Big 12 Observations

Just a few random thoughts on day after a great day of college football.

1-The Big 12 is the best conference in college football

Top to bottom, the Big 12 is the best and deepest conference in the country.

The SEC has been commonly referred to as the top conference for the last few years and does boast the last two national championship winners. In 2008, it’s all about the Big 12.

Half of the Big 12 teams are ranked in the top 16 teams in the national rankings, as of October, 12. Texas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State all are 6-0 while Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas are 5-1.

Nine of the Big 12 teams are averaging over 32 points a game. The level of quarterback play this year is what separates the Big 12 from the rest of the country.

Texas and Oklahoma State are battle tested while Texas Tech boasts the top passing offense in the country.

OU and Mizzou lost to Texas and Oklahoma State and Kansas’ blemish was a wild 37-34 road loss to South Florida in September.

The depth of the conference is shown in the lower tier. Nebraska, Kansas State, and Colorado have the ability to step up and pull an upset at any time and young QB’s Robert Griffin (Baylor) and Austen Arnaud (Iowa State) are giving a glimmer of hope the immediate future of their teams.

Texas A&M is the worst team in the conference so far but is in total rebuilding mode under first-year coach Mike Sherman.


2-A Big 12 quarterback will win the Heisman Trophy

Prediction – The quarterback on the Big 12 conference champion will win the Heisman Trophy.

Right now, the Heisman Trophy is Colt McCoy’s to lose.

The junior has been dominate all season and has played like the most valuable player in college football. McCoy has thrown the ball well and is capable of picking up big chunks of yards on the ground.

Graham Harrell (Texas Tech), Sam Bradford (Oklahoma), and Chase Daniel (Missouri) all have jaw-dropping stats that Heisman winners are made of.

Harrell leads the top passing attack in the country and if Tech is able to win the Big 12 South, Harrell will be the one leading the way.

For a player to drop from Heisman consideration, it typically takes a poor performance in a loss to do it. Bradford was sensational against Texas in the loss and definitely will take a backseat to McCoy unless the Longhorns stumble and McCoy plays poorly.
Daniel wasn’t great in the Oklahoma State loss and he threw three interceptions. He’ll drop from the contenders list for now but has time to move his way back up.

OSU’s Zac Robinson is the sleeper in the mix as is Kansas’ Todd Reesing. Both will have their opportunities to make a name for himself on the national stage.

3-The Big 12 won’t have any unbeaten teams, but it’ll have a team in the national title game.

The conference is just too tough and too deep to expect anyone team to run the gauntlet.

Because of the depth and balance of the Big 12, a one-loss conference champion will be rewarded with a spot in the national title game. The SEC champion has been afforded the same respect the last two seasons (LSU had two losses) so there is precedent.

Unbeatens Texas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State all still have to play each other. It is very possible they take turns knocking each other off. All are capable of beating the other two teams.

Oklahoma and Missouri still must win-out and get to the Big 12 title game. Missouri is in the better spot as the North Division isn’t as deep as the South. Mizzou still has this week’s road trip to Texas but the Tigers will be favored to win their remaining games.

Oklahoma was ranked number-one until the Texas loss. The Sooners are as good as any team in the country and have all the ingredients necessary to get back up in the polls.

Prediction – It is too early to project possible tiebreakers for a Big 12 South tie. There is an intense desire to pick Cinderella Oklahoma State…. but I’ll go with Oklahoma to beat Missouri in the Big 12 title game.

I picked Missouri at the start of the year but the Tigers showed they are not ready to be prime-time players with the loss to Oklahoma State. Missouri looked like a team not capable of embracing the lofty national status they had achieved.

Oklahoma will go on to play USC in the Orange Bowl for the national title.

College Football 2008

The only good thing about the end of summer is the sounds of shoulder pads popping and chin straps being buckled up.

Yes, wife of mine, it’s football season.

The college football season kicks off this week with the top storyline in place, can Ohio State make it to a 3rd straight national title game?

I hope not. I can't take anymore.

Watching the slow, overrated Buckeyes chasing SEC ball carriers up and down the field has gotten old. The Big Ten is never as good as the media makes it out to be. What you have is a collection of slow, deliberate teams duking it out each season to see who is going to get whipped in a BCS game.

Who will win the Heisman?

Who will play for, and win, the national title?

Time to tackle a few questions and add some observations as the season is slated to being:

1. Missouri’s Chase Daniel will win the Heisman Trophy. The Tigers are stocked with talent and will be the best team in the Big 12. Daniel wins the Heisman after leading Mizzou to the national title game. Of course, Heisman winners don’t win national titles, so……………

2. Southern California will claim the national title with a win over Missouri in the Orange Bowl. Be it Mark Sanchez or Mitch Mustain, the Trojans will have enough to beat Ohio State in September and be the best of the one-loss teams vying for the Orange Bowl. SC will stumble once in conference play, but they’ll be back in the national title game.

3. Ohio State will lose at USC on September 13. I can’t see how so many people are picking the Buckeyes to win this game. Yes, they are talented and return a lot of starters.
But, THEY DON’T HAVE ENOUGH SPEED TO WIN GAMES LIKE THIS!!!!!!!!!!! HAVEN’T YOU BEEN WATCHING?
I feel better, thanks for letting me vent. Besides, take a look at USC’s record in non-conference games during the Pete Carroll era. They don’t lose. Look it up.
Also, add a loss to Wisconsin to the Buckeyes and we’ll see you in the Capital One Bowl, OSU fans.

4. Daniel will be joined in New York City for the Heisman presentation by Tim Tebow (Florida), Pat White (West Virginia), Noel Devine (West Virginia), and Graham Harrell (Texas Tech). Devine, a sophomore RB, is the sleeper of the group. With Steve Slaton in the NFL, Devine will emerge in a big way this season.

5. Preseason #1 Georgia will win the SEC and go to a BCS game but they won’t play for the national title. A gauntlet of a schedule will take its toll on Mark Richt’s club.

6. Oklahoma will win the Big 12 South, lose to Mizzou in the conference title game, and then get its doors blown off in a BCS game. Just another year.

7. Notre Dame will win more than in ’07, even if they aren’t any better. The heat is on Charlie Weis in South Bend. The schedule is easier, which will help. The Irish will go bowling.

8.Kansas will slip and Texas Tech will let down again. Everything broke right for Mark Mangino's cinderella Jayhawks last year. A tougher schedule and the national spotlight will derail thoughts of another miracle season in Lawrence. For Texas Tech, it’s now or never. Mike Leach’s boys will have some big moments this year but will come up short twice in big spots, like they always do.

9. Clemson will win the mediocre ACC and nobody will care.

10. Meeeeeechigan will struggle this season. The Wolverines are at least a year away as Rich Rodriguez comes over from West Virginia. Michigan will lose its season opener (remember Appalachian State?) to a veteran Utah team. The Utes, not BYU, will be the underdog team that rolls into the BCS.

And.....Bo Pelini will get Nebraska back to a bowl game. The Huskers aren't as talented on D as in the past but expect big-time effort and aggresiveness from the Blackshirt defense. QB Joe Ganz won't fly under the radar for very long. Ganz will emerge from the shadows cast by fellow Big 12 QB's Daniel, Todd Reesing (Kansas), and OU's Sam Bradford and team with RB Marlon Lucky to give Nebraska one of the top offenses in the country.

The Bill Callahan era in Lincoln is already forgotten. I'm sleeping better at night, thank you.