1. Texas A&M — Last Week: 2 (6-0)
And then there were two. A&M tops our Texas power rankings for the first time the season, joining the Bears as the two undefeated FBS teams in the Lone Star State. The Aggies continue accumulating impressive wins, notching another victory on their SEC belt with a 2OT thriller against no. 9 ranked Tennessee. Quarterback Trevor Knight accounted for five touchdowns and 359 yards of total offense. Mark your calendar: Alabama looms next week; coach Nick Saban has notably struggled against dual-threat quarterbacks. Texas A&M are 6-0 for the first time since 1994.
2. Baylor — Last Week: 3 (5-0)
The other undefeated squad has an asterisks next to their winning accolades. This week, former Waco Title IX coordinator Patty Crawford made headlines, claiming that Baylor not only offered money for her silence, but the amount of sexual assault claims in her 24 months on the job increased by 700 percent.
On the McLane Stadium field, there is a very good chance the Bears could run the rest of their schedule. How does the CFP market the bowl? Will they select the Big-12 favorite for a playoff spot, or will they dismiss the brand as too tainted for the elite level – where the advertising dollar is paramount, and despicable circumstances surrounding the program could risk revenue.
3. Houston Cougars — Last Week: 1 (5-1)
There was a candlelit vigil in Houston tonight, mourning the Cougars CFP chances. After such a promising start – and perennial AP top-10 ranked position – Tom Herman’s boys choked to Navy 46-40, notching the second straight upset loss in two years to an inferior team. Because of their location outside of the Power Five conferences, the Cougars will likely not be a top-four candidate, and will settle on a lesser bowl game, as they did last season against FSU in the Peach Bowl.
4. TCU — Last Week: 5 (4-2)
This is where our ranking talent level drops off dramatically. The Horned Frogs barely squeaked by a lousy Kansas team (24-23) behind a lackluster Kenny Hill performance (17-of-32, one touchdown, three interceptions). The defense is already the worse in the Gary Patterson era, and the hopes of any Horned Frogs victory is reliant on how far Hill can take them. Hurling eight interception this season — and a turnover in every game save one — isn’t going to get them very far into the postseason.
"At TCU, You Learn to Read Good." #funny #banter #jokes #meme pic.twitter.com/cfbiL1gMdl
— Viral Lobster (@ViralLobster) May 8, 2016
5. Texas Tech — Last Week: 4 (4-2)
Same old Red Raiders story: fantastic offense, clueless defense. Coach Kingsbury continues to prove that he is a quarterback wizard, rolling up his sleeves to show there are no hidden props, and displaying his legerdemain on the scoreboard. However, for a team that sacrifices 38.6 ppg, Kingsbury’s hidden deck usually spills from a hidden compartment beneath his arm, revealing the strategy behind his Red Raiders winning game-plan, effectively evaporating the illusion.
Tech failed to reach 50 points for the first time this season against Kansas State, losing 44-38; the Red Raiders are averaging 55.2 points per game.
@TTUKingsbury pic.twitter.com/38w1xow2DD
— Brandon Esquivel (@brndnesquivel) October 9, 2016
6. UT — Last Week: 6 (2-3)
7. UTSA — Last Week: 10 (2-3)
8. UNT — Last Week: 9 (3-2)
9. SMU — Last Week: 8 (2-4)
10. Texas State — Last Week: 7 (2-3)
11. UTEP — Last Week: 11 (1-5)
12. Rice — Last Week: 12 (0-5)
