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Big 12 football power rankings: Baylor Bears, Oklahoma Sooners fight for first place Thursday

By Brian Spaen

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It’s finally time for the matchup that everybody has wanted. Baylor has divided the country on whether or not their offensive attack is good enough for the big boys, and they’ll face their biggest test of the season on Thursday when they host the Oklahoma Sooners.

Oct 26, 2013; Lawrence, KS, USA; Baylor Bears wide receiver Tevin Reese (16) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Right now, it shouldn’t be an argument on if they are the best in the Big 12. They are; they’ve had the most flawless run through the season. The offense has been just about unstoppable with the exception of a road trip to Manhattan, and they still put up 35 on Kansas State. The defense has also forced enough turnovers and made enough stops that’s transitioned into a remarkable improvement over a season ago.

How remarkable? Last season, Baylor had the second-worst defense in the country. This year? They’re 11th in the country — that’s one behind Oklahoma.

Now the Bears will have the opportunity to prove it. They will play five straight games with no more breaks: the Sooners, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, TCU, and Texas. All five teams will be a big test and enough to catapult them if any of the top teams in the nation falter with their tests. Yes, Baylor could actually be fighting for a national championship spot.

But first, it all starts on Thursday with the Sooners. And the Bears lost the first 20 meetings against them before finally beating them in 2011 in an epic Saturday that saw multiple big teams lose.

  1. Baylor Bears (7-0, 4-0) – vs Oklahoma
  2. Oklahoma Sooners (7-1, 4-1) – at Baylor
  3. Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-1, 4-1) – vs Kansas
  4. Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-2, 4-2) – vs Kansas State
  5. Texas Longhorns (6-2, 5-0) – at West Virginia
  6. Kansas State Wildcats (4-4, 2-3) – at Texas Tech
  7. West Virginia Mountaineers (4-5, 2-4) – vs Texas
  8. TCU Horned Frogs (3-6, 1-5) – at Iowa State
  9. Kansas Jayhawks (2-6, 0-5) – at Oklahoma State
  10. Iowa State Cyclones (1-7, 0-5) – vs TCU
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