In 2014, TCU dropped from No. 3 to No. 6 in the committee's final ranking, prompting the return of a Big 12 championship game. Now imagine if TCU loses in that game and falls out of CFP contention.
Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma and star running backs Bryce Love of Stanford and Saquon Barkley of Penn State lead the Associated Press midseason All-America team, along with two defensive backs from No. 1 Alabama.
Since becoming a referee in 2014, Ronald Torbert has worked just two Cowboys games and Dallas has lost both.
Outsiders might be assessing their playoff chances, but the Horned Frogs are trying to focus on winning the next game and getting better each week.
The Cowboys were a preseason favorite in the NFC, with ESPN's FPI giving them a 71 percent chance to win the NFC East in Week 1. But coming off the bye week, and now without Ezekiel Elliott, those chances have dwindled.
Make your picks for NBA MVP, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player and the league leaders in points, rebounds and assists.
Rod Smith had a strong summer, ran hard in the preseason, and might be most similar to Ezekiel Elliott among the Cowboys' runners.
Drama swirling around the Cowboys is nothing new, which might help them tune out the latest distractions as they return from their bye week.
Real plus-minus pegs the Mavs as the 12th-ranked team in the West, putting their playoff odds at just 3 percent. FiveThirtyEight is even more pessimistic.
Between a rough start and Ezekiel Elliott's suspension potentially around the corner, Dallas has plenty of reasons to be worried.
The Athletics, Mariners, Astros and others have reached out to offer Loren Jade Smith new memorabilia after the 9-year-old's collection was destroyed in a California fire.
The NFL Players Association has filed a request for a temporary restraining order on behalf of Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, seeking to put his six-game suspension on hold again.
Here are our top three storylines for the 2017-18 Dallas Mavericks, along with an invitation for you to weigh in on how each will play out.
Take a look back at the best performances of Week 7 in the Big 12 and look ahead to Week 8.
NaVorro Bowman looks good on paper, but his price, current level of play and scheme fit could be issues that keep Dallas from adding the linebacker.
The Mavs signed SG Gian Clavell to a two-way contract, according to a source.
With first-year coaches at Oklahoma and Texas, it was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Big 12. But TCU, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are each ranked in the top 10 and have the conference in decent shape.
Texas coach Tom Herman on the emotional aftermath of losing the Red River Showdown 29-24 to rival Oklahoma on Saturday: "We were hurt. That's one that stings for awhile...That was gut-wrenching and it should be."
Dirk Nowitzki's 20th season could be similarly disappointing to the 33-49 effort the Mavs put forth last season.
Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury, on what would've happened if he'd doubled as a QB/LB in college like Iowa State's Joel Lanning: "I would have been a fraternity guy. Because it wouldn't have happened."
With the Packers' franchise QB injured, an already volatile NFC playoff picture was jumbled even further. We put all 16 teams into one of four different categories, based on their chances of contention.
D'Shawn Jamison is an explosive athlete who will be a great fit for Texas in the secondary and on special teams.
West Virginia's come-from-behind win over Texas Tech moved the Mountaineers up to No. 4 in the Big 12 power rankings and kept them in the title hunt.
OU won the game, but the freshman QB won over both sides of the Cotton Bowl divide with a gritty effort that had the Sooners sweating to the end.
| TEAM | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | 5 | 1 | 0 | .833 | 165 | 122 |
| Washington | 3 | 2 | 0 | .600 | 117 | 113 |
| Dallas | 2 | 3 | 0 | .400 | 125 | 132 |
| New York | 1 | 5 | 0 | .167 | 105 | 132 |
| TEAM | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| TCU | 3-0 | 6-0 |
| Oklahoma | 2-1 | 5-1 |
| Iowa State | 2-1 | 4-2 |
| Texas | 2-1 | 3-3 |
| Oklahoma State | 2-1 | 5-1 |
| West Virginia | 2-1 | 4-2 |
| Texas Tech | 1-2 | 4-2 |
| Kansas State | 1-2 | 3-3 |
| Kansas | 0-3 | 1-5 |
| Baylor | 0-3 | 0-6 |
