Big 12 Softball Power Rankings: KU Starting to Turn Heads
We’re three weeks into league play, and the Big 12 softball landscape is starting to become pretty clear ahead of Week 4.
There’s a clear line between the league’s top four teams and the rest of the pack, with OU, Texas, Oklahoma State, and Kansas all having seven or more wins in league play and no other team having more than two.
With plenty of time left for things to shake up, it’s way too early to count anyone out of a postseason bid right now, but the cards are starting to turn, and it’s looking great for some but not so much for others.
With that being said, here’s a look at the Big 12 softball power rankings after the third week of league play.
Tier One
1. Oklahoma (31-1, 9-0); Last Week: 1
2. Texas (28-3, 8-1); Last Week: 2
For my money, Oklahoma and Texas are the top two teams in the country as we prepare to flip the calendar over to April. The Sooners have picked up steam and ripped off 13 straight victories, including a perfect 9-0 start in Big 12 play. Meanwhile, Texas has gotten back to its winning ways after a tough midweek loss to LSU a couple of weeks back, with back-to-back series sweeps in league play, plus a 10-0 win over Florida State showed just how dangerous the Longhorns can be when the offense, defense, and pitching staff are playing in unison.
Tier Two
3. Oklahoma State (26-5, 7-2); Last Week: 3
4. Kansas (22-8-1, 7-2); Last Week: 4
Oklahoma State is on the verge of being among the nation’s most elite five or six teams, but the one thing that continues to hold them back is inexplicable losses that show up every now and again. There’s no reason for the Cowgirls to be dropping games to Tulsa or BYU. They’re better than that, and I’m not sure I’m going out on much of a limb there. Meanwhile, Kansas has quietly ascended to 7-2 in league play and should be a much bigger story than they are. After a sweep of Houston on the road, and holding one of the most potent offenses in the nation to eight total runs in the series, it might be time to start taking the Jayhawks more seriously.
Tier Three
5. Texas Tech (21-8, 2-4); Last Week: 7
6. Baylor (17-11, 1-8); Last Week: 5
7. UCF (14-14, 2-7); Last Week: 6
Texas Tech moves up only as a byproduct of Baylor and UCF being swept this week. Their three-game series against Iowa State was canceled this weekend, giving them an impromptu bye week. The only viable excuse I have for Baylor being at 1-8 and still ranked ahead of four other teams in the league is that I know they’re a much better team than their record shows right now. RPI has them as the No. 10 team in the country, for what it’s worth. Meanwhile, UCF is starting to lose some steam after playing Oklahoma State, and Texas is back-to-back weekends. We’ll see if they can turn things around against Texas Tech in Lubbock.
Tier Four
8. BYU (17-12, 2-7); Last Week: 10
9. Houston (19-12, 2-7); Last Week: 9
10. Iowa State (11-16, 2-4); Last Week: 8
BYU gets a bump after picking up a win over No. 6 Oklahoma State, but they did lose the series still, dropping them to 2-7 in league play. Houston got swept by Kansas and might’ve deserved the bottom spot this week, but I felt Iowa State was more deserving of that spot. Yes, their series against Texas Tech was canceled, and their conference record hasn’t changed. The problem is they dropped a midweek contest to Kansas City, 7-3. That simply can’t happen.
