The SEC entered Week 8 with five teams ranked in the top 10. The Big 12 began the weekend with three teams ranked in the top 12 in last week’s polls.

However, that’s all about to change.

No. 11 Oklahoma’s kicking game cost it a chance at victory against No. 14 Kansas State, penalties cost Baylor in a loss to unranked West Virginia, and the SEC’s top teams continued to take care of business as the conferences move in different directions to begin the second half of the season.

The Sooners fell 31-30 to K-State in a game in which it missed field goals from 32 and 19 yards away and allowed an extra point to be blocked on what should have been the game-tying touchdown. No. 4 Baylor, one week removed from a huge win over TCU, committed a whopping 215 yards of penalty yardage in a 14-point loss to unranked West Virginia.

While Kansas State should slide into the top 10 in the polls, the Sooners and Bears are certain to plummet in those same polls, leaving room for the SEC to continue to crowd the top of the rankings.

No. 1 Mississippi State and No. 6 Auburn are both on byes this week, meaning at worst they will remain in their current spots in the polls. No. 7 Alabama is already leading fellow top 25 foe Texas A&M by 17 points through one quarter, and No. 3 Ole Miss has a favorable matchup with unranked Tennessee Saturday night. All four teams could move into the top 6 in the polls, and there isn’t likely to be a Big 12 team joining them when those polls are released Sunday afternoon.

Only four teams can reach the college football playoff, and if the Big 12 continues to trend away from the top of the rankings it would only favor the SEC’s chances at putting multiple teams into the playoff field.

Enjoy this animated gif from Ty Duffy at The Big Lead:

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