1st Annual Big 12 Conference Preview

I will be doing a Big Ten Conference Preview that is more in depth than the Big 12. I was not far off at all with my predictions with the Big Ten a year ago. We will see how I do with the Big 12 as I don't know it as well as the Big Ten, but here it is.

Big 12 North
1. Nebraska. They are lucky they are in the North, they might as well have a bulls-eye on their helmet, every team and away fans will want to beat Nebraska for leaving the conference.
2.  Missouri - They return quite a few players, will be much better this year, and Pinkel will show that he can coach somewhat.
3. Colorado - Its now or never for coach Hawkins. He has a lot of players coming back from a disappointing season in 09, but his job is on the line this year thanks to the paycheck written by PAC-10.
4. K-State - Wildcats have a big powerful Running back that will be their key player, but its still K-State.
5. Iowa State - They are coming off of a 7-6 season and a bowl win in Paul Rhoads first year, call it a miracle, but not happening this year. They play at Iowa, and get Oklahoma and Texas back to back weekends, you won't find another program that gets that every time like ISU does. They will be better than Kansas though.
6. Kansas -They are back to being a basketball school, at least for now. They did land Turner Gill as their new head coach, he did an outstanding job at Buffalo, apparently he likes coaching at the worst locations in the country.

Big 12 South
1. Oklahoma - The Sooners return from a season they would like to forget by punishing everybody. They are lead by a QB that got an early start to his career due to Sam Bradford getting hurt last year, and that will pay off big time for the Sooners.
2. Texas - Not this year for the Longhorns, they will be coming in with a QB that got National Title experience, but not a season like the Sooners QB. Texas won off the field this year in keeping the Big 12 together and filling up their bank account, so they will be easy on others this year.
3. Texas A&M - They are A&M, they are content for being middle of the pack when they could be as big or bigger than the 2 above them. If they would have went to the SEC, they would have become the powerhouse of the state, but they like being little brother to Texas, so enjoy being average.
4. Texas Tech - They are going from Air attack to Ground attack. Tommy Tuberville was very successful at Auburn, we will see how he does in West Texas, and changing a team's philosophy big time.
5. Baylor - This is really their chance to shine and go to a bowl game. They could be number #4 in the south this year, but when you are use to losing, and losing a lot, its hard to change the culture. 
6. Oklahoma State - This team lost a lot of talent, and its going to be a long year in Stillwater. You may not see a team drop as much as this team from one year to the next.

Oklahoma will win the last Big 12 Conference Title game in Dallas, TX over Nebraska who will be going to the Big Ten next year.