BIG 12 RANKINGS  

1.       Texas Longhorns (11-1)

a. Toughest Games: Oklahoma, @TCU, OK State
 

b. Key Returning Players: QB David Ash; OL Trey Hopkins; CB Quandre Diggs


c. Key Question Marks: With David Ash as the unquestioned starter, is he ready to take the next step? Can Running Backs Joe Bergeron, Malcolm Brown, and Johnathan Gray improve on Texas’s poorly ranked running game from 2012? How will new Offensive Coordinator Major Applewhite handle the offense?
 

Overall: I’m not exactly impartial when it comes to Texas. What can I say; I dig Mack’s Brown’s style. Also, I like the fact that the television version of Friday Night Lights was filmed around Austin. Still, Texas deserves to be number one. They return 19 starters from 2012 and I believe David Ash is ready for primetime. They have an interesting out of conference schedule and I don’t expect them to go undefeated. However, I believe in this team enough to predict 11 wins and a Fiesta Bowl appearance. CLEAR EYES, FULL HEARTS, CAN'T LOSE.

 

 

 

2. Oklahoma Sooners: (10-2)

a. Toughest Games: @Notre Dame; Texas; @OK State

 
b.  Key Returning Players: RB Damien Williams, OL Gabe Ikard; DT Jordan Phillips; Linebacker Corey Nelson

 
c. Key Questions: Does Blake “The Belldozer” Bell have the arm to lead the Sooners to another Big 12 Championship? Have the Sooners lost too much talent on Defense? ; Has the Sooner rush Defense improved on last year.
 

Overall: The Sooners have a tough three week stretch starting at the end of September with games against Notre Dame, TCU, and Texas. Despite the talent on offense, I have a hard time believing the Sooners won’t lose two of those games due to Blake Bell’s inexperience throwing the ball. Still, Oklahoma continues to recruits as well as anyone in College Football and they return running back Damien Williams. They’ll compete for a Big 12 Championship once again.


3. Oklahoma State (9-3):


a. Toughest Games: Mississippi State; @Texas; Oklahoma

 
b. Key Returning Players: WR Josh Stewart; WR Blake Jackson; DT Calvin Barnett

 
c. Key Question Marks: Who will win the Quarterback battle between Chelf and Walsh?; Was the gradual improvement of the Defense over the 2012 season a sign of things to come?; Who will pick up the load at Running back this year?

 
 
 
Overall:  Regardless of who ends up playing QB this year, they’re going to have some great receivers to throw to. Additionally, I loved the way the Defense made significant improvements during the 2012 season. Still, I’m not as high on the Cowboys as everyone else. They lost their top 2 Running backs from last year and I still have questions about their secondary. I’ll give them 9-3 and that’s it.

4.       TCU Horned Frogs: (8-4)

a.       Toughest Games: LSU, @Oklahoma, @Oklahoma State, Texas

 

b.      Key Returning Players: Defensive End Devonte Fields; CB Jason Verrett; Safety Sam Carter

c.       Key Question Marks: Is the Defense good enough to carry the Horned Frogs to the top of the Big 12? With Tayo Fabuluje leaving, just how shaky is this offensive line? Is this schedule just too tough for the Horned Frogs to hand?

d.      Overall:  The 2013 defense will be an improvement over the already stout 2012 defense. Seriously, this Defense has no weaknesses and it’s easily the best in the Big 12. However, the offensive line needs work and I’m still not entirely sold on QB Trevone Boykin. The Horned Frogs are gonna be good, but they’re not beating LSU or Texas with the offense they currently have.

5.       Baylor  Bears (8-4)

a.       Toughest Games: Oklahoma, @OK State, @TCU, Texas

 

b.      Key Returning Players: RB Lache Seastrunk; OL Cyril Richardson; WR Tevin Reese; Linebacker Bryce Hager

 

 

c.       Key Question Marks: Can Bryce Petty pickup where RG3 and Nick Florence left off before him?  Will Linebackers Bryce Hager and Eddie Lackey stop opponents from regularly putting 500 yards on the Bears Defense?

d.      Overall:  Despite the loss of Nick Florence at Quarterback there is a whole lot of talent on the Bears offense. However, the offense really can’t improve on last year and unless the Defense shows it can stop someone, the Bears will finish the regular season 8-4 again.  Note, Baylor has a very easy early schedule and might start the year off 7-0 before they play Oklahoma.

