Big 12 Preview

It's no longer safe to assume that the Southeastern Conference is the best in the land. The Big 12 may be able to compete with the SEC in 2008 with the potential to put a least four teams in the Top 15. And don't count out Oklahoma when discussing potential BCS championship contenders.

Here's a brief look at how the Big 12 shapes up heading into the season.

SOUTH DIVISION

Oklahoma
Projected Record (11-1, 7-1)- The schedule certainly favors Oklahoma. The Sooners don't have a true road game versus a team that won more than seven games last season. Not that OU needs many breaks. Coach Bob Stoops welcomes back quarterback Sam Bradford, who was No. 1 in passing efficiency, and sophomore running back DeMarco Murray to operate behind arguably the best offensive line in the country. The Sooners front averages 6-foot-5 and 317-pounds. Oklahoma also has eight experienced players back on the defensive line. The Sooners biggest weakness is the defensive secondary, although senior strong safety Nic Harris is the Sooner's leading returning tackler. Oklahoma is loaded and will be tough to beat this season.

Texas Tech
Projected Record (10-2, 6-2)-This could be the best team Mike Leach has fielded in his ninth year at the helm at Texas Tech. The Red Raiders return 18 starters, including quarterback Graham Harrell and All-American receiver Michael Crabtree. Harrell has thrown for over 10,000 yards in two years and Crabtree led the NCAA with 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns as a freshman. The Texas Tech offensive front averages 6-foot-6 and 331 pounds and they allowed just 2.4 percent sacks in 2007. As a unit, the Red Raiders averaged more than 40 points per game in 2007. There are eight starters back on defense and they should be very solid. The Red Raiders' defense always faces an uphill climb because of their offensive style. Texas Tech does not play ball control. But this year, the defense has as much depth as they've ever had. This is a very good team and they will be tested in road trips to Texas A&M, Kansas and November 22nd at Oklahoma.

Texas
Projected Record (10-2, 6-2)- Texas returns just 11 starters but there's no need to send out an SOS. Quarterback Colt McCoy figures to improve following a sophomore slump. He will be helped by a veteran offensive line that returns four starters from last year. The Longhorns have allowed just 61 and 93 yards per game rushing the past two years but with just four starters returning that number should hit triple digits this season. They lose two starters on the defensive line, but return five players that started seven or more games, so they will still be solid. Senior cornerback Ryan Palmer is the leading returning tackler, making 80 in 2007.

Texas A & M
Projected Record (8-4, 4-4)- Former Green Bay Packers boss Mike Sherman returns as head man at Texas A & M after two previous stints as an assistant under R.C. Slocum. He inherits a thunder and lightning running back combo in Mike Goodson and Javorskie Lane. However, the Aggies are inexperienced along both lines and return the fewest starters in the Big 12 (10). They must also learn new schemes on both sides of the ball. Senior Stephen McGee and sophomore Jerrod Johnson will battle for the quarterback job. On the other side of the ball, the secondary is the strength, with all four starters back from last season. The rest of the unit has talent but will need to grow into their roles. The Aggies' schedule is their biggest advantage. They don't play Missouri or Kansas and may not play a Top 25 team until their seventh game when they face Texas Tech.

Oklahoma State
Projected Record (6-6, 3-5)- Oklahoma State may be improved and still finish lower in the standings. The Cowboys face Missouri, Texas, Texas Tech and Colorado on the road and Oklahoma at home. The defense dominated the offense this spring which may not be a good sign considering they allowed almost 30 points per game last season and have just six starters back. Offensively, junior quarterback Zac Robinson set single-season records with 3,671 yards of total offense in 2007. He threw for 2,824 yards with a 23-9 TD-INT ratio and ran for 847 net yards. Robinson will have one of the best offensive lines in the Big 12 to work behind. But the Pokes are going to miss running back Dantrell Savage and their receiving corps is going to be down a few notches.

Baylor
Projected Record (2-10, 0-8)- It looks like another rebuilding year in Waco under new head coach Art Briles. Briles brings a solid offensive system from a strong run at Houston but he is facing a daunting challenge at Baylor. The Bears have won a grand total of 26 games the past eight years. They return 15 starters but unfortunately they are playing in a division with three potential Top 10 teams. The Bears are looking for improvement from quarterback whether it's incoming freshman Robert Griffin or returning starter Blake Szymanski who completed just 57% of his passes with 22 TD passes and 18 picks last year. Baylor returns 12 receivers that caught a pass in 2008 and it will have five players on the offensive line with six or more starts under their belts. The defense gave up 37 points per game last season and their line, with tackles Vincent Rhodes and Trey Bryant, should be the unit's strength.

