Big 12 Previews

NORTH DIVISION PREVIEW

Colorado. After a successful stint at Boise State, wins have been much tougher to come by for fourth-year Coach Dan Hawkins, who is 13-24 at Colorado. The Buffaloes have a manageable schedule in 2009, as North Division contenders Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri all travel to Colorado. However, Colorado has huge question marks at quarterback and also at wide receiver, after big-play threat Josh Smith left school. The Buffaloes have experience at linebacker and in the secondary, and they'll play some 3-4 schemes defensively.

LAST YEAR: 5-7 (2-6 in Big 12, tie-4th North Div.), BOWL GAME: None 2008 VS. SPREAD: 4-7 2008, HOME UNDERDOG VS. SPREAD: 2-1 2008, ROAD FAVORITE VS. SPREAD: N/A

Iowa State. Iowa State is living the old adage: Be careful what you wish for. After feeling the program was stagnant and firing the most successful coach in modern school history, Dan McCarney, in 2006, the Cyclones hired Gene Chizik. Chizik won five games in two seasons and then bolted for Auburn, while McCarney won a national title as an assistant coach with Florida. Enter new Coach Paul Rhoads, who was a Cyclone assistant under McCarney. Rhoads inherits a poor Cyclone team that lost its last 10 games last season and allowed at least 28 points in 10 of 12 games. Quarterback Austin Arnaud will try to lead Iowa State's new spread offense attack.

LAST YEAR: 2-10 (0-8 in Big 12, 6th North Div.), BOWL GAME: None 2008 VS. SPREAD: 5-6 2008, HOME UNDERDOG VS. SPREAD: 1-2 2008, ROAD FAVORITE VS. SPREAD: N/A

Kansas. The Jayhawks had a powerful offense in 2008 that kind of was lost in the shuffle of an avalanche of offense in the Big 12. With most of the key ingredients returning in 2009 for Kansas, Coach Mark Mangino should again have one of the nation's best offenses this season. Quarterback Todd Reesing gives Kansas a strong starting point. Receiver Kerry Meier and running back Jake Sharp also return. Defensively, Kansas plans to shift to more of a 4-2-5 look. The Jayhawks are the only North Division team to play both Texas and Oklahoma this season.

LAST YEAR: 8-5 (4-4 in Big 12, 3rd North Div.), BOWL GAME: Insight Bowl, def. Minnesota, 42-21, 2008 VS. SPREAD: 7-5 2008, HOME UNDERDOG VS. SPREAD: 0-2 2008, ROAD FAVORITE VS. SPREAD: 0-1

Kansas State. After an off-season of tremendous turmoil, Kansas State will be pleased to return the field ... and when that field is already named after the coach, the team figures to have a good chance of improvement. Bill Snyder, the most successful coach in Kansas State history, returns to the sidelines after retiring in 2005. He inherits a struggling team that won five games in both 2007 and 2008. In fact, Kansas State has been to only one bowl game since winning a league title in 2003. The Wildcats lost three-year starting quarterback Josh Freeman to the NFL draft. Kansas State's defense struggled last season, allowing 50-plus points in four conference games. Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado all must play at Kansas State this season, however.

LAST YEAR: 5-7 (2-6 in Big 12, tie-4th North Div.), BOWL GAME: None 2008 VS. SPREAD: 4-7, 2008 HOME UNDERDOG VS. SPREAD: 0-3, 2008 ROAD FAVORITE VS. SPREAD: 1-1

Missouri. Few teams in the country had a 2008 offense as powerful as Missouri, which averaged 42.2 points per game. Consequently, few teams lost as much offensive talent to the NFL after last season as did the Tigers. Missouri will break in a new quarterback, a new big-play receiver, a new tight end, and a new offensive coordinator in 2009. Linebacker Sean Witherspoon will lead the Tigers as they lean on their defense more in 2009. A Big 12 opening Thursday night ESPN home game against Nebraska will provide an early clue as to Missouri's hopes of defending its two straight North Division titles.

LAST YEAR: 10-4 (5-3 in Big 12, tie-1st North Div., lost Big 12 Championship Game to Oklahoma, 62-21, BOWL GAME: Alamo Bowl, def. Northwestern, 30-23, 2008 VS. SPREAD: 5-8, 2008 HOME UNDERDOG VS. SPREAD: N/A, 2008 ROAD FAVORITE VS. SPREAD: 2-1

Nebraska. Rookie Coach Bo Pelini sparked hope again at Nebraska, leading the Huskers to nine wins in 2008, a significant improvement over the five-win season in 2007. Nebraska also won six of its last seven games last season. Expectations are growing quickly around the Huskers, who are preseason North Division co-favorites, along with Kansas. Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh leads a quickly improving Nebraska defense. Offensively, the Huskers have to rely on several newcomers at the skill positions. Nebraska will play tricky league road games at Baylor, Kansas, Colorado, and Missouri this season, and the Huskers are at powerful Virginia Tech Sept. 19.

LAST YEAR: 9-4 (5-3 in Big 12, tie-1st North Div.), BOWL GAME: Gator Bowl, def. Clemson, 26-21, 2008 VS. SPREAD: 7-6, 2008 HOME UNDERDOG VS. SPREAD: 0-1, 2008 ROAD FAVORITE VS. SPREAD: 2-0

SOUTH DIVISION PREVIEW

Baylor. Hopes are as high as they've been in a long time around the Baylor program, which is hoping to end a 15-year bowl drought. Baylor won only four games a year ago, but the Bears had three-point losses to Connecticut and Missouri, and a seven-point loss at Texas Tech. Those close losses have given second-year Coach Art Briles plenty of momentum, as has the play of sophomore quarterback Robert Griffin. Defensively, the Bears have two all-conference players in linebacker Joe Pawelek and safety Jordan Lake. Texas, Oklahoma State, and Nebraska all must travel to Baylor in 2009.

