Big XII Conference
Conference Rank: #2;
Bowl Teams: 8
Conference Champ: Oklahoma
Offensive Player of the Year: Sam Bradford-QB-Oklahoma
Defensive Player of the Year: DeMarcus Granger-DT-Oklahoma
Coach of the Year: Gary Pinkell-Missouri
Conference Forecast: The Big XII went from one of the weaker BCS conferences to the 2nd best in the country last season. With the breakthrough seasons by Missouri and Kansas, the Big XII was nearly as tough as the SEC last year. I think the Big XII will again be the 2nd toughest conference this season, though I don’t think it will be as good overall. They have a National Championship front runner in Oklahoma and there are a handful of other teams with top 5 potential but I don’t think they’ll be as deep this year. The Big XII won’t be as tough as the SEC for sure but I think it will easily be the 2nd best conference in 2008.
Predicted Standings (Note: (#,#) = conference rec; #,# = regular season rec; [#,#] = final rec)
North
1. Missouri (8-0) 12-0 [13-1]
2. Nebraska (4-4) 7-5 [8-5]
3. Kansas (4-4) 7-5 [8-5]
4. Colorado (3-5) 5-7
5. Kansas State (2-6) 5-7
6. Iowa State (2-6) 4-8
South
1. Oklahoma (8-0) 12-0 [14-0]
2. Texas Tech (6-2) 10-2 [10-3]
3. Texas (5-3) 9-3 [10-3]
4. Oklahoma State (3-5) 7-5 [8-5]
5. Texas A&M (3-5) 7-5 [7-6]
6. Baylor (0-8) 1-11
Big 12 Championship Game
Oklahoma (13-0) over Missouri (12-1)
Team Notes and Predictions
Missouri (8-0) 12-0 [13-1]
Finish in North: 1st
Bowl Game: Fiesta Bowl
Forecast: Missouri returns 14 starters from last year’s team that went 12-2, including senior QB Chase Daniels and a bunch of great receivers. The O-Line is a bit of a question mark but they have a much easier schedule. I see them finishing the regular season undefeated but losing in the Big XII Championship Game to Oklahoma again. We know bowls don’t like teams that are coming off a loss but Missouri won’t be snubbed by the BCS two years in a row. I have them beating West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl.
Nebraska (4-4) 7-5 [8-5]
Finish in North: 2nd
Bowl Game: Alamo Bowl
Forecast: I may be expecting a better season for Nebraska than most, seeing as how they are starting new schemes on both sides of the ball and returning just 11 starters. But they still have strong offensive and defensive lines, and I think there is talent on this team and that under Bo Pelini they’ll get back to a bowl game. I have them beating Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl.
Kansas (4-4) 7-5 [8-5]
Finish in North: 3rd
Bowl Game: Insight
Forecast: After their shocking 12-1 season last year and with 15 starters back, including QB Todd Reesing, big things are expected from Kansas. I’m sorry but I just don’t see it. I still think Kansas was a bit of a fluke and they will lose their best running back, their best receiver, and their super talented defensive back Aqib Talib. Most importantly, the Jayhawks’ schedule is a lot harder this time. I think they’ll struggle to a 7-5 record, beating Kansas State but also losing to Missouri again. I have them beating Illinois in the Insight Bowl.
Colorado (3-5) 5-7
Finish in North: 4th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: I actually think this might be the best Dan Hawkins team yet in Boulder. They have 14 returning starters and a talented freshman running back but they aren’t as good as the competition on their schedule. I think they’ll be competitive and once again have a shot at a bowl berth going into their last game. But this year I think they’ll lose that final game to finish 5-7 and out of the bowls.
Kansas State (2-6) 5-7
Finish in North: 5th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: KSU has a good offensive line and should be improved on defense but they return only 12 starters and lose their top running back and receiver. I think they’ll again fail to qualify for a bowl. I have them losing to Kansas again, with the highlight of their season being a win over Nebraska in November.
Iowa State (2-6) 4-8
Finish in North: 6th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: Iowa State has 14 starters returning but they lose 25 lettermen and are breaking in a new QB. It looks like yet another rebuilding year. I think they’ll go 2-6 in the conference again, with their highlight of the season being a win at Iowa.
Oklahoma (8-0) 12-0 [14-0]
Finish in South: 1st
Bowl Game: BCS National Championship Game
Forecast: Oklahoma is loaded again, with the best QB in the conference, the best OL in the country, and a super defensive line. They have a slight question mark in the secondary but I don’t think it will be enough to counter all of their strengths. This time I think they’ll get through the regular season undefeated, beat Missouri again in the conference title game, and then beat USC in the National Championship. Oklahoma has had a number of great teams since winning the National Championship in 2000 but they haven’t been able to put it all together to win a second title. They’ve actually been a disappointment in big bowl games but this time it’ll be different. They are my pick for 2008 National Champion.
