Implications of the Week 5 AP Top 25 Poll for the Big 12

The Week 4 slate of college football games wasn’t exactly loaded with “big-time” matchups, but what it lacked in marquee games, it more than made up for with absolute chaos reigning supreme on Saturday.

Alabama’s hold atop the AP Poll remains secure, receiving 1,546 votes and 59 first-place votes after handling business against Southern Miss. The Top 5 received a bit of shakeup, however, with Georgia (1,492 points and four first-place votes), Oregon (1,411 points) maintaining the second and third slot, and Penn State (1,283 points) and Iowa (1,277 points) moving into the fourth and fifth spots.

Oklahoma (1,212 points) dropped two spots to sixth after nearly being upset at home by West Virginia, and Cincinnati (1,154 points), Arkansas (1,094 points), Notre Dame (1,076 points) and Florida (1,019 points) rounded out the Top 10. Arkansas ascent in the SEC continued, taking out a solid Texas A&M squad, and Notre Dame ran away from Wisconsin late for a big win as both schools moved into the Top 10.

POLL ALERT: Clemson falls 16 spots to No. 25, snaps streak of 97 straight weeks in top 10; NC State enters at No. 23.

Full AP Top 25 poll presented by @askRegions >>https://t.co/jGP7h3rb5k pic.twitter.com/uLls0ap7gR

— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) September 26, 2021

In a week of chaos across college football, the Big 12 had a few highs and a few lows across the conference.

Oklahoma’s subpar season continued despite its unbeaten season continuing. Oklahoma didn’t lead against WVU until a walk-off field goal with two seconds left to escape an upset bid. The Sooners are still firmly in the running for the CFB Playoff and should win the Big 12, but it hasn’t been a season that has inspired confidence.

Oklahoma State knocked off then-No. 25 Kansas State to jump into the Top 25 as the 19th-ranked team in the country. Baylor also jumped into the Top 25, knocking off then-No. 14 Iowa State to continue a surprisingly good 4-0 season in Waco, Texas. Oklahoma State and Baylor will meet next week in Stillwater, Okla. for a big early conference matchup.

Both Iowa State and Kansas State dropped out of the Top 25 after losses, Iowa State’s second of the season, but both retained a few votes in the “Others Receiving Votes” category.

Texas, coming off a 70-35 dismantling of Texas Tech, received the most points for an unranked team with 131. Iowa State (25 points) and Kansas State (five points) also received points.

With just three teams in the Top 25, only the Pac 12 has fewer teams in the poll. However, two future Big 12 members are currently ranked, too. Cincinnati remains firmly inside the Top 10 while BYU’s unbeaten season has garnered a 13th-ranked spot in the poll.

For the full Week 5 Top 25 poll, you can check it out here.