The analytics engines just don't "love" the Jayhawks this year -- if "loving" them would be putting them in the top five in the country rather than in the ~15-20 range that most of them have.
Torvik has Houston a mile ahead of everybody on defense (the bright red dot at the top of the scatter) and Baylor ahead of everybody on offense (the green one off to the right on its own). Kansas is the light blue dot in the middle. Iowa State is the dark red one right above the Lawrence Beakers.
View attachment 121977
I get it -- they're good. Dickinson is a stud. Bill Self has done this so many times before it is hard to bet against them. But this doesn't look to be one of their more powerful teams so far, and Houston is a strong challenger to their rule they haven't seen in some time despite their rather enjoyable loss last night.
Torvik really doesn't think KU is bringing home a Big 12 banner this year, though...
View attachment 121979
Some very clear tiers in the conference right now...
View attachment 121980
GOD TIER
---
Houston
EXCELLENT TIER
---
Baylor
Iowa State
Texas Tech
Kansas
BYU
TWEENER TIER
---
Oklahoma
VERY GOOD TIER
---
Cincinnati
TCU
Texas
Kansas State
MEH
---
UCF
BAD
---
Oklahoma State
AWFUL
---
West Virginia