Texas Tech (6-2) 10-2 [10-3]
Finish in South: 2nd
Bowl Game: Cotton Bowl
Forecast: I believe this will be Mike Leach’s best team yet. They have an excellent senior QB, a great OL, and the best receiver in the game. They return 18 starters and I believe they’ll win 10 games for the first time under Leach, with their only two losses coming at Oklahoma and at Kansas. I have them losing to Tennessee in the Cotton Bowl.
Texas (5-3) 9-3 [10-3]
Finish in South: 3rd
Bowl Game: Independence Bowl
Forecast: Texas has a good offensive line but they lose RB Jamaal Charles and return only 11 starters. Colt McCoy looked like a star as a freshman in 2006, throwing 29 TD with only 7 picks and putting up a 68% completion percentage. Then last year his completion percentage fell to 65% and he threw only 22 TD and 18 INT. I think he will be somewhere in between those two seasons this year. Texas has been and always will be a 10 win a year team under Mack Brown but I think it was solely Vince Young that made them anything more than that. In VY’s sophomore and junior seasons they lost a total of 1 game; in the 2 years since his departure, Texas has lost 6 games. I think they’ll start out 5-0 this season before dropping 3 of 4, and then finish the year with 3 straight wins. I predict they will lose to Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas Tech but beat rival Texas A&M. I have them beating Mississippi State in the Independence Bowl.
Oklahoma State (3-5) 7-5 [8-5]
Finish in South: 4th
Bowl Game: Texas Bowl
Forecast: Oklahoma State has a good OL but they’re replacing their top WR and RB and they lose 28 lettermen from last season. I think they’ll start the year 5-0 but lose 5 of their final 7 games. I have them beating UTEP in the Texas Bowl.
Texas A&M (3-5) 7-5 [7-6]
Finish in South: 5th
Bowl Game: Holiday Bowl
Forecast: A&M returns just 10 starters and they have a new coach and are starting new schemes on both sides of the ball. However, their schedule is pretty favorable and they have some talent. I think they’ll beat Miami out of conference but lose to both Texas and Texas A&M. I have them losing to Oregon in the Holiday Bowl.
Baylor (0-8) 1-11
Finish in South: 6th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: Baylor won’t be quite as bad but I still think they’ll be one of the worst BCS conference teams next year. I predict they will go winless in the conference again and that their only win of the season will be at home against Northwestern State.
Big Games on the Schedule
Sat, August 30th
Illinois vs. Missouri (Not much attention to this game last year but it was a classic)
Sun, August 31st
Colorado State vs. Colorado (Last 6 games decided by total of 25 points)
Fri, September 12th
Kansas @ South Florida (The first of a number of tough games for Kansas)
Sat, September 13th
Iowa State @ Iowa (Iowa State has won 2 of last 3 meetings and 7 of last 10)
Arkansas @ Texas (Renewal of an old rivalry from the SWC)
Oklahoma @ Washington (This could be the first test for the Sooners)
Wed, September 17th
Kansas State @ Louisville (What else are you gonna watch on a Wednesday night?)
Thu, September 18th
West Virginia @ Colorado (Boulder will be pumped for this one)
Sat, September 20th
Miami @ Texas A&M (A&M will look to avenge last year’s beat down at the OB)
Sat, September 27th
Colorado vs. FSU (Not really neutral because it’s played in Jacksonville)
TCU @ Oklahoma (OK was ranked 7th when they lost to TCU at home in the 05 opener)
Virginia Tech @ Nebraska (First test for Nebraska)
Troy @ Oklahoma State (Last year’s game was at Troy and OSU lost 41-23)
Sat, October 11th
Texas vs. Oklahoma (The Red River Shootout)
Sat, November 1st
Nebraska @ Oklahoma (Once one of the bigger rivalries in the game)
Kansas State @ Kansas (KSU fans must be pissed. This is supposed to be their sport and they’ve lost 3 of the last 4 to KU)
Texas @ Texas Tech (This one figures to be a huge game in the South)
Sat, November 22nd
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma (Tech’s win last year ended up costing OK a spot in National Championship Game)
Thu, November 27th
Texas A&M @ Texas (One of the best rivalries in the country)
Fri, November 28th
Colorado @ Nebraska (The day after Thanksgiving classic)
Sat, November 29th
Kansas @ Missouri (Rematch of last year’s conference champ game)
Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State (Bedlam)
Conference Rank: #2;
Bowl Teams: 8
Conference Champ: Oklahoma
Offensive Player of the Year: Sam Bradford-QB-Oklahoma
Defensive Player of the Year: DeMarcus Granger-DT-Oklahoma
Coach of the Year: Gary Pinkell-Missouri
Conference Forecast: The Big XII went from one of the weaker BCS conferences to the 2nd best in the country last season. With the breakthrough seasons by Missouri and Kansas, the Big XII was nearly as tough as the SEC last year. I think the Big XII will again be the 2nd toughest conference this season, though I don’t think it will be as good overall. They have a National Championship front runner in Oklahoma and there are a handful of other teams with top 5 potential but I don’t think they’ll be as deep this year. The Big XII won’t be as tough as the SEC for sure but I think it will easily be the 2nd best conference in 2008.