6.       Kansas State Cougars (7-5)

 

 

Toughest Games: @ Texas; @OK State; TCU; Oklahoma

 

 

Key Returning Players: OL Cornelius Lucas; Safety Ty Zimmerman;  RB John Hubert

 

 

Key Question Marks: With the departure of Colin Klein how far of a step back will the Wildcats take? Can the Wildcats continue to run the ball with the ferocity they did in 2012?  Does the team have any real leaders anymore?

 

 

Overall: Only 8 starters remain from the 2012 team, so we’ll see just how good of a coach Bill Snyder is this year. Colin Klein and Arthur Brown probably can’t be replaced, but most of the offensive line is returning from last season. The team will be able to run the ball and play solid defense, so you’ll see them in a Bowl game at the end of the year. It just won’t be the Fiesta Bowl.

7. Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-5)


    a. Toughest Games:  TCU; @ Oklahoma; OK State; @ Texas

      b. Key Returning Players: OL Le’Raven Clark; Tight End Jace Amaro; DE Kerry Hyder

      c. Key Question Marks:  Will Michael Brewer win the Quarterback battle against true freshman Davis Webb?;  The Raiders are deep at running back and receiver, but can they stay a power house offense with the departure of Seth Dodge? Will any player emerge from the Raiders secondary as an actual difference maker?

      d. Overall: I have faith in Kliff Kingsbury. The job he did with Johnny Football at Texas A&M last year was nothing short of astounding and at 33, I’m very excited to see him grow with this program. However, Seth Dodge is gone and this team still doesn’t have a defense. Look for them to finish around .500. Still, the future is very bright in Lubbock.


8. Iowa State Cyclones (4-8)


a.   Toughest Games: Texas, @ Baylor; OK State; @ Oklahoma

b.    Key Returning Players: Running Back, James White;
TightEnd, Ernst Brun,  Jr.; Linebacker; Jeremiah George

 

c. Key Question Marks: Can Linebacker Jeremiah George lead the Cyclones Defense to another impressive season? Can Sophmore QB Sam Richardson put up atleast 2500 yards this season? Can this team start being quality teams on a consistent basis?

d. Overall: Maybe you missed it, but the Iowa State Cyclones had arguably the best Defense in the Big 12 last year. With defensive leader Jeremiah George returning, there's no reason ot think this team can repeat their defensive prowess. The offense should get better as well with Sam Richardson replacing Steele Jantz (great name), however the schedule is just too tough for them to even go .500.

 

9.  West Virgina Mountaineers (4-8)

a. Toughest Games: @Oklahoma; OK State; @Baylor; Texas

 

b. Key Returning Players: RB Andrew Buie; OT Quinton Spain;  Defensive Line Shaq Rowell

 

 

c. Key Questions Marks: How much will the WVU offensive attack with the departures of Geno Smith and Tavon Austin? Will true freshman Ford Childress start at QB at any point this year? Can the WVU Defense atleast become a "Bend but don't Break" defense?

 

 

d. Overall: Based on the quality and consistency of WVU Football over the past 10 years, it was hard for me to place WVU in ninth place this year. However, the offense is in rebuilding mode and the defense doesn't have enought talent to help this team navigate a "managable" schedule.

 

10. Kansas Jay Hawks (2-10)

 

a. Toughest Games: @TCU, Oklahoma, @Texas, @OK State

 

b. Key Returning Players: Linebacker Ben Heeney; Running Back James; OL Mike Smithburg

 

c. Key Question Marks: Will the departure of Dayne Crist actually help the Jay Hawks this upcoming year? Can Charlie Weiss finally effectively manage the Jay Hawk passing attack? Can the Jay Hawks actually win a Big 12 game this year?

 

d. Overall: The Kansas Jay Hawks ran the ball every effectively last year. That’s really all they did right. Running back James Sims returns and with the departure of locker-room poison Dayne Crist, the Jay Hawks should improve on last year. Unfortunately, that still leaves them at dead last in the Big 12.