2010 Big 12 Conference Preview

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This is going to be a wild season for the Big XII. In the final year that the conference will actually have twelve teams (thanks to Nebraska and Colorado’s imminent departures for the Big Ten and Pac Ten, respectively), there are a ton of new faces and old rivalries that are about to take front and center stage.

The North will be the less fascinating of the two divisions this year as Nebraska and Missouri are the heavy favorites. That’s because Iowa State is rebuilding, Kansas has a new coach after finishing last season with seven straight losses and Kansas State is still re-adjusting to life under Bill Snyder. Then there’s Colorado: The perpetually underachieving teams that have come to define Dan Hawkins’ tenure in Boulder aren’t going to cut it this year. No coach in the conference is more at risk of losing his job than the Hawk and I think that the Buffs will begin play in the Pac Ten next year with a new head coach.

But it is the other team bolting for greener pastures that concerns the Big XII brass. Nebraska is still loaded with big mobile guys on both lines and their running game and strong defense should remind a lot of people of the Alabama team that smashed its way to a National Title last season. With a fairly light schedule that is highlighted by perhaps the biggest regular season game in the country against Texas, I think the Cornhuskers depart the conference as the final winners of the Big XII North.

On the other hand, the South Division is going to be wild to watch as only lowly Oklahoma State seems unlikely to make a splash this season as they are absolutely decimated on both sides of the ball. Texas Tech will be very intriguing to watch play as new coach Tommy Tuberville tries to combine his more traditional outlook with the Red Raiders passing game and I think that he’ll extend their postseason run. Meanwhile, Baylor is going to be a legitimate threat to return to bowl action for the first time in over 15 years with star quarterback Robert Griffin healthy and I think that the Bears will get to six wins this season.

But the three teams that dominated the plans to keep the Big XII together as a ten team unit this summer are going to be the three teams to watch in the South. Texas A&M doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of opponents with their middling defense but their offense will be able to score in droves on anyone. Meanwhile, rival Texas is always one of the most talented teams in the country and sophomore QB Garrett Gilbert has huge expectations on his shoulders after nearly leading the Horns to the BCS Championship last season after Colt McCoy went down with an injury. With one of the country’s best defenses, the Longhorns are a threat to repeat as league champs.

But the team that I like the most out of the South is Oklahoma. After being destroyed by injuries across the board last season, the Sooners appear to be on the verge of an exceptional campaign. QB Landry Jones got a whole season’s worth of on the job learning in 2009 and he will pilot one of the NCAA’s best offenses this season. Pair that with a great defense and the Sooners have National Title contender and South Division Champion written all over them.

Appropriately, the final Big XII Championship will be decided between the two greatest rivals of the old Big Eight Conference. In fact, I would argue that the biggest reason that the Big XII is splitting apart is because this rivalry was ended on a yearly basis when the Texas schools joined, a slight that Nebraska never forgave. With their looming departure hanging over the game, it will be a virtual showdown of Big XII versus Big Ten with the entire remaining constituency pulling for the Sooners. However, Oklahoma’s powerful offense can’t score points if they’re not on the field and I think that Nebraska will ride their pounding rushing attack to a major advantage in the time of possession department. With their great defense keeping this a low scoring affair, I think that Nebraska will win the 2010 Big XII Championship and play for the National Title.

Read each school’s in-depth preview by clicking below!

Big XII North Division

• Nebraska (7-1)
• Missouri (5-3)
• Kansas State (3-5)
• Colorado (3-5)
• Iowa State (2-6)
• Kansas (2-6)

Big XII South Division

• Oklahoma (7-1)
• Texas (6-2)
• Texas A&M (5-3)
• Baylor (3-5)
• Texas Tech (3-5)
• Oklahoma State (2-6)

Matt Baxendell is collegesports-fans.com’s college football guru. He has an opinion on every team, even lowly Western Kentucky, so feel free to email him at matt.baxendell@gmail.com if you want to talk football, comment on an article, get added to his mailing list or just feel like telling him how foolish he for thinking that WKU is in for another terrible season.