Predicted Standings (Note: (#,#) = conference rec; #,# = regular season rec; [#,#] = final rec)
North
1. Missouri (8-0) 12-0 [13-1]
2. Nebraska (4-4) 7-5 [8-5]
3. Kansas (4-4) 7-5 [8-5]
4. Colorado (3-5) 5-7
5. Kansas State (2-6) 5-7
6. Iowa State (2-6) 4-8
South
1. Oklahoma (8-0) 12-0 [14-0]
2. Texas Tech (6-2) 10-2 [10-3]
3. Texas (5-3) 9-3 [10-3]
4. Oklahoma State (3-5) 7-5 [8-5]
5. Texas A&M (3-5) 7-5 [7-6]
6. Baylor (0-8) 1-11
Big 12 Championship Game
Oklahoma (13-0) over Missouri (12-1)
Team Notes and Predictions
Missouri (8-0) 12-0 [13-1]
Finish in North: 1st
Bowl Game: Fiesta Bowl
Forecast: Missouri returns 14 starters from last year’s team that went 12-2, including senior QB Chase Daniels and a bunch of great receivers. The O-Line is a bit of a question mark but they have a much easier schedule. I see them finishing the regular season undefeated but losing in the Big XII Championship Game to Oklahoma again. We know bowls don’t like teams that are coming off a loss but Missouri won’t be snubbed by the BCS two years in a row. I have them beating West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl.
Nebraska (4-4) 7-5 [8-5]
Finish in North: 2nd
Bowl Game: Alamo Bowl
Forecast: I may be expecting a better season for Nebraska than most, seeing as how they are starting new schemes on both sides of the ball and returning just 11 starters. But they still have strong offensive and defensive lines, and I think there is talent on this team and that under Bo Pelini they’ll get back to a bowl game. I have them beating Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl.
Kansas (4-4) 7-5 [8-5]
Finish in North: 3rd
Bowl Game: Insight
Forecast: After their shocking 12-1 season last year and with 15 starters back, including QB Todd Reesing, big things are expected from Kansas. I’m sorry but I just don’t see it. I still think Kansas was a bit of a fluke and they will lose their best running back, their best receiver, and their super talented defensive back Aqib Talib. Most importantly, the Jayhawks’ schedule is a lot harder this time. I think they’ll struggle to a 7-5 record, beating Kansas State but also losing to Missouri again. I have them beating Illinois in the Insight Bowl.
Colorado (3-5) 5-7
Finish in North: 4th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: I actually think this might be the best Dan Hawkins team yet in Boulder. They have 14 returning starters and a talented freshman running back but they aren’t as good as the competition on their schedule. I think they’ll be competitive and once again have a shot at a bowl berth going into their last game. But this year I think they’ll lose that final game to finish 5-7 and out of the bowls.
Kansas State (2-6) 5-7
Finish in North: 5th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: KSU has a good offensive line and should be improved on defense but they return only 12 starters and lose their top running back and receiver. I think they’ll again fail to qualify for a bowl. I have them losing to Kansas again, with the highlight of their season being a win over Nebraska in November.
Iowa State (2-6) 4-8
Finish in North: 6th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: Iowa State has 14 starters returning but they lose 25 lettermen and are breaking in a new QB. It looks like yet another rebuilding year. I think they’ll go 2-6 in the conference again, with their highlight of the season being a win at Iowa.
Oklahoma (8-0) 12-0 [14-0]
Finish in South: 1st
Bowl Game: BCS National Championship Game
Forecast: Oklahoma is loaded again, with the best QB in the conference, the best OL in the country, and a super defensive line. They have a slight question mark in the secondary but I don’t think it will be enough to counter all of their strengths. This time I think they’ll get through the regular season undefeated, beat Missouri again in the conference title game, and then beat USC in the National Championship. Oklahoma has had a number of great teams since winning the National Championship in 2000 but they haven’t been able to put it all together to win a second title. They’ve actually been a disappointment in big bowl games but this time it’ll be different. They are my pick for 2008 National Champion.
