5-1/2-1)
End result: misplaced at Cincinnati 38-30
Subsequent up: at Colorado (12:30 p.m. on ESPN)
Remark: Again-to-back highway video games are by no means straightforward, however the Cyclones catch a break with CU floundering. Then it’s BYU, Arizona State and TCU in triple-whammy vogue. Lose twice in that stretch, and a return to the Large 12 championship may very well be out of attain. (Earlier: 2)
7. Utah (4-1/1-1)
End result: didn’t play
Subsequent up: vs. ASU (7:15 p.m. on ESPN)
Remark: What was true when Texas Tech visited Rice-Eccles stays true as we speak: The Utes can not win until Devon Dampier constantly completes passes downfield and the receivers gobble yards in chunks. Till we see it, we’re deeply skeptical. (Earlier: 5)
8. Baylor (4-2/2-1)
End result: beat Kansas State 35-34
Subsequent up: idle
Remark: Sure, SMU is 3-2, however we’d argue that Baylor’s finest consequence to this point is the 27-24 loss to Arizona State. Put one other manner: The Bears have been barely underwhelming to this point. (Earlier: 7)
9. Arizona (4-1/1-1)
End result: beat Oklahoma State 41-13
Subsequent up: vs. BYU (5 p.m. on ESPN2)
Remark: Right here come the 18th-ranked Cougars in what stands as the most important recreation of the Brent Brennan period in Tucson. And the game-within-the-game to look at is Arizona playcaller Seth Doege towards BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill, among the finest within the convention. (Earlier: 9)
10. Kansas (4-2/2-1)
End result: received at UCF 27-20
Subsequent up: at Texas Tech (4:30 p.m. on Fox)
Remark: Sneaky-good alternative for the Jayhawks to catch the Purple Raiders peeking forward to their showdown with ASU. Have been this recreation in Lawrence, it could have all the trimmings of a lure recreation. However can KU execute properly sufficient lengthy sufficient in Lubbock? In all probability not. (Earlier: 11)
11. Houston (4-1/1-1)
End result: misplaced to Texas Tech 35-11
Subsequent up: at Oklahoma State (9 a.m. on TNT)
Remark: So it seems the Cougars will not be prepared for prime time, which is okay — it’s solely 12 months 2 of the Willie Fritz period and there are a minimum of 4 extra wins obtainable given the schedule. (Earlier: 8)
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12. Kansas State (2-4/1-2)
End result: misplaced at Baylor 35-34
Subsequent up: vs. TCU (12:30 p.m. on Fox)
Remark: The Hotline has been conducting two searches without delay: For this yr’s variations of ASU (upside shock) and Oklahoma State (surprising collapse). We thought the Wildcats had been a candidate within the latter class, however they look like stabilizing. (Earlier: 12)
13. Colorado (2-4/0-3)
End result: misplaced at TCU 35-21
Subsequent up: vs. Iowa State (12:30 p.m. on ESPN)
Remark: All the very best to Deion Sanders, whose well being scenario — “I think I got more blood clots,” he stated Saturday — seemingly creates the opportunity of an in-season depart of absence. (Earlier: 13)
14. UCF (3-2/0-2)
End result: misplaced to Kansas 27-20
Subsequent up: at Cincinnati (9 a.m. on FS1)
Remark: In case anybody forgot the problem dealing with Scott Frost 2.0 in Orlando, the loss to KU served as a reminder the Knights received’t be mounted in a single season. (Earlier: 14)
15. West Virginia (2-4/0-3)
End result: misplaced at BYU 38-24
Subsequent up: idle
Remark: They’ll at all times have Pittsburgh, a minimum of. Critically, the Mountaineers may not win one other recreation, however they obtained the one which mattered most. (Earlier: 15)
16. Oklahoma State (1-4/0-2)
End result: misplaced at Arizona 41-13
Subsequent up: vs. Houston (9 a.m. on TNT)
Remark: Some groups rally behind an interim head coach (hi there, UCLA). After which there’s Oklahoma State. (Earlier: 16)
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