LAST YEAR: 4-8 (2-6 in Big 12, tie-5th South Div.), BOWL GAME: None 2008 VS. SPREAD: 8-3, 2008 HOME UNDERDOG VS. SPREAD: 1-2, 2008 ROAD FAVORITE VS. SPREAD: N/A

Oklahoma. Defending Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford can't possibly duplicate a 2008 season in which Oklahoma scored 51.1 points per game and topped the 60-point mark in five consecutive games ... can he? Oklahoma lost four offensive line starters from last season, but most of the Sooners' skill position players return, including tight end Jermaine Gresham. The Sooner defense figures to be improved this season, led by tackle Gerald McCoy. Oklahoma led the Big 12 in turnover margin last season. The Sooners hope to avenge their two losses from last season, 45-35 against Texas and 24-14 against Florida in the BCS Championship Game, and Oklahoma is on the short list of teams that realistically could play for the national championship.

LAST YEAR: 12-2 (7-1 in Big 12, tie-1st South Div., won Big 12 Championship Game over Missouri, 62-21), BOWL GAME: BCS Championship Game, lost to Florida, 24-14, 2008 VS. SPREAD: 10-3, 2008 HOME UNDERDOG VS. SPREAD: N/A, 2008 ROAD FAVORITE VS. SPREAD: 5-0

Oklahoma State. The Big 12 will be a strong offensive conference again in 2009, but the best offense might be the one that college football fans nationally might not know much about at Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have three potential Heisman Trophy candidates in quarterback Zac Robinson, running back Kendall Hunter, and receiver Dez Bryant. Oklahoma State scored at least 30 points in 11 of 13 games last season, and it topped the 55-point mark five times. Oklahoma State started 7-0 last season before losing four of its final six games. New defensive coordinator Bill Young's ability to improve the Cowboy defense may determine whether the Cowboys can avoid a late-season fall and challenge for the Big 12 South Division title. The Cowboys open the season at home against Georgia and play only four road games. Three of the road games are against teams that did not qualify for a bowl last year, before a season-ending trip to cross-state rival Oklahoma. The Cowboys do not play Nebraska or Kansas from the North Division.

LAST YEAR: 9-4 (5-3 in Big 12, 4th South Div.), BOWL GAME: Holiday Bowl, lost 42-31 to Oregon, 2008 VS. SPREAD: 8-4, 2008 HOME UNDERDOG VS. SPREAD: 0-1, 2008 ROAD FAVORITE VS. SPREAD: 0-1

Texas. One play separated the 2008 Texas Longhorns from a berth in the national championship game, as Texas Tech's last-second touchdown handed Texas its only loss last season, 39-33. Texas hopes to use the motivation from last season's disappointment to fuel a national championship run this season. Quarterback Colt McCoy enters his senior season as a Heisman Trophy candidate after leading Texas to a 42.4 scoring average last season. Defensive end Sergio Kindle leads a strong Texas defense, which figures to improve on its ranking of 113th in forcing turnovers from last season. Late October will be tough for Texas, which faces Oklahoma, Missouri, and Oklahoma State in a row, all away from Austin.

LAST YEAR: 12-1 (7-1 in Big 12, tie-1st South Div.) BOWL GAME: Fiesta Bowl, def. Ohio State, 24-21, 2008 VS. SPREAD: 9-4, 2008 HOME UNDERDOG VS. SPREAD: N/A, 2008 ROAD FAVORITE VS. SPREAD: 3-1

Texas A&M. Second-year Coach Mike Sherman has nowhere to go but up after leading Texas A&M to one of its worst records in the past few decades at 4-8. The Aggie defense was no match for the offensive firepower in the Big 12, allowing at least 41 points in all six of their league losses. Texas A&M's transition to the West Coast offense was a struggle, as it only scored more than 30 points one time all season. Arkansas State even defeated Texas A&M at home last season, 18-14. In the highly competitive South Division, Texas A&M has a major challenge this season to avoid last place. The Aggies have a brutal November schedule, with road trips to Colorado and Oklahoma and home games against Baylor and Texas. Texas A&M had a minus-91-point differential against those four teams last season.

LAST YEAR: 4-8 (2-6 in Big 12, tie-5th South Div.), BOWL GAME: None, 2008 VS. SPREAD: 4-8 2008 HOME UNDERDOG VS. SPREAD: 1-3, 2008 ROAD FAVORITE VS. SPREAD: 1-0

Texas Tech. After remaining in the national title hunt until late November last season, the experts figure Texas Tech will fade a bit in 2009 after losing quarterback Graham Harrell and receiver Michael Crabtree. Still, with Coach Mike Leach reloading his spread offensive attack, a slip is not a guarantee for this Red Raider team. Texas Tech scored at least 34 points in all but one game last season. The Red Raiders opened 10-0 last season before a 65-21 loss at Oklahoma sunk Texas Tech's Cinderella season. Look for the Red Raiders to rely a little more heavily on their rushing attack until quarterback Taylor Potts settles in to the offense. Texas Tech's road schedule is tricky, with trips to Houston, Texas, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, and Baylor this season.

LAST YEAR: 11-2 (7-1 in Big 12, tie-1st South Div.), BOWL GAME: Cotton Bowl, lost to Mississippi, 47-34, 2008 VS. SPREAD: 5-5-1, 2008 HOME UNDERDOG VS. SPREAD: 1-0, 2008 ROAD FAVORITE VS. SPREAD: 3-1

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