Last season was a banner year for the Big 12 with Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech and Missouri taking turns in the top five and OU playing for the national title. Okie State could step up this year, but unfortunately for the Cowboys they remain in the South Division with Texas and OU. In the North, Missouri will take a step back from recent years, but remain ahead of a competitive, if not very good, Division.
Big 12 South
1. TexasKey returners: QB Colt McCoy, WR Jordan Shipley, LB/DE Sergio Kindle, LB Roddrick Muckelroy, FS Blake Gideon
The Longhorns have plenty of chips on their shoulder from 2008 to play in this upcoming season. Sure, Colt McCoy is back, but almost as important are the four returning OL starters. Texas needs to develop a running game outside of McCoy. The non-conference schedule is a snoozer.
Predicted record: 12-0
2. OklahomaKey returners: QB Sam Bradford, LT Trent Williams, TE Jermaine Gresham, DT Gerald McCoy, RB DeMarco Murray
I don’t have a good reason to think the Sooners will lose twice other than all the losses on the offensive line. As accurate as Sam Bradford is, in the rare time he was pressured last season, he struggled. You just have to wonder if the mental shock of the national title game loss and the accident that paralyzed WR Chris Wilson will take a toll.
Predicted record: 10-2
3. Oklahoma StateKey returners: QB Zac Robinson, WR Dez Bryant, RB Kendall Hunter, OT Russell Okung, LB Andrew Sexton
The Cowboys are a hot pick to surprise in the Big 12 this year. If they were in the North, it could be interesting – but they’re not. OSU will score a lot of points, but they just don’t match up with the depth of OU and Texas. They do get the Longhorns in Stillwater and that could be a huge game.
Predicted record: 9-3
4. Texas TechKey returners: LB Marion Williams, CB Jamar Wall, NT Colby Whitlock, OT Marlong Winn
The Red Raiders will return to form this season after suffering lots of losses on offense. Taylor Potts is the next huge-numbers-ignored-by-the-NFL QB. Lots of players are back on defense, but this is is Texas Tech – who cares about defense?
Predicted record: 8-4
5. BaylorKey returners: LB Joe Pawelek, QB Robert Griffin, CB Trentston Hill, LB Earl Patin
Baylor is poised to move up after last year’s 4-8 season, even with some substantial losses on the offensive line. Griffin is a tremendous athlete at quarterback and coach Art Briles’ offense will keep up with the rest of the league. It’s on defense where the Bears must improve to reach a bowl game.
Predicted record: 6-6
6. Texas A&MKey returners: QB Jerrod Johnson, OG Lee Grimes, S Jordan Pugh
The Aggies face a number of problems, but the biggest is this – poor play along both lines. There’s lots of experience on the offensive line, but it has yet to be determined if that’s good or bad news.
Predicted record: 4-8
Big 12 North
1. MissouriKey returners: RB Derrick Washington, WR Jared Perry, OG Kurtis Gregory, LB Sean Weatherspoon, NT Jaron Baston
Lots of new faces for the Tigers as the Chase Daniel crew moves on. There’s talent, though, as Mizzou has upped its recruiting in recent years. It’s just young talent. Sophomore Blaine Gabbert will likely take over at QB and he’s got a terrific arm. But the Tigers offense is about decision making. Defensively, the Tigers have to be better than last year to match that record.
Predicted record: 9-3
2. KansasKey returners: QB Todd Reesing, WR Kerry Meier, WR Dezmon Briscoe Jr., SS Darrell Stuckey, DT Caleb Blakesley
Nobody gets more from less than KU coach Mark Mangino and the Jayhawks will definitely be in the running for the Big 12 North title this year. Reesing is short and slow and is as gutsy a quarterback as you’ll see. Meier is slow, but does nothing but make huge catches. KU will once again score points. Stopping people will be the key.
Predicted record: 8-4
3. NebraskaKey returners: C Jacob Hickman, K Alex Henery, NT Ndumakong Suh, SS Larry Asante
The Huskers lost a tremendous amount of skill players from last year’s team, but in my mind, the further they get from Bill Callahan’s teams, the better. This is the Big 12, so everybody scores. With seven starters back on defense, maybe the ‘Huskers could win the division.
Predicted record: 8-4
4. ColoradoKey returners: QB Cody Hawkins, WR Scotty McKnight, WR Josh Smith, RB Darrell Scott
The Buffs have 10 players returning on offense, which should be good news since they struggled to score last year. Forming a decent running game will be Colorado’s best chance to improve. On defense, only five starters are back. That’s not good news in the Big 12.
Predicted record: 7-5
5. Iowa StateKey returners: QB Austen Arnaud, RB Andrew Robinson, S James Smith, DE Christopher Lyle
As rocky as Gene Chizik’s tenure may have seemed at Iowa State, he did upgrade recruiting. The Cyclones have some talent and Arnaud is a underrated quarterback. New coach Paul Rhoads might have more success than people will realize.
Predicted record: 4-8
6. Kansas StateKey returners: OT Nick Stringer, OG Brock Unruh, DT Daniel Calvin, DB Josh Moore
Bill Snyder returns to take over the Wildcats program that has lots of returning starters but a porous defense and an overall lack of talent. Ron Prince’s JUCO-only recruiting system never really seemed to pan out. It will take time for Snyder to put things back together, which is something administrators and boosters probably weren’t counting on.
Predicted record: 4-8
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