Big 12 Preview 2012
The College Football Preliminary Rankings boast 5 teams
ranked in the Top 20 and 6 teams in the Top 25 from The Big 12. This is equal number of ranked teams as the SEC. This year The Big 12 begins football competition
this fall with changes in the lineup.
Texas A&M and Missouri both exited the Big 12 for the SEC, and their
Big 12 spots were filled by TCU and West Virginia. Time will tell, but at first look this is
probably good from a competition perspective and not as good from a television
and viewership perspective. Meaning we
gave up great metropolitan areas with strong fan bases to add two teams that
have consistently been in the top 20 for the past decade. I’ll attempt to preview the Big 12 this fall
and I’ll go alphabetically:
1.
Baylor – Baylor
Gonna Make a Bowl? They had a story book year last year with a
Heisman Trophy winner and a 10-win season.
Don’t expect the same plot this year.
Although the Baylor Bears have turned the corner and still have a good
deal of talent it will be nearly impossible to repeat the story line from last
year. The Bears will be reloading in
the skill positions. They slide back
this year and fight for a bowl game.
Prediction: No bowl. 5-7 with 2 conference wins: Kansas and Texas
Tech (Iowa State is in Ames).
2.
Iowa State – Upset
At The Cyclones Again. In Ames
the Story is Paul Rhoads. Rhoads calls
Iowa State his dream job, and there are probably two people in the U.S. that
would say that: Paul Rhoads and his mother.
Rhoads enters his 4th year as head coach -- a typically
pivotal year in college coaching. You
graduated the first three years of inheritance and now the fruits of your
recruiting labors begin to show their talent.
Iowa State has attended a bowl game in two of three years of Paul
Rhoads’ clipboard and whistle wielding.
Iowa State loses some of their skill positions and line talent. But, they bring back their two nationally
recognized linebackers: Jake Knott and Kevin Klein. Iowa State kept 6 games within less than 6
points last year and won all 6. That is
good defense. That will be a difficult
task to replicate like the Baylor 10-win season. But, don’t count Iowa State out, Rudy; they
have been known for the upset since Paul Rhoads’ coronation as head coach. Prediction:
5-7 and no bowl game. To get to
the Promised Land, Iowa State needs to pull off another major upset just to
equal the 6-6 season from last year.
3.
Kansas –No
Weisenheimer. Charlie Weis is
the new head man in Lawrence. Charlie
coached recently at Notre Dame and was the offensive coordinator/under study
of Bill Bel-a-Prick, Head Man of the New England Patriots. Weis wouldn’t have considered the Kansas job
for a million dollars or some(x) variable thereof, before his poor performance
with the Notre Dame Job. The Kansas
football head coaching job is a long grinding turnaround situation and I don’t
believe Weis has the temperament or the patience to make it happen. They will be an improved offensive team this
year with nowhere to go but up.
However, Kansas continues to be the doormat of the Big 12. One notch above Iowa State and Texas Tech. Prediction: 4-8. But, it could be worse if the Jayhawks don’t
come out hitting the non-conference games with precision. It will be tough to do with a new coach, and
a new system. No bowl game.
4.
Kansas State – These Cats Have Nine Lives.
Grandpa Bill Snyder, who turns 73 this year with his second stint, is
back in the saddle and calling the shots in Manhattan, KS. Kansas State finished 2nd in the
Big 12 last year under Snyder and was projected in the bottom half. Kansas State was one of the big surprises of
the conference last year, but don’t expect them to sneak up on anyone this
year. They are projected by some
experts to be top 5 in the Big 12. It
will be difficult to repeat the performance from last year. But The Cats return their skill players and
Bill Snyder as head coach which is good for another bowl of canned kitty food. Prediction:
They are bowl bound with 7-8 win season. Even with good talent, this maybe a
difficult year. They have a lot of game
@ the big boys. Unless the pygmies
sprinkle magic fairy dust, no way they repeat with a 10-win season even with
great talent. The schedule is stacked
against them. Mid- Level Bowl game.
5.
