A lot about the Big 12 Conference is new this season – coaches, quarterbacks, expectations.
At the same time a lot hasn’t changed – Texas and Oklahoma are the favorites to win the Big 12 championship. And there are key questions: Will the North Division be better? Can Nebraska reclaim its position as a conference power? Will Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson win the Heisman Trophy? How will Texas cope without quarterback Vince Young?
Will anyone talk up the conference instead of the divisions?
“I’ve said this before, and everybody has their opinion, but I think that we play in the toughest division in football,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. “They talk about your conference, but when we’re in the Big 12 South, we’re competing against very tradition-rich schools, and Guy Morriss has done a great job at Baylor, and what Coach (Mike) Leach has done at Texas Tech. So we’re playing probably the best division in football.”
And the view from the North?
“I just think our part of the North Division, I don’t think there’s any question it’s going to be a better conference this year, because there’s lots and lots of players coming back,” Iowa State coach Dan McCarney said.
BIG 12 FOOTBALL
Staff writer Chris Dempsey’s predicted order of finish:
North Division
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
Coach: Bill Callahan
2005 record: 8-4, 4-4 Big 12
What’s new: A sense of superiority. The Huskers are picked to win their first North Division title of the millennium, just two years after going 5-6 in Callahan’s first season.
What to look for: A shot at the Big 12 title. The Huskers have the best collection of talent in the North. But can they avoid the pitfalls – such as their three-game conference losing streak in 2005 – that would keep them from getting back to the Big 12 championship game?
Dempsey predicts: 9-3. The losses? Sept. 16 at Southern California, Oct. 21 at home against Texas and a random subpar opponent to be named.
MISSOURI TIGERS
Coach: Gary Pinkel
2005 record: 7-5, 4-4 Big 12
What’s new: Life without record-setting, dual-threat QB Brad Smith. It’s OK, though, because the new guy, Chase Daniel, has the potential to be a star.
What to look for: Who knows? Mizzou has enough talent to compete for the division title. But will it happen? The Tigers routinely flame out at a critical point in the season.
Dempsey predicts: 8-4. The schedule is weak enough on the front end to see Mizzou through. The Tigers could be 5-0 going into their Oct. 7 game at Texas Tech.
IOWA STATE CYCLONES
Coach: Dan McCarney
2005 record: 7-5, 4-4 Big 12
What’s new: A time-running-out feeling. The Cyclones haven’t lived up to the expectations that their talented skill players – QB Bret Meyer, WR Todd Blythe and RB Stevie Hicks – created. Hicks is the first to go after this, his senior season. Meyer and Blythe are juniors.
What to look for: More comfortable Cyclones. They aren’t picked to win the North, and that may relieve some pressure, allowing the Cyclones to play loose. The talent is there to make noise. Iowa State just has to show it’s ready to play well when the spotlight is on.
Dempsey predicts: 7-5. Road games at Iowa, Texas and Oklahoma make Iowa State’s schedule one of the Big 12’s toughest.
COLORADO BUFFALOES
For full capsule on CU, see Page 2J.
KANSAS JAYHAWKS
Coach: Mark Mangino
2005 record: 7-5, 5-3 Big 12
What’s new: The defense. Kansas lost a whopping nine starters from a formidable unit in 2005.
What to look for: Another bowl appearance. The Jayhawks will be good enough to qualify for their first back-to-back bowl appearances in school history.
Dempsey predicts: 6-6. The offense may be improved, but the defense will be hard-pressed to live up to the 2005 unit, which ranked 11th nationally.
KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
Coach: Ron Prince
2005 record: 5-6, 2-6 Big 12
What’s new: The era. Bill Snyder, the most celebrated coach in school history, has retired. Prince has the unenviable task of following a legend.
What to look for: Struggles. K-State needs more talent, which Prince will have to gather in the next few years. There isn’t enough this season to be competitive on a weekly basis.
Dempsey predicts: 5-7. The parade of losses starts Sept. 23 against Louisville.
South Division
Dempsey’s predicted order of finish:
TEXAS
Coach: Mack Brown
2005 record: 13-0, 8-0 Big 12
What’s new: Life after Vince Young. Two young-gun freshman quarterbacks look to carry on the legacy Young created.
What to look for: More winning. Oklahoma’s misfortune means Texas’ chances of repeating have improved. Texas’ talent remains plentiful, and the Longhorns have one of the Big 12’s most dangerous running backs in sophomore Jamaal Charles.
Dempsey predicts: 11-1. Not much will stand in Texas’ path to the Big 12 title game. The Sept. 9 game against Ohio State, however, will put a dent in the Longhorns’ hopes of repeating as national champions.