Texas Tech (6-2) 10-2 [10-3]
Finish in South: 2nd
Bowl Game: Cotton Bowl
Forecast: I believe this will be Mike Leach’s best team yet. They have an excellent senior QB, a great OL, and the best receiver in the game. They return 18 starters and I believe they’ll win 10 games for the first time under Leach, with their only two losses coming at Oklahoma and at Kansas. I have them losing to Tennessee in the Cotton Bowl.
Texas (5-3) 9-3 [10-3]
Finish in South: 3rd
Bowl Game: Independence Bowl
Forecast: Texas has a good offensive line but they lose RB Jamaal Charles and return only 11 starters. Colt McCoy looked like a star as a freshman in 2006, throwing 29 TD with only 7 picks and putting up a 68% completion percentage. Then last year his completion percentage fell to 65% and he threw only 22 TD and 18 INT. I think he will be somewhere in between those two seasons this year. Texas has been and always will be a 10 win a year team under Mack Brown but I think it was solely Vince Young that made them anything more than that. In VY’s sophomore and junior seasons they lost a total of 1 game; in the 2 years since his departure, Texas has lost 6 games. I think they’ll start out 5-0 this season before dropping 3 of 4, and then finish the year with 3 straight wins. I predict they will lose to Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas Tech but beat rival Texas A&M. I have them beating Mississippi State in the Independence Bowl.
Oklahoma State (3-5) 7-5 [8-5]
Finish in South: 4th
Bowl Game: Texas Bowl
Forecast: Oklahoma State has a good OL but they’re replacing their top WR and RB and they lose 28 lettermen from last season. I think they’ll start the year 5-0 but lose 5 of their final 7 games. I have them beating UTEP in the Texas Bowl.
Texas A&M (3-5) 7-5 [7-6]
Finish in South: 5th
Bowl Game: Holiday Bowl
Forecast: A&M returns just 10 starters and they have a new coach and are starting new schemes on both sides of the ball. However, their schedule is pretty favorable and they have some talent. I think they’ll beat Miami out of conference but lose to both Texas and Texas A&M. I have them losing to Oregon in the Holiday Bowl.
Baylor (0-8) 1-11
Finish in South: 6th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: Baylor won’t be quite as bad but I still think they’ll be one of the worst BCS conference teams next year. I predict they will go winless in the conference again and that their only win of the season will be at home against Northwestern State.
Big Games on the Schedule
Sat, August 30th
Illinois vs. Missouri (Not much attention to this game last year but it was a classic)
Sun, August 31st
Colorado State vs. Colorado (Last 6 games decided by total of 25 points)
Fri, September 12th
Kansas @ South Florida (The first of a number of tough games for Kansas)
Sat, September 13th
Iowa State @ Iowa (Iowa State has won 2 of last 3 meetings and 7 of last 10)
Arkansas @ Texas (Renewal of an old rivalry from the SWC)
Oklahoma @ Washington (This could be the first test for the Sooners)
Wed, September 17th
Kansas State @ Louisville (What else are you gonna watch on a Wednesday night?)
Thu, September 18th
West Virginia @ Colorado (Boulder will be pumped for this one)
Sat, September 20th
Miami @ Texas A&M (A&M will look to avenge last year’s beat down at the OB)
Sat, September 27th
Colorado vs. FSU (Not really neutral because it’s played in Jacksonville)
TCU @ Oklahoma (OK was ranked 7th when they lost to TCU at home in the 05 opener)
Virginia Tech @ Nebraska (First test for Nebraska)
Troy @ Oklahoma State (Last year’s game was at Troy and OSU lost 41-23)
Sat, October 11th
Texas vs. Oklahoma (The Red River Shootout)
Sat, November 1st
Nebraska @ Oklahoma (Once one of the bigger rivalries in the game)
Kansas State @ Kansas (KSU fans must be pissed. This is supposed to be their sport and they’ve lost 3 of the last 4 to KU)
Texas @ Texas Tech (This one figures to be a huge game in the South)
Sat, November 22nd
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma (Tech’s win last year ended up costing OK a spot in National Championship Game)
Thu, November 27th
Texas A&M @ Texas (One of the best rivalries in the country)
Fri, November 28th
Colorado @ Nebraska (The day after Thanksgiving classic)
Sat, November 29th
Kansas @ Missouri (Rematch of last year’s conference champ game)
Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State (Bedlam)
1 comment:
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