Oklahoma – “O
– U – Again”. Oklahoma is
stacked like a Playboy centerfold, but not nearly as bitchy and outspoken as
Texas. They will very likely win the
conference. Landry Jones, the Heisman
Trophy candidate, returns for his senior season at Quarterback; therefore the Sooners will be
blowing across the mid and lower plains with little effort. They are easily a top 5 team in the country,
currently ranked #4. As long as they
stay healthy, OU could be in the running for a National Championship. However, last year Oklahoma started the season
with a #1 National Ranking and folded mid-season to Texas Tech and Baylor. I don’t expect Head Coach Bob Stoops to
allow that to happen this year. Oklahoma plays in a top 4 bowl, very possibly for the National Championship.
6.
Oklahoma State – Not As Big Of Guns, but Stillwater Loaded. The Cowboys of Stillwater will have a very
difficult time repeating their 12-1 season in which they won the Big 12 in
2011. They lose their starting QB and
standout receiver Justin Blackmon. They
will be difficult to replace, but Head Coach Mike Gundy looks to have this team
on the right track. I would predict a
nice 8-4 or 9-3. Their schedule is very
favorable this year. Big Time Bowl Game
7.
Texas – Hey
Look At ME. No longer the bully of the Big 12, at least on
the field. Texas was 5-8 in 2010
missing a bowl game and 8-5 in 2011. An
8-game win season in Austin is considered a big time failure or the look of a
runway model covered with acne, and chocolate chip hips.
Although Texas has as much talent in the stable and money in the coffers
as any team in the country, they face a schedule that is criss-crossed like a
state fair quilt. They start with 3
gimmies, into a bye and then face OSU on the road, WVU Home, and OU home. If they get through that stretch intact they
face the lower half teams in the Big 12 to only end with TCU at home and KSU on
the road. I predict Texas is 8-5 again
this year and head coach Mack Brown has to load up the Mack Truck. Bowl Game and New Coach.
8.
TCU – Horned
UP over TCU. The Horned Frogs join The Big 12 Conference for the first
year after joining the Big East and leaving before even playing a game. TCU
has built a strong program and owned the Mountain West. However, this isn’t Kansas anymore. The first part of TCU’s schedule is favorable
with 5 of the first 7 games in the Dallas Fort Worth area and another game
being held in Waco, Texas. But, the second
half of their season could be brutal:
OSU (a), WVU (a), KSU (h), Texas (a - crosstown), Oklahoma (h). TCU has a talented program, but they haven’t
experienced the depth of talent in the Big 12 and we’ll see how the second half
of the season wears on them. TCU comes
out of the chute ranked #20. They could
see a see a nice 9-3 season or 7-5 season.
Time will tell how durable their team will be. I suggest closer to 8-4 until they have gam-eplanned against all new teams never faced before in the Big 12 for a few years
to regain their confidence. Bowl Game
9.
Texas Tech – Lubbock
or Leave it. Second year head
coach Tommy Tuberville missed a bowl game last year. Typically coaches get a 4-year try to work
their recruiting classes through their system; however this is a pivotal year
for The Red Raiders. Their schedule
starts off with some creamy soft serve but mid-season is murderous. Tuberville is facing a number of off-field
issues which won’t help the coach or the team.
I predict Texas Tech is no better than 5-7 a far cry from an 11-1 season
in 2008. At the end of the season,
Texas Tech is shopping for a new cut of beef.
No Bowl Game.
10.
West Virginia – Them Hills are Filled with Gold and Blue. The Mountaineers join the Big 12 for
their freshman season. WVU begins the
season ranked #11 with a Heisman Trophy Candidate Quarterback Geno Smith.
West Virginia will be a high scoring threat this year and be a good fit
with the high octane offenses of the Big 12.
However, defensively the Mountaineers will be challenged to hold the Big
12 offenses under 30 a game. Prediction: WVU ends up 7-5 or 8-4 in regular season play
if they stay healthy against teams used to playing with deeper rosters of
talent and week in/week out challenging match ups. Prediction: WVU comes out with a strong
showing in the Big 12, finishes in the Top 20 and captures a solid Bowl Bid,
but not #2 as some project.
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