With Nebraska and Colorado bolting for the Big Ten and PAC-12, respectively the Big 12 will operate as 10-team league – at least for this year. Really just two less teams that won’t get past Oklahoma as the Sooners, with such explosiveness on both sides of the ball, I feel are poised to fight Alabama for the national championship. Missouri, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Texas will follow in the trail dust left by the Sooner Wagon.
The Sooners, who defeated Nebraska 23-20 in the last Big 12 championship game in 2010, are ranked No. 1 in the preseason coaches’ poll and Oklahoma does well as a frontrunner. It starts with junior quarterback Landry Jones who threw for over 4,700 yards last year and is poised to become OU’s all-time leading passer early in the season. Eight starters are back on defense
The Cowboys will have a shot with such a talented offense led by quarterback Brandon Weeden hooking up with brilliant receiver Justin Blackmon (111 passes and scored 20 touchdowns) as they come off a record-setting 11 wins and finishing in the top 10 of the final coaches’ poll for the first time since 1984. Linebacker Shaun Lewis anchors the Oklahoma State defense.
Missouri, which has made six straight bowl games, should also be in the hunt despite losing impact players on the defensive line and quarterback Blaine Gabbert being replaced by promising sophomore James Franklin. The Tigers, under Coach Gary Pinkel, have won 10 games or more three times in the past four seasons, after doing it just once in the program’s history.
Though they haven’t won the Big 12 since 1998, the Aggies should not be counted out with 10 starters coming back on offense and eight on defense returning from a solid 9-4 season.
The proud Longhorns should bounce back from a dismal 5-7 season especially if they can cut down on turnovers.
Though they will operate with a running game by committee since versatile running back DeMarco Murray has moved on to the NFL, look for Slingin’ Landry Jones, winner of the Sammy Baugh Award as college football’s top passer, to lead Oklahoma to the promised land.
