It was a nightmare for baseball fans in the Big 12 Conference, which was reflect in this week’s Big 12 baseball power rankings. Sure, some of your teams may have taken a series they weren’t supposed to. However, one of those teams who made a miraculous upset also committed five errors in one game. Yes, that’s the kind of baseball we got to set our eyes and ears on this weekend. There are some high school teams in this country that could have competed in the Big 12 this weekend. Anyhow, we have a new top dog AGAIN. It’s a familiar face that hasn’t been the top dog in quite some time. One team dropped way down. Kansas continues its rise of surprise, despite STILL showing a losing overall record. The biggest jump this week was also made by the top dog.
It’s time to close the books on this dreadful past weekend. We are in for a dandy this week. TCU travels to Texas Tech in a crucial series for the Big 12 Regular Season Championship. Also, some teams have a golden opportunity to rise up the rankings and the standings this weekend. I’m looking at you Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas. Will we see Kansas finally get over the hump and actually show a winning record in next week’s power rankings? You definitely want to stay tuned as we start the stretch to May Madness.
Without further ado, your Heartland College Sports Big 12 Baseball Power Rankings are below.
1.TCU Horned Frogs (30-8, 11-4)
Everyone has an off-day once in a while in baseball. In the movie Major League, Jake Taylor goes up to an anxious Rick Vaughn on Opening Day while the players are getting dressed. Taylor tells Vaughn, “Relax kid, we’ve got 161 more of these games to go.” Well, we are midway through the season, but TCU’s 16-5 loss to Baylor Saturday is one of those small bumps in the road during a long season. Sometimes, you just get beat. The Horned Frogs only committed one error this weekend. A lot of teams couldn’t say that, especially on Friday when TCU did not commit an error. For the moment, TCU is two games up in first place. However, this upcoming weekend features a tough test. TCU will travel to Texas Tech. We will find out who the best team of West Texas is.
2.West Virginia Mountaineers (23-15, 9-6)
One week ago West Virginia claimed the top spot in the Big 12 baseball power rankings because they were the only team who had not dropped a series. That’s over. It’s respectable to lose on the road. West Virginia competed in all three games. What’s unacceptable is when you become the first victim of the cellar dweller. Half of Kansas State’s current conference wins are against West Virginia now. The other two are against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. Apparently, there is not a single team in the Big 12 who can handle the pressure of being No.1 in the Heartland College Sports Power Rankings. This is the fifth team to drop from the prestigious status the week following their first time atop the rankings. Now the nomads just hope they don’t start a free fall like Baylor and Oklahoma have done. Speaking of teams who are in a free fall, the Sooners will be in Morgantown this weekend. The loser is likely out of contention to host an NCAA regional.
3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (33-10, 9-6)
Either Oklahoma State’s youth matured tremendously over the past week or Texas Tech was looking ahead to their upcoming series against TCU. Regardless, there is no excuse for Tech to drop a home series to a team who was solidly in eighth place in a nine-team conference. Tech is quickly losing its national seed status, and now they may be jeopardizing their chances of hosting an NCAA regional. After TCU is a trip to Morgantown. They do get to play Kansas in Lubbock, but those blue chickens have been rising fairly quickly. Speaking of…..looks who is next in the Big 12 baseball power rankings.
4. Kansas Jayhawks (19-20, 8-7)
I can’t believe this is happening. The Big 12 was utterly shameful on defense this week, and perhaps that is the reason a team with an overall losing record has risen from the cellar to fourth place in the league and fourth place in these power rankings. The Jayhawks started this weekend miserably. They committed errors in each of the first three innings of the series. Yet, Kansas came from behind to win the Friday series opener 15-10. This wasn’t just a lucky series win on the road either. Kansas nearly swept the Sooners in Norman. The blue chickens outscored Oklahoma 26-19 this weekend. In non-conference play, Kansas has an 11-13 record. Some of their losses are to Houston Baptist, Northwestern State, Liberty, and two home losses to Samford. As a fan of the Big 12, you almost want to cheer against Kansas every game. Yet, here they are, fighting to stay in contention for…..dare I say it?….If the dominoes fall correctly, a Big 12 Regular Season Championship. They get Baylor and Kansas State at home before a season ending road series at Texas Tech. Kansas fans may be wearing scarlet and black this weekend.
5.Texas Longhorns (28-19, 7-8)
It’s not like Texas earned this. However, they move up one spot for being the only team in the conference to go through the week without a loss. Not only that, but the Big 12 Conference was full of horrid baseball this weekend. The eight other Big 12 teams committed a whopping total of 29 errors this weekend. There were several more wild pitches, and some of the pitching performances were just atrocious. The Longhorns took full advantage to capture their breath during a home sweep of New Orleans. Their five-game winning streak is much needed. They now play seven of their next eight games on the road, including a series at Oklahoma State before a series at TCU. Texas is currently 4-8 on the road. They may not be in the top five much longer, but we’ll see.
Continue to the next page to see 6 through 9!