OKLAHOMA
Coach: Bob Stoops
2005 record: 8-4, 6-2 Big 12
What’s new: An unexpected uneasy feeling. The loss of starting quarterback Rhett Bomar to dismissal has tossed all kinds of question marks into the outlook of OU’s season. Once a sure top-five team, the Sooners will be good. But don’t expect them to compete for a national title.
What to look for: A solid season. Adrian Peterson is arguably the nation’s best running back, and Stoops raves about the Sooners’ defense. A good running game and defense can carry any team a long way.
Dempsey predicts: 9-3. The last time Paul Thompson was a starting QB – as he is again now – the Sooners were busy losing to Texas Christian.
TEXAS TECH
Coach: Mike Leach
2005 record: 9-3, 6-2 Big 12
What’s new: Yet another No. 1 quarterback, this one being sophomore Graham Harrell. But at Texas Tech, it just doesn’t seem to matter. Leach has proven to be one of the nation’s best quarterback coaches. No matter who he puts in there, the QB always puts up big numbers.
What to look for: More yards, more points … but still no success against Texas. The Red Raiders have 13 starters returning – eight on offense, which is bad news to defenses everywhere. Wide receiver Jarrett Hicks is one of the Big 12’s best.
Dempsey predicts: 9-3. Nothing much changes here. Texas Tech will beat the teams it usually beats. Texas and Oklahoma are another story.
OKLAHOMA STATE
Coach: Mike Gundy
2005 record: 4-7, 1-7 Big 12
What’s new: Competitiveness. With one year in Gundy’s system under their belts, the Cowboys are poised to at least cause trouble to supposedly “better” teams in the Big 12.
What to look for: Unexpected victories. The Cowboys will beat a team or two they aren’t supposed to beat. Four of their first seven games are on the road, but here’s the kicker: The Cowboys still could be 6-0 going into their Oct. 21 game at Texas A&M.
Dempsey predicts: 7-5. A tough bottom of the Big 12 schedule will derail a solid start, but the Cowboys will make strides this season.
TEXAS A&M
Coach: Dennis Franchione
2005 record: 5-6, 3-5 Big 12
What’s new: Insecurity. For Franchione, the wins have been too hard to come by in his three seasons with the Aggies, who are 16-19 on his watch. The heat has been ratcheted up in College Station, and some followers of the program believe if he doesn’t have eight victories this year, the Aggies may look for a different coach.
What to look for: A new defensive scheme (4-2-5), which the Aggies hope leads to better pass defense. The Aggies were among the nation’s worst against the pass in 2005. Also, sophomore quarterback Stephen McGee takes over for departed Reggie McNeal.
Dempsey predicts: 5-7. The schedule starts off smoothly (The Citadel, Louisiana-Lafayette, Army, Louisiana Tech), but ends with a tough stretch (Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas).
BAYLOR BEARS
Coach: Guy Morriss
2005 record: 5-6, 2-6 Big 12
What’s new: Offense. In a major overhaul, done for multiple reasons, the Bears will join the ranks of teams running the spread offense this season.
What to look for: Highs and lows. Baylor was having a hard enough time executing a conservative offense. Now the players are supposed to pick this up quickly and carry the Bears to more victories?
Dempsey predicts: 4-8. The bowl-starved Bears will fall short of a postseason bid once again.
Five games to watch
Sept. 9, Ohio State at Texas: Rematch of the 2005 thriller at Ohio Stadium.
Sept. 16, Nebraska at USC: Nationally televised night game will show how close the Huskers are to getting back to prominence.
Sept. 16, Iowa State at Iowa: Hawkeyes seek revenge for their 2005 loss to the Cyclones.
Oct. 7, Texas vs. Oklahoma: Annually the Big 12’s most anticipated matchup.
Oct. 21, Texas at Nebraska: Could be a Big 12 title game preview.
Five players to watch
Texas Tech WR Jarrett Hicks: Explosive player who probably is the best receiver in the Big 12.
Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson: Heisman Trophy candidate whose ambitious goal is 2,200 yards rushing.
Texas RB Jamaal Charles: Sensational as a freshman, looking for bigger success as a sophomore.
Oklahoma LB Rufus Alexander: Probably the Big 12’s best defensive player.
Colorado LB Thaddaeus Washington: Quickly gaining a reputation as one of Big 12’s best at his position.
Upset special
Oct. 28: Texas Tech over Texas. While superstar Vince Young made sure the Longhorns had enough points to outlast the Red Raiders, this Texas team may be in for a struggle.