Missouri
Projected Record (10-2, 6-2)- Missouri only lost twice last season and both setbacks came at the hands of Oklahoma. Fortunately, the Tigers don't have to face the Sooners this season, unless they happen to meet in the Big 12 Championship game. Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel and his favorite receiver Jeremy Maclin will both be back. Daniel threw for over 4,300 yards while clicking at a 68.2 percent clip with 33 touchdowns and only 11 picks. Maclin earned All-America honors with over 1,100 receiving yards and over 1.300 return yards which included three touchdowns. Scoring points won't be a problem for the Tigers and they should be better on the other side of the ball. They figure to be stingy on defense with eight returning starters, including all three linebacker and 2nd team All-American strong safety William Moore.

Kansas
Projected Record (8-4, 6-2)- Kansas took advantage of a very weak schedule to go 12-1 last season. A tougher schedule makes a repeat performance highly unlikely, but Kansas can no longer be considered strictly a basketball school. Despite a difficult schedule in which the Jayhawks have to face Texas, Oklahoma and South Florida, they should be strong enough to go bowling for the fourth time in the last six years. Coach Mark Mangino welcomes back Todd Reesing, who threw for over 3,400 yards and completed 62 percent of his passes last year. However, Reesing will have to get by without his most explosive receiver, with Marcus Henry gone to the NFL. While they should take a step back from the nearly 43 points per game they averaged last year, the Jayhawks should be able to score enough to win. There are nine starters back on defense and they allowed just over 16 points per game last season. Still, the unit will sorely miss defensive back Aqib Tali.

Colorado
Projected Record (7-5, 4-4)-Coach Dan Hawkins could have his best team in three years at the Colorado helm. But only if freshman running back Darrell Scott lives up to advance notices. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder has 4.3 speed and was widely considered the top high school running back in the country last year.He will be joined by the coach's son, quarterback Cody Hawkins, who finished the season with nine touchdowns passes and just three interceptions in the last five games. However, they will be doing business behind an inexperienced offensive line that has just two returning starters. Eight are back on defense and they should be very strong this season. The Buffaloes will play just four true road games this season, facing Colorado State in Denver and Florida State in Jacksonville but they still may face the toughest schedule in the Big 12, considering they will also play West Virginia, although that game is at home.

Nebraska
Projected Record (6-6, 4-4)- After a miserable 5-7 season under Bill Callahan, the Cornhuskers are rebuilding. Look for new coach Bo Pelini to switch to a more run-based attack to keep his defense off the field. Last year Nebraska allowed a school record 76 points to Kansas and 477 yards per game. Pelini is a former defensive coordinator who will not let this team be embarrassed like that again. Offensively, quarterback Joe Ganz is one of just five returning starters. The Huskers were No. 7 in the NCAA in passing offense last season and Ganz threw seven TD passes in the season finale. Running back Marlon Lucky rushed for over 1000 yards in 2007 and is also back. Nebraska's defensive line should be much improved but the linebackers are green as grass, as is the secondary. The Huskers face a relatively easy schedule with eight home games, so they should be bowl eligible at season's end.

Iowa State
Projected Record (4-8, 1-7)- Iowa State returns 14 starters, but lost 25 lettermen, one of the highest percentages in the NCAA. Sophomore quarterback Austin Arnaud got in 23 pass attempts in the final two games, mopping up for four-year starter Bret Meyer. He leads a group of non-descript quarterbacks who will fight for playing time. The offensive line should be the unit's strength with four starters back from last year. The Cyclones will have six of their top eight back on the defensive line, but they are very inexperienced at linebacker. All four starters are back in the secondary, so they should be a better unit and improve on their average of allowing almost 32 points per game in 2007. If the Cyclones were in another conference they might be competitive, but the are in the Big 12. Even in the softer division of the Big 12, Iowa State simply isn't talented enough.

Kansas State
Projected Record (4-8, 1-7)- Kansas State will have 12 returning starters, bolstered by 19 JUCO transfers, so this team could gel and be very good, or miss the mark and be very bad. We'll take the latter option. Quarterback Josh Freeman became the first player in school history to top 3,000 yards passing and in his last seven games he connected for 14 scoring strikes and only threw four picks. He has prototypical size and arm strength and could have a very good season on his way to the NFL. Last year's top receiver, Jordy Nelson, is gone so the Wildcats will have to find Freeman some new weapons. Kansas State's defensive line is inexperienced, but they do have a deep and dangerous corps of linebackers. If the JUCOs work out, the Wildcats could be a bowl team and a surprise challenger in the Big 12 North. If they don't it will be a difficult season.

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