Big 12 Power Rankings: Oklahoma State Needs Win Over Oklahoma to Clinch Big 12 Championship

Nov 30, 2013; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas State Wildcats running back

(33) runs with the football against Kansas Jayhawks defensive lineman

(9) in the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

5. Kansas State Wildcats

Record: 7-5 (5-4)

Previous Ranking: 5

Last Week: KSU 31, KU 10

BOWL GAME TO BE DETERMINED

K-State lost a Heisman candidate at quarterback and their best defensive player from last year. The result was inconsistent play that came back to bite them a few times. There was nobody K-State faced where one felt like the Wildcats had no chance to win the game. Baylor was the closest towards being that opponent but Bill Snyder schemed very well for that game.

Regaining some speed at the linebacker position and getting some playmakers in the secondary would go a long way towards K-State getting back into the Big 12 title hunt next season. That, and more consistent quarterback play, of course.

In terms of a bowl bid, it is looking like K-State will be in the Holliday Bowl to face a high-end PAC 12 opponent. Stanford or Oregon are looking like K-State’s bowl game opponent. There is a chance the Big 12 could get two teams in the BCS which would send K-State to the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl in Houston, Texas, but those chances seem slim at